Read Luke 8:1-21. What most stands out to you in this passage?
“The word parable means ‘to cast alongside.’ A parable is a story that teaches something new by putting the truth alongside something familiar. The people knew about seeds and soil, so the Parable of the Sower interested them.”1 For Jesus’ hearers, who is the sower? Luke writes this account of Jesus’ teachings to a person (or persons) he identifies as Theophilus, meaning “friend of God” (c.f., Luke 1:1-4). Who is the sower for Luke’s audience in the earliest days of the Church? What about today: Who is the sower for our world today?
Our passage (Luke8:1-21) indicates that the seed is the “word of God.” Jesus’ hearers (and the recipients of Luke’s Gospel) had the Old Testament, the Hebrew Bible, but not the New Testament yet. What do you believe the “word of God” meant to those original recipients of Jesus’ parable? In our sermon on 09/12/2021, Jesus is identified as both the sower and, in some very meaningful sense, the seed to Jesus’ original audience. If this is true, what is special and unique about Jesus being the “Word of God”? What potential difference does this make for your life?
Warren Wiersbe states, “Jesus called this parable ‘The Parable of the Sower,’ but it could also be called ‘The Parable of the Soils.’” Thus, the metaphor of the different kinds of soil carries an important part of the message—perhaps the most important part—of this parable. What is the point of the soils that Jesus describes? What are the different kinds of soils and their qualities and characteristics?
With the shallow soil, there is a layer of rock just beneath the surface that doesn’t allow roots to penetrate enough for the seedling to become established, and the heat of the sun scorches the plant. What kinds of things in life scorch an individual’s faith in Jesus’ message about God’s kingdom?
With the soil full of weeds, worries, riches, and pleasures choke out the plant and inhibit its maturity and ability to bear good fruit. What are the worries that are most likely to choke out a vibrant faith life for you? In what way might you turn to riches and pleasures to provide security or numbing distraction from the hard parts of living well and growing spiritually?
The fruitful soil is represented by a good, generous heart that works to “retain” the word with patience and perseverance. What are your greatest challenges to “retain,” to hold on to, Jesus’ message bout God and his kingdom? What are your best practices to hold on to Jesus and his words? What kind of fruit do these actions help produce?
Jesus encourages us to put God’s word into practice in the final verse of our passage. What is one small, doable step for you to put into practice?
