Jesus went out of the house and sat by the sea where great multitudes gathered to Him. He got into a boat and sat down while they all stood on the beach to listen.
He spoke many things to them in parables (picture stories)....
The Sower and The Seed
1. The Sower went out to sow. Explain what happened to the seeds as they fell into the different types of soil.
- vs. 4 -
- vs. 5, 6 -
- vs. 7 -
- vs. 8 -
Jesus said: "He who has ears, let him hear." (vs.9)
The disciples came to Jesus and asked Him why He spoke in parables. He told them it was because the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven had not yet been made known to them as a people although the ones He had chosen were granted the knowledge He gave them. (vs.11,12)
2. What did the prophet Isaiah say regarding the people that would hear the words of Jesus? vs. 14-15 -
3. What did Jesus say about the disciples that He had chosen to follow Him and hear His teachings? vs. 16-17 -
4. When we come to Christ, we are given ears to hear and eyes to see what the Spirit reveals to us. How awesome! Read and comment on these verses:
1 Peter 1:10-12 -
1 Corinthians 2:7-16 -
This is why we can talk until we are blue in the face to a non-believer, but unless the Spirit of the Lord removes the veils from their eyes to see and hear, they will not understand what we are saying or what the Bible is saying to them.
Was there a time you could not understand the Word of God when you read and then you knew you were born of the Spirit when your eyes were 'opened' and you could see what the Spirit was revealing to you?
Prayer is so important to open the eyes of our hearts. Amen.
The Sower & Seed Explained
5. Write out the explanation Jesus gives for each type of soil (heart) and what happens when the seed (Word of God) is sown there:
- Seed beside the Road - vs. 19 -
- Seed on rocky places - vs. 20-21
- Seed among thorns - vs. 22 -
- Seed on good soil - vs. 23 -
If you have become born again, the veil has been removed from your heart and you can understand the Word of God. You may not fully understand it, but you long to read it like a newborn baby longs for milk to grow and mature.
1 Peter 2:1-3 -
It has meaning to your spirit. That means the seed (His Word) is falling on good soil.
6. What should be the result when the Word falls on good soil (on the heart of those who are born again and enlightened by the Spirit)..? Matthew 13:23 -
Note: There are varies of degrees of how much fruit is borne from people. Yet every believer will bear fruit. Some 1/3rd the amount of another. Some 30, some 60, some 100 fold. It depends on how much we personally invest in our time with the Lord, abiding in His Word, asking Him things in prayer, sharing His love with others ....
7. John 15:5 -What happens as we abide in the vine which is Jesus?
What can we do apart from Him?
8. John 15:8 - When we bear much fruit, Who do we glorify with our lives?
What is proven by the fruit in our lives?
9. John 15:9-10 -What fruit is borne in us as we obey His commandments in His Word?
10. John 15:11 - What does bearing fruit for the Lord bring to us?
If we are lacking joy in our lives, we need to evaluate several things:
- Are we truly born again?
- Are we abiding in His Word?
- Is fruit (results in good works) coming from our time with Him?
Tares among Wheat
Jesus gave another parable saying that the kingdom of heaven could be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field.
11. What happened while men in the field were sleeping? vs. 25 -
Note: Tares look exactly like wheat; one does not know the difference until the season comes for the fruit to bear; the fruit appears or does not appear, then one can distinguish if it is a grain of wheat or a tare.
12. When did the tares become evident among them? vs. 26 -
13. Why did the landowner not want the tares pulled up out of the wheat? vs. 29 -
What does this tell us about the fact that imposters and false believers will be among us? Do we try to straighten them out and kick them out, etc. ? ....(not talking about church discipline for immorality which is described in the church letters)..
Rather than play deputy, we can assure ourselves that we need to know the truth and avoid those who do not bear fruit for the truth as well as teach others the truth so they can discern and avoid those who propogate false teaching.
He said to allow them to grow together until harvest time. At harvest time, the reapers would first bundle up the tares and throw them into the fire.
14. Where would the wheat be gathered? vs. 30 -
The Tares Explained:
After Jesus went into the house away from the multitudes, His disciples wanted to know what the tares of the field were.
15. Write out what Jesus told them from Matthew 13:36-43
- The One who sows the good seed is:
- The field is:
- The good seed is:
- The tares are:
- The enemy who sows the tares among the wheat is:
- The harvest is:
- The reapers are:
16. What will happen to the tares, the sons of the evil one, when the end of the age comes? vs. 40- 42
17. What will the result of the ones left be? vs. 43
"He who has ears, let him hear" (vs.43)
Other Parables Given - Just give a summary of these:
- The Mustard Seed (vs.31-32)
- The Leaven (vs.33)
- The Hidden Treasure (vs.44)
- A Costly Pearl (vs.45)
- A Dragnet (vs.47-49)
18. Those scribes (ones who handled the Old Testament law) who became a disciple of the kingdom of heaven - a child of God through faith in Jesus - would be like the head of a household. What would this person bring forth out of his treasure? (vs. 52)
Jesus Returns to Nazareth
When Jesus finished teaching these parables, He went back to His hometown of Nazareth.
19. What did they think of Him when He would teach in their synagogue? vs. 54-56
They were offended by Him.
20. What did Jesus say about this? vs. 57 -
21. What was the result of their lack of faith? vs. 58 -
Your summary notes and prayer today:
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