FAITH COME BY HEARING AND HEARING FROM
JESUS
Luke 8:4-15
V:4 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.\”
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.
11 \”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 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. 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.
16 \”No one lights a lamp and hides it in a jar or puts it under a bed. Instead, he puts it on a stand, so that those who come in can see the light. 17 For there is no
A parable is a physical example of a spiritual reality.
Teaching should be done on a level that the audience can understand.
Jesus used the farmer as His example which could be understood by all who heard because of their farming background.
Understanding the spiritually meaning was only left to the Lord
who directed His enlightenment to only specific people in the crowd.
Not everyone who came to Jesus came to hear the Word of God.
Some came to be entertained. Many came to be healed of their sickness.
Some came to find fault with Jesus and His disciples.
Notice it was only Jesus disciples who ask the meaning of the parable,
What happen to the large crowd? They came for the show, not for
Bible Study.
The Lord presents us with 4 situations or mind sets in which the Word is
presented and received or rejected. He presents with His divine
Providence the Word of Truth.
Though out the New Testament, Jesus gives us scriptures that support His
reasons for those who will understand and those who will be left in the
dark.
No one comes to me unless he is drawn by the Father John 6:44
The world cannot receive the Word because it is foolish to them
1 Corinthians 2:14
My sheep know my voice and they follow me John 10:27
What the Father has given me, I lose none John 6:39
God chose those He will save before the foundation of the earth.
Ephesians 1:4
Jesus present 4 classes of individuals who are exposed to the light.
Three reject the light and remain in darkness. One received the light
and is blessed.
God insures that everyone is exposed to the Word.
Since God created everything, He sets the conditions for which everyone
is exposed to the Word.
Everyone having heard the Word, is given the responsibility to respond to the Word. Everyone is given the will to accept the Word or reject the Word.
HEARD THE WORD, BUT LEFT IN DARKNESS
(1) V: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.
The path that the seed fell on first is your hard core unbeliever.
He is unaffected by the Word of God. He is so deep in darkness that
Light does not shine in his heart. He, like us was born in sin and shaped in
iniquity. This set of individuals are left in their unredeemable state.
RECEIVED THE WORD BUT UNAFFECTED
(2) .V: 6 Some fell on rock, and when it came up, the plants withered because they had no moisture.
The second group, the rock, that seed fell on, heard the Word, received
It with joy, but were unaffected by it. There are people that just want to
hear some new thought to intrigue their imagination but remain unchanged.
ALMOST CHRISTIAN WHO CHOSE DARKNESS
(3)V: 7 Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up with it and choked the plants.
The third group , the seed that fell among the thorns, heard the Word and
received it with joy. However they were so involved in their problems
That could not see the truth in the Word.
There are those who come to Church just hear a feel good word.
They do not want to hear that the blessing of God require a change
In attitude, lifestyle and includes hardships. When the Word does not
meet their expectations, they quit listening to the Word.
REDEEMED BY THE WORD
(4) V:8 Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up and yielded a crop, a hundred times more than was sown.\”
This forth Group was called by God to be included in the body of Christ.
As they were being drawn to Jesus, a change was made in their hearts to
receive the Word and accept Jesus as Lord and Savior.
While it may seem that the seed drop from the farmers hand on
poor soil was by chance, I suggest that it was by God’s divine purpose.
Since the farmer is God himself, nothing is by chance.
Scriptures tells us that everyone was not chosen to be redeemed
V: 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.
As stated by the Bible Knowledge Commentary
Luke 8:11-15
As Jesus\’ ministry progressed, it was evident that each of these groups surfaced: (1) The Pharisees and religious leaders refused to believe. (2) Some people rallied around Jesus because of His miracles of healing and feeding but refused to stay with His message (e.g., John 6:66). (3) Others, such as the rich ruler (Luke 18:18-30), were interested in Jesus but would not accept Him because of the strong pull of materialism. (4) Others followed Him and were committed to His Word regardless of the cost (e.g., 8:1-3).
Each of us have probably gone through each of the stages Jesus
discussed.
There have been decisions we have made that led to hardships
because we would not listen.
There have been times we have heard the Word and intended to
follow it, but got side tracked by our own fleshly desires.
There are times when we were excited about God’s Word until
trouble came into our lives and we decided to trust our own judgment.
In order to grow spiritually we have trust God in all situations.
Those who grow spiritually, believe the Word, act on the Word
Become ministers of the Word. The blessing of Word flow in
Good times and bad times.
It is because of God’s grace that we were chosen to be in the fourth group.
It is because of God’s mercy that He tolerated our disobedience
and allowed us to grow spiritually.
THANKS TO GOD FOR HIS TEACHING
Rev. M. Mitchell
Asst Pastor of Greater Macedonia Baptist Church
5510 West Sam Houston Parkway North
Houston, Texas 77041
For more lessons, follow me on facebook and read my blogs
revmmitchell.com and goodnewsrecmitc,blogspot.com
