Luke 8:4-15
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The good soil.
Today we’re going to take a look at Luke 8 and where Jesus is talking about the “good soil”. So please turn in your Bibles to Luke 8 and we’re going to read verses 4 to 15 ...
“And when much people were gathered together, and were come to him 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 sprang up with it, and choked it. And 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. And his disciples asked him, saying, What might this parable be? And 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. Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. Those 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. They 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. And 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. But 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.”
Last Friday we looked at Matthew 7 where Jesus is talking about the house built upon a rock. He said “Therefore whosoever hear these sayings of mine, and do them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock” In this passage he’s telling a different parable but pointing to the same end. He says that the seed is the Word of God. When Jesus spoke, he spoke the very Words of God. He says in John 14:10-11 “Believe thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwell in me, he do the works. Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works’ sake.” And Hebrews 1:1 says “God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son”. Jesus words are the very words of the living God.
Jesus tells us in this parable that the seed that fell on good ground are they having heard the word — the word of God, Jesus words —and keep it. And they bring forth fruit with patience. Jesus prayed in John 17:17 “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.” As we continue in the Word, a sanctifying process is taking place. The fruit will come but here is a reminder that it takes time — “And they bring forth fruit with patience”.