Weekly Video Lesson
This week our Sunday School classes continue our study of the life of Christ with a lesson from Matthew 13, Jesus Teaches the Parable of the Sower. Check out the video lesson and discussion questions from our Children & Family Minister Daniel Sheaffer below:
Video Discussion Q+A
1) What are the 4 types of soil Jesus tells us in his parable?
- The one with the Birds, the Rocky Soil, the Thorny Soil, the Good Soil.
2) Why does Jesus start speaking in parables to the people? v10-13
- Jesus has shown so many miracles to prove who he is. He has just pronounced judgment on the people for hardening their hearts and not believe in him, or see his miracles as being done through the Holy Spirit. In this, the parables were meant to conceal and hide the messages about the kingdom and yet reveal them to those who truly had faith.
3) Why does Jesus say that the disciples are blessed? v16-17
- Jesus called them blessed because there were many people and prophets who longed to see and be a part of the kingdom of God that has now come in Jesus (see 1 Peter 1:10-12).
4) What do the 4 types of soils mean? What does it mean to hear the word? v18-23
- The seed is the message of the kingdom of God. The birds represent the devil taking away the word from being planted in people’s hearts. The rocky soil is the person who falls away from following when hard things come because someone believes. The thorny soil is the person who cares too much about the things of this world and its riches. The good soil is the soil that hears, understands, believes, and continues to bear fruit as evidence.
5) How should we respond to the message of Jesus?
- We should ask ourselves, do we show evidence of bearing fruit that we trust and believe? Do we show that we know him? Do we believe? Do we understand? Do we keep believing when there is persecution or trial? Do we keep believing and not enticed by the cares of this world or the deceitfulness of riches? Do we hear Jesus parables and continue to believe? The epistle of 1st John was written so that we might know that we have eternal life, and the surest evidence of that is that we bear fruit (John 15). Fruit is the evidence that God has saved us. There is no true disciple that doesn’t bear fruit. Every true disciple bears fruit. And every false disciple will be made clear that they don’t bear fruit eventually.