1. Why was it necessary for Jesus to teach while sitting in a boat?
2. What important question do the disciples ask in v. 10?
3. Jesus' response is complex (vv. 11-17). Can you attempt to summarize it?
4. The parable of the sower is found in 13:3-9 and it is explained in 13:18-23. Create a simple chart to show the four possible outcomes as the seed is sown.
5. Similar to the parable of the sower, the parable of the weeds (vv. 24-30) includes an explanation from Jesus (vv. 36-43). Briefly explain this.
6. The second half of this chapter includes a number of shorter parables, mostly beginning with the introduction: "the kingdom of heaven is like..." See if you can find all six and select one to briefly explain.
7. In the final paragraph of this chapter Jesus returns to his hometown. The reception is a poor one, we read, "they took offense at him" (v. 57). We hear five questions back-to-back that all seem to indicate that Jesus is too familiar and too ordinary to be something special. Ultimately, there is a lack of faith.
Can you sense that Jesus is working in your life too, even in "ordinary" and simple ways? Why do we sometimes discount this sort of simple, plain, everyday grace?
It is interesting that, in the previous chapter (Matthew 12), Jesus' claims were too big: he is greater than the temple, he is Lord of the Sabbath, he is greater than Jonah, he is greater than Solomon. His healing work and other miraculous deeds are too spectacular and too impressive, that religious leaders try to dismiss them as the work of some evil power.
Now, in this chapter, people resist Jesus because he is too ordinary, too recognizable, too plain; for crying out loud, they know his parents and his siblings - how could he possibly be special?!
Have you noticed that we sometimes do this too? Maybe we find one way to let ourselves off the hook, but then resist the alternative?
Our starting point, as should have been the case with the religious leaders of Jesus' day, should not be our personal expectations and our own understanding. If our expectations are met, then we will be underwhelmed and disappointed. If things are according to our own understanding, we will never known enough and never be satisfied. In both cases, we fail.
We must start with Jesus. Trying to see him as he truly is. Learning about him and a life of following him, and then (after) we can align our expectations and understanding. If we do that, along with finding Jesus, we will find peace, and joy, and faith, and contentment, and blessing, and a number of other good things, too many to list.
May we truly see him and truly hear him - just as we truly love him. Amen.