Unit 4: Parables of Jesus NT4.7 Parable of the Sower and the Seed · 2016-08-03 · 2 NT4.7 Parable of the Sower and the Seed ©Beverly Wilson 2016 They really wanted to hear the

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NT4.7 Parable of the Sower and the Seed ©Beverly Wilson 2016

Unit 4: Parables of Jesus NT4.7 Parable of the Sower and the Seed

Scripture: Matthew 13: 1-23

Lesson Goal: When Jesus lived on earth He taught people many important things about God and heaven. To help people understand what He was saying Jesus often told stories called parables. One day Jesus told a story called "The Parable of the Sower and the Seed" to show that believing and obeying God's Word is necessary to grow as God's child.

Introduction: This is the fourth lesson in Unit 4: The Parables of Jesus. When Jesus lived on earth He taught people many important things about God and heaven. To help people understand what He was saying Jesus often told stories called parables. One day Jesus told a story called "The Parable of the Sower and the Seed" to show that believing and obeying God's Word is necessary to grow as God's child. These stories or parable are found in the gospels. This parable is found in the book of Matthew. This book is one of the gospels in the New Testament. The gospels tell the story of the life of Jesus and are the first four books in the New Testament. Let's say the first four books of the New Testament together. Matthew, Mark, Luke, John.

Attention Getter: (show a hoe, rake, shovel, seed packet, garden gloves) Say: "Have any of you ever used any of these tools? Have you ever lived on a farm? Have you ever planted a garden? Some of you may have planted a garden or watched your parents or grandparents plant a garden. There is a lot of work involved in planting and caring for a garden. What are some of the things you will need to plant a garden? First you will need a shovel to break up the ground. When you dig into the ground big clots of dirt come off the shovel. You have to break apart those big clods of dirt. Then you will need a rake to remove the rocks and keep the soil smooth. You will need a hoe to chop down the weeds that might try to take over your garden. You will probably need some fertilizer to make the plants grow strong. Of course you will need a hose to water your garden unless it rains a lot. Oh, I almost forgot the important thing you will need for your garden! Can you guess what it is? The Seeds! You can't have a garden without seeds! Now we have everything we need to produce a great crop of fruits and vegetables." Did you know that Jesus used growing plants to tell a story? The parable or story was to teach people about how differently people receive the gospel message Alternative: Have six or seven different types of seeds on the table: (watermelon, orange, apple, grass, flower, acorn, pumpkin) As the children arrive, have them examine the seeds on the table and have them guess what types of seeds are displayed. Just before class starts, tell the children what types of seeds were on the table. Ask the kids how they think something as small as a watermelon seed can grow into such a delicious fruit. How can an acorn planted in the dirt and watered grow into an Oak tree?

Opening Prayer: "Heavenly Father, We want to be like the good soil. Help us to study Your Word and put it into practice in our daily life. In Jesus' name we pray, Amen.

Memory Verse: The memory verse is James 1:22 “But be doers of the word and not hearers only.”

Lesson Video: https://youtu.be/HC8BeI3GGcI One day a big crowd of people gathered to see Jesus. Everyone left what they were doing just so they could come and hear Jesus. After all Jesus told interesting stories. He healed sick people and made crippled people walk. Everyone wanted to see what Jesus did! The people settled down and waited eagerly to hear Jesus' every word!

https://youtu.be/HC8BeI3GGcI

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They really wanted to hear the stories that Jesus told but the crowd was too large for everyone to hear. What would Jesus do? Seeing a boat nearby Jesus climbed aboard. Now He could see the people and they could see and hear Him. Jesus began to tell parables which were stories about ordinary things that taught people about God. After everyone was quiet Jesus began his story. One day a farmer went out to his field to plant a crop. As he walked up and down the plowed up ground, he took handfuls of seed from his seed pouch and scattered them on the ground. Now some of the scattered seed fell on a footpath where the dirt was packed down as hard and smooth as clay. When the seeds fell on this soil they just bounced up and down. This soil was far too hard for any seed to put down roots and grow! So the seeds just lay there on the path until the birds came swooping down and Swoosh! they gobbled up the seeds. Some of the other seeds that the farmer scattered landed on stony parts of the field. The seed fell between the stones but the soil was not very deep there. The seeds grew quickly into spindly puny plants. Soon the hot sun came out and shriveled them up because they did not have any roots in the shallow soil. Other seed fell among the thistles and thorns. At first the thorny weeds grew so fast that they cast a shadow on the young plants. As the thorny weeds grew bigger and bigger they took all the water and light that the young plants needed. Soon the weeds choked out the young plants and they died. Then Jesus said, "The rest of the seed fell on soft, rich soil and they grew into an enormous crop." Because the ground was good, the seeds could sprout and become healthy plants bearing plenty of new grain. The farmer was delighted when he saw the crop! Some plants had produced 30 times what he planted, some 60 times and some even a 100 times more than what he had planted. Then Jesus told the crowds, "Whoever has ears to hear, let him hear." Later the disciples came up to Jesus. "Why do you teach in parables?" they asked. Jesus then quoted words Isaiah had written many years before. "These people see but do not see, they hear but do not understand. Otherwise they might turn and be forgiven." Blessed are you eyes, because they see and your ears because they hear," Jesus explained. "Listen to what the parable of the sower means: "The seed the farmer sows is like God's Word. Some people are like the see that falls on the path. As soon as they hear what God says, Satan swoops down and takes it away. Others are like the seed sown in rocky places. They hear what god says with joy but as they have no root, when troubles and persecutions come they quickly fall away. Some are like the seed sown among thorns. They hear what God says but the worries of life, the deceitfulness of wealth, and the desire for others things makes them unfruitful. But others are like the seed sown on good soil. They hear God's Word and obey it. They produce a harvest of good as they live for God--some 30 times bigger, some 60 times bigger and some 100 times bigger. It's funny to think that Jesus said people can be like dirt or soil. But learning this parable can help us to remember that Jesus wants all of us to become like the good soil. as we read and study God's Word we learn how God wants us to live. We want to be like the good soil. When we read and study God's Word we get to know Jesus better and then we will want to obey Him even more and more. Then we are not just reading God's Word--we are doing it! Other people will see that our lives are different and they will want to learn about God too. We can share what we have learned about God today with others! Some other ways we can obey God are by being patient with others, forgiving others, and using kind words! We should pray and ask God to help us be like the wheat that produced 100 fold. Remember--Let's obey God's Word!

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Review Questions: "Seeds in a Packet" Materials: Small envelope with a flap for each student; popcorn seeds Procedure: Give each student a seed envelope. Divide class into two teams. Alternately ask each team one of the following questions. If the team gets the correct answer then everyone on the team gets to put one kernel of corn in their packet. Team with the most seeds in their packet wins. 1. What does sow mean? What is another name for someone who sows seeds? (plant, farmer) 2. What kind of people are like the hard path? (People who are hard hearted and don’t want to listen to God’s

plan of salvation.) 3. In order not to be like the "hard path," what might a person do? (Make a plan to remember what was learned

from God’s Word. Pray and ask God to help you do what His Word says.) 4. What happened to the seed that fell on the rocky places? (It withered, because it had no root.) 5. What kind of people are like the rocky soil? (They start out doing well, but give up and do things the way they

used to do before.) 6. How can a person avoid being like "rocky soil"? (Take time to think about and pray about what you read from

Gods’ Word. Pray, asking God to help you remember what His Word says.) 7. What kind of people are like the thorny soil? (Worldly people who are more concerned with the cares of this

world than about God’s plan for their lives.) 8. What are some things in our lives that are like weeds — things we worry about so much that we forget to

obey and love God? (Money, peer pressure, sickness, school, friends, family) 9. Should we let these worries become more important than God? Why not? (No, God is able to help us) 10. What excuses do people use as reasons for not knowing and following God’s Word? (Too busy, not

interested, don’t believe it.) 11. What would a person need to do to stop being like "thorny soil"? (Spend time reading and doing the things

that are in God’s Word.) 12. What kind of people are like the good soil? (People who have tender hearts towards the things of God.) 13. What could a person do to be like "good soil"? (Spend regular time reading God’s Word and listening to

teaching about God’s Word. Plan ways to do what you learn in God’s Word. Pray for God to help you be good soil.)

14. How can a person show they value God’s Word? (Read it and try to put it into practice in their lives.) 15. What are some things you have already done to be like the good soil? What are some other things you can

do? 16. How can you help someone else be like the good soil? (Share God’ Word) 17. What is the result of being the "good soil" Jesus was talking about? (Fruit-bearing) 18. Which of the ways of being like "good soil" can you be this week?

Bible Memory Verse Activity: "Frame the Verse" Say: "Our memory verse is James 1:22 “But be doers of the word and not hearers only.” Have students locate the verse in the scripture. Repeat the verse several times. Explain that God not only wants us to hear and read God's Word. He wants us to obey it. Materials: Print the frame template below on card stock, one for each student; glue; markers Procedure: Have students decorate the frame by gluing popcorn seeds to the outer area. Have students write the memory verse in the center of the frame. Put glue wherever you want seeds to be. Spread seeds onto glue.

Group Learning Activity: Warning Signs (Grades K-5) Preparation: Print out a copy of the signs below--one for each child in your class. Discussion: First, give the children a copy of the handout, and have them examine the pictures. Explain to the class that each object is a sign that give us a warning. See if they can identify each warning. After everyone has had a chance to make their guesses and write down their answers. Go over each picture and let the children know which ones they knew and which ones they missed. Say" "In everyday life, we are constantly seeing signs that give us warnings. These warnings are usually there to either protect us or protect others. Warning signs are very important. Without them, people may do something that may hurt themselves or someone else. However, warnings do not just come from signs. The Bible is also full of

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warnings, and they are just as important. In fact, they are more important because obeying the warning signs in the Bible not only protect us, they make us better persons. The Bible says, "Be careful to do what the Lord your God has commanded you; do not turn aside to the right or to the left. Walk in all the way that the Lord your God has commanded you, so that you may live and prosper and prolong your days in the land that you will possess." (Deuteronomy 5: 32, 33) "Be very careful then how you live, not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is." (Ephesians 5:15-17) The parable of the sower and the seed is like a warning sign. Jesus was warning us what would happen if we do not read and obey God's Word." "How can we know what the Lord's will is? (By reading the Bible and learning more about Jesus) Where can we find the warnings that God gives us? (By knowing what the Bible says, and by allowing the Holy Spirit to direct us in our actions.)"

Group Learning Activity: "Soak It In" (Grades K-5) Materials: 1 medium size rock; 1 bowl to hold rock; Small sponge; Squirt gun filled with water; (a small cup of water may be used) Discussion: Compare how the Word of God, represented by the water, will not affect someone with a hardened heart, represented by the rock, but will affect someone with the right heart, represented by the sponge. If you want to add more impact to the lesson, you can cut the sponge into the shape of a heart. Begin the lesson by first placing the rock in the bowl. Say: " Do you see this hard rock? This rock represents the heart of someone with a hard heart. The water in this squirt gun represents the Word of God. (Squirt the rock with the squirt gun several times.) When we try to explain the Word of God to someone with a hard heart, it will not soak in. It just rolls off. Do you see this sponge? This sponge represents someone with a soft and open heart. (Squirt the sponge with the squirt gun several times.) When we explain the Word of God to a person with a soft and open heart, he or she will soak the information in."

Group Learning Activity: "Spinning a Hard Heart" (Grades 3-5) Materials: 1 hard-boiled egg; 1 uncooked egg; Table or hard flat surface Preparation: Before class, hard-boil one egg and let cool. Mark one egg with an "A" and the other with a "B", or whatever marks you choose, so you can tell them apart. Procedure: Show the class that the hard-boiled egg is easy to spin around like a top, but the uncooked egg will not spin as often as you try. Compare the hard-boiled egg to someone with a hardened heart. Just as we can spin the hard-boiled egg, the devil can make someone with a hardened heart do things they know is wrong. Say:" I have here two eggs. Except for the fact that one is marked "A" and this other one is marked "B", they look the same. However, they are very different; let me show you. I need one volunteer. (Give the volunteer the hard-boiled egg.) What I would like you to do is spin this egg around like a top. Can you do that? That was easy, was it not? Now I need another volunteer to spin this other egg. (Give the second volunteer the uncooked egg.) What is wrong, are you having trouble spinning this egg? Some children may know already, in any case let the children experiment with the two eggs for a moment, and then ask to have them back. Explain that the difference between the two eggs is that one is hard inside, while the other is still liquid. We can spin the egg with the hard inside around. The Bible says, "Blessed is the man who always fears the Lord, but he who hardens his heart falls into trouble" (Proverbs 28:14). This hard-boiled egg is like someone with a hardened heart and who does not fear the Lord. The devil can make this person do things they know are wrong. In a sense, the devil has some control over their life, and that is very scary is it not? Someone who is obedient to the Lord, and does not let his or her heart become hardened can resist the power of the devil. Like this egg with the soft center that we cannot spin around, a Christian who is obedient to the Word of God, and who fears the Lord cannot be controlled by the devil. We must make sure our hearts do not become hard, like a hard-boiled egg.

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Group Learning Activity: "Worry Wart " Preparation: pencil, small notepaper sheet; Bible; print and copy hand out of enjoyable things below. Procedure: Say: "In our Bible lesson what was the third kind of soil that the seed fell upon? (thorny soil). What kind of people are like the thorny soil? (Worldly people who are more concerned with the cares of this world than about God’s plan for their lives.) Give each child the notepaper sheet and a pencil. Draw a simple picture of the cartoon at right or a simple stick man with lots of beads of perspiration flowing from his head. Ask students to explain that a "worry wart" is a "person who is consumed with worry and fretting so much that they cannot see anything good around them." Give each child a copy of the handout, and have them examine the pictures. Explain to the class that everything on the page is something enjoyable. Having a happy birthday, getting a shiny new bike, being able to play in "the big game of the season", going to the circus and of course, getting a new little puppy. Ask the children "Which of these would you like to have or do?" Explain that worrying can take away from being able to fully enjoy these things. "What kinds of things do you worry about?" If the children do not offer examples of things they worry about, you can suggest the following:

1. Worrying about getting a good grade on a test. 2. Worrying about whether other children in the neighborhood will like you 3. Worrying about you mom or dad finding out you did something wrong. 4. Worrying about what others will think if you do not do well at sports. 5. Worrying about the way you look

As you share the first example of something the children might worry about, have them tear off the Birthday cake from the handout, and toss it in the trash. Give another example and have them tear off the bicycle and toss it into the trash. Repeat giving examples and tearing away at the pictures on the paper until the children have nothing left. Explain that worrying can be like this. If we spend too much time worrying, or if we worry about too many things, what should be enjoyable is not any more. So what should we do when something happens that might cause us to worry? The Bible says, "Cast all your worries upon Him, because he cares for you" (1Peter 5:7) so let Jesus do the worrying, so you can enjoy the things God gives you.

Group Learning Activity: "Ask a Friend" (Grades 1-5) Materials: 128 pieces of penny candy in a Brown paper bag Procedure: Say: "In this Bible lesson, where was the fourth place that the seed fell? What happened to the seed that fell on good soil? (It produced a crop -- a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown) How does the seed falling on good soil compare to us being a Christian? (We need to share our faith with others so they can become Christians. This also helps us grow spiritually) Jesus told us to "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation" (Mark 16:15) In Romans 10: 14,15 the Bible says, "How then can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can they preach unless they are sent? How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news?" (Take one piece of candy out of the bag.) This piece of candy represents the very first kid to come to children's Sunday school. After church, this kid went home, told a friend the Good News about Jesus Christ, and asked a friend to come to church the next week.

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(Take another piece of candy out of the bag and place it next the other.) Now there were two kids in children's Sunday school. After church, these two kids went home and each told a friend the good News about Jesus Christ and asked those friends to come to church the next week. (Take out two pieces of candy and place then next to the others) Now there were four kids in children's Sunday school. After church, these four kids went home, told a friend the Good News about Jesus Christ, and asked a friend to come to church the next week. (Take out four pieces of candy...then eight...then sixteen...then thirty-two...then sixty-four, each time repeating the phrase these kids went home, told a friend the Good News about Jesus Christ, and asked a friend to come to church the next week. (When doubling the sixty-four pieces of candy, simply dump out the rest of the bag.) Now there are one hundred and twenty-eight kids in children's Sunday school. In just eight weeks, the size of the class grew from 1 to 128 kids. (Give each child two-pieces of candy) Here is a reward for hearing about what it means to go into the all the world and preach the good news. Enjoy one piece, and share the other with a friend. Group Learning Activity: "Seeds" (Grades K-5) Materials: Bring different kinds of seeds and see if the kids can figure out which fruit or vegetable contains the seed. Examples are peas, beans, corn, watermelon, cantaloupe, apple, peach, pear, grape, orange, etc. Say: "Who is the farmer in the parable that Jesus told? That is, who is the one who scatters the seed? (The Lord is the farmer. He’s the One spreading the Word of the kingdom.) What is the seed? (God’s Word, the truth about God’s kingdom). Notice that when the word of truth is sown into good soil, it bears fruit and it produces more fruit. What kind of a "crop" do these good-soil type people produce? This describes a person who comes to know the truth about Jesus and shows others how to live by God’s Word as well. And, then those people go and tell still more people about God’s wonderful gift of forgiveness of sin and salvation. We can choose whether or not to pay attention to God’s Word. Some of you might listen to God’s Word when you’re at church on Sundays, but then don’t think about it at all during the week. Others might say you want to obey God’s Word, but then never read it or try to understand what it says. People who are like good soil know the value of God’s Word and it helps them live in a godly way. They want to spend time reading and thinking about God’s Word and asking His help in understanding and obeying it. How has God’s Word taken root in your life? What kind of soil is your heart?"

Craft Learning Activity: "Growing Seeds" (Grades K-3) Materials: Bean Seeds Any Kind; Cotton Balls; Sandwich Size Ziploc Bag Procedure: Wet 3 or 4 cotton balls and place in bag. Take 3 bean seeds and place them next to the cotton balls in the bag. Zip the bag shut. Children can take the bags home and tape to a window or tape them to a window in class. Seeds should sprout in 3-5 days. When the sprouts are about 1 inch they can be planted.

Life Application Challenge: Walk in the Park Challenge each student to go to the park or nearby woods and take a hike. As you walk along the path enjoying the beauty that God has created. Ask yourself why the grass doesn’t grow on the path. Suggest some answers they might have such as all the foot traffic on the path makes it nearly impossible for the grass to grow. Tie this into the growth of our spiritual lives by stating that worldly obsessions can crowd out the spiritual things in our lives. We should take time each day to listen for the small still voice of God. We can accomplish this by reading the Bible, praying and worshiping God each day. Be thankful for all God's blessings and be thankful that He wants to spend time with each of us.

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The Parable of the Sower

James 1:22

“But be doers of the word and not hearers only”

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Help the Seed grow through the soil

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Enjoyable Things

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What do these warning signs mean?

See how many you know and write down your answer.

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Documents

Unit 4: Parables of Jesus NT4.7 Parable of the Sower and the Seed · 2016-08-03 · 2 NT4.7 Parable of the Sower and the Seed ©Beverly Wilson 2016 They really wanted to hear the