1. STUDY IT FOR YOURSELF! Have the attitude of the Bereans…
… take what you are taught and search the Scriptures each day to see if what was taught is what the Word of God says [Acts 17:11]!
Have the attitude of the Bereans…

2. Jesus – His Life
Part 7:
The SUPERNATURAL Seed

3. Jesus and the SUPERNATURAL Seed

4. VERY FEW ACTUALLY LISTENED to the MESSAGE of the KINGDOM of God!
In Mark Chapters 1 – 3
The APPARENT INEFFECTIVENESS of Jesus’ ministry!
VERY FEW ACTUALLY LISTENED to the MESSAGE of the KINGDOM of God!
In Mark Chapter 4
Jesus explains the APPARENT INEFFECTIVENESS!

5. Be a GOOD LISTENER! People HEAR WHAT THEY WANT to HEAR!
People ONLY LISTEN to WHAT THEY WANT to LISTEN to!

6. BECOME a GOOD LISTENER

7. Mark 4:1-20 – The Parable of the Sower
JESUS is the SOWER!
The SOILS REPRESENT the HEARTS EXPOSED to Jesus!

8. FOUR SOILS! – FOUR HEARTS!
The PATH –
is a HARD HEART –
the seed CANNOT PENETRATE!

9. FOUR SOILS! – FOUR HEARTS!
In the ROCKS –
SHALLOW HEARTED –
the seed ROOTS CANNOT GROW!

10. FOUR SOILS! – FOUR HEARTS!
In the THORNS –
DIVIDED HEARTS –
CARES CHOKE the GROWTH of the seed!

11. FOUR SOILS! – FOUR HEARTS!
The GOOD Soil –
A GOOD HEART –
PRODUCES a GOOD CROP!

12. The POINT of the PARABLE
Discipleship Lesson #1
The POINT of the PARABLE
The PROBLEM LIES:
NOT with the SOWER
NOT with the SEED
WITH the SOIL
Discipleship Lessons
NOT with the SOWER (Jesus / us)! NOT with the SEED (the Word)! (the HEARER’S HEART)!

13. Discipleship Lesson #1
BAD SOIL makes the SEED “UNFRUITFUL” [Mark 4:19]! GOOD SOIL ALWAYS BEARS a crop [Mark 4:20]
Discipleship Lessons

14. Discipleship Lesson #1 Discipleship Lessons
Jesus says, “WHEN the SEED DOES NOT SEEM to BEAR FRUIT. There is nothing wrong with the SEED – the PROBLEM is the SOIL – the HEARER’S HEART.”
Discipleship Lessons

15. Mark 4:1-20 – The Parable of the Sower
LET THEM HEAR.”
And He was saying, “He who HAS EARS to HEAR,

16. Jesus Came TO BE HEARD, and UNDERSTOOD!
Mark 4:21-23

17. Mark 4:21-23
[21] And He was saying to them, “A LAMP IS NOT brought TO BE PUT UNDER a peck-measure… … or … a bed? IS IT NOT (brought) TO BE PUT ON the LAMPSTAND?

18. Mark 4:21-23
[22] “FOR NOTHING IS HIDDEN, EXCEPT to be REVEALED;
NOR HAS (anything) BEEN SECRET, BUT THAT it should COME TO LIGHT.
[23] IF ANY ONE HAS EARS TO HEAR,
LET THEM HEAR.”

19. Check What you Listen to out for Yourself…
… be like the Bereans [Acts 17:11]…
… EXAMINE the SCRIPTURES daily, TO SEE IF WHAT you HEAR IS WHAT the BIBLE TEACHES!

20. Mark 4:24
[24] And He was saying to them,
“TAKE CARE (BE CAREFUL) WHAT you LISTEN TO.
BY your STANDARD of measure IT SHALL BE MEASURED to you; and more shall be given you besides.

21. Mark 4:25 EVEN WHAT they HAVE SHALL BE TAKEN AWAY from them.”
[25] “FOR WHOEVER HAS,
to them SHALL (more) BE GIVEN;
and whoever DOES NOT HAVE,
EVEN WHAT they HAVE SHALL BE TAKEN AWAY from them.”

22. Discipleship Lesson #2 Discipleship Lessons
The MORE you UNDERSTAND,
the MORE you WILL BE ALLOWED to UNDERSTAND!
The LESS you UNDERSTAND,
EVEN WHAT YOU DO UNDERSTAND WILL BE TAKEN AWAY!
Discipleship Lessons

23. Discipleship Lesson #3 Discipleship Lessons
Jesus NEXT TURNS our ATTENTION: from the SOIL to the SEED; from the LISTENER’S ROLE in the GROWTH of FAITH to the ROLE of God’s WORD in that process.
Discipleship Lessons

24. There’s POWER in the WORD!

25. The SUPERNATURAL SEED!
Mark 4:26-29

26. Mark 4:26-29 HOW, he himself DOES NOT KNOW.”
[26] And Jesus was saying, “The KINGDOM of God IS LIKE a man who CASTS SEED UPON the SOIL;
[27] and GOES to BED at NIGHT and GETS UP by DAY,
and the SEED SPROUTS UP and GROWS –
HOW,
he himself DOES NOT KNOW.”

27. BECAUSE THE HARVEST has come.”
[28] “The SOIL (HEART) PRODUCES crops BY ITSELF;
first the blade, then the head, then the mature grain in the head.
[29] BUT WHEN the CROP PERMITS,
he IMMEDIATELY puts in the sickle,
BECAUSE THE HARVEST has come.”

28. GOOD THINGS Come in SMALL Packages
Mark 4:30-32

29. Mark 4:30-32 SMALLER than ALL the SEEDS that are upon
[30] And He said, “How shall we picture the kingdom of God, or by what parable shall we present it? [31] IT IS LIKE a MUSTARD SEED,
which, when sown upon the
soil, THOUGH it is
SMALLER than ALL the
SEEDS that are upon
the soil,”

30. SO THAT THE BIRDS OF THE AIR can NEST UNDER ITS SHADE.”
[32] YET WHEN IT IS SOWN,
GROWS up and BECOMES LARGER than all the garden plants and FORMS large branches;
SO THAT THE BIRDS OF THE AIR can NEST UNDER ITS SHADE.”

31. Discipleship Lesson #4 –
INSTEAD of BEING DISCOURAGED over the task of TEACHING God’s WORD, Jesus REMINDS you that you ARE WORKING with SUPERNATURAL SEED.
Discipleship Lessons

32. Discipleship Lesson #4 –
DO NOT FOCUS on the BAD SOIL. TURN your ATTENTION TO the POWER of God’s WORD TO EFFECT MIRACULOUS CHANGE in GOOD HEARTS!
Discipleship Lessons

33. Discipleship Lesson #5 –
The DOMINANT THEMES in this STUDY:
ENCOURAGEMENT!
and EXHORTATION!
both a PROMISE and a WARNING!
both COMFORT and REBUKE!
Discipleship Lessons

34. Discipleship Lesson #6 –
EXHORTATION to be GOOD LISTENERS!
EXAMINE your HEART:
q Hard-hearted – the seed can’t penetrate.
q Shallow-hearted – roots can’t grow.
q Divided-hearted – too many other concerns.
Discipleship Lessons

35. Discipleship Lesson #6 –
Only a few are GOOD HEARTED!
CAREFULLY CONSIDERING:
WHAT they LISTEN to!
THEN HEARING to UNDERSTAND!
THEN APPLYING what they heard!
Discipleship Lessons

36. Discipleship Lesson #7 –
ENCOURAGEMENT:
THAT the POWER IS IN the WORD!
NOT TO DESPAIR in TEACHING God's word!
You are using SUPERNATURAL SEED!
IT WILL PRODUCE IT’S CROP IN GOOD HEARTS!
Discipleship Lessons

37. Here is your INVITATION to HEAR and LET the SUPERNATURAL WORD GROW in your HEART!