Jesus Through The Eyes of a Fisherman

Mark 4:14-20 NLT

1. Characteristics of good soil, a heart that’s ready for The Lord:
• Good soil has been worked and crushed by the farmer.
Psalms 51:17 (NLT)
• Good soil has been turned over and exposed.
Psalms 51:1 (NLT)
• Good soil is full of dead organic material from the past.
1 Timothy 1:16 (NLT)

2. Bad soil is religious. Good soil is repentant .
Luke 19:1-10 (NLT)

Warren Wiersbe:
“The fruitful heart pictures the true believer, because fruit–a changed life–is the
evidence of true salvation. The other three hearts produced no fruit, so we
conclude that they belong to persons who have never been born again. Not all
true believers are equally as productive, but from every genuine Christian’s life,
there will be some evidence of spiritual fruit.”

3. All the soils hear the gospel message, but only the
good soil accepts God’s forgiveness for sin, repents, abides in Jesus and bears
much fruit from their life.
John 15:5-8 (NLT)

Jesus Through The Eyes of a Fisherman

1. After reading Mark 4:14-20, who are the people around you that need to hear
the gospel?

2. After hearing the gospel, did they respond in faith, a heart of good soil?
What fruit have you seen?

3. Did some have a hard heart, a shallow heart or a distracted heart? How do
we respond to those who haven’t yet received Jesus as savior?

4. In Psalms 51:1, what does the psalmist admit is in his life? What does he ask
of the Lord?

5. Good soil has been worked, crushed and exposed by the farmer. Read
Psalms 51:17. Name two women and two men from scripture who had a
broken spirit?

6. Read 1 Timothy 1:16. How did Paul say God was using his “dead past?”
How has God used your dead past to point people to Jesus?

7. Read Luke 19:1-10. In your home group, sing the children’s song about
Zacchaeus. No, go ahead, sing it. You sounded great!

8. In verse 6 and 7, who was joyful and who was displeased? While they were
displeased, what was repentant Zacchaeus doing in verse 8?

9. Read John 15:5-8. What promises are given in verse 5?

10. If we aren’t in Jesus with hearts of good soil, we are useless. How do we
stay useful? And what brings the Father great glory?