One Friday in our Youth Meeting, we dug a little deeper; we studied Luke 8 - the parable of the sower and the seed. We wanted our youth to evaluate their walk with Christ and their personal actions and responsibility to do something with what they're fed through scripture. Hebrews 4:12-13 tell us that the Word of God is ALIVE and ACTIVE, but what if we don't let the Word be alive and active in us? Is that possible? Can we quench the work of the alive and active Word of God? Do we simply sit back in church, listen and then have no responsibility? Aren't we responsible to nurture that seed, water it's activity, and help it produce life?
Take a look at this parable and let the Word speak to you and your "ground" …
Luke 8:4-15
4While a large crowd was gathering and people were coming to Jesus from town after town, he told this parable: 5 “A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path; it was trampled on, and the birds ate it up. 6 Some fell on rocky ground, and when it came up, the plants withered because they had no moisture.7 Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up with it and choked the plants. 8 Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up and yielded a crop, a hundred times more than was sown.”
When he said this, he called out, “Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.”
9 His disciples asked him what this parable meant....
11 “This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is the word of God. 12 Those along the path are the ones who hear, and then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. 13 Those on the rocky ground are the ones who receive the word with joy when they hear it, but they have no root. They believe for a while, but in the time of testing they fall away. 14 The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life’s worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature. 15 But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop.
After studying the scripture, we had our youth do a self-evaluation. They had to tell us in their own words how they're doing physically, mentally (mind, emotions, will), and spiritually. They used the "ground" descriptions from Luke 8 (path, rock, thorns, and good soil) to write down and think about where they're at currently. They also had to write 3 practical goals that will help them be better soil. We hope to use this tool and goal to monitor their growth and stumbling blocks. We're excited to see how God uses revelation and conviction to transform lives!
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