11 22 33 44 55 66 77 88 99 11 22 33 4455 66 WW EE 77 88 LL EE AA RR NN 99 1122 33 44 55 66 77 88 99 11 22 33 44 5566 77 FF RR OO MM 88 99 TT HH EE 11 2233 44 55 66 77 88 99 11 22 33 44 55 6677 88 PP AA RR AA BB LL EE SS 99 11 2233 44 55 66 77 88 99 11 22 33 44 55 66

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1 2 3 45 6 WW EE 7 8 LL EE AA RR NN 9 12 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1 2 3 4 56 7 FF RR OO MM 8 9 TT HH EE 1 23 4 5 6 7 8 9 1 2 3 4 5 67 8 PP AA RR AA BB LL EE SS 9 1 23 4 5 6 7 8 9 1 2 3 4 5 6

• Sometimes Jesus Sometimes Jesus taught in taught in parables, which parables, which are short stories are short stories that have hidden that have hidden spiritual spiritual messages.messages.

• When Jesus taught When Jesus taught in parables, He used in parables, He used things that were things that were familiar to the familiar to the people to teach people to teach spiritual messages.spiritual messages.

• Listen for the hidden spiritual Listen for the hidden spiritual messages in these stories.messages in these stories.

““Lesson 17: The Parables of the Sower and the Wheat and Tares,” Lesson 17: The Parables of the Sower and the Wheat and Tares,” Primary 7: New Testament, Primary 7: New Testament, 5757

• One day, Jesus was by the One day, Jesus was by the seaside. seaside. • Many people came to Many people came to

hear Him teach. hear Him teach. • He sat in a ship and He sat in a ship and

taught the crowd of taught the crowd of people who stood on people who stood on the shore and listened.the shore and listened.

• He spoke to them of a He spoke to them of a sower who planted sower who planted seeds in different seeds in different kinds of earth—stony, kinds of earth—stony, thorny, and fertile—thorny, and fertile—and received different and received different amounts of fruit.amounts of fruit.

• Some of the seed fell to the wayside Some of the seed fell to the wayside and was eaten up by birds.and was eaten up by birds.

• The seed that fell on the stony ground did The seed that fell on the stony ground did not send roots deep into the ground.not send roots deep into the ground.

• The plants scorched in the sun. The plants scorched in the sun. • Because the roots were not Because the roots were not

deep the plants withered and deep the plants withered and died.died.

• Some of the seed fell where Some of the seed fell where thorny plants grew. thorny plants grew.

• When the they sprouted, the When the they sprouted, the thorns choked them. thorns choked them.

• Other seed fell in Other seed fell in good, fertile ground. good, fertile ground.

• The seeds were able to The seeds were able to send roots deep into send roots deep into the ground. the ground.

• When the When the plants grew, plants grew, they produced they produced a lot of fruit.a lot of fruit.

• Let’s read Matthew 13:18–23, Let’s read Matthew 13:18–23, Mark 4:14–20, and Luke 8:11–15Mark 4:14–20, and Luke 8:11–15

• What do you think the seed is? What do you think the seed is?

• What do the fowls What do the fowls (birds) that eat the (birds) that eat the seed represent? seed represent?

• What is the rocky What is the rocky ground? ground?

• What are the thorns? What are the thorns?

• What is the What is the good ground? good ground? • What are the What are the

roots? roots? • What are the What are the

cares of the cares of the world?world?

• The disciples did not understand the The disciples did not understand the parable. Jesus explained that the seed parable. Jesus explained that the seed is the Gospel or Word of God.is the Gospel or Word of God.

• Each type of soil represents Each type of soil represents our commitment and our commitment and ability to endure. ability to endure.

• The wayside represents The wayside represents people who heard the people who heard the Gospel, but didn’t give it a Gospel, but didn’t give it a chance to take root. chance to take root.

• The stony ground represents The stony ground represents those who receive the Word those who receive the Word of God with joy, but do not of God with joy, but do not believe deeply. believe deeply.

• When they were tempted, they fall When they were tempted, they fall away because their belief of the Gospel away because their belief of the Gospel is not strong.is not strong.

• The thorns are the The thorns are the cares and riches of cares and riches of this world that choke this world that choke the Word of God. the Word of God.

• The good, fertile land The good, fertile land represents those who represents those who heard the Word of God heard the Word of God and sent their roots and sent their roots deep into Gospel soil. deep into Gospel soil.

• They seek to They seek to understand the Word understand the Word of God and strive to of God and strive to follow Christ’s follow Christ’s example. example.

Enr. Act. #1

SeedsSeedsGospel of Jesus Christ or the word Gospel of Jesus Christ or the word

of Godof God

SoilSoil Hearts of those who hear the wordHearts of those who hear the word

By the way sideBy the way side Do not understandDo not understand

Upon stony Upon stony placesplaces

Hear but have no root; become Hear but have no root; become offended easilyoffended easily

Among thornsAmong thorns Choked by worldly cares and richesChoked by worldly cares and riches

Into good groundInto good ground Hear and understandHear and understand

FowlsFowls SatanSatan

FruitFruit Good worksGood works

• How do we learn the word of God?How do we learn the word of God?• How should we receive the word How should we receive the word

of God? of God? • What kind of “ground” should we What kind of “ground” should we

be? be? • Let’s read Matthew 13:23Let’s read Matthew 13:23• What hidden spiritual message is What hidden spiritual message is

in the parable of the sower?in the parable of the sower?

One parable One parable that Jesus that Jesus taught while taught while He was in He was in Galilee was Galilee was about wheat about wheat and tares (a and tares (a kind of weed). kind of weed). ““The Wheat and the Tares,” The Wheat and the Tares,” FriendFriend, Feb 1995, 48, Feb 1995, 48

• Jesus said that a man Jesus said that a man who had a field planted who had a field planted good wheat seed in it. good wheat seed in it. • While he slept, someone While he slept, someone

came and planted tares came and planted tares in the same field. in the same field. • Tares look a lot like Tares look a lot like

wheat as they grow.wheat as they grow.

• All the seeds started All the seeds started to grow, and blades to grow, and blades of wheat and tares of wheat and tares broke through the broke through the ground.ground.

• A worker in the field noticed the A worker in the field noticed the tares growing with the wheat. tares growing with the wheat.

• He asked the owner about the tares.He asked the owner about the tares.• The owner of the field said that an The owner of the field said that an

enemy must have planted the tares.enemy must have planted the tares.

• When the worker When the worker asked if the tares asked if the tares should be pulled up should be pulled up and destroyed, the and destroyed, the owner said no. owner said no.

• If the tares were weeded out, he If the tares were weeded out, he explained, a lot of the wheat would explained, a lot of the wheat would be destroyed, too, since they were be destroyed, too, since they were growing side by side.growing side by side.

• So the wheat and the tares were both So the wheat and the tares were both allowed to grow until harvest time. allowed to grow until harvest time.

• Then the owner told the reapers to Then the owner told the reapers to first gather and store the wheat first gather and store the wheat safely in the barn. safely in the barn.

• After that was finished, After that was finished, they were to gather the they were to gather the tares into bundles and tares into bundles and burn them.burn them.

• What familiar things did Jesus talk about What familiar things did Jesus talk about in the parable of the wheat and tares?in the parable of the wheat and tares?

• Who is the sower in this parable? Who is the sower in this parable? • What does the wheat represent?What does the wheat represent?• Who comes in at night and sows the Who comes in at night and sows the

tares? tares? What are the tares? What are the tares? • What does the harvest represent? What does the harvest represent? • Let’s read Matthew 13:37–43 and D&C Let’s read Matthew 13:37–43 and D&C

86:1–7 and answer these questions again.86:1–7 and answer these questions again.

• When Jesus’ disciples were alone When Jesus’ disciples were alone with Him, they asked Him to explain with Him, they asked Him to explain the parable. the parable.

• Jesus said that the Jesus said that the sower of the good seed sower of the good seed represented Himself represented Himself and the Apostles; the and the Apostles; the field represented the field represented the world; the good seed, world; the good seed, His righteous followers. His righteous followers.

• The tares represented The tares represented those who follow Satan. those who follow Satan. Satan was the sower of Satan was the sower of the tares. the tares.

• The harvest represented The harvest represented the end of the world, the end of the world, and the reapers and the reapers represented angels.represented angels.

• Right now good and bad people are Right now good and bad people are allowed to “grow” together. allowed to “grow” together.

• But at the end of the world, angels But at the end of the world, angels will separate the righteous from the will separate the righteous from the unrighteous. unrighteous.

• The unrighteous—those who have The unrighteous—those who have chosen to break the commandments—chosen to break the commandments—will be punished and will wail and will be punished and will wail and gnash their teeth. gnash their teeth.

• However, the However, the righteous—those righteous—those who have chosen who have chosen to keep the to keep the commandments—commandments—will “shine forth will “shine forth as the sun in the as the sun in the kingdom of their kingdom of their Father” Father” (Matt. 13:43).(Matt. 13:43).

• When we come to earth, we are When we come to earth, we are given the freedom to choose given the freedom to choose between good and evil. between good and evil.

• It is up to us to It is up to us to choose whether choose whether we will be like we will be like the wheat or the wheat or the tares.the tares.

SowerSower Jesus Christ and His ApostlesJesus Christ and His Apostles

Good seed (wheat)Good seed (wheat) Followers of JesusFollowers of Jesus

FieldField WorldWorld

EnemyEnemy SatanSatan

Tares (weeds)Tares (weeds) Followers of SatanFollowers of Satan

ReapersReapers AngelsAngels

HarvestHarvest Jesus’ second comingJesus’ second comingEnr. Act. #1

• Which do Which do you want to you want to be, the be, the wheat or the wheat or the tares? tares? Why?Why?

• What is the hidden spiritual What is the hidden spiritual message in this parable?message in this parable?

• What does it What does it take for a seed to take for a seed to grow and bring grow and bring forth good fruit? forth good fruit?

Enr. Act. #2

• What would happen to the seeds if What would happen to the seeds if they were planted by the roadside, they were planted by the roadside, on stony places, or among thorns? on stony places, or among thorns?

• How can we plant the word of God in How can we plant the word of God in our hearts?our hearts?

• What kind of heart does each type of What kind of heart does each type of soil represents?soil represents?

• What does it take for the gospel to What does it take for the gospel to grow and bring forth good fruit in our grow and bring forth good fruit in our lives?lives?Enr. Act. #2

Wayside Wayside HeartHeart

Stony Stony HeartHeart

Thorny Thorny HeartHeart

Fruitful Fruitful HeartHeart

• What do you do with your ears?What do you do with your ears?–Eyes? Eyes? –Heart? Heart?

• Let’s read Matthew 13:15Let’s read Matthew 13:15• What did Jesus say we should do with What did Jesus say we should do with

these parts of our bodies? these parts of our bodies? Enr. Act. #3

• How can we apply this verse to the How can we apply this verse to the parables and to the gospel?parables and to the gospel?

• If we really hear the word of God, see If we really hear the word of God, see the truth in it, and do what Jesus the truth in it, and do what Jesus wants us to do, whom will we be like wants us to do, whom will we be like in these parables?in these parables?

Enr. Act. #3

• Do you remember the hidden message we Do you remember the hidden message we looked at earlier?looked at earlier?

• Trace, color, or underline the letters in Trace, color, or underline the letters in your hidden message puzzles so the your hidden message puzzles so the words stand out. words stand out.

Enr. Act. #4

11 22 33 44 55 66 77 88 99 11 22 33 44

55 66 WW EE 77 88 LL EE AA RR NN 99 11

22 33 44 55 66 77 88 99 11 22 33 44 55

66 77 FF RR OO MM 88 99 TT HH EE 11 22

33 44 55 66 77 88 99 11 22 33 44 55 66

77 88 PP AA RR AA BB LL EE SS 99 11 22

33 44 55 66 77 88 99 11 22 33 44 55 66

• Do you remember the hidden message we Do you remember the hidden message we looked at earlier?looked at earlier?

• Trace, color, or underline the letters in Trace, color, or underline the letters in your hidden message puzzles so the your hidden message puzzles so the words stand out. words stand out.

Enr. Act. #4

11 22 33 44 55 66 77 88 99 11 22 33 44

55 66 WW EE 77 88 LL EE AA RR NN 99 11

22 33 44 55 66 77 88 99 11 22 33 44 55

66 77 FF RR OO MM 88 99 TT HH EE 11 22

33 44 55 66 77 88 99 11 22 33 44 55 66

77 88 PP AA RR AA BB LL EE SS 99 11 22

33 44 55 66 77 88 99 11 22 33 44 55 66

• Name one Name one thing you thing you learned from learned from these two these two parables.parables.

• Let’s read some of the other parables Let’s read some of the other parables found in Matthew 13. found in Matthew 13.

• What do they mean?What do they mean?

Enr. Act. #5

I testify that Jesus I testify that Jesus Christ is our Savior Christ is our Savior and if we learn His and if we learn His words and keep the words and keep the commandments, commandments, we can become like we can become like Heavenly Father Heavenly Father and be able to live and be able to live with Him again.with Him again.

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