Mark 4:1-9

[snapstur]

@Shield> alrighty then

@Shield> Mark 4

@Shield> everyone have your Bibles open to that section?

Bethel> yes

GentleDove> yes

Flute> yes

@Shield> We are going to go on a little scavenger hunt, for lack of a better term

@Shield> rather than me posting all the verses...

@Shield> I am going to ask you to search in your own Bibles and then when you find what I ask you to look for, raise your hand 0/

LarryBoy> 0/

@Shield> You will be looking at Mark 4:1-9 for this first part

@Shield> yes LarryBoy?

@Shield> well lets go ahead and start

@Shield> again, you are looking at Mark 4:1-9

Flute> o/ found it

@Shield> please tell me where Jesus was when he began to teach in this passage

new-creation> o/

@Shield> raise your hand when you have found it (hint verse 1

Bethel> o/

@Shield> yes new-creation?

new-creation> By the Lake

@Shield> very good

new-creation> :)

@Shield> so you have the idea....

@Shield> next q

@Shield> why did Jesus get into the boat?

believer> o

carol> O/

@Shield> yes believer?

SONshinelady> o/

GentleDove> 0/

believer> too many people

new-creation> o/

carol> to cross the other side

@Shield> yes, there was a huge crowd

@Shield> actually carol, that happened later... if you look at verse one

carol> ok sorry yes see it now

@Shield> there was a huge crowd and to make room for them, he went out onto a boat and preach from there

@Shield> so in relationship to Jesus on the boat, where did the crowd place themselves?

believer> o/

GentleDove> 0/

believer> by the seas****

Flute> seas****

@Shield> yes GentleDove?

GentleDove> by the sea on the land

@Shield> please hold on until I call on you folks, that way others have a chance as well:) thanks!

believer> got it

@Shield> yes, they were at water’s edge

believer> first time

@Shield> listening to him

@Shield> I understand believer:)

@Shield> in verse three, Jesus began a type of teaching, what type was it?

Tigger> o/

@Shield> yes Tigger?

Tigger> a parable

carol> o/

@Shield> exactly

@Shield> bonus question....

@Shield> what is a parable?

SONshinelady> o/

Tigger> o/

@Shield> yes SONshinelady?

SONshinelady> story with which to tell something where you can get your point across easily

@Shield> right

Darin> psss I cannot figure how to hold up my hand.........???

@Shield> very good

@Shield> Darin, use a o and then /

@Shield> for o/

@Shield> like that

@Shield> make sense?

@Shield> welcome to Bible study LightSeeker

Darin> I found the o but where the other thing?

@Shield> right next to the right shift key

LightSeeker> ty

@Shield> the question mark key but without caps

Darin> ok sorry for the interruption

@Shield> anyway, next q

@Shield> in verse three

@Shield> who is the main character of the parable?

GentleDove> 0/

@Shield> btw we are in Mark 4 for those of you who just entered

@Shield> yes GentleDove?

GentleDove> the sower

@Shield> yes, the sower or the farmer, good

@Shield> what was the farmer sowing?

SONshinelady> o/

Darin> o|

Flute> o/

@Shield> *I realize these questions make seem simplistic, but please bear with me. I will explain my method shortly

@Shield> yes Darin?

Darin> wheat

@Shield> ok good, and what form does wheat take before it grows?

@Shield> this for Darin

Darin> ????

@Shield> what did the farmer literally have in his hands as he sowed

Darin> duh seeds

@Shield> tiny little things that birds like to eat:)

@Shield> yup:)

@Shield> now....

Darin> lol

@Shield> here is where it becomes challenging

@Shield> I would like you to name the types of soil where seeds could be thrown. One per person, and I am going to try to give those who have not had a chance to answer yet, first dibs on answering

@Shield> raise your hands when you are ready

Flute> o/

Bethel> o/

@Shield plays the Jeopardy theme song on his harmonica

Snapstur> o/

@Shield> yes Flute? please name one....

Flute> Rich soil

@Shield> great... that’s one

@Shield> yes Snapstur?

Snapstur> thorns and thistles

@Shield> say that fast 17 times and I will be really impressed...

@Shield> good:)

@Shield> yes Bethel?

Bethel> rocky places

@Shield> very good

@Shield> are we missing any?

GentleDove> 0/

carol> o/

Darin> o/

@Shield> yes GentleDove?

GentleDove> good ground

@Shield> I think we got that above with Flute's answer...

@Shield> but thank you

@Shield> yes carol?

carol> good soil

Bethel> o/

carol> same as flute

@Shield> yes we got that above

@Shield> yes Darin?

Darin> sand?

Flute> o/

@Shield> yes Darin

@Shield> it was thrown to the side of the path, the sand

@Shield> Bethel and flute, did you want to add to that?

Flute> On the plain path maybe? or did we get that already

Flute> oops

@Shield> yup that was it

@Shield> good job everyone

@Shield> so here we have all these places where soil could have been thrown

@Shield> what a wonderful set a visuals...

@Shield> all kinds of application for life in Christ, or the lack thereof

@Shield> but there was a problem

@Shield> the disciples didn't get it

@Shield> so what did Jesus do?

@Shield> raise your hand if you know

Flute> o/

@Shield> yes Flute?

GentleDove> 0/

Flute> he said? He who has ears let him hear?

Flute> Not sure if I’m on same page

@Shield> yes he did

@Shield> and that let him to do what....? GentleDove?

believer> o/

@Shield> Jesus said he who has ears let him hear...

@Shield> but what next

@Shield> yes believer?

GentleDove> know the mystery of the kingdom of God

@Shield> good GentleDove, and so what did he do then. believer you want to give it a shot?
believer> he had to explain it to the disciples..

@Shield> yes...

@Shield> go on

believer> but it was not for all to know!!

@Shield> true

@Shield> let me ask this

@Shield> how did Jesus explain the seed that fell by the path, the sandy area?

@Shield> raise your hand if you want to try...

Flute> o/

Bethel> o/

@Shield> Bethel?

Bethel> as soon as they hear the word satan comes and ******es it away

@Shield> yes

SONshinelady> o/

@Shield> almost as if their hearing of the word of God is put on the same level as ungodly influences so that they are hearing, but never perceiving....

@Shield> yes SONshinelady?

SONshinelady> it came up quickly but didn't take root

@Shield> right

@Shield> question Darin?

Darin> no got it now

@Shield> ok

@Shield> what about the seed that fell among rocks and thorns?

@Shield> among

Darin> o/

@Shield> yes Darin?

Darin> it wasn’t able to take root also

Flute> o/

@Shield> when something isn’t able to take root deeply, what happens?

@Shield> yes Flute?

Darin> o/

Flute> Sometimes even in our lives now there are rocky places lie that and it seems impossible and yet in this parable it became possible

@Shield> thank you Flute

Flute> sometimes it’s just harder and takes longer to take root

@Shield> yes Darin?

GentleDove> 0/

Darin> never mind

@Shield> yes GentleDove?

GentleDove> they endure for a short time but when persecution comes because of the word

SONshinelady> o/

GentleDove> right away they are offended

@Shield> ok, thank you

@Shield> yes SONshinelady?

SONshinelady> they were choked out and didn't bear fruit

@Shield> yes

@Shield> very good

@Shield> you all are observing the text

@Shield> which is the point of this exercise....

@Shield> now...

@Shield> what about the good soil?

@Shield> what was its outcome?

Flute> o/

@Shield looks down the list to call on someone that hasn’t raise a hand in awhile....

@Shield> hrm...

carol> o/

@Shield> yes carol?

SONshinelady> lol drag an answer out huh

carol> And produced much fruits

@Shield> thank you carol

@Shield> yes Flute?

Flute> bears fruit of seed sewn/rooted multiplied in multiples

@Shield> yes, good

@Shield> this text is rich with practical application for our lives

@Shield> it speaks to the heart of our discipleship

@Shield> our daily journeys

@Shield> it represents the secret sins which choke out the word of God's influence in us

@Shield> it highlights our tendency to forget about God when things are going good

@Shield> it shines light in the dark places

@Shield> in those places we think only we know about

@Shield> but it also reveals a beautiful expression of hope

@Shield> in Jesus Christ

@Shield> so that to the measure that we allow Christ to till our hearts and birth in us good soil, our lives will be transformed by him

@Shield> I want a heart that has good soil

@Shield> I would venture to guess each of us has had our dark moments

@Shield> even seasons

@Shield> perhaps lasting years in some cases

@Shield> where we felt far from God

@Shield> God is calling you right now.

@Shield> in the quietness of this moment.

@Shield> in the simplicity

@Shield> strange as it may seem, especially in an online environment

@Shield> God sees past all the pixels and the nicknames and the online representations of how we comport ourselves in chat

@Shield> he sees the real me

@Shield> he sees the real you

@Shield> and he loves us.

@Shield> I don’t know the nature of the soil which represents your heart.

@Shield> only God knows that in its fullness and only you have an inkling of it

@Shield> in case you feel last place, or forgotten.

@Shield> remember

@Shield> God is not finished with you.

@Shield> the Master Gardener has more tilling to do in your heart.

@Shield> in my heart.

@Shield> will we let him?

@Shield> let's pray

Bethel> Father, we have studied Your Word tonight

Bethel> I thank you Lord that Your Word has fallen on good ground of our hearts

Bethel> Help each of us to be reminded as we go about our daily business, that You love us and You desire the very best for us
.
SONshinelady> yes Lord may we take this word and apply it to our lives really examine our hearts and make changes if necessary to get to a place of good soil Lord

Bethel> Lord, I lift up everyone here to you knowing that You are not finished with us yet

Bethel> but you are still working on us

Bethel> I pray that we will continue to seek You

SONshinelady> yes Lord

Bethel> and show ourselves approved by you

Bethel> Lord I pray a blessing on each of my brothers and sisters

SONshinelady> yes Lord

Bethel> that they will be in health and prosper as their soul prospers

Bethel> We give you all the glory and honor

Bethel> in the mighty name of Jesus

Bethel> amen

SONshinelady> amen

GentleDove> amen

Snapstur> Amen

Deacon> Amen

Flute> amen!!!

JoyoftheLord> amen

carol> amen