Scripture: Luke 8:1-18
The Parable of the Sower
8 After this, Jesus traveled about from one town and village to another, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God. The Twelve were with him, 2 and also some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases: Mary (called Magdalene) from whom seven demons had come out; 3 Joanna the wife of Chuza, the manager of Herod’s household; Susanna; and many others. These women were helping to support them out of their own means.
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 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.’
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 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. (NIV)
Observation:
“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.” (Luke 8:15)
The sewer in Jesus parable is God who spreads the seed of His Word everywhere on all soils of every condition. So the Good News of the Gospel is available to all people. But the one who has a heart toward God and who listens to incorporate God’s Word into their own lives are the ones who will embrace the Word of God and bear fruit for the kingdom of God.
Application:
What is the condition of your spiritual soil. Do you have a heart bent toward God and God’s Word? The spiritual soil that is well tilled by reading and studying God’s Word is like the good soil that receives the seed and allows that seed to grow. Are You attending to your spiritual garden? Are you tilling your soil to receive God’s seed? Are you watering that seed with daily devotion? Are your growing in your understanding of God’s Word with prayer?
Prayer:
Lord, help us as Your children to tend to our spiritual gardens, so we may grow in wisdom and knowledge of Your Word. Guide us to become all You desire us to be, bearing fruit for the Kingdom of God. Amen.