Connect How can you keep in mind God’s ultimate provision of Jesus, when God’s ways are unclear to you?

Warm-Up

1. When did you first come along to St Bart’s? Why do you think being part of a local church is important?
2. What do you think makes our local church, St Bart’s, distinctive? What fruit have you experienced?
3. In what way can the church be a glimpse of the Kingdom of God?

Read Mark 4:26-29

4. Have you ever planted seeds? What were they and how successful was the growth?
5. What is the seed in this parable? How is the seed distributed? Why is this so encouraging?
6. How far and wide should we be involved in planting the seed of the Gospel?
7. How does Jesus make it clear that the power is contained within the seed itself? How can we be reminded of the power of the Gospel? Why is this important?
8. In what way is every Christian involved in planting seeds of the Gospel? 
9. What role does the soil play in the planting of seeds? Why is the soil important with regard to the planting of the Gospel? Do you have an example of someone who was really receptive to the Good News?
10. What roles—as a church—do we have in both sharing the Good News and tending the soil?
11. Which of your frontlines do you think has the most ‘receptive’ or the most ‘resistant’ soil?
12. What does Jesus mean by a coming harvest?

Read Mark 4:30-34

13. What is Jesus’ point that from a small seed, very large things can grow? 
14. Why do you think this may have been really encouraging news to the disciples (especially as they thought back to this parable after Jesus had ascended)? Why is this encouraging news to us?
15. Did people ever underestimate the news of Jesus in his time? Do people ever underestimate it today?
16. Do you think we can ever underestimate the power of the Good News? What helps you to remember?
17. Our mission as a church is to make, mature, and multiply disciples of Jesus Christ for God’s glory. What role do you think you have in each of these dimensions of our mission?
18. What helps you to keep on taking your part in God’s Kingdom work?

Apply What is one way that you can be involved in scattering the seed of the Gospel this week?

On Your Front Line this Week

How does your reactions under pressure point to Christ? How can you pay attention to this, this week?

For Families

• Download: some of the family resources to use at home: stbartskids.org
• Listen: “The Seed of the Kingdom” by Tim Keller:
  https://gospelinlife.com/sermon/the-seed-of-the-kingdom/
• Listen: “The Lord is King” by Chris Wright:
  https://www.allsouls.org/Media/AllMedia.aspx?show_media=297883&show_file=326777 
• Listen: “Kingdom grown” by Sam Allbery:
  https://stebbes.org/sermons/kingdom-grown/ 

Listen, Watch, and Read

• Listen: “Hope, Riches, and Power” by Tim Keller:
  https://gospelinlife.com/sermon/hope-riches-and-power-part-1/ 
• Listen: “Ultimate Power” by William Taylor:
  https://www.st-helens.org.uk/resources/talk/5704/ 
• Listen: “Praying People” by Vaughn Roberts:
  https://stebbes.org/sermons/praying-people/
• Listen: “Pentecost” by Tim Keller:
  https://gospelinlife.com/sermon/the-descent-of-the-spirit/  

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