Friday, October 31, 2025

November 9, 2025 – A Study of Matthew – Being Fruitful

Being Fruitful

Genesis 1:26-31 – New International Version (NIV)

26 Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.”

27 So God created mankind in his own image,
    in the image of God he created them;
    male and female he created them.

28 God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.”

29 Then God said, “I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food. 30 And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds in the sky and all the creatures that move along the ground—everything that has the breath of life in it—I give every green plant for food.” And it was so.

31 God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the sixth day.

Who was mankind made in the image of (verse 26)?

How was mankind created (verse 27)?

What did God tell them to do (verse 28)?

What did mankind have for food (verse 29)?

What did “everything that has the breath of life in it” have for food (verse 30)?

What did God see about “all that he had made” (verse 31)?

In your opinion, what is the basic message of this passage?

In your opinion, what does this passage teach us about being fruitful?

Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23 - New International Version (NIV)

1 That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the lake. Such large crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat in it, while all the people stood on the shore. Then he told them many things in parables, saying: “A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. Whoever has ears, let them hear.”

18 “Listen then to what the parable of the sower means: 19 When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in their heart. This is the seed sown along the path. 20 The seed falling on rocky ground refers to someone who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. 21 But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. 22 The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful. 23 But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.”

Where did Jesus go and sit (verse 1)?

Why did He move to sitting in a boat (verse 2)?

What did the farmer in the parable go out to do (verse 3)?

What happened to the seed sown “along the path” (verse 4)?

Why did the seed that fell in the rocky places spring “up quickly” (verse 5)?

Why did those plants wither quickly “when the sun come up” (verse 6)?

What happened to the seed that fell among the thorns (verse 7)?

Where did the seed that “produced a crop” fall (verse 8)?

Who is to “hear” (verse 9)?

What happens to the word for those who hear the message and don’t understand it (verse 19)?

How do those who are like the rocky ground receive the word (verse 20)?

When do they fall away (verse 21)?

What chokes the word and makes it unfruitful (verse 22)?

Who are those who are represented by the seed falling on good soil (verse 23)?

In your opinion, what is the basic message of this passage?

In your opinion, what does this passage teach us about being fruitful?

In your opinion, how does the instruction of God to mankind in Genesis 1:26-31 apply to those who receive God’s word in Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23?

Romans 12:3-8 - New International Version (NIV)

For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you. For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.

With what kind of judgment should each Christian think of themselves (verse 3)?

What has God distributed to each Christian (verse 3)?

What don’t all members of the body have (verse 4)?

Who does each member of the body of Christ belong to (verse 5)?

What do we have different kinds of (verse 6)?

In your opinion, what should we do with our gifts (verses 6 through 8)?

In your opinion, what is the basic message of this passage?

In your opinion, what does this passage teach us about being fruitful?

In your opinion, how does the instruction of God to “be fruitful and increase in number” in Genesis 1:26-31 apply to Christians who have received the gifts in Romans 12:3-8?

In your opinion, what does Romans 12:3-8 help us understand about how Christians can produce a crop as encouraged in Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23?

1 Corinthians 3:5-15 - New International Version (NIV)

What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe—as the Lord has assigned to each his task. I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. The one who plants and the one who waters have one purpose, and they will each be rewarded according to their own labor. For we are co-workers in God’s service; you are God’s field, God’s building.

10 By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as a wise builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should build with care. 11 For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, 13 their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work. 14 If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward. 15 If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved—even though only as one escaping through the flames.

What has the Lord “assigned to each” (verse 5)?

Who made the seed grow (verse 6)?

Who “is anything” (verse 7)?

How will Christians “be rewarded” (verse 8)?

What are Christians (verse 9)?

How should each one build (verse 10)?

What is the foundation that has been laid (verse 11)?

When will people’s work “be shown for what it is” (verses 12 and 13)?

When will the builder “receive a reward” (verse 14)?

What will happen to the builder if their work is “burned up” (verse 15)?

In your opinion, what is the basic message of this passage?

In your opinion, what does this passage teach us about being fruitful?

In your opinion, how is the task assigned in 1 Corinthians 3:5-15 like the instructions given to mankind in Genesis 1:26-31?

In your opinion, what does 1 Corinthians 3:5-15 help us understand about those who Jesus says in Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23 hear and understand “the word”?

In your opinion, how does 1 Corinthians 3:5-15 help us understand how the different gifts listed in Romans 12:3-8 work together to produce results?

In your opinion, what do these Scriptures from Genesis, Matthew, Romans and 1 Corinthians teach us about the source of all Christian growth?

In your opinion, what are the ways we can be fruitful today?

(sprucewhispers.blogspot.com)

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