Matthew 13:10-23; Mark 4:10-20; Luke 8:9-15
When Jesus told the story of planting seeds, there were many, including His disciples, who did not know what He meant.
Jesus said His stories were a way of finding out who wanted to follow Him. Those who looked for the real lesson behind the stories were serious about living as Jesus wanted them to. To those who had hardened their hearts, though, His stories were just so many pretty words.
Jesus told them, "The seeds are the lessons I teach. Some people hear the word of God. Sometimes they choose to ignore what they have heard. Then God's enemy, like the birds in the story, steals away what little truth they did manage to learn. These are like the seeds planted by the roadside.
"The seeds planted in the rocky places are the people who hear with joy what I teach. They try for a little while to follow Me. It does not take much, just a few problems, before they go back to their old ways. The seeds sown with the thistles are the people who hear the word. They also know what I've taught. But then they let the problems of daily living choke the new life. They worry and want to make more money. So nothing comes from the lessons they learned.
"Lastly, there are the seeds which are planted on good ground. They are the people who listen and practice what they have learned from My stories. They tell God they are sorry for what they have done. They try their hardest to change. These people will teach others about following Me. They will teach by saying, as well as doing."
Jesus taught that anyone who believes in Him can choose where to plant the seed of truth. Will you plant the lessons you have learned in good ground or rocky ground?
YOU ARE READING
THE CHILDREN'S BIBLE - Old Testament, God Makes Everything
SpiritualitéPeople were bringing little children to Jesus to have him touch them, but the disciples rebuked them. When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs...
