When people read the Bible or hear the word of God, and begin to understand it, they are choosing good soil which will grow strong roots. We receive God's message and it becomes a part of who we are. Like the potato that grows, puts down roots beneath the soil, and produces other potatoes, the word of God grows and bears fruit in our lives. The fruit that people produce is love; that love will feed and nourish others.

Sometimes it is fun to set the dominoes on end to make a long row. When you push the first one over the dominoes continue to topple until all of them have fallen down. (Demonstrate how this works.) Jesus teaches we should not follow along and do something hurtful to get back at the person who has hurt us. We are not to be like dominoes; when one is toppled over, the others follow along, all falling down. Hurtful actions should not be passed along from one person to another.

Jesus talks about people needing good roots. He teaches that we are like seeds; we need good soil to develop strong roots. We find good soil for our growth by reading and listening to the words of the Bible. Jesus said, "What was sown on the good ground, this is he who hears the word, and understands it, who most certainly bears fruit" (13:23). Like the common potato, we too can grow deep roots of understanding that will nourish others.

Jesus told the disciples, "Go and tell John the things which you hear and see" (11:4). The disciples went back to John and told him about all the miracles Jesus had performed - how those who were blind were able to see, how those who were deaf were able to hear, how those who were ill were healed, how those who were lame were able to walk. John and the disciples knew that Jesus was God because of what they had seen and heard.

Jesus gave this instruction to his disciples as he sent them out to tell others about God's kingdom; the healing and miracles that had taken place. He told them that, as they went, they should preach the good news that "The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand" (10:7).

In the Bible Jesus talks about a harvest and he is talking about people being harvested. He says, "The harvest indeed is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Pray therefore that the Lord of the harvest will send out laborers into his harvest" (9:37-38). There is a time in everyone's life when they are ready to hear about God.

It's okay to feel angry. We know, from reading the Bible that Jesus became angry when he saw people disrespecting the place where others came to worship. What are we to do with that kind of anger?