BREAK THE CHAINS OF OPPRESION AND THE YOKE OF ...

LEArnin G
Day of Prayer for vintage and labour, March 8th 2006
Mark 4: 1-9, the parable of the sower
>12 material for discussion groups, catechism
To work with the Scripture text
Young people want to get going creatively with a Scripture text. And they wonder:
what does this mean for me, today? The parable of the sower is excellently
suited for this.
Preparation
Type the text of Mark 4: 1-9 as a normal reading text (so not in columns). Leave
the verses out, but do number the lines. Leave space for making notes on the left
margin side. Type the text of Mark 4: 13-20 in the same manner, but on a separate
sheet. Make sure that both texts are available for each young person.
Execution
Provide the young people with the text of Mark 4: 1-9 with the following instruction:
Put signs in the left-margin:
(arrow up): Something on God
(arrow down): Something on man
(arrow to the right): Something to do
(arrow to the left): Something NOT to do
!: Something new to think over
?: I don’t understand
J:
L: �
Makes me happy
Makes � me �angry or sad � �
Have the young people thought of more signs themselves (for example sms-language)
Subsequently read the text together and discuss it following the signs of the
young people.
Next distribute the second text and follow the same procedure.
Finally you can discuss a number of personal questions:
a. in which of the four ‘types of soil’ do you recognize yourself? What do Jesus’
words say to you?
b. What does that mean ‘to yield fruit’? Can you give examples?
To work from the Scripture text
‘but the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in choke
the word, and it becomes unfruitful.’
Maybe this text is painfully appropriate for rich Westerners. Did you know that
��������������������������������������������
� � ���������������������
�
– LEARNING JUSTICE – 177