We just learned about the wise man who built his house on the rock.
Sometimes when Jesus talked to his followers, he would try to explain things by telling stories called parables. They are stories that help teach lessons.
Once when Jesus was talking to some farmers he told a parable about someone who was planting seeds. This is sometimes called sowing, so we call it the parable of the sower.
He said that as a farmer was throwing seeds to the ground, some of it fell along the hard flat path. When that happened the birds came along and ate the seed right up!
Some of the seeds fell into some rocks, where it didn't have very good dirt to grow in. It grew quickly because the dirt was not deep, but because they couldn't put down deep roots they burned up in the sun.
Some seeds fell near some thorns, and when the plants grew they were choked by the thorns.
The last bunch of seeds fell into good soil, grew very well and made very good food.
Jesus explained what his parable meant:
The seeds are like the word of God and the message of his kingdom in heaven.
The seed on the path is when someone bad stops us from believing.
The seed on the rocks is someone who believes the word for a little while, but stops believing later.
The seed in the thorns is someone who worries too much about life and about money and things they want, and can't live for God.
The seed in the good dirt is someone who believes the word, understands it and spreads the word on to other people.
(from: wikipedia - parable of the sower)
Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Other Prophets
