Jesus is a great storyteller. He often uses stories to illustrate the point of his teaching and connect to his audience. These are called parables. Sometimes they seem cryptic to us, but here Jesus explains why he teaches using parables and how we should respond to them.

Parables allowed for those whose hearts are open to Jesus to hear and respond in obedience, just as those whose hearts are hardened do not see the significance of Jesus’ message about the kingdom of God. Pray for an open heart to hear and obey Jesus’ parable today.

[Luke 8.4-15]

4 And when a great crowd was gathering and people from town after town came to him, he said in a parable, 5 A sower went out to sow his seed. And as he sowed, some fell along the path and was trampled underfoot, and the birds of the air devoured it. 6 And some fell on the rock, and as it grew up, it withered away, because it had no moisture. 7 And some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up with it and choked it. 8 And some fell into good soil and grew and yielded a hundredfold.” As he said these things, he called out, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”

The Purpose of the Parables

9 And when his disciples asked him what this parable meant, 10 he said, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of God, but for others they are in parables, so that ‘seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand.’ 11 Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. 12 The ones along the path are those who have heard; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. 13 And the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear the word, receive it with joy. But these have no root; they believe for a while, and in time of testing fall away. 14 And as for what fell among the thorns, they are those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature. 15 As for that in the good soil, they are those who, hearing the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with patience.

[ WHAT ] is this passage saying and what is a key truth or thought that we learn?

+ What are the four types of ground that the sower’s seed falls on?

+ Which climates produce fruit? Which do not? Why? [vv. 5-7]

+ What do you think Jesus means when he says, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear?” [v.8]

+ In what way are the secrets of the kingdom of God hidden in the parables? [vv. 9-10]

+ What does the parable mean? What is the seed? What are the types of soil? [vv. 11-15]

+ What does Jesus want his audience to understand about themselves and the kingdom of God? What is the best response to receiving the Word of God? [v. 15]

[ HOW ] is the Lord calling me to action/obedience?

+ Is there sin to confess or a next step to take? How has it gone since last time?

+ What kind of soil best describes your receptiveness to God’s Word right now?

+ Do you need to change the way you respond to God’s Word?

[ WHO ] am I walking with and praying for to discover Jesus?

+ What is my next step?