Main Idea: True disciples have a heart condition that is committed to God’s Kingdom rather than the applause of people
But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for His own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.
1 Peter 2:9 (ESV)
Question: If you were to pursue true discipleship, what would you stand to lose? Are you okay with that?
The Parable of the Sower
Mark 4:1-9 (ESV)
1 Again he began to teach beside the sea. And a very large crowd gathered about him, so that he got into a boat and sat in it on the sea, and the whole crowd was beside the sea on the land. 2 And he was teaching them many things in parables, and in his teaching he said to them: 3 “Listen! Behold, a sower went out to sow. 4 And as he sowed, some seed fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured it. 5 Other seed fell on rocky ground, where it did not have much soil, and immediately it sprang up, since it had no depth of soil. 6 And when the sun rose, it was scorched, and since it had no root, it withered away. 7 Other seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no grain. 8 And other seeds fell into good soil and produced grain, growing up and increasing and yielding thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold.” 9 And he said, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”
Question: Why did Jesus speak in parables?
“For every parable there are two levels of understanding: the physical and the spiritual.
Rodney Cooper
Everyone received the parable at the physical level, but the disciples were granted understanding at the spiritual level.“
MARK 4:10-20
The Purpose of the Parables
Question: During what times in your life did your faithful following of Jesus struggle to take root?
MARK 4:21-34
“With what can we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable shall we use for it?”
HEARING
REQUIRES
OBEDIENCE
Question: What do you hear God asking you to be obedient to as you read through this chapter?
Question: What’s one thing this week you can begin to surrender to Jesus in order to better embrace the call of discipleship?
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