What if this Sunday’s sermon in your church were preached by Jesus himself? This reflection takes us to the Sea of Galilee, where Jesus breaks every rule of good preaching: he speaks for less than a minute, with no main point and no application, and no one, the disciples included, understands the parable of the sower (Mark 4). It turns out that listening to God’s word is a responsible, even dangerous task: it leads either to a transformed life or to a numbed heart. Listen before you decide what to do with the word you hear.
Discussion questions
For your small group or for personal reflection after the sermon.
- Jesus explains that the seed on the path, on rocky ground, among thorns and on good soil represents different kinds of hearers. In Mark 4:1-20, what sets those who bear fruit apart from the rest?
- How do you understand the difficult words in Mark 4:11-12 about parables causing people to hear but not understand? According to the sermon, what did they mean for people who had known God's word for generations?
- The speaker stresses that the problem is neither the generous sower nor the good seed, but the soil. Which of the three listeners in the sermon, the merchant, the young mother or the craftsman, resembles you most, and why?
- The sermon compares indifference to God's word to a body that becomes resistant to antibiotics. How can this happen in the life of someone who has attended church for years?
- The disciples understood the parable because they came to Jesus and asked, like someone stepping closer to automatic doors. What does stepping closer to God's word look like for you?
- The speaker asks: where is the fruit in my life if I still lack patience and keep falling in the same places? What specific word from Jesus do you want not only to hear but to obey this week?
