No Ordinary Man. Background

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1 A No Ordinary Man Walking With the Servant Savior Mark 4:1-25 Inductive Women s Bible Fellowship Lesson 5 re you listening? That was the question for every person who heard Jesus teach by the Sea of Galilee that day. When Jesus spoke in parables, He was using a familiar method of teaching. The people must have expected Jesus to tell them what His story meant. Spell it out for us. Instead, He left them to figure out the meaning. Imagine yourself in that crowd, hearing the Parable of the Sower for the first time. The majority shrugged and walked away. Only a handful of people, including the disciples, were willing to ask Jesus what He meant. Because they were willing to hear, the Lord helped them to understand. Background Here is some background information you may find interesting. Mark tells us that Jesus sat in a boat on the lake while He spoke to the crowd. This was so all the people could hear Him. The Sea of Galilee is surrounded by mountains and the coves along the shoreline form natural outdoor amphitheaters. In one such cove near Capernaum, the natural acoustics allow as many as 7,000 people to hear a person speaking without a microphone. Getting started. Find a quiet place to study. Take your Bible, your lesson and any other study tools you want to use. Begin with prayer. Take time to settle your heart, focus your thoughts and ask the Lord to help you see with clear eyes. Open my eyes to see the wonderful truths in Your law. Psalm 119:18 NLT Mark 4:1-25 Read the passage two or three times without interruption. If possible, read from more than one Bible translation. Briefly describe in your own words what is happening

2 This text is provided for your convenience. Use this to scribble notes, write down word definitions, highlight events whatever you find useful to your own personal study. The translation used will vary from week to week. Working Text for Mark 4:1-25 New International Version (NIV) Again Jesus began to teach by the lake. The crowd that gathered around him was so large that he got into a boat and sat in it out on the lake, while all the people were along the shore at the water s edge. 2 He taught them many things by parables, and in his teaching said: 3 Listen! A farmer went out to sow his seed. 4 As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. 5 Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. 6 But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. 7 Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants, so that they did not bear grain. 8 Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up, grew and produced a crop, multiplying thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times. 9 Then Jesus said, He who has ears to hear, let him hear. 10 When he was alone, the Twelve and the others around him asked him about the parables. 11 He told them, The secret of the kingdom of God has been given to you. But to those on the outside everything is said in parables 12 so that, they may be ever seeing but never perceiving, and ever hearing but never understanding; otherwise they might turn and be forgiven! 13 Then Jesus said to them, Don t you understand this parable? How then will you understand any parable? 14 The farmer sows the word. 15 Some people are like seed along the path, where the word is sown. As soon as they hear it, Satan comes and takes away the word that was sown in them. 16 Others, like seed sown on rocky places, hear the word and at once receive it with joy. 17 But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or 2

3 persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. 18 Still others, like seed sown among thorns, hear the word; 19 but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful. 20 Others, like seed sown on good soil, hear the word, accept it, and produce a crop thirty, sixty or even a hundred times what was sown. 21 He said to them, Do you bring in a lamp to put it under a bowl or a bed? Instead, don t you put it on its stand? 22 For whatever is hidden is meant to be disclosed, and whatever is concealed is meant to be brought out into the open. 23 If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear. 24 Consider carefully what you hear, he continued. With the measure you use, it will be measured to you and even more. 25 Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. Scripture taken from the New International Version 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved. 3

4 Write down your OBSERVATIONS Read the section and record what you see. Use the first column to keep track of what you find in the Bible passage. (Who? What? When? Where?) Follow along with Mark as he tells the story. Look for clues that tell you when and where the story is taking place. Who is mentioned and what part do they play? What events are recorded? Use the second column to record information you gather from other sources. Are more details of the story recorded in another gospel? What else can you discover about the people and places mentioned? You may want to look up names and places in a Bible dictionary, map or encyclopedia. You can also use this section to jot down your own thoughts and impressions about people and events. Imagine the people, places and events you read about. Don t use your imagination to produce facts but use it to bring those biblical facts to life. Mark 4:1-9 Bible Facts and Information: My Research and Observations: 4

5 Mark 4:10-20 Bible Facts and Information: My Research and Observations: Mark 4:

6 Key Words and Phrases Key words and phrases help us understand the main point the writer wants to make. How do we recognize key words and phrases? Here are some simple things to look for. When you see a word or phrase that is repeated, you can be sure it was important to the writer in making his point. A key verse spotlights the main idea, while the surrounding verses support and add detail. You may need to read through the chapter several times before you re able to identify the key verse. If you are unfamiliar with a word or its meaning, it becomes a key word for you. Take time to learn the definition so you will understand how it is being used in the sentence. List any key words and phrases you found in Mark 4:1-25. Write the definition of the following words or phrases. Use a regular dictionary or a concordance with a Greek Dictionary if you have one. parables (vs. 2) perceiving (vs. 12) understanding (vs. 12) INTERPRETATION What does it mean? Look for a spiritual lesson. Be careful not to read into the Bible an idea that is not there. Examine each verse in light of the verses around it. To help you find a spiritual lesson, ask questions such as, Is there a command to obey? A promise to claim? A condition to that promise? Is there a warning to heed? An example to follow or avoid? State the lesson in one simple sentence. APPLICATION How does it apply to me? We don t study the Bible just to gather information we want to spiritually grow. Our heart needs to be open to change. The only way to move truth off the pages of your Bible and into your life is to put it into action. To apply a spiritual lesson, we must examine ourselves and take deliberate steps to do something with what we have learned. Ask yourself: Is this a new lesson, or does it reinforce what I already know? What does it challenge me to do? Does it point out error in my attitude or actions? What changes does it require? Think of how the lesson relates to you and what specific course of action you will take. Write your application in the form of a question to make it personal. 6

7 Mark 4:1-9 Lesson: Application: Mark 4:10-20 Lesson: Application: Mark 4:21-25 Lesson: Application: Summary Write a simple sentence that summarizes what the passage is about. Give a title to the chapter that will help you personally to remember it. 7

8 Take A Closer Look Then Jesus said, He who has ears to hear, let him hear. Mark 4:9 We re familiar with how the Parable of the Sower illustrates various ways that people respond to the gospel. But there are lessons here for Christians, as well. Jesus often taught by using parables. Some hear nothing more than simple stories while others hear spiritual truth. What makes the difference? Let s examine the four types of soil Jesus described and consider how our frame of mind and heart attitude affects the way we listen to God s Word. Wayside Soil Unresponsive Listening Where there is a lot of foot traffic, the ground gets hard. In the same way, if we freely allow the world to trample through our heart and mind we re in danger of becoming spiritually jaded. That old adage, you are what you eat can be modified to you are what you watch, what you read, what you listen to, what you laugh at. We need to guard our hearts against the constant pounding of a world that accepts even celebrates sin. What might dull a Christian s sensitivity or make them indifferent to sin? Give examples. What warnings or instructions do you find in the following scriptures? Exodus 23:2a Isaiah 5:20 Romans 12:2 Titus 2:12 James 4:4 What can you do to guard your heart and mind so it will be tender and receptive to God s Word? Be specific. Rocky Soil Shallow Listening A shallow layer of soil with rock underneath is poor ground for planting. Wildflowers might spring up but they die away just as quickly. This is what happens when we respond emotionally to God s Word but don t follow through. We may have good intentions but obedience can be hard work! 8

9 Read James 1:21-25 and let the words sink in. Keep in mind that James is talking to believers. How does he describe a forgetful hearer? How does he describe an effectual doer? Now make it personal. Is there an area in your life that needs to grow and change? Has God told you what to do, yet you hesitate or procrastinate? Why? What hinders you from obeying? Please examine your heart honestly and privately, before God. You will not be asked to share specifics in your group discussion. Put James 1:21-25 into your own words. I am a forgetful hearer when I: I am an effectual doer when I: Thorny Soil Distracted Listening Weeds are a perpetual nuisance. They crop up without help and compete for every inch of soil. Weeds rob the soil of nutrients and moisture, making the ground unfit for planting or producing fruit. In the same way, the seed of God s Word doesn t get much chance to grow in a distracted heart. What might compete for a Christian s time and interest in God s Word? Give examples. What warnings or instructions do you find in the following scriptures? Philippians 4:6-8 Colossians 2:6-8 1 John 2:15-17 What can you do to guard your heart and mind against distractions? Be specific. 9

10 Good Soil Productive Listening Finally, there is good soil, plowed and prepared for the seed to sprout and grow. A watchful gardener cultivates the soil of her heart so the seed of God s Word will take root. She can look forward to bountiful harvest! A listening heart is a learning heart. What promises or instructions do you find in the following scriptures? Deuteronomy 12:28 Proverbs 16:20 Proverbs 22:17-18 John 16:13 The fact that you are studying God s Word shows you have the desire to listen, learn and grow. How is it going? Briefly share one or two examples of how God s Word is bearing fruit in your life. Something to Think About... In a world of many voices, all of us have to choose what we will hear. When God s truth is proclaimed, those who give thoughtful attention will receive a greater measure of understanding. Each bit of truth we understand and accept enables us to receive more truth. - Standard Bible Commentary: Mark - God s Word Bearing Fruit For you personally, what is the most important lesson from this chapter? How will you put what you have learned into practice? 10

11 Message Notes: Prayer Requests: 2005 Leah Case, All Rights Reserved 11