Sneak Peak at Feb. 27th Sermon...Luke 8: 4-18

This is a familiar passage...The Parable of the Sower...which we could have quickly read through and felt that we understood.  Good soil produces fruit and bad soil does not.  God's word takes root in good hearts and does not in hard hearts.  But as we paused and questioned our understanding, we found instruction in His words and not just a statement of fact.

After sharing the parable with the crowd Jesus called out (vs. 8), "Let anyone with ears to hear listen."  This told us that there was more here than a casual reading would reveal.  Jesus challenges us to open ourselves up to receive instruction and understanding even in those situations that at first seem to be so normal.  Anyone who has ever planted a seed knows that the soil condition is critical to the success of plant growth, but here Christ is telling us that there is more to the story.

In verses 9 & 10, Jesus explained to his disciples that he spoke in parables so that those who did not understand would seek the meaning.  Parables were intended to cause people to ask what the meaning was and to look deeper and seek understanding...listen and learn.

He then went on to explain in verses 11-15 what the parable meant.  The seed is the word of God for those who would hear it and the devil takes the word from their hearts so that they may not believe and be save.  So that word is planted in our hearts so that we may believe and be saved, and the devil will be trying to keep that word from taking root in our hearts.  Satan will harden our hearts, the hard path, to keep the word from entering our hearts. If we receive the word he will do all he can to keep it from taking root, temptation, worries, pleasures so that the roots are not nourished and growth does not happen.  But when the word is planted in an honest and good heart, it will bear fruit with patience and endurance.

Verses 16-18 went on with Jesus talking about lighting a lamp, not to put it under a jar, but to put it on a lampstand so that enter may see the light.  Then in verse 18 he once again talks about listening, "Pay attention to how you listen...".  Jesus, apparently wants us to receive the word of God, listening and being fed by the word so that we may beieve and be save.  Also, he wants us to use the word to bring light so others may see and believe.

As we were coming to an end of the study we talked about Jesus himself, being the sower, the seed, and the light and that as we grow in Him, we also will be sowers of the word but as well be the seeds that die to self so that we can bear fruit in Him, so that others will come to believe and find salvation.  Jesus is making us aware that it is by our listening, seeking His teachinng and leading, that we can endure our season of growth and maturation..beaingr fruit for Him.