Luke 8:1-15
The Sower Find others to do this study with you — friends, family members or coworkers — or join an existing group. You will understand more of God and better arrange your life around God’s Word as you pursue Him with others. This week we are going to focus on the parable of the sower. In his book Echoes of His Presence, Ray Vander Laan makes this point: From the beginning, God spoke and acted within the context of human culture. It was not unusual then, that His Son should do the same… Jesus Christ, the Son of God incarnate, the Word made flesh, entered our human world at a specific time and place. He wasn’t born in northwestern Iowa, in Southern California, in the Texas panhandle or in the Appalachian Mountains. He was born in a land that was a hotbed of political and religious turmoil, a country that had been the crossroads of the world for centuries, where the rocky soil was red with the blood of the conquered and the conquerors. He was born into a race of people chosen by God to bear His name to the world; a people who had made a covenant with God and broken it — and then been restored to His favor. Throughout His life, Jesus was a member of His culture. Though His message was unique, He brought it to the people — Jews and Gentiles — using methods and language consistent with His role as a first-century Jewish rabbi who was also a citizen of a Roman-controlled country. As you read the text for this study, consider the way Jesus taught about His Kingdom and how He connected with the world of which He was a part.
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READ LUKE 8:1-15 Read the passage together, and discuss the following questions, paying particular attention to the context and author’s intent. This parable is recorded in three Gospels: Matthew, Mark and Luke. Read it together from Luke 8:1-15. At this time Jesus was growing in popularity. People were coming from far and wide to hear Him. On this occasion, what apparently prompted His parable was His view of the crowd as He looked into the people’s hearts. • What types of soil does Jesus describe here, and what characteristics of the heart does each represent? • What happened to each seed and to the fruit? • What might this have explained to Jesus’ disciples about what they were witnessing as they followed Jesus? • This passage begins by telling us who was with Jesus (Luke 8:1-3) and what they had all been doing. How do they illustrate His point?
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Find Your Story in God’s Story Now talk about how you will apply the wisdom you’ve obtained from the teaching and Bible study. Then think about practical steps you can take in the coming week to live out what you’ve learned. • If you had been in the crowd that day, how do you think you would have related to Jesus’ teaching? • Most of us will not draw crowds and create parables to reach those around us. But like Jesus we need to keep our message true as we love the lost and share His message. What could we learn from Jesus’ teaching about knowing whom to invest in for His Kingdom? About taking His gospel to our culture? • According to Jesus’ interpretation of the parable (Luke 8:11-15), He is the sower, sharing the secrets of the Kingdom — His revelation — with His disciples. How does your group help you understand and live in the secrets of His Kingdom? • What is our role and responsibility in planting the Word, and how could we imitate Christ as we engage in spiritual conversations with those around us? How do we need to depend on Him for revealing Himself to others?
NorthlandChurch.net/ParablesOfJesus Afterward have someone read the discussion questions in the “Hear God’s Story” section and start the conversation.
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