Rotten :: The Rocky Soil
Clean hands and cover their mouths when they cough. :) // If someone is clearly under the weather notify Chad, Jimmy, or Heather.
Take a second and have a student read the Parable of the Sower in Luke 8:5-8
Now have a student read Luke 8:11-15
Have a discussion as a group where the students put in their own words what the Rocky Soil is.
As you all talk if you see some confusion help them along, but try not to just answer it for them.
Look for the stumbling blocks in the truth we are exploring and help remove them from the equation.
Everyone should have written some I am statements in the large group. Spend some time talking about those I am statements and how they were rewritten.
There are three things we have access to that can help us till those rocks out of the ground.
The first is putting those labels and identities in their rightful place. By identifying them and changing from I am to I have, or want, or like we take things and put them underneath our true identity. Which is Child of God. Image bearer.
This is the value of the I am exercise which you can do anytime, all the time.
The second is Jesus. Any time we feel overwhelmed by our world and the hardships and opposition it throws our way it is a blessing that can highlight to us where we may have rocky soil without knowing it.
Those places are prime areas where some label or identity you have taken on is unable to sustain you. When you find yourself there turn towards Jesus and ask for his help to identify those rocks.
The third is your family of Christ followers Jesus has put in your life. All of us can help one another not only see those rocks in our soil but help us lift them out.
Lets explore this in action: Explain the situation in Peters life. As Jesus was tried and crucified Peter, his disciple, who has followed him faithfully denies he even knows him three times. And this is after he argued with Jesus who said he would never do that after Jesus literally told him he would. Now Jesus is Dead and Peter is like I am going fishing.
Have a student read John 21:3-7
3Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.” They said to him, “We will go with you.” They went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.
4Just as day was breaking, Jesus stood on the shore; yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. 5Jesus said to them, “Children, do you have any fish?” They answered him, “No.” 6He said to them, “Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some.” So they cast it, and now they were not able to haul it in, because of the quantity of fish. 7That disciple whom Jesus loved therefore said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his outer garment, for he was stripped for work, and threw himself into the sea.
So then Peter comes to Jesus on the shore. Jesus ask for some of that fish and he makes breakfast.
Have another student read John 21:15-19
15When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Feed my lambs.” 16He said to him a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Tend my sheep.” 17He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” and he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep. 18Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you used to dress yourself and walk wherever you wanted, but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will dress you and carry you where you do not want to go.” 19(This he said to show by what kind of death he was to glorify God.) And after saying this he said to him, “Follow me.”
In this interaction Jesus asks Peter three times do you love me? Peter says yes each time and each time Jesus tells Peter what is next. By the end Jesus sums up the entire thing with “Follow Me”.
Ask the students what identity did Peter pick up - what rock was in his soil?
Fisherman, failure, liar, etc.
Now ask what identity did Jesus give him?
Son, follower, etc.
Jesus was there when Peter denied him and still Jesus knew his identity, and that identity determines what he can and should do not what he has done or how he has failed.
Now Jesus and Peter were also bros. And in this we see Jesus model for us how we can help our family till their ground.
How did Jesus till Peters soil?
He spoke to him about who he was and not what he had done.
He spoke in love always.
He didn’t shy away from the conversation.
He talked about action. What Peter should do now and in the future.
He pointed Peter towards the power of Jesus instead of his own power. (They caught no fish until Jesus showed up)
Make a list as a group of just one of the identities each person in the group (includes leaders) has identified. Take a pic and share it with the group. It stays only with the group
Commit to pray over that list once a day for the next week.
Close by praying as a group.
We will know we have hit our target if:
-Students retain the parable of the sower including the 4 soils.
-Everyone has an understanding of how false identities and labels are the rocky soil.
-Everyone has digested the 3 things that help us with the rocks.
-Prayer and scripture are earnestly employed in our discipleship walk with our groups.