Family Worship Guide

Foundational Truth: We need God

Text(s) for Study: Luke 8:4-15

John 15:1-11

Preparation for Worship:

Read John 15:2
- Where do the branches that do not bear fruit come
from? (They are branches in the True Vine.)
- What happens to branches that do not bear fruit?
(The Vinedresser takes them away.)

Read Luke 8:4-15

- What types of ground is the seed sown in? (on the
road, rocky soil, soil with thorns, good soil)
- Look at verses 7 and 14. Does the plant that grows
among the thorns have fruit? (Yes, it produces
immature fruit. The thorns take away the
nourishment that the plant needs to bear good
fruit. The person who is like the seed in the thorns
is consumed with the pleasures of this life. Their
fruit is small and immature because they are not
abiding in Christ.)
- Read verses 8 and 15. What is the difference in
the matured plant grown in the thorns and the
matured plant grown in the good soil? (The plant in
the thorns has immature fruit and cannot be
sustained by the nourishment from the ground
because the thorns are taking everything it needs,
and blocking it from the needed sun. The plant in
good soil is overflowing with fruit, getting every bit
 of nourishment needed from the soil it was planted
in. –vs 15- The person who is like the seed planted
in the good soil hears the Word, holds it fast, and
bears fruit with perseverance. This is a perfect
picture of abiding in Christ.)

Read John 15:5-6

- What happens when we abide in Christ? (We bear
MUCH fruit.)
- What happens when we are apart from Christ? (We
can do NOTHING)
- What happens if we do not abide in Christ? (thrown
out, dried up, gathered and cast into the fire and
burned up)

Everyday Conversations (LOOK FOR opportunities to revisit the

preached Word and the foundational truth(s) taught):

As you are walking with your children, their little sins are out-
loud and seemingly unending. Take the time to address more than
just the behavior.

“Biblical discipline gets to the heart of the problem. After all, if you can
reach the heart, the behavior will take care of itself. In order for us to
reach the hearts of our children we must realize that there is far more to
parenting than getting our children to act right.” (Plowman, Ginger. Don’t
Make Me Count to Three. Wapwallopen, PA: Shepherd Press, 2003.)

A fruit problem is symptomatic of a root problem! Encourage

your children to daily, moment-by-moment, turn to the Word and
lead your children into knowing that the difference between a
good-soil plant and a thorn-choked plant is the perseverance and
daily abiding in Him.