1/23/12 JESUS GIVES THE PARABLE OF THE SOILS

Kevin Jesmer NIU UBF Monday, January 23, 2012
Luke 8:4-15            Key Verse: 8:15

“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.”

Dear Lord heavenly Father, good morning. I am here to listen to your voice and follow your word. I am glad that the Holy Spirit guides me and teaches me what is right. I pray that you may work in my kids’ hearts and a guide them and teach them what is right. Help them to be compassionate shepherds who can be like Jesus. I pray that you may help them to love the word and love meditating in the word of God. They may love Jesus and be excited about the kingdom of God. Conquer their hearts with your love and word. I pray that I may try again to reach out to the gflock of God here at NIU and DeKalb. I pray for James and Steve and Jason to grow as shepherds and Bible teachers of your flock. Please help America to be a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. I thank you and I pray in Jesus’ holy and precious name. Amen!

1. The parable (4-10).

Verses 4-10 read, “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 ate it up. 6 Some fell on rocky ground, 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, “Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.” 9 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.’”

Jesus told many practical stories with spiritual truths to those who came to listen. People understood farming, so he spoke about sowing seeds. It’s common practice for a farmer to spread seeds. Seeds can land on the hard path soil where it never penetrates the ground to grow, the rocky soil where it becomes scorched due to lack of moisture, the thorny soil where it eventually becomes choked by the hardy weeds, or the good soil where it thrives.

I thank God for Jesus’ wisdom in teaching in parables. It is the wisest way to preach the word of God. It is the best way to pack in lots and lots of spiritual truths that can be drawn upon by millions of people throughout their entire life times. Jesus also chooses situations in life that are recognizable to all people of all generations. For example all people of all generations know what it means to plant a seed. Parables also draw people to them. They are like a puzzle or a riddle that people want to solve. They are intriguing.

They are very interesting but the truth is stated by Jesus, “whoever has an ear to hear, let him hear.” We need a spiritual ear to hear the word of God. We need an interested ear and an ear that is attuned to hearing and understanding spiritual things. It amazes me how people are eager to think about Buddhist teaching, for example, but they are so ready to dismiss Jesus’ teachings because they are convinced that there is nothing there. And yet Jesus’ teachings are shown to be the wisest and most powerful and profound teachings in history. Maybe Jesus’ teachings are not fashionable enough, or cool enough. Jesus’ teaching are life changing and have changed and are changing human history. They are as meaningful and profound and powerful now as they were 2,000 years ago. Why not be intrigued by them and investigate their meaning? I pray for ears that want to listen and are able to hear the word of God.

2. The meaning (11-15).

Verses 11-15 read, “This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is the word of God. 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. 13 Those on the rocky ground 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. 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. 15 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.”

Jesus was willing to explain the meaning to those who wanted to learn and grow. Jesus is the farmer who sowed God’s living word generously. Like the path, some heard the word, but were tempted and hardened by other ideas and teachings. Some accepted the word superficially and perhaps emotionally, but when hardships came, they turned from God. Some accepted God’s word, but as they grew, the things of life choked the word. Others had hearts that were noble and good. They worked hard to hold God’s word in times of hardship or luxury. Persevering, they produced much godly fruit.

What type of heart am I? I can be a combination of all hearts. But mostly my heart can be a thorny heart. It can be distracted and it can be enticed by the things of the world and by worries. It slows my maturation in Jesus Christ. I must pull out the weeds and allow the word to take deep root in my heart. Through repentance and faith and obendience and actually slowing down and stopping and making time for Jesus in my life, can those weeds be dug up and the ground be ready for the word of God to grow.

Then young people of today have lots weeds growing. Social networking, Internet use, socializing, after school activities. They also let everything grow in the soil of their hearts. They may let the word of God grow, but they also let secular humanism, a compromised gospel etc, and all kinds of compromised idea grow along with the gospel and they never mature. Who can help them? The Holy Spirit can speak through the weeds and inspire them to till up the overcrowded ground. I pray for all of our kids and Bible students to have fertile, un-crowded soil so that the gospel may grow to maturation.

Prayer: Lord, help me not to give up your word in my heart. I want to hold your word and bear fruit.

One Word: Hold God’s word; produce good fruit