LUKE - WEEK 11

Icebreaker:

What is the longest you’ve managed to keep a house plant alive? What are your secrets

Pray

As you prepare to read God’s word, pray that you will not only listen with your ears, but listen with your entire being, and in doing so will be ready to respond to God’s word.

Read Luke 8:4-15

What stands out to you from the passage?
Why does Jesus say that he speaks in parables?
What would it look like ot be a person who sees but doesn’t see, and hears but doesn’t understand?

A. The Path (v12)

What are some reasons people today might reject or ignore the gospel right away?

How might the devil be at work in subtle ways in our culture or lives to steal the word before it takes root?

Have there been times in your life when you heard but didn’t really “hear” the gospel? Why?

B. The Rock (v13)

What kind of “testing” causes people’s faith to wither?

What might “shallow roots” look like in someone’s life?

How do we deepen our roots in the gospel? What’s helped you?

C. The Thorns (v14)

Why do these things feel so compelling—even if they eventually choke us?

How can we free ourselves from these things that seek to choke out faith?

D. The Good Soil (v15)

What sets the good soil apart from the others?

How can we cultivate hearts like good soil—in ourselves and in each other?

Share and pray in smaller groups:

Which of the first 3 soils and their pitfalls most resonate with right now? What might God be showing you?
What is one thing you would like prayer for this week as you seek to be the kind of person who receives the word and bears fruit?