Seeds in the Dirt

Fellowship – Snacks or a Meal (10 minutes with snacks; longer, obviously, if there is a meal).

Gathering Time (5-10 minutes). In pairs or groups of three, have participants answer, “What images come to your mind when you hear the word ‘dirt’?”

Group Dialogue (Approximately 30 minutes). Read Genesis 25:19-34 and Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23.

• What did Esau give up in exchange for the stew? (Gen 25:29-34) [Esau gave his birthright to Jacob.] Why did Esau do that? [He was hungry.] How did Esau’s lack of ability to see beyond his immediate need affect him? [He lost all inheritance.]
• What does the seed represent in the Parable of the Sower? (Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23) [The seed represents the word of the kingdom.] (Gen. 13:19)
• In Matthew 13, four different types of soil are mentioned in the parable: the path, rocky ground, thorns, and good soil. Which one might describe your current condition (personal or community) and why?

1. “Some seeds fell on the path, and the birds came and ate them up” (Matthew 13:4). “When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what is sown in the heart; this is what was sown on the path” (Matthew 13:19).
2. “Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and they sprang up quickly, since they had no depth of soil. But when the sun rose, they were scorched; and since they had no root, they withered away” (Matthew 13:5- 6). “As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; yet such a person has no root, but endures only for a while, and when trouble or persecution arises on account of the word, that person immediately falls away” (Matthew 13:20-21).
3. “Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them” (Matthew 13:7). “As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the lure of wealth choke the word, and it yields nothing” (Matthew 13:22).
4. “Other seeds fell on good soil and brought forth grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.” (Matthew 13:8). “But as for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty" ((Matthew 13:23).

• “Built into both stories (Esau and Jacob and the Parable of the Sower) is the idea that you have to be able to see beyond the immediate moment, to see beyond what is so that you can claim what could be. A skill that a disciple needs to develop, and quickly, is the ability to look beyond the immediate horizon into the future that God has in store for us all” (Preaching Note).

• How well do you see beyond the immediate moment in your life? How about seeing beyond the current moment in your church? How might we be good dirt (soil) to be fruitful in our life (worship, small group, prayer, fellowship, mission) or church? What distractions/obstacles do those in your community face to experiencing God’s abundance/fruitfulness?

Prayer (10 minutes). Share prayer requests and respond appropriately.

Sending Forth (2 minutes). End with the following prayer, a similar prayer, or the Lord’s Prayer:

Gracious and Loving God, we thank You for Your Word and the Parable of the Sower. Help us to have receptive hearts, eager to receive Your truth and to bear fruit in our lives. Show us any areas that distract our spiritual growth and give us the wisdom and strength to overcome them. May we be faithful sowers of Your Word, spreading it to others and nurturing fruitfulness in their lives? In Jesus' name, we pray, Amen.

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