Luke 8:4-214And when much people were gathered together, and were come to him out of every city, he spake by a parable: 5A sower went out to sow his seed: and as he sowed, some fell by the way side; and it was trodden down, and the fowls of the air devoured it. 6And some fell upon a rock; and as soon as it was sprung up, it withered away, because it lacked moisture. 7And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprang up with it, and choked it. 8And other fell on good ground, and sprang up, and bare fruit an hundredfold. And when he had said these things, he cried, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear. 9And his disciples asked him, saying, What might this parable be? 10And he said, Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God: but to others in parables; that seeing they might not see, and hearing they might not understand. 11Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. 12Those by the way side are they that hear; then cometh the devil, and taketh away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved. 13They on the rock are they, which, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away. 14And that which fell among thorns are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection. 15But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience. 16No man, when he hath lighted a candle, covereth it with a vessel, or putteth it under a bed; but setteth it on a candlestick, that they which enter in may see the light. 17For nothing is secret, that shall not be made manifest; neither any thing hid, that shall not be known and come abroad. 18Take heed therefore how ye hear: for whosoever hath, to him shall be given; and whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he seemeth to have. 19Then came to him his mother and his brethren, and could not come at him for the press. 20And it was told him by certain which said, Thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to see thee. 21And he answered and said unto them, My mother and my brethren are these which hear the word of God, and do it. (Luke 8:4‑21)
And when much people were gathered together, and were come to Him (Jesus), out of every city, He spake by a parable:
“A sower went out to sow his seed: and as he sowed, some fell by the way side; and it was trodden down, and the fowls of the air devoured it.
“And some fell upon a rock; and as soon as it was sprung up, it withered away, because it lacked moisture.
“And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up with it, and choked it.
“And other fell on good ground, and sprang up, and bare fruit an hundredfold.”
We have read this parable in the books of Matthew and Mark, but it was a most important one, told also by Luke. And, since the Lord told it when such a great crowd of people were present, “out of every city” of that district, He must have wanted all to think of it carefully. After He told it, He spoke loudly, saying,
“He that bath ears to hear, let him hear.”
What could be plainer than that? We are all to be sure we think of, and believe these words. Even small children can understand about sowing seed.
We know a parable has a lesson hidden in the story, but we cannot mistake the lesson in this parable, because Jesus Himself explained it. He said, “Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God.”
His next words explained that “the ground” where the “seed” could “grow” was the minds and hearts of people who, heard God’s word.
And “the good ground,” Jesus said, “are they, which in an honest and a good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit, with patience.”
An “honest heart” knows it is not fit for God, and a “good heart” believes God’s words. That is what God wants of us, to be honest about ourselves, and to believe His words. Then His words “take root and grow.”
One who hears God’s words, but lets others tell him they are not true or are not needed, is like the wayside wher the seed is trodden on, or the birds or Satan snatches it away, and it can never take root. Satan is afraid they, will believe the Word and be saved.
One who hears God’s Word and thinks of it some, but if friends tempt or ridicule, gives it up; it is like the plants which wither away on stony ground.
Others who hear God’s Word, but think more of their work, or their pleasures, or something they have, are like the ground where the thorns choked out the good seed. They are utterly indifferent to God’s words.
Let us each ask ourselves, “which kind of ground” is my heart? Do I let the good “seed” of God’s Word “take root and grow” in my heart?
First be honest and confess to God that you could not save your soul, then believe His promise of the One to save—, the Lord Jesus.
ML 04/01/1945