Trail Life Troop
NC-613
Devotional – Good Soil
Opening
- Let’s listen to Jesus explain to His disciples His Parable of the Sower about being good soil vs bad soil.
- Read, or someone read the Teaching verse. FYI: The memory verse is further down
Matthew 13:23 But the one who received the seed that fell on good soil is the man who hears the word and understands it. He produces a crop, yielding much more than what was sown.
Devotional
Big picture Be good soil for Jesus.
- Q: Does anyone know what a parable is? It’s a simple story that Jesus uses to teach us spiritual lessons.
- Jesus told a lot of parable stories in the Bible. I like stories, do you like stories, too?
- Q: Does anyone know Jesus’ Parable of the Sower? What is it about? Read Matt 13:1-9
- Q: So, what was the seed in Jesus’ parable? It’s God’s word which speaks to our hearts. God’s word gets planted deep inside us by prayer, preaching, Bible reading, and by talking with other Christians.
- Just like plants need good soil to grow and multiply themselves, God’s word needs good spiritual soil to grow and multiply His word in our heart and in the hearts of other believers.
- In the teaching verse, what does Jesus say makes us good soil for God’s word to grow? First, we must hear God’s word. Many people in the world have never heard God’s word spoken or read to them. Without hearing God’s word there is no seed to grow. Nothing happens.
- Next, after hearing God’s word, we must want to learn more about it. Our hearts must want the word; otherwise, its like throwing good seed on the pavement. It won’t grow.
- Last, we must want to understand God’s word. It must change us to be more like Jesus. Without understanding God’s word, there is no growth. The seed just sits there, like a seed without water.
- So, Jesus wants believers who are good soil for His word. We must continually receive His word and want to know more about it and understand it. If you do all that, then what does Jesus say will happen through us, when are good soil?
- We will produce a spiritual crop. The seed of God’s word will grow in our heart and make us more and more like Jesus. When others see Jesus growing inside your heart, they want the joy you have. You will cause many other people to want to hear God’s word for themselves.
- So, do you want your heart to be good soil, just ok soil (not good but not bad), or bad soil for Jesus?
Memory Verse #1
Ask if anybody knows it yet and can say it? Read it together 2X Consider having a memory verse pamphlet for kids take home.
John 3:16-17 For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him.
Topical Questions
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The Parable of the Sower shows us 3 bad, unfruitful soils and only 1 good, fruitful one. What were the three bad soils?
hard soil, shallow/rocky soil, and weedy soil -
What do each of the bad soils represent?
The 3 bad soils = hard heart, no faith; shallow soil, weak faith; and weedy soil (divided heart), unfruitful faith.
Closing Prayer
Dear Heavenly Father, give us ears to hear and hearts to understand Your word. Make us into good soil, Lord. Soften our hearts so we receive Your word and retain it. Help us to understand Your word and apply it to our lives. Most of all, Lord, we ask that you help us spread the seed of Your word to many others. We know You want others to know You more. Give us courage and strength to spread the good news of Your love, Your payment for our sin, our redemption by Your sacrifice, and the joy that is found in You. Amen!
