Day 12: Jesus tells a story about God’s Word
Our passage today is like a burger! Jesus tells a parable, and then He explains the meaning. The story and the explanation are like the top and bottom of the burger bun. But in the middle, He tells His disciples why He’s using stories like this in His teaching. We’re going to start with the top bun of the story. Then, we’re going to chew on the meat in the middle, where Jesus explains why He’s using parables. Finally, we’re going to look at the bottom bun of the meaning.
In verse 1, where is Jesus and what is He doing?
Who is Jesus teaching?
In verses 3–8, Jesus tells a story about a farmer sowing seed. What four kinds of places did the seed fall?
What happened to the seed that fell on the path (v. 4)?
In verses 5–6, what happened to the seed that fell on rocky places and why?
In verse 7, what happened to the seed that fell among the thorns?
In verse 8, what happened to the seed that fell on good soil?
How does Jesus end His teaching (v. 9)?
In verses 10–11, Jesus is alone with His disciples, and they ask Him about the parables He was using to teach (we’ll read more of them tomorrow). Jesus gave a strange answer. What does Jesus say has been given to His disciples in verse 11?
At the end of verse 12, what does Jesus say people might do if they really understood His message? What would happen in response?
In verse 12, Jesus quotes from something the Lord says to the Old Testament prophet Isaiah (Isaiah 6:9–11). We might think that Jesus is telling stories to make it easy for people to understand, but He says the opposite. Only His true followers will get the meaning, not everyone in the crowd.
In verses 14–15, Jesus explains that the seed that landed on the path is people who hear God’s Word, but Satan comes and takes it away—like a bird eating the seed—so they don’t believe it. How can we be sure we are not like these people?
In verses 16–17, Jesus says the seed on the rocky ground is people who get excited when they first hear God’s Word, but then stop following Jesus when things get hard. How can we avoid being like that?
In verses 18–19, Jesus says that the seed that lands among thorns is people who hear God’s Word, but they want other things so much (for example, money or success) that these desires stop the seed from growing into a full plant. What things do you really want that might get in the way of you growing as a Christian?
In verse 20, Jesus says that the seed that lands on the good soil is people who hear God’s Word and accept it. This seed will bear lots of fruit—like one little grain of wheat that grows to become a stalk with thirty, sixty, or a hundred grains! What do you think Jesus means by a Christian bearing fruit?
Pray that Jesus would help you to hear His Word and receive it, so it will grow like the seed in the good soil!