Chapter 9

In addition to those parables, Jesus also told a parable about the kingdom of God. He told: - When the seeds are sown in the field, not all seeds grow in the same way. But what happens with the seeds is: some seeds fall on the road, and birds fly in and peck them; there are seeds that fall on stony ground, and these seeds germinate, but not for long: there is no soil to give roots in, and their sprouts soon wither; and there are seeds that fall into the grass, and the grass chocks them. And there are those that fall into the good soil, and grow, and bring from one grain 30 or 60 grains. Similarly, there are people who don't accept the kingdom of God into their heart, the temptations of the flesh come to them and steal what was sown – these are the seed on the road. Seeds on the stony ground is when people at first gladly accept the teaching, but reject it when resentments and persecutions come because of the teaching. Seeds in the grass is when people understood the meaning of the kingdom of God, but their worldly cares and greed for riches suppress the meaning of the teaching in them. And the seeds on a good ground are those who understood the meaning of the kingdom, and accepted it in their hearts, - these people bring fruits, some 30-fold, some – 60, and some - 100. And whoever kept what was given to him, he receives a lot, but who did not retain, everything is taken away from him. Therefore, by all means try to enter into the kingdom of God. Do not regret anything, wish only to enter it. Do what the man did who, when he learned about where a large treasure was buried, sold all that he had, and bought the land where the treasure was, and became rich. Act the same way. Remember that even small efforts toward the kingdom of God bring great fruits: just like from a small seed a tall tree grows. Every man is able by his own efforts to enter into the kingdom of God, because the kingdom of God is within us. (Matthew 13, 3-8, 12, 19-23, 31, 32, 44-46, Luke 16, 16)

Questions:
1) What other parable Jesus told?
2) What is that parable about?
3) What does it mean?
4) How do you need to strive for the kingdom of God?
5) What do the efforts bring?