Matthew 13:1-23
Lead in #1: Matthew 13 tells us that Jesus went and sat down by the sea, but that in no time at all a crowd gathered around him forcing him to a getaway boat. It seems that Jesus was now a celebrity that people wanted to meet, a personality to follow. The same could be said of today. Jesus continues to be that widely known personality that people are fascinated by. But knowing about Jesus is not the same as “knowing” Jesus.
Prompt #1: If asked how well do you actually know Jesus, how would you respond?
Lead in #2: In Matthew 13 we hear how “some seed that the farmer sows falls on the path and the birds came and ate it up.”
Prompt #2: Was there ever a time when you allowed something precious to you to be snatched away by something that, at the time, looked like a better offer?
Lead in #3: “Some seed fell on rocky ground. It sprung up right away, but because there was little soil the sun scorched it and so it withered.”
Prompt #3: Can you think of a time when you were initially enthused about something, but your enthusiasm withered when you realized what it would cost you?
Lead in #4: “Some seed fell among thorns and the thorns choked it.”
Prompt #4: Reflect on a time when everyday worries and longing for material success so distracted you that it choked off your ability to focus on what is really important?
Lead in #5: “Some seed fell on good ground, and it produced a harvest of one hundred, sixty, or thirty-fold.”
Prompt #5: Reflect on a time when you took a risk and tried something that turned out way better than you could have ever imagined producing a harvest of a hundred, sixty, or thirty-fold.