5. There are many messages that can get sown into our hearts, messages that “The Sower and the Seed” can drown out the message of God’s Word. What are some of the dominant Mark 4:1-20 messages that keep us from “hearing” well the Word of God? February 3, 2013  Dr. David Jeremiah

Sermon Notes

I. The Setting - Mark 4:1-2; 13

Bringing it Home II. The Sower - Mark 4:3; 14 1. What have been the life-conditions, in the past, that have allowed your heart and mind to be most welcoming and absorbent with God’s Word? III. The Seed - Mark 4:14, 24; I Peter 1:23; Matt. 13:9; Luke 8:18; Romans 10:17

IV. The Soils - Mark 4:4-20; Matthew 13:19; Luke 8:12

A. The Calloused Heart - Mark 4:4; 15; Luke 8:12

B. The Casual Heart - Mark 4:5-6, 16-17; II Timothy 3:5; John 6:60, 66 2. Good hearing of the Word of God is: immediate, deep, and exclusive. Which of those three responses do you need to focus on in order to make your heart C. The Crowded Heart - Mark 4:7, 18-19 more welcoming of God’s Word? 1. The cares of this world

2. The deceitfulness of riches

3. The desires for other things

3. What is your story with the Word of God? When did God’s Word begin to 4. The pleasures of life - Luke 8:14 matter to you? How would you describe the current state of the soil of your . heart and mind for the Word of God? How welcoming is your heart and mind D. The Converted Heart - Mark 4:8; 20 for God’s Word? What fruit (results) do you see growing from the soil of your heart? Conclusion

1. A Word about Sowing – “Don’t Be Discouraged” - I Co 3:6; Ps. 126:5-6; Gal. 6:9

2. A Word about the Seed – “Don’t Be Defensive” - Isaiah 55:11

3. A Word about the Soils – “Don’t Be Deceived”

© Copyright 2013 by Shadow Mountain Ministries 2100 Greenfield Drive, El Cajon, CA 92019 www.shadowmountain.org/smallgroups  619.440.1802 Small Group Questions 3. Look specifically at the four soils of Jesus’ parable. For each of the soils: (1) summarize Pastor Jeremiah’s description for each and then (2) list some Getting Started examples of real-life scenarios that describe those moments today. 1. Seeds and soil; think literally about those for a moment. Do you have a green

thumb? If so, what’s the secret to your success? If not, what do you think the The Path (i.e., the wayside)- problem is?

The Stony Ground-

The Thorny Ground-

2. Can you recall a conversation with someone who was simply closed off to The Good Ground- what you needed or wanted to talk about? What was that like?

4. The “seed and soil” metaphor comes up in a number of places in the Bible.

Take a look at the following verses and summarize the truths we get from this

metaphor.

Digging Deeper Job 4:8 1. Pastor Jeremiah reminded us that we need to be careful about how we listen

to the Word of God. Why is that true? Why is it important that we, the

receivers, are intentional about listening (receiving) well? Psalm 7:14-16

Proverbs 11:18

Hosea 8:7

2. Jesus loved to teach using parables. What is it about the story-telling power of Hosea 10:11-13 parables that increases our ability to receive truth?

Mark 4:26-29

Galatians 6:7-10