Soil of Your Heart

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WHY TEACH IN PARABLES? (Luke 8:9-10) l ANSWER: To ____________ reveal conceal & ____________ truth at the same time

Soil of Your Heart Luke 8:1-15

light PRINCIPLE #2: When we respond to the ____________ God gives gives more us, He ____________ us ____________. reject When we ____________ what light we’re given, we lose ____________ even what we have.

INTERESTING FACT ABOUT MINISTRY FINANCING (Luke 8:1-3) l QUESTION: How did Jesus & His disciples finance their ministry? l

healed women ANSWER: Through ____________ Jesus had ______________!

PARABLE OF THE FOUR SOILS (Luke 8:4-8; cf. Matthew 13:1-9; Mark 4:1-8)

This parable is found in Matthew, Mark & Luke Jesus shifted His public teaching style at this point Parables are common, earthly stories with heavenly meanings This parable is unique because Jesus explains it This parable explains why people either trust or reject Christ… or simple “fizzle out” spiritually PATH No soil ________________; penetration u Along the ____________… Result: _____ taken seed is ____________ by birds (v.5b) ROCKY GROUND v On ____________ ____________… Result: Quick germination no roots ________________, but ______ ____________; scorched by the dies sun it ____________ (v.6) THORNS w Among ____________… Result: Plants choked into fruitlessness (v.7) _________________ GOOD Great crop x On ____________ SOIL… Result: ____________ ____________… 100 ______ times what was sown! (v.8)

PARABLE OF THE FOUR SOILS EXPLAINED (Luke 8:11-15) l Seed = Word of God (Christ’s teaching) l 4 different soil conditions = Different heart responses to the Word of God Hard unresponsive u Along the PATH = ____________, ____________

(v.12) devil Zero Enemy = The ____________ l Result = ____________ Shallow impulsive v On ROCKY GROUND = ____________, ____________ (v.13) l Enemy: The ____________ l Zero flesh Result: ____________ Over-crowded preoccupied w Among THORNS = ________________, ____________ (v.14) l Enemy: The ____________ l Result: ____________ world Zero Well-prepared responsive x On GOOD SOIL = _________________, ____________ (v.15) l Result: On-going fruit _______________, spiritual ____________ l

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Biblical references to spiritual FRUIT: l l l l l l l l l

Repentance (Matthew. 3:8) l True conversion (Romans 10:9) Baptism (Acts 2:38) l Personal holiness (Romans 6:22) Developing Christian character (Galatians 5:22-23) Good works (Colossians 1:10) Evangelism & winning others to Christ (Romans 1:13) Sharing what we have with others (Romans 15:25-28) Regular Christian service (Ephesians 6:7-8) Praising God (Hebrews 13:15) l Prayer (1 Thessalonians 5:17) Giving generously to God’s work (Romans 15:25-28)

CONCLUSION: 4 people in a pew, which one are you?

PRINCIPLE #1: The fate of the seed is determined by the soil nature ____________ of the ____________.

Sunday, September 9, 2018 | Scott Hansen, Senior Pastor Creekside Christian Church

LifeGroup Questions - Doing Life Together Week of September 9-15, 2018

Soil of Your Heart Luke 8:1-15

Sermons can be viewed online at creeksideeg.com/sermon Questions are based on the NIV translation of the Bible

PRAYER Begin in prayer asking God to guide your time together. MY STORY 1. Have you ever planted anything in a garden? What grew the best or worst? What did you learn from the experience? DIGGING DEEPER 2. What from Sunday’s message gave you new insight into this passage? Explain? 3. Read Luke 8:1-3. The twelve disciples were with Jesus essentially everywhere He went, but what benefit or possible downside was there to having the entourage of Mary, Joanna, Suzanna and others who the Bible said had been cured of evil spirits and diseases? 4. What conclusion can be drawn from this passage about how Jesus funded ministry? Before becoming a Christian, how did you think that churches paid for ministry? What is your current understanding? 5. Read Luke 8:5-8. What happened to the seed that fell on the: a. Path soil – b. Rocky soil – c. Thorny soil – d. Good soil – 6. Read Luke 8:9. Notice that the disciples asked Jesus what the parable meant. When you are in a group and don’t understand something, what is your tendency? a. To remain quiet because you think your question may be perceived as foolish

b. To ask a question only after someone else has broken the ice and asked one first c. To ask questions until you fully understand an issue d. To hope that no one asks any questions so the lesson can end sooner e. Other 7. Read Luke 8:11-15 and identify what each part of the parable represents: a. The seed that is sown – b. The seed that fell along the path – c. The seed that fell on the rocky soil – d. The seed that fell among thorns – e. The seed that fell on the good soil – 8. According to Luke 8:15, producing “fruit” is a by-product of appropriately responding to God’s Word. Review and discuss the following “fruits” mentioned in the New Testament: Repentance (Matthew 3:8), true conversion (Romans 10:9), baptism (Acts 2:38), personal holiness (Romans 6:22), developing Christian character (Galatians 5:22-23), good works (Colossians 1:10), regular Christian service (Ephesians 6:7-8), evangelism & winning others to Christ (Romans 1:13), sharing what we have with others (Romans 15:25-28), praising God (Hebrews 13:15), prayer (1 Thessalonians 5:17), giving generously to God’s work (Romans 15:25-28). Which of these “fruits” seem most evident in your life right now? DIGGING EVEN DEEPER 9. Read Luke 8:9-10 and the expanded version of this Jesus’ explanation in Matthew 13:10-17. In your own words, explain what possible reason(s) could Jesus have for hiding the true meaning of things in parables so that only certain people would understand? TAKING IT HOME 10. Based on this lesson, do you feel led to make any changes in your life to better become “good soil”? If so, what first step can you take this week? PRAYING TOGETHER Pray for the needs of your group and ask God to make the soil of your life like the good soil in this parable.