The Sower and the Seed

The Sower and the Seed
Mark 4:1-20

One day, Jesus began to teach by the sea side: and there were so many people gathered together that he entered into a boat taught them by telling them stories.. and this is one of them:

"A sower (farmer) went out to plant the seeds for his grain, and as he planted, some fell by the side of the path, and the birds came and ate it. And some fell on rocks, but there wasn't enough soil, and immediately it began to grow, but when the sun came up it was burned because it had no roots, and it withered up and died because there was no water for it. And some fell in the thorns, and the thorns grew up with the grain and crowded it and it bore no fruit

But other seeds fell on good ground, and grew, and some bore much grain, some a little less, but all the seeds grew into grain.

And when Jesus had said these things, he said "Let those that understand what I am saying, listen to me." And his disciples asked him what the story meant.

And Jesus said to them, "It is for you to understand what the Kingdom of God means, but others are told the things about the Kingdom of God in stories, so that they will not understand.. Now this is the meaning of the story...

The seed is the Word of God. (which is our Holy Bible) Those by the side of the path are those that hear the Word of God and don't respond, and pretty soon the devil comes and they forget all about the Word of God before they believe it and are saved. The ones on the rock are those which, when they hear, they are very happy, and for while they believe it, but when things become difficult for them, they stop believing, because they did not believe the word of God in their hearts. And those which fell in the thorns are the people which, after they have heard the Word of God, they become too interested in the things that are in the world, and in their own problems, and their lives do not show in any way that they are obeying God and trusting Him. But the seed in the good ground are the people which have an honest and good heart, they have heard the Word of God, and obey it, and their lives show that they are Christians..

Questions:
1 Who was listening to Jesus tell the story about the farmer and the seed?
2 Who could understand what the story was about?
3 What happens to the people who hear the Word of God but don't respond?
4 What happens to the people who become too interested in the things in the world?
5 How can you tell someone who is like the seed that fell on good ground?

Answers:
1 People that had gathered together.
2 People who really wanted to know what the Kingdom of God was all about.
3 The devil comes and they forget all about the Word of God before they believe it and are saved.
4 Their lives don't show in any way that they trust God and are obeying Him.
5 They have an honest and good heart, and they obey the Word of God, and their lives show that they are Christians.

Vicki C. Gross