The Gospel Project at Home: Jesus Taught in Parables
- 1 day ago
- 3 min read
Updated: 16 minutes ago
Read Scripture
Read all or parts of Matthew 13:1-9,18-23; Mark 4:1-9,13-20; Luke 8:4-15 from your Bible or watch the Bible story video.
Preschool Bible Story Video
Elementary Bible Story Video
Talk About Scripture
Have you ever wondered why people can hear the same message about Jesus, and some believe while others don’t? You might think, If the gospel is so good … why doesn’t everyone receive it with joy?
This question isn’t new. Even the disciples struggled to understand it. They watched Jesus teach crowds of people—some were amazed, some were confused, and some were totally uninterested. If Jesus Himself was speaking, why didn’t everyone follow Him?
To help them understand, Jesus told the parable of the soils. Jesus explained that the seeds are like God’s Word. And the different soils are like the condition of our hearts. Some hearts are hard and don’t want to listen. Some get excited at first but give up when things get tough. Some want to follow Jesus, but there are too many distractions—worries, drama, pressure, or the desire to fit in.
But the good soil is a heart that listens and understands the gospel. This person believes God’s Word, and it changes their life. Like a seed planted in good soil, they begin to grow in faith. When we are open to God’s truth, He softens our hearts and opens our eyes to see our need for Jesus. Having a heart of good soil means repenting and trusting in Jesus, receiving His forgiveness, and allowing His Word and Spirit to take root in our lives so our faith grows and changes the way we live.
Not everyone who hears about Jesus believes in Him. Some people don’t understand the gospel, and some people care more about the things of this world than they do God’s kingdom. But people who believe in Jesus and follow Him will grow to be like Him and will share His good news so others can believe too.
Pray: God, help us listen to Your Word and let it take root in our lives. Help us grow in our love for You and let it change all that we say and do. And help us share the good news about Jesus with others so they can also grow in Him. Amen.
Learn Scripture
Preschool Scripture Music Video
Elementary Scripture Music Video
Family Prayer
Mornings: Ask God to help you have a heart like the good soil, ready to hear His Word today. Ask Him to help you notice and choose what is right, even when life is hard or distracting. What things might get in the way of listening to God today?
Evenings: Thank God for His Word and for how it helped you today. Ask Him to forgive you for the times you didn’t listen or follow Him. Ask God to help your heart grow to trust and obey Him.
Family Activities
For Fun: Gather your family members together to plant a seed in a small pot of soil or to re-pot a small plant. Talk about Jesus’s parable of the soils and the different ways our hearts can respond to God’s Word. Just as the seed needs to be watered and tended to every day, our hearts need to be nurtured by talking to God in prayer, spending time in His Word, and taking time to worship God for who He is. As your family cares for the new plant, encourage each family member to also grow in their faith through spiritual disciplines such as Bible study, prayer, and worship.
To Serve: Make simple cards with the words of John 3:16 written on them and decorate them if you like. As a family, choose a specific place to deliver the cards—like a local park, a nursing home, or a community center. Talk together about how the seed of God’s Word can grow in other people’s hearts like it grows in ours. Pray for each person who receives a card, asking God to help their hearts be “good soil” that listens, learns, and grows in faith.