Teacher's Guide for And How Shall You Know All Parables

(Small Groups)

John Wedlock

• Publisher: Christian Faith Publishing, Inc.
• Year: 2020
• Print ISBN:
  9781098025113
• eBook ISBN:
  9781098025120
• Topic: Theology & Religion
• Subtopic: Biblical Studies

This booklet provides a teacher's guide for study of the book And How Shall You Know All Parables. This book provides for an understanding of the Parable of the Sower and also, a means for understanding the gospels/Acts based on the thematic context of that parable. This leads to a deeper understanding of the gospels/Acts and for a clearer insight into how these scriptures apply to everyday life.The teacher's guide provides a twenty-session study of the book for use by small groups. Each session outline includes a Bible reading, discussion topics for the session, reference to Bible-study guides for more in-depth study of the topic, and challenging application questions for reflection and discussion.

Session 1

Introduction and Overview

1. Major concepts (p. 205).
   1. Soils of the Parable of the Sower—represent people types
      1. wayside soil—hard people (prideful)
      2. transition—not-so-good soils to the good soil, saved people
      3. rocky soil—shallow people (unfaithful)
      4. thorny soil—unproductive people (disobedient)
      5. good soil—productive people (humble, saved, faithful, obedient, and fruitful)
   2. Themes of the gospels
      1. Mark—servant-like humility
      2. John—Jesus-focused spirituality
      3. Luke—steadfast faithfulness
      4. Matthew—devoted obedience
      5. Acts—spiritual productivity
   3. Intrinsic needs
      1. worth (met by sensing love and acceptance)
      2. freedom (met by having choice)
      3. power (met by having trust)
      4. security (met by having provision)
      5. meaning (met by having a purpose in the whole)
      6. joy (met by the satisfaction of the above needs and fun)
2. Relationships and progression among the concepts (p. 199).
3. Organization of the book.
   1. Introduction (pp. 9–13)—explains all of the above
   2. Study of the “teaching” chapter of each gospel which includes the main theme and the three subthemes of each gospel (pp. 5–6)
   3. Appendices—includes diagrams and study guides based on the themes for each gospel (pp. 210–386), see page 213 as an example
4. Possible outcomes:
   1. Deeper personal understanding of the scriptures
   2. Increase in one’s own spiritual growth
   3. Greater understanding of how to expand one’s testimony
   4. Greater understanding of how to protect one’s self from false teachers
   5. Greater understanding of how to protect one’s self when one’s testimony is not received by others
   6. Greater understanding of how to witness and evangelize
   7. Understanding of how to help others identify their place in their spiritual journey
   8. Improved personal relationships with others
   9. Greater understanding of how to disciple others
   10. Greater understanding of how to counsel others
5. Homework for session 2—read the introduction (pp. 9–13).

Session 2

“Come and See Jesus”

1. Class time. Discuss the introduction (pp. 9–13).
   1. “The Soils of the Parable of the Sower” (p. 197)
   2. “The Themes...

Table of contents

• Introduction and Overview
• “Come and See Jesus”
• “Take a Knee: Be Humble in Position”
• “From Whom All Blessings Flow: Be Thankful in Provision”
• “Last But Not Least: Be Grateful in Status”
• “Out of the Box: Think Supernaturally”
• “Let There Be Light: ‘See’ and Believe in Jesus”
• “Put on the Blinders: Focus on Jesus”
• “Check Yourself: The ‘Right Kind’ of Faith”
• “Rejection Advice: Endure the Suffering”
• “Finish Well: Stay the Course”
• “Stay Tuned: Commune with God in Secret”
• “Totally Committed: Have Singleness of Heart, Eye, and Hand”
• “Intrinsic Needs”
• “Framework of Discipleship”
• “Numero Uno: Seek God First in Your Life”
• “Just Do It: Minister to the Needy in the Power of the Name of Jesus”
• “Consider the Source: Humbly Explain About the Source of Power to Those Who Are ‘Amazed’”
• “I Love to Tell the Story: Share about Jesus”
• “The Choice: Standing Around or Being Witnesses for Jesus”