11-03-2019
Dr. E. Dale Locke, Rev. Trevor Johnston, and Pastor Efrain Silva
Sermon Series: Scatter
Week 1: Scatter
English PDF file for printing: 11-03-2019
Para imprimir el archivo PDF en Español: 3 de noviembre
Begin to learn the new theme verse for this sermon series – Luke 10:2: “Jesus told them, 'The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.'”
What thoughts or questions come to your mind when you read Luke 10:2? What do you think Jesus meant by this?
We invite you to join our church staff by setting an alarm on your phone to pray at 10:02 a.m. each day asking God to provide more workers to reach people for Him through our church.
Share some reasons why you chose to attend Community of Hope Church. What characteristics of COH contributed to you feeling drawn to be part of this church family?
See if your group can recite Community of Hope’s Mission Statement from memory together: “We exist to interest disinterested people in Jesus Christ and grow together into fully devoted followers of Him.” What do you notice about our mission statement?
Leadership guru, Peter Drucker, said: “All successful organizations must ask, 'What’s my business?' and 'How’s business?'" How would you answer these questions with regard to our church?
Read Luke 8:4-15: While 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. 10 He said, “The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of God has been given to you, but to others I speak in parables, so that, “‘though seeing, they may not see; though hearing, they may not understand.’ 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.”
Note how Jesus describes the meaning of this parable. The seed = God’s word. The soils = people and their various responses. The sower = us (ordinary believers spreading the news about Jesus to others in our circles of relationships). What thoughts or questions come to your mind from this passage?
Cultivating an Open Mind
9. The “path” in Luke 8:5 and 12 represents people who respond with a hard heart and a closed mind. What are potential reasons why some people have a closed mind toward the Christian faith?
10. What are some ways we can help that type of person become more open to Jesus Christ?
Allocating Time to Listen
11. The “rocky ground” in Luke 8:6 and 13 represents people who wouldn’t naturally take the time and effort to keep listening to the message so it can take deeper root in their life and be of practical help in the actual challenges of their daily life. What are some ways to help that kind of person become more open and interested in Jesus?
Eliminating Distractions
12. The soil with “thorns” in Luke 8:7 and 14 represents people who are simply distracted by everyday life. Many of us find ourselves in this category, even though we have good intentions. What are some things we can do to become more focused on our walk with Christ?
Cooperating with what God says
13. The “good soil” in Luke 8:8 and 15 represents people who respond to Jesus in a deep way, so that He completely changes their life and they produce fruit. What does it mean to “produce fruit”?
14. Note that Jesus says in Luke 8:5, “as he was scattering seed.” Note that the farmer was very generous in how he scattered the seed. He didn’t hold back out of fear that some soil might not be responsive, like we sometimes do. Note that a seed is very tiny. How could you personally be part of planting a tiny seed that might spring up and connect people to Jesus Christ? What are some things you could do?
15. We believe God wants our church to consider fresh ways to get God’s message out to people in our community. What are some ideas that you have of how our church could reach people in our community for Christ?
16. Mark your calendar to join us in the sanctuary of our West Campus for a COH Town Hall Meeting on Tuesday, November 19 at 7pm to help us discern together what is next for us as a church.