Patrick Tan
The Parable of the Sower
What Kind of Dirt Are You?
Lesson Week 22: Receiving the Word of God
[To the teacher: Read Luke 8:1-15 Cross Reference:
Matthew 13:1-23; Mark 4:1-20]
The Power of Advertising
Advertising is one of the most powerful tools of marketing
communication we have today. Here in our country, film
advertising has become glamorous and alluring that millions
of pesos are spent for just a fraction of commercial time. Do
you remember some of them? [Ask your members what are
some of the oldest commercials they can remember.]
Remember taglines like “I can feel it? (Palmolive)”, “Isa pa
nga! (Jolibee)” and “Sino best friend mo doon? (Magnolia)”?
or characters like Lumen (Surf), the Dear Diary girl who had
a crush on Carlo (Purefoods TJ Hotdog) and the characters
from Sprite’s “Magpakatotoo ka!” commercials.
There are some commercials that leave a lasting impression
into a consumer’s mind while others just drift away in the
course of time. Some commercials can direct people to
react on their product by compelling them to buy their
merchandise, while others are just ‘one of those
commercials that we will soon forget’. A true effective
advertisement should direct its consumer to action
regardless of what the commercial wants to convey.
The Word of God, the Bible, also acts like an infomercial –
an infomercial on how to get saved. There are different
kinds of reaction (four) people respond when they hear the
message of salvation. [Read Luke 8:5-8].
Guide Questions:
1. How would you describe the first time you hear the
Word of God preached or shared to you?
2. Did you have those ‘rough’ times in your Christian
walk? How did God’s Word helped you?
Some people upon hearing the Word, instantly forget it.
While others begin excitedly but then not long enough they
stop. Some continue to be on fire for the Word. But with the
pulling strings of the world (ungodly friends, pleasures,
material wealth), they give in and compromise. But there
are those people who upon hearing it, begins excitedly,
continued to be on fire and no turning back – A true disciple
of Christ, a perfect planting ground for the gospel to be
preached further.
Luke 8:15 “But the seed on good soil stands for
those with a noble and good heart, who hear the
word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop.”
Patrick Tan
Jesus said in verse 15 that a characteristic of a person who
have a good and noble heart are those people who:
1. Hear the Word - As disciples of Jesus, we must ‘hear’
every word that God tells us everyday. This is by reading
His Word, the Bible, which is God Himself (John 1:1). One of
the true traits of a healthy Christian is one who reads his
Bible and meditates His Word EVERYDAY.
2. Retain it – Not only we must read His Word, but we
must imprint it in our hearts [Read Psalm 119:11]. By
keeping His Word in our heart and mind (EPHOD: Memory
Verse), our spiritual defense to temptation will be strong
and we’ll have a helping hand in time of crisis. In Matthew’s
version of this parable, Jesus says that whoever
understands it. While Mark translates it as one who accepts
it. Retaining God’s Word pertains not only in our mind
(understanding) but also our hearts (accepts).
3. Produce fruit by persevering – [Question: How do we
bear fruit by persevering?] Knowledge is useless unless we
put it to action. Faith without deeds is void (James 2:14).
According to Paul, if we do not act on what we read and
know about God’s Word, one of which is to love one another,
we are just an irritating noisy cymbal (1 Corinthians 13:1).
We must remain in the Branch to bear fruits (of the Holy
Spirit | Crossref: Gal 5:22-23), because apart from Him we
could do nothing (John 15:5). Those who persevere are
considered ‘blessed’ [Read James 1:12; James 5:22].
Guide Questions:
1. How does God’s Word help you in your daily living?
2. What are the benefits that you have reap in studying
God’s Word?
3. To which of the four kinds of soil do you think best
describes your present Christian life?
Jesus did not say “But the seed on good soil stands for
those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word,
retain it, or by persevering produce a crop.” He didn’t give
us an option - He gave us a command. We must try our
best to do all three factors or else this simply implies that
our heart for the Word is one of the other three soils.
The Word of God is God Himself. He speaks to us as we read
its verses. If we do not react to its words, we are rejecting
God Himself. Do not let His Word be just ‘one of those
commercials that we will soon forget’. Instead let us pray
that God will instill us a heart that is hungry for His word.
Memory Verse
1 Chronicles 16:23-24
"Sing to the LORD, all the earth; proclaim his salvation
day after day. Declare his glory among the nations, his
marvelous deeds among all peoples.