Word@Work Luke117 - Luke 8:4-8
Published: Thu, 06/03/10
Word@Work from BeaconLight
SCATTERING SEED
Luke 8:4-8 While a large crowd was gathering and people were coming to Jesus from town after town, he told this parable: "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. Some fell on rock, and when it came up, the plants withered because they had no moisture. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up with it and choked the plants. 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." (NIV)
This parable of the sower mirrored the hearts of the people who crowded around Jesus. He started the story while the people were still gathering, and as they jostled to hear Jesus. A few would have heard everything, others would pick up fragments. And of those who physically heard His words, only a few might have understood the meaning He intended. But Jesus was speaking about them: people whose hearts were careless, hard, or distracted; and also some who were eager to apply the message to themselves.
Using familiar farming illustrations, Jesus was not just teaching the crowd: He was teaching His disciples. They needed to understand the hard ministry truth that although the gospel offers wonderful blessings, many will resist the Word of God growing up within them. The different soil-types described in the story show a range of responses to what God says. If the Word fails to produce a crop, it is not the seed which is defective, but the soil which is unreceptive and therefore unproductive.
This information is as valuable to us as to the apostles when the Early Church grew. We must expect that spreading God's Word will meet both resistance and rejoicing. But that is not a reason to stop sharing the Word: it encourages us to keep witnessing despite discouragement and disappointment - because where it is welcomed, the blessing is disproportionally great. So if you honour Jesus as your Saviour, please don't stop living it and talking about Him, because somebody somewhere will have receptive soil. And when it seems that nobody is interested, don't forget that somebody will be hungry for forgiveness, love and peace with God - your job is simply to tell them that Jesus is the Way.
Prayer: Dear Lord God. Thank You that Your Word has the power to change my life, as I am willing to receive what You say and act upon it. Please forgive me for the things I allow into my life which squeeze out Your Word and encourage my deafness to truth. Help me to be amongst those who continue to be eager to hear and respond in faith, so that the blessings You have promised may be evident in my life: to Your praise and glory. And may I never grow weary of telling others, however much some may resist the truth, because others are hungry to find the salvation which only comes through Jesus. In His Name. Amen.
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You can read the verses around this Bible passage from the Internet Bible: - in English, and many other languages
This parable of the sower mirrored the hearts of the people who crowded around Jesus. He started the story while the people were still gathering, and as they jostled to hear Jesus. A few would have heard everything, others would pick up fragments. And of those who physically heard His words, only a few might have understood the meaning He intended. But Jesus was speaking about them: people whose hearts were careless, hard, or distracted; and also some who were eager to apply the message to themselves.
Using familiar farming illustrations, Jesus was not just teaching the crowd: He was teaching His disciples. They needed to understand the hard ministry truth that although the gospel offers wonderful blessings, many will resist the Word of God growing up within them. The different soil-types described in the story show a range of responses to what God says. If the Word fails to produce a crop, it is not the seed which is defective, but the soil which is unreceptive and therefore unproductive.
This information is as valuable to us as to the apostles when the Early Church grew. We must expect that spreading God's Word will meet both resistance and rejoicing. But that is not a reason to stop sharing the Word: it encourages us to keep witnessing despite discouragement and disappointment - because where it is welcomed, the blessing is disproportionally great. So if you honour Jesus as your Saviour, please don't stop living it and talking about Him, because somebody somewhere will have receptive soil. And when it seems that nobody is interested, don't forget that somebody will be hungry for forgiveness, love and peace with God - your job is simply to tell them that Jesus is the Way.
Prayer: Dear Lord God. Thank You that Your Word has the power to change my life, as I am willing to receive what You say and act upon it. Please forgive me for the things I allow into my life which squeeze out Your Word and encourage my deafness to truth. Help me to be amongst those who continue to be eager to hear and respond in faith, so that the blessings You have promised may be evident in my life: to Your praise and glory. And may I never grow weary of telling others, however much some may resist the truth, because others are hungry to find the salvation which only comes through Jesus. In His Name. Amen.
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