Winter Term: Week 7
Ash Wednesday, which marks the beginning of the season of Lent, is this Wednesday, March 5th . As you balance member schedules and commitments, it might make sense to attend the multi-church 6:30p service at Hope Church instead of your normal gathering. Feel free to choose what seems best for your group.
Entering Conversation
The sermon this past Sunday explored the Parable of the Sower from Matthew’s gospel. In it, we see a sower scattering seeds across a variety of soils: a hard pathway, rocky terrain, thorny ground, as well as good soil.
Because the seed couldn’t penetrate the hard pathway, birds come to take the seed away. When the seeds fell on the rocky ground, it sprung up immediately but died quickly under the hot sun, because it had no roots. Though the seed seemed to grow in the thorny ground, the presence of the thorns soon choked out the life of the other growing plants. But on the good soil, the seeds took root and grew into productive plants that produced much.
These soils represent the way God’s word arrives in our lives. Jesus specifically ties this story to receiving the good news of the arrival of the kingdom of God (See Mark 4 or Luke 9). Even after believing the gospel for the first time, it’s worth considering the continued posture of our hearts to God’s word in whatever season we find ourselves. The idea of “hearts as farmland” is an ancient metaphor (eg, Hosea 10:12) that can be a vivid image of our readiness to receive God’s word to us – for the 1 st time or in any time.
The good news – the best news – is that God is not merely the sower, He is the gardener. He can break up hard ground, remove rocks, weed out thorns and cultivate flourishing.
Questions for Discussion
1. It can be tempting to jump immediately to the ways in which we don’t receive God’s word well. Most of us are compulsive graders, aware of our faults. To balance that, take a moment and consider in what ways God’s word – whether the gospel as a whole or some particular passage – has rooted well in your life. Knowing that this is God’s work, not yours, would you be willing to share one of these places with the group?
2. This is an interesting passage to consider before entering the season of Lent. In Lent, Christians historically self-reflect on their need for repentance (change), remembering again how faithful Jesus is to forgive, restore, and renew. Many of us associate Lent with fasting in some way. Is there a fast you might consider that might be used by God to prune back “thorns” that have been preventing you from giving good attention to the Word and Spirit in this season? Do you have ideas on how you might use Lent to renew a habit of listening or responding to God?
3. Give time to praying together, naming as best you can the ways you know you need God in this season. Ask for His help to listen for His voice and faith to respond.