Well the reports are out, and these are SplashData's top three most used passwords for 2015 according to TeamsID: 123456, password, and 12345678. Also making the top 25 was starwars! If you use one of these passwords, then you open yourself up to others accessing your personal information. Just as we use passwords to protect access to certain information, Jesus used parables to limit access or understanding to those who were and are in right relationship with Him. This is the focus of this week's Explore the Bible: Access Granted study.

Warning: You will have to remain focused on the TARGET as you walk through this study. In preparing my teaching plans, I kept struggling with the direction I should take versus the direction the curriculum was taking. We could spend a large amount of time talking about the parable and not about Jesus' explanation of why He used parables with regards to the Kingdom of Heaven. We could spend a lot of time explaining the Kingdom of Heaven and ignore the parables. We could even be tempted to expand and try to explain every parable in Jesus' discourse. I suggest you remain focused on this truth in these passages:

• TARGET: Access to understanding God's Kingdom is only available through a right relationship with Him.

Possible Discussion Questions: The focus on access or the limit of access will most likely bring up a lot of questions. You will be focusing primarily on Matthew 13:1-13, but you will have to reference Matthew 13:18-23 as well. Here are a few of the questions that you will probably end up discussing during this study:

• Matthew 13:1-2 - What kinds of viewpoints about Jesus were likely represented in the crowd? How are these viewpoints like different types of soil?
• Matthew 13:3-9 - What four types of soil did Jesus mention in the parable of the sower? Which of the soils would you say were productive, and which were unproductive? Was the problem with the sower, the seed, or the soil  in this parable? (The soil)
• Matthew 13:10-13 - What criteria limited the access of some based on Jesus' explanation?
• How are you responding to the Word of God that you hear? The way you are responding reveals the type of soil that you are at this time. Access is only limited by how you respond to God's Word.

The presidential decision our country is going to make over the next several months will impact generations to come, probably more than ever before in the history of our nation. As believers we have a responsibility to respond to this presidential election cycle with wisdom and grace. This is why we need to be discerning when it comes to political propaganda, rhetoric, and manipulation that will take place during the coming months.

How many of us have totally missed or ignored a warning sign before? If you commute to Nashville, TN or have ever driven through Atlanta you will observe probably one of the most ignored signs on the road - the HOV sign. In the Nashville area alone there are more than 64 miles of HOV lanes according to TDOT and they are in the process of upgrading signs and markings on Interstates 24, 40 and 65 at a cost of $2.9 million! Yes, we have signs and more signs but many will still probably ignore them. There was another group that ignored signs as well. These weren't road signs but signs that pointed to the Messiah. In our Explore the Bible study: What's the Sign, we will explore those signs they missed and the one's they ignored.

Here are some ideas to help you with the LOOK UP portion of the study that should help your group begin the conversation:

• Funny Signs: There is a website that collects funny signs. While you will need to be careful in choosing the ones to share it can serve as a great resource for beginning the discussion. The website is www.funnysigns.net.
• Yield Sign Challenge: Draw a yield sign outline on a markerboard. Poll the group to see if they think yield signs are yellow and black or red and white. Many will choose yellow and black. Yield signs haven't been yellow and black since 1971.
• Deer Crossing Road Sign Conversation: This is very funny! Click to Listen I have also provided the video below.

• PowerPoint slides. I have created several slides you can use during the entire session. Click to view and download.
• Explore the Bible Extra Teaching Helps. I have used a portion of this as an opening illustration. Click to view entire illustration.

On the afternoon of Thursday, January 14, 2-year-old Noah Chamberlain went for a walk in the woods with his grandmother and his older sister. While in the woods near the grandmother’s home in Pinson, Tennessee, Noah wandered away and disappeared. Authorities were called and a thorough search of the woods began immediately resulting in almost 1000 volunteers responding to the calls for help. It is amazing to see people respond when they see someone who is in desperate need of help. Jesus challenged His disciples and us to "look" and respond to the needs of a lost and dying world, in this week's Explore the Bible Study: In His Service.

The previous illustration is a part of this week's plan. It is adapted from LifeWay's Extra Teaching Helps. These volunteers braved the cold and rough terrain to search for little Noah. They located Noah after one week; unfortunately he did not survive the ordeal, but the searchers had not given up until they located him and brought him home to his parents. As believers, we should respond to our world in the same way; never giving up until we are able to rescue those who will respond to the gospel.

As you teach this week's study, consider using the following as a part of your plan:

News Video: Search for Noah Chamberlain

Challenge Questions for Matthew 9:35-36

• Look back on your weekly interactions with people and the things you have read and heard. 
• How are people like “sheep without a shepherd” today?
• How is your compassion level for them? 
• Do you dismiss those who aren’t like you? 
• Do you overlook or ignore people’s needs, especially for the gospel, or are you moved with compassion?

Discussion Questions for Matthew 9:37-38

• If we are to pray as Jesus instructed, who should we focus on praying for first? Should we pray for God to send forth workers if we aren’t willing to serve?
• How can we participate with God in the harvest by serving inside the walls of this church? (There are places everyone can serve – teaching, choir, orchestra, first impressions, children’s ministry, student ministry, ushers, etc.)
• How can we participate with God in the harvest by how we live outside the walls of this church?
• Can we measure how compassionate we truly are about God’s mission by how we serve at church? By how we live at home? By how we interact with others during the day? Explain your response based on how Jesus modeled what we are to do – preaching, teaching, and healing (ministering).