Mark 4: 1-20
Reason for parable: Jesus reminds us here that we will only benefit from his teaching if we LISTEN and OBEY what he says.
Prep: Make names for the drama. Draw pictures/flash cards to illustrate the lesson.
DRAMA: (Pin names to front of leaders. Write them in large letter. You need Mum, Child 1, Child 2, Child 3, Child 4.)
Mum: (Look at each child in turn.) Can you put the rubbish out for the collector please.
Child 1: Reading a book. Look up but then go back to reading.
Child 2: Get up from chair but stop to answer cell phone. Sit back down again and chat.
Child 3: Playing with toy. Put it down and get up. Collect rubbish and take it outside.
Mum: Thank-you so much. I’m glad someone listens to me.
Todays New Zealand farmers use machinery to plant seed. But in Jesus day, and still in some countries today, a farmer would walk through his field throwing seed onto the ground from an apron bag. (Demonstrate)
Jesus told this story to the people… “A farmer went out to sow seed in his field. The wind was a blowing a little and some of the seed blew further away; some went over into the next field and onto the path. Some seed fell on the rocks at the side of the field. And some seed ended up amongst the thistles growing in a patch in the corner of the field. But most of it fell onto the lovely soil that the farmer had dug up and prepared.”
Then Jesus said to everyone, “Those who have ears let them hear.”
You know, we all hear things – but sometimes we don’t want to take any notice. Just like some of the children when Mum asked them to take the rubbish out.
Jesus explained to his disciples what the parable meant…..
(Place words and suitable pictures up as you explain the meaning)
SOWER: the sower sows the seed. At Rally we sow the seed We tell you what God says in the Bible. And the words from the Bible are the seeds. But it’s your ears that are listening. Do you want to hear what God says?
PATH: some seeds fell on the path. But the birds came and ate the seeds. Are your ears like the child in the drama who didn’t want to hear? She was too busy reading a book. That’s like the seed that falls on the path – the birds eat it – or you forget it as soon as you hear it. You aren’t really interested in what God says.
ROCKS: Some seed fell among the rocks. The birds didn’t see the seed so it sprouted. But there wasn’t enough soil there for it to grow properly, so when the sun came out the ground got hot and scorched the plants and they died. When we hear about God, we should start reading the bible to learn more. Otherwise we forget all about him and our faith doesn’t grow.
THISTLES: Some seed fell amongst the thistles. As the seeds grew, so did the thistles. But the thistles grew faster and got tangled up with the plants. The plants grew, but they were weak and thin and didn’t grow and fruit, so they were no use.
Are your ears like the child who got waylaid by the cell phone ringing. That’s like the seed on rocky ground or among the thistles. Other things happen that take your attention or interest and you forget about God and what the Bible says.
GOOD SOIL: Some seed fell onto the lovely good rich soil. Those seeds grew healthy and tall and produced heaps of fruit for the farmer. Are your ears like the child who heard Mum and did as she asked? That’s like the seed that fell onto the good soil. You hears what God says, obey what he says and live a life that is a blessing and help to other people.
How can we develop ears like the child who obeyed? (ask for suggestions & write them on a card)
- read Bible regularly
- do a Bible study course
- go to church/Sunday school to learn
- pray to God regularly
- learn memory verses and think about what it means to me..
Pray: asking God to help us listen to what he says, and to produce good fruit in our lives.
