Sowing More than Seeds
Posted by Karah
Pause
Get alone in a quiet location and kneel. Ask God to teach you more about Himself today so you can better follow Him and tell others about His love.
Read Matthew 13:1-9 In your Bible. Using the headings below, record in your journal the four different places the seed fell and their results.
Where the seed fell:
Results:
Now, read Jesus’ explanation of the parable in Matthew 13:18-23.
“But the one sown on the good ground—this is one who hears and understands the word, who does bear fruit and yields: some 100, some 60, some 30 times what was sown.”
—Matthew 13:23
According to Jesus’ explanation, whom or what does the seed represent? Whom does the sower represent? Why is that important?
The four types of soil describe responses to the gospel: hardened hearts; joyful acceptance with no actual commitment; interest in Jesus that wanes in the face of the world’s pleasures or anxieties; and those who receive God’s Word, understand it, and seek to fulfill it. Which best describes your response to the gospel? Why?
Consider verse 22. What are some “worries of this age” that might entice someone away from the truth of the gospel? Explain.
Respond
Placing your faith in Jesus is a decision you make in a moment, but is proven by your commitment, perseverance, avoidance of idolatry and anxiety, and the presence of spiritual fruit in your life.
If God has used this passage to convict you of your need for Jesus, place your faith in Him today.
Commitment, perseverance, and avoiding idolatry and anxiety is a daily struggle. Think about the circumstances in your life in which it seems easier to give up on God and follow after the world. Ask God to focus your heart and mind on Him and remind you of His truth, even when trusting Him seems too difficult.
For further study of spiritual fruit, read Galatians 5:22-23.
Behind the Story
Taken in context, the parable of the sower has much to do with Jesus’ discussion of those who hear and choose to believe His teaching (Matt. 13:10-17). Each of the “soils” heard the gospel; but only one, “the good soil,” chose to accept and receive it. The gospel has the power to change our lives and hearts, but we must accept it and place our faith in Christ for it to do so.
The Point
Many will reject the truth of the gospel, but those who accept it will bear spiritual fruit.
Posted in Devotions, Girls | Tagged Camp Crestridge for Girls, Reprinted from ec magazine. © 2012 LifeWay Christian Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention. Used by permission., Ridgecrest Summer Camps, Weekly Devotions