An Instructive Moment About Hearing (Luke 8:4-15)

As I read this parable I couldn't help but think how often I have come across these four different responses to hearing the Word of God. I also think that Christ was warning his disciples that there would be obstacles ahead of them. A parable forces a person to discover the truth for their own self while concealing the truth from those people too lazy or dull to understand it.

In this parable the farmer is seeding by hand. He is faithfully walking his field and throwing out handfuls of seed. He is wanting to cover the most ground with the seed for it to take root. Because some of the seed doesn't produce exactly what the farmer is desiring isn't any fault of the farmer or of the seed. The yield depends upon the condition of the soil where the seed fell.

Here in my area it is very easy to become frustrated with sharing the gospel. Many Christians get discouraged about sharing their faith because they don't get productive responses. However, that isn't our problem. Our problem is to share. It's up to God to bring a response to our sharing. It is immensely helpful to remember that not all seed falls on good soil. On an average, it takes a person living here about 5 years to leave their religion after they begin questioning. That's on average. Some are sooner and others are even longer. So much of that is because of the social ostracism that takes place. If the seed has fallen on good soil, it will happen.

An interesting tidbit of information, at least I find it interesting, is how, even in the area of evangelizing, Christ still poured out grace. When the people understood the message of the parable, they would know the mysteries of the kingdom of God. However, for the people who didn't respond to the message of the kingdom, they would not understand. Jesus quotes Isaiah 6...the people heard what He said but did not understand the parable. By speaking in parables Jesus was actually pouring out grace to those listening to Him. If they refused to acknowledge Christ as the Messiah, their judgment would be less severe than if they had understood more. Remember Luke 10:13-15.

I like how Jesus explains the parable to His disciples. The seed is the Word of God being preached by the Living Word, Jesus Christ, and was the same message which John the Baptist had been preaching to 'ready' the people. All the people needed to do was accept the message.

All four groups hear the same message. The news still hasn't changed 2000 + years later. And, sadly, the responses haven't changed either. The first group of people hear the news but do not believe at all because of the work of satan (vs. 12).

The second group are those who listen and rejoice but then do not stick with the truth for they have no root (vs. 13). They have accepted the Word mentally but when the going gets rough they reject it. It doesn't mean they lose their salvation, because they had no salvation to lose.

Now, the third group of people are the ones who listen but never come to maturity (vs. 14). They may ones who are interested in His message but they cannot accept it because there is interference, like their devotion to material things: the worries of life, their riches, and their pleasures.

The fourth group are the people who listen, and then retain the Word, and go on to produce a crop (vs 15). By that I mean, they bear spiritual fruit, evidence of their spiritual life. The message went from the head to their heart. Their hearts were changed. This is such an exciting group of people to work with! What joy to see a person come into God's family and then grow and bloom with vitality!

Obviously, Jesus encountered people in each of these groups throughout His ministry. Think of the Pharisees and the religious leaders who refused to believe what they heard and saw. Think about the people who were excited about all the miracles but refused to stay with His message. John 6:66 comes to my mind, "As a result of this many of His disciples withdrew and were not walking with Him anymore." Then there were others like the rich ruler in Luke 18:18-30 who was interested, even desired to serve Him but couldn't because of the strong pull of materialism. Finally, there were the ones where the message imbedded in their hearts, regardless of cost. I am reminded of the disciples who died horrific deaths, the Christians who were put on poles and lit with fire to be lights in the city by Nero. And others mentioned in Luke 8:1-3. I cannot imagine a cost so great. I do know, that if He required that cost of me, He would supply me the grace to go through it.

I remember often speaking with our son when he was small if something terrible were to happen to us, like being killed by a robber/kidnapper etc. We would continually remind him that the worse that could happen to us would be we would still be here. But, the minute that the bad person took our life...EVERYTHING just became PERFECT!!! And that would happen to him too! Which meant that we would be reunited if we all didn't die at the same time.

For me, I never begrudge the good things that happen to people who don't know the Lord. After all His grace is poured out on all, good and bad alike. I remind myself that this will be as good as it gets for the ones who do not accept Christ as their Savior. Why shouldn't they enjoy it all now. There will come a time when they will never enjoy anything again. On the otherhand, this is as bad as it will ever be for me as a Christian. Whatever is the worse thing that can befall me...right now, I think of acid ruining my face. But, once in heaven, there will be no mark on my face. Things will be so much better I cannot even comprehend it in my mind. I guess that is why I desire to share my Lord with others. I have a compassionate heart who desires no one to miss out on heaven. But God's Word is very clear and that decision is made now, before one dies.

Gire states, "...the human heart is no easy field to cultivate. It is hard and rocky and full of weeds." This brings to mind the verse in Ezekiel 36:26, "Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh." This is God's desire for us...He desires to turn our heart of stone into a living heart of flesh.