Luke 8:1-15 Wed. 10/01/08
(All Scripture in the New Living Translation unless otherwise noted-emphasis added)
Jesus allowed women to travel with him.
Luke 8:1-3 After this, Jesus traveled about from one town and village to another, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God. The Twelve were with him, 2 and also some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases: Mary (called Magdalene) from whom seven demons had come out; 3 Joanna the wife of Cuza, the manager of Herod’s household; Susanna; and many others. These women were helping to support them out of their own means. NIV
· Jesus was showing that all people are equal under God.
Galatians 3:28 There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male or female. For you are all Christians—you are one in Christ Jesus.
· There were some women, apparently financially well off, who supported the ministry.
· Jesus did not seek the glitter of the cities. He went out from one town and village to another right in the middle of the countryside.
Luke 4:43 “I must preach the Good News of the Kingdom of God in other places, too, because that is why I was sent.”
Jesus teaches the parable of the seed and the four soils.
The whole nation was charged with expectation – many were wondering if Jesus was the expected Messiah—they saw authority in his teachings, the many miracles, and the crowds following him.
But Jesus knew that most of them were just curious – they loved the magic, they felt spiritually good, they were even listening to him but were not really sincere about change – about living in obedience to his words.
Jesus wanted people to know that hearing his words was not enough, that no matter how many times we hear the Word of God, there is only one way to bear fruits.
Luke 8:4-8a While a large crowd was gathering and people were coming to Jesus from town after town, he told this parable: 5 “A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path; it was trampled on, and the birds of the air ate it up. 6 Some fell on rock, and when it came up, the plants withered because they had no moisture. 7 Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up with it and choked the plants. 8 Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up and yielded a crop, a hundred times more than was sown.” When he said this, he called out, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.” NIV
Jesus said four things happened to the seed when it was sown.
1. Some seed fell along the path—or by the wayside, which means upon the walking paths, where the soil was hard; therefore, the seed just lay on top and the birds came and devoured it.
2. Some seed fell upon a rock—or hard soil lying right under the surface. This seed, of course, grew quickly because of the water lying upon the rock right after a rain. But it soon withered away because the water evaporated leaving nothing but dry soil, and the sun scorched the young plant.
3. Some seed fell among thorns. The seed sprouted, but the wild bushes grew stronger than the plants, so they were soon choked.
4. Other seed fell on good soil—good ground. The seed sprang up and was very fruitful, bearing a great return.
Luke 8:9-10 His disciples asked him what this parable meant. 10 He said, “The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of God has been given to you, but to others I speak in parables, so that, “‘though seeing, they may not see; though hearing, they may not understand. (Isaiah 6:9-10)’ NIV
Mark 4:10-12 When he was alone, the Twelve and the others around him asked him about the parables. 11 He told them, “The secret of the kingdom of God has been given to you. But to those on the outside everything is said in parables 12 so that, “‘they may be ever seeing but never perceiving, and ever hearing but never understanding; otherwise they might turn and be forgiven! (Isaiah 6:9-10)'” NIV
Jesus gave two reasons why he was now beginning to teach by parables:
1. Parables required much thought in order to grasp their meaning. A person who really sought after God would seek, strive, think, and ask until he could find the meaning to the parable. And this way he would enter into greater knowledge and understanding of God.
Luke 11:9-10 “So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened…” NIV
2. Jesus wanted the truth concealed from people who would not repent, for if they found the secrets of the word, they would reap their benefits but lose their souls.
… secrets like the laws of sowing and reaping, the laws of prosperity, the laws of a positive mind – secrets used today by the world that keep people from seeking God.
Jesus explains the parable to the disciples.
Luke 8:11 “This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is the word of God. NIV
The farmer is whosoever brings God’s Word.
The seed is the word of God.
The ground upon which the seed is sown is the heart of the hearer.
Jesus warns all hearers (all types of ground) that the success of the seed (God’s Word) depends upon one thing alone – the condition of the soil (the heart) as they receive the seed. If the ground (the heart) is soft and rich, being full of the right minerals (right attitudes) and cleared of all junk and brush (the carnal mind), ploughed and turned over, then the seed will produce a great harvest.
Luke 8:12 Those along the path are the ones who hear, and then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. NIV
The people that hear the Good News but find reasons why they don’t need a savior are the seed that falls along the path.
Their heart has become hardened, their minds have being blinded to the message, and since the message is the power of God into salvation – Satan steals the seed (the Word) so they may not believe and be saved.
2 Corinthians 4:4a The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ… NIV
Luke 8:13 Those on the rock are the ones who receive the word with joy when they hear it, but they have no root. They believe for a while, but in the time of testing they fall away. NIV
These are the ones that hear the message and profess Christ as Lord and Savior.
They listen and receive the word with joy, they become excited over it but fail to study and get grounded in the Word. They fail to prepare themselves and become superficial believers.
When trials and temptations come, they fall away.
Luke 6:49 But anyone who listens and doesn’t obey is like a person who builds a house without a foundation. When the floods sweep down against that house, it will crumble into a heap of ruins.”
Luke 8:14 The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life’s worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature. NIV
These are the ones who receive the word. They honestly try to live for Christ, but there is a problem. They let worries, riches, and pleasures control their lives. They’re unwilling to cut loose from the world completely – to be separate from their feelings. And they live a double life, trying to live for Christ and in the world.
And note what Jesus says will happen – they never mature.
Galatians 5:16-17 So I advise you to live according to your new life in the Holy Spirit. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves. 17 The old sinful nature loves to do evil, which is just opposite from what the Holy Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are opposite from what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, and your choices are never free from this conflict.
Luke 8:14 But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop. NIV
Mark 4:20 Others, like seed sown on good soil, hear the word, accept it, and produce a crop—thirty, sixty or even a hundred times what was sown.” NIV
These are the ones who have an honest and good heart; they have the right attitude; they’re open to listen; and they’re willing to learn.
They not only have accepted the message but have learned to trust God in His Word completely. Therefore, when they hear the word they keep it.
They do not let the devil snatch the word, nor let the trials and temptations of life or the cares and riches and pleasures of this life choke God’s commandments.
They have matured. They have learned that the best way to prepare the soil to receive the seed of the Word is to stay close to Jesus throughout everything in life.
John 15:5 “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.
Spiritual growth – spiritual maturity – is a process, and Jesus compares it to the slow but certain growth of a plant.
Mark 4:26-29 And He said, “The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground, 27 and should sleep by night and rise by day, and the seed should sprout and grow, he himself does not know how. 28 For the earth yields crops by itself: first the blade, then the head, after that the full grain in the head. 29 But when the grain ripens, immediately he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come.” NKJ
“A farmer is helpless to grow grain; all he can do is to provide the right conditions for the growing of grain. He cultivates the ground, he plants the seed, he waters the plants, and then the natural forces of the earth take over and up come the grain. This is the way that it is with the spiritual disciplines – they are a way of sowing to the Spirit. The disciplines are God’s way of getting us into the ground; they put us where He can work within us and transform us. By themselves the spiritual disciplines can do nothing; they can only get us to the place where something can be done… God has ordained the disciplines of the spiritual life as the means by which we place ourselves where he can bless us… In The Cost of Discipleship Dietrich Bonhoeffer makes it clear that grace is free, but it is not cheap. The grace of God is un-earned and un-earnable, but if we ever expect to grow in grace, we must pay the price of a consciously chosen course of action which involves both individual and group life. Spiritual growth is the purpose of the disciplines.” Richard Foster; Treasury of Christian Discipline; ©1988; Harper Collins Publishers…
The farmer is whosoever brings God’s Word.
The seed is the word of God.
The ground upon which the seed is sown is the heart of the hearer.
The Holy Spirit is the one who completes the work that He began when we were born again.
Philippians 1:6 being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ… NKJ
To grow and mature spiritually, as we let the Holy Spirit complete the work He started in us when we were born again:
1. We need to trust God completely.
2. We need to put into practice four spiritual disciplines in our lives.
a) The discipline of relationship with God.
John 15:4-5 Dwell in Me, and I will dwell in you. [Live in Me, and I will live in you.] Just as no branch can bear fruit of itself without abiding in (being vitally united to) the vine, neither can you bear fruit unless you abide in Me. 5 I am the Vine; you are the branches. Whoever lives in Me and I in him bears much (abundant) fruit. However, apart from Me [cut off from vital union with Me] you can do nothing. Amplified Bible
b) The discipline of relationship with one another.
Romans 12:15-18 Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. 16 Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. 17 Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. 18 If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. NIV
1 Corinthians 12:25b-26 …there should be no division in the body (Church), but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. 26 If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it. NIV
c) The discipline of the Word.
John 8:31 Jesus said to those Jews who had believed in Him, If you abide in My word [hold fast to My teachings and live in accordance with them], you are truly My disciples. Amplified Bible
If a farmer doesn’t plant seeds, he will never harvest a crop.
d) The discipline of fasting and prayer.
Prayer is more than the place where we ask God to meet our expectations. Prayer is the place to go where we so often find peace, where we find fresh vision and renewed perspective, where we hear the still small voice of God, where we tune into what the Holy Spirit wants to tell us and show us, where we find a Father and a friend, for with prayer the farmer waters the seed.
When discipline becomes a delight, the ground is finally ready
New Hope 
Wow! Thanks…love that last little blurb….”when discipline becomes delight, the ground is finally ready”
I’m going to hang on to that one!