The Parable of the sower
Bible Journaling Session
LUKE 8:4-15 (ESV)
Pastor Angela Marks, Facilitator
With His Hands Outreach Ministry
Welcome & Happy Journaling!
what is bible journaling?
A creative devotional practice of engaging with scripture to dig deeper into the word while observing, interpreting and applying scripture. It uses artistic means to express thoughts, emotions and reflections on Scripture through art forms. Individuals can deepen their understanding and personal connection to the Word of God.
materials for bible journaling
supplies for illustrating
PastorAngela Marks
With His Hands Outreach Ministries
Contact
www.angelamarks.com
angelamarks81@gmail.com
@creativelydevoted
The Parable of the sower
LUKE 8:4-15 (ESV)
The Parable of the sower
LUKE 8:4-15(ESV)
The SOAP Method
WHAT DOES S.O.A.P. MEAN?
S– The S stands for
You physically write out the scripture.
You’ll be amazed that what God will reveal to you just by taking the time to slow down and actually write out what you are reading!
Scripture
LUKE 8:4-15(ESV)
The Parable of the sower
LUKE 8:4-8(ESV)
4 And when a great crowd was gathering and people from town after town came to him, he said in a parable, 5 “A sower went out to sow his seed. And as he sowed, some fell along the path and was trampled underfoot, and the birds of the air devoured it. 6 And some fell on the rock, and as it grew up, it withered away, because it had no moisture. 7 And some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up with it and choked it. 8 And some fell into good soil and grew and yielded a hundredfold.” As he said these things, he called out, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”
The Parable of the sower
LUKE 8:9-15(ESV)
9 And when his disciples asked him what this parable meant, 10 he said, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of God, but for others they are in parables, so that ‘seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand.’ 11 Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. 12 The ones along the path are those who have heard; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. 13 And the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear the word, receive it with joy. But these have no root; they believe for a while, and in time of testing fall away. 14 And as for what fell among the thorns, they are those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature. 15 As for that in the good soil, they are those who, hearing the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with patience.
The Parable of the sower
LUKE 8:4-8(ESV)
Scripture
Write out the parable and explanation in your own handwriting to engage with the text.
READ & REFLECT
4 And when a great crowd was gathering and people from town after town came to him, he said in a parable, 5 “A sower went out to sow his seed. And as he sowed, some fell along the path and was trampled underfoot, and the birds of the air devoured it. 6 And some fell on the rock, and as it grew up, it withered away, because it had no moisture. 7 And some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up with it and choked it. 8 And some fell into good soil and grew and yielded a hundredfold.” As he said these things, he called out, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”
The Parable of the sower
LUKE 8:9-15(ESV)
Scripture
Write out the parable and explanation in your own handwriting to engage with the text.
READ & REFLECT
9 And when his disciples asked him what this parable meant, 10 he said, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of God, but for others they are in parables, so that ‘seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand.’ 11 Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. 12 The ones along the path are those who have heard; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. 13 And the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear the word, receive it with joy. But these have no root; they believe for a while, and in time of testing fall away. 14 And as for what fell among the thorns, they are those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature. 15 As for that in the good soil, they are those who, hearing the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with patience.
The Parable of the sower
LUKE 8:4-15(ESV)
The SOAP Method
WHAT DOES S.O.A.P. MEAN?
O– The O stands for
What do you see in the verses that you’re reading? Who is the audience? Is there a repetition of words? What words stand out to you?
Observation
LUKE 8:4-15(ESV)
The Parable of the sower
LUKE 8:4-15(ESV)
Observation
Who, What, When, Where, Why & How
context/background
The book of Luke is a vivid account of the life of Jesus. Luke takes us on an exciting journey from Jesus’ birth, to his public ministry, death, resurrection and ascension into heaven. Salvation is clearly found in no one else but Jesus!
Luke was a doctor and he took special care to record everything accurately. Of all the gospels, Luke gives us the most detailed account of Jesus’ birth. Luke shows the humanity of Jesus through showcasing his genealogy, his birth story, his growth as a boy, his prayer life and the betrayal and denial from some of his closest friends.
Author: Luke the physician (the only Gentile author in the New Testament
Date: 63 AD
Outline:
1.) The introduction (1:1-4)
2.) Jesus is born (1:5-2:52)
3.) Jesus’ preparation for public ministry (3:1-4:13)
4.) Jesus’ ministry in Galilee (4:14-9:50)
5.) Jesus’ journey to Jerusalem (9:51-19:27)
6.) Jesus’ teaching ministry in Jerusalem (19:28-21:38)
7.) Jesus’ death (22:1-23:56)
8.) Jesus’ resurrection (24:1-53)
The Parable of the sower
LUKE 8:4-15(ESV)
Observation
Reflect on and define key terms to deepen your understanding.
translations
Luke 8:4-15 (CSB)
4 As a large crowd was gathering, and people were coming to Jesus from every town, he said in a parable, 5 “A sower went out to sow his seed. As he sowed, some seed fell along the path; it was trampled on, and the birds of the sky devoured it. 6 Other seed fell on the rock; when it grew up, it withered away, since it lacked moisture. 7 Other seed fell among thorns; the thorns grew up with it and choked it. 8 Still other seed fell on good ground; when it grew up, it produced fruit: a hundred times what was sown.” As he said this, he called out, “Let anyone who has ears to hear listen.” 9 Then his disciples asked him, “What does this parable mean?” 10 So he said, “The secrets of the kingdom of God have been given for you to know, but to the rest it is in parables, so that Looking they may not see, and hearing they may not understand. 11 “This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is the word of God. 12 The seed along the path are those who have heard and then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. 13 And the seed on the rock are those who, when they hear, receive the word with joy. Having no root, these believe for a while and fall away in a time of testing. 14 As for the seed that fell among thorns, these are the ones who, when they have heard, go on their way and are choked with worries, riches, and pleasures of life, and produce no mature fruit. 15 But the seed in the good ground—these are the ones who, having heard the word with an honest and good heart, hold on to it and by enduring, produce fruit.
The Parable of the sower
LUKE 8:4-15 (ESV)
Observation
Reflect on and define key terms to deepen your understanding.
KEYWORDS/DEFINITIONS
hundred fold
parable
wither
moisture
choking
trodden down
perfection
sower
path
air
devoured
lack
spring up
hear - to listen
bear
fruit
joy
thorns
grew
trampled
farmer (sower) - particularly in the Parable the farmer or sower represents Jesus. He is the one who spreads the Word of God, sharing the message of the Gospel with people.
seed - Symbolically represents the Word of God. It is the message of the Gospel that Jesus spreads, and it has the potential to grow and bear fruit in the hearts of those who receive it.
hundredfold - the amount of return a sower can receive for sowing into good soil. Beyond an extraordinary abundance.
The Parable of the sower
LUKE 8:4-8(ESV)
Observation
Connect to other scriptures.
cross references
"For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it."
Isaiah 55:10-11
"Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves."
James 1:21-22
"For thus says the Lord to the men of Judah and Jerusalem: 'Break up your fallow ground, and sow not among thorns.”
Jeremiah 4:3
The Parable of the sower
LUKE 8:4-8(ESV)
Observation
Note questions you have?
What was a path? In Ancient Israel, agricultural fields often had paths running through or alongside them where people traveled. These paths were trampled down and became hard, making it difficult for seeds to penetrate and take root.
Why does a sower sow seed? He puts seed out with the intention of growth, to reap a crop or harvest.
What were the rocks? In the context of agriculture in Ancient Israel, the "rocks" mentioned in the Parable of the Sower refer to rocky ground or soil with a shallow layer of earth over a bedrock or a layer of stones. This type of ground was common in the hilly and mountainous regions of Israel. The soil is thin and sits atop a layer of rock. Because the soil layer is shallow, it cannot retain moisture well. The rocky ground often lacks sufficient nutrients to support long-term plant growth. Without deep roots to access more nutrients, plants struggle to thrive.
questions?
How much was common for a good return on seeds sown? In Ancient Israel, it was common for 7.5 - 10 times seed sown. That was considered to be plentiful harvest or fruit.
The Parable of the sower
LUKE 8:4-8(ESV)
Observation
Insights: Note any repetition, comparison, contrast...
observations
The Path (Hardened Soil):
Seeds fall on the path and are quickly eaten by birds.
Represents those who hear the Word of God but do not understand it. Their hearts are hardened, and the message is quickly snatched away by evil forces or distractions.
No growth or fruitfulness, as the seed does not penetrate the soil.
Rocky Ground (Shallow Soil):
Seeds fall on rocky ground where there is little soil. They quickly sprout but wither away because they lack deep roots.
Represents those who receive the Word of God with joy initially but have shallow faith. When troubles or persecution arise, they quickly fall away because they lack a firm foundation.
Initial growth, but no lasting fruitfulness due to a lack of depth and roots.
Among Thorns (Choked Soil):
Seeds fall among thorns, which grow up and choke the plants.
Represents those who hear the Word of God but are distracted and overwhelmed by the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of wealth, and desires for other things. These distractions choke the Word, preventing it from bearing fruit.
Growth is stunted and unproductive because the plants are choked by competing priorities.
Good Soil (Fertile Soil):
Seeds fall on good soil, where they produce a crop yielding thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times what was sown.
Represents those who hear and understand the Word of God, accept it, and allow it to take deep root in their lives. Their hearts are receptive and fertile, resulting in abundant spiritual growth and fruitfulness.
Significant growth and fruitfulness, as the Word of God thrives and produces a plentiful harvest.
The Parable of the sower
LUKE 8:4-15(ESV)
The SOAP Method
WHAT DOES S.O.A.P. MEAN?
A– The A stands for
This is when God’s Word becomes personal. What is God saying to me today? How can I apply what I just read to my own personal life? What changes do I need to make? Is there an action that I need to take?
Application
LUKE 8:4-15(ESV)
The Parable of the sower
LUKE 8:4-8(ESV)
The S.P.A.C.E.P.E.T.S. Bible Study method is a practical tool designed to help you delve deeper into Scripture by asking specific questions for personal reflection and application. Using these questions, you can systematically examine and apply Scripture to your life, helping you grow spiritually and live out your faith practically.
The Parable of the sower
LUKE 8:4-15(ESV)
S.P.A.C.E.P.E.T.S
S.P.A.C.E.P.E.T.S
S.P.A.C.E.P.E.T.S
Sin to Confess: Is there a sin mentioned that you need to confess or something you need to make right with God?
Promise to Claim: Are there promises in the passage you can claim? Ensure you’ve met any conditions attached to the promises.
Attitude to Change: Is there an attitude you need to change? Consider if there are negative attitudes like worry or pride that need adjustment.
Command to Obey: Is there a command you need to follow regardless of how you feel?
Promise to Claim: Are there promises in the passage you can claim? Ensure you’ve met any conditions attached to the promises.
Example to follow: Are there examples in the passage to follow?
The Parable of the sower
LUKE 8:4-8(ESV)
S.P.A.C.E.P.E.T.S
S.P.A.C.E.P.E.T.S
S.P.A.C.E.P.E.T.S
Prayer to Pray: Is there something you need to pray about or a prayer from the passage you can adopt?
Error to Avoid: Is there an error mentioned that you should avoid?
Truth to Believe: Is there a truth about God, Jesus, or the Holy Spirit you need to embrace?
Something to Praise God For: Is there something in the passage that you can be thankful for or praise God for?
The Parable of the sower
LUKE 8:4-8(ESV)
Application
Examine and relate the scripture to areas in your life.
s.p.a.c.e.p.e.t.s
Sins to Confess:
Harding of Heart: Not being receptive to God's Word, like the seeds that fell on the path.
Wavering faith: Having a faith that withers under trials, like the seeds that fell on rocky ground.
Distractions: Letting worry, anxieties and desires of this world choke out our spiritual growth, like the seeds that fell among thorns.
Promises to Claim:
God's Word is powerful: Just as seeds have the potential to grow and bear fruit, God's Word has the power to transform lives.
Fruitfulness: Those who receive and nurture God's Word will produce a bountiful harvest in their lives.
Attitudes to Change:
Having a worldly or carnal focus. Being double-minded and unstable.
The Parable of the sower
LUKE 8:4-8(ESV)
Application
Examine and relate the scripture to areas in your life.
s.p.a.c.e.p.e.t.s
Commands to Obey:
Be attentive and seek to understand what God's is saying. Believe and study the Word. Prayer without ceasing. Fast. Assemble with other believers. Remove EVERYTHING that hinder your spiritual growth.
Examples to Follow:
Good soil: Make having good soil (in your heart), receiving God's Word, nurturing it, and producing fruit PRIORITY.
Prayers to Pray:
Ask God to soften your heart and make you open to His Word. Pray for a strong, enduring faith that can withstand trials. Seek God's help in prioritizing your spiritual life over worldly distractions.
Errors to Avoid:
Ignoring God's Word: Don’t be like the hard path where the seed is taken away immediately. Having shallow faith that falls away when difficulties show up! Don’t let the cares of this world choke your spiritual growth.
The Parable of the sower
LUKE 8:4-8(ESV)
Application
Examine and relate the scripture to areas in your life.
s.p.a.c.e.p.e.t.s
Truths to Believe:
God’s Word has the power to transform you inside and out. Just as a seed can grow into a fruitful plant, God’s Word can change lives. Spiritual growth requires a deep and committed faith. Distractions, Worldly worries and desires can choke out spiritual growth if not managed.
Something to Thank God For:
The power of His Word to transform us and make us like HIM! Salvation! The potential of His Word to bring about change and growth in your life. The opportunities to grow spiritually and produce fruit in your life.
The Parable of the sower
LUKE 8:4-8(ESV)
Application
Examine and relate the scripture to areas in your life. Apply the lessons.
application
The Parable of the sower
LUKE 8:4-15(ESV)
The SOAP Method
WHAT DOES S.O.A.P. MEAN?
A– The P stands for
Pray God’s Word back to Him. If He has revealed something to you during this time in His Word, pray about it. Confess if He has revealed some sin that is in your life.
Prayer
LUKE 8:4-15(ESV)
The Parable of the sower
LUKE 8:4-8(ESV)
Prayer
Write a prayer asking for guidance and growth.
prayer
Heavenly Father, we come before You in unity, lifting up all the sisters who attended our Bible study. We confess the times our hearts have been hard, our faith shallow, and our lives cluttered with distractions. We ask for Your forgiveness and grace, and for hearts that are soft and receptive to Your Word. Grant us the wisdom to examine our soil daily, to hear and understand Your message, and to push through any challenges, no matter what. Empower us with the wisdom and courage to become sowers of Your Gospel, as the great commission commands, so that the seeds we plant may bear fruit in the form of souls saved. May an extraordinary, abundant harvest be our portion, and may those with good soil see the seeds they've sown flourish. Help us to discern the enemy's plans and plots, and to diligently cultivate our ground each day. May we always consider our own soil before examining that of others. Thank You for the transformative power of Your Word and for the opportunity to grow and bear fruit in Your name. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.
the word is our lamp & light
Lord, I pray that the hands that have touched this study resource is empowered by your Holy Spirit to grow closer to you through reading & studying your word. I pray that they will develop a deeper hunger and desire to seek you through your word. I pray that every resource in this booklet will help them. I pray that they will not get discouraged in what they may read and not understand. I thank you that your Holy Spirit knows all things and can reveal your wisdom, knowledge and understanding to this reader. I pray that the word of God will be transformative in their lives. That it will be a strong spiritual weapon that will destroy the enemy as they speak it with boldness and authority. In Jesus Name, Amen.
Pastor Angela Marks
angelamarks81@gmail.com
www.angelamarks.com