Key Thought

Jesus used stories to help drive home his message, to plant a seed to help people remember a biblical truth, or to help give his hearers insight. Stories are a powerful part of the Master's ministry. Stories are powerful and stick in our heart. Much of the Bible is written in the language of story. A huge portion of the New Testament is written in the language of story with the four gospels telling the story of Jesus' earthly ministry and with the book of Acts telling the story of Jesus' ministry through the early church. One of the great ways for you to gain a firm grasp of the New Testament, or even the whole Bible, is to keep you a notebook with a list of the Bible's stories in it, the references where it can be found, and a one sentence summary of the lesson it teaches. If Jesus used stories to communicate God's truth, then let's learn those stories and let them come to life in us!

Today's Prayer

Today's Verses in Context

Many people came together. People came to Jesus from every town. Jesus told the people this story: "A farmer went out to plant his seed. While the farmer was planting, some seed fell beside the road. People walked on the seed, and the birds ate all this seed. Some seed fell on rock. This seed began to grow, but then died because the seed had no water. Some seed fell among thorny weeds. This seed grew, but later the weeds stopped the good plants from growing. And some seed fell on good ground. This seed grew and made 100 times more grain." Jesus finished the story. Then Jesus called out, "You people that hear me, listen!" Jesus' followers asked him, "What does this story mean?" Jesus said, "You have been chosen to know the secrets of the kingdom of God. But I use stories to speak to other people. I do this so that: 'They will look, but they will not see; and they will listen, but they will not understand.' "This is what the story means: The seed is God's teaching. What is the seed that fell beside the path? That is like the people that hear God's teaching, but then the devil comes and makes them stop thinking about that teaching. So those people cannot believe the teaching and be saved. What is the seed that fell on rock? That is like the people that hear God's teaching and accept it gladly. But these people don't have deep roots. They believe for a while. But when trouble comes, they turn away from God. What is the seed that fell among the thorny weeds? That is like the people that hear God's teaching, but they let the worries, riches, and pleasures of this life stop them from growing. So they never make good fruit. And what is the seed that fell on the good ground? That is like the people that hear God's teaching with a good, honest heart. They obey God's teaching and patiently make good fruit.

— Luke 8:4-15 (ERV)

Comments on "A Story for the Crowd":

Easy-to-Read Version copyright © 2001 by World Bible Translation Center. All rights reserved.