Mark Chapter 4 Summary

Parable of the sower. Parable of the candle. Parable of the mustard seed. Jesus stills the storm.

Discussion Questions for Mark, Chapter 4

  1. What does it look like to have a heart of good soil? How can you make sure your heart is like the good soil?
  2. What does it look like to have a heart like the path, rocky soil, or one full of thorns? What might make someone's heart this way? How can you prevent this kind of heart in your life?
  3. Why did Jesus teach in parables? What does it take to understand them properly? What is a parable that you have a hard time understanding?
  4. What worries have a tendency to choke out your faith? What steps can you take to lean on the Lord this week?
  5. How have you recently hidden your faith? What can you do to prevent that in the future? How will you share your faith this week?
  6. Dwell on the properties of light. What does it do? How does Jesus mirror this in the world and in your own life?
  7. How difficult is it to actually hide a light in a dark place? Why do you think we try to hide our light so much?
  8. Explain the parable in verses 26-29. How is the Kingdom of God like a sprouting plant? What is the moral of this parable?
  9. Why is Jesus sleeping on a cushion a significant detail of the story? What caused Jesus to be so at peace that he fell asleep during a storm? How can you have the same sort of peace during the storms in your life?
  10. What stories (especially in the Old Testament) show God's command over the water? How does this story help confirm Jesus' identity as God Himself? How would you react if a teacher you had been following suddenly had the same authority over the wind and waves as God?

Key Words/Phrase

Kingdom parables, vv. 2, 11, 26, 30.

Characters

Jesus, Satan, disciples.

Strong Verse(s)

24, 25.