Saturday, January 12, 2019

Luke 8:4-21 comments: the parable of the sower


Luke 8:4 ¶  And when much people were gathered together, and were come to him out of every city, he spake by a parable: 5  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. 6  And some fell upon a rock; and as soon as it was sprung up, it withered away, because it lacked moisture. 7  And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprang up with it, and choked it. 8  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. 9  And his disciples asked him, saying, What might this parable be? 10  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. 11  Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. 12  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. 13  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. 14  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. 15  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. 16  No man, when he hath lighted a candle, covereth it with a vessel, or putteth it under a bed; but setteth it on a candlestick, that they which enter in may see the light. 17  For nothing is secret, that shall not be made manifest; neither any thing hid, that shall not be known and come abroad. 18  Take heed therefore how ye hear: for whosoever hath, to him shall be given; and whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he seemeth to have. 19  Then came to him his mother and his brethren, and could not come at him for the press. 20  And it was told him by certain which said, Thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to see thee. 21  And he answered and said unto them, My mother and my brethren are these which hear the word of God, and do it.

Starting with verse 10 notice that those who follow Christ are stewards of the mysteries of God’s kingdom, things that people are not capable of understanding unless they are submitted to Christ.

1Corinthians 4:1 ¶  Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God. 2  Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.

Christ gives lessons in parables for a very important reason. Their understanding requires spiritual discernment and a desire to obey God.

Psalm 25:14  The secret of the LORD is with them that fear him; and he will shew them his covenant.

Isaiah 44:18  They have not known nor understood: for he hath shut their eyes, that they cannot see; and their hearts, that they cannot understand.

Read Ephesians, chapter 3 to see one discussion of the mystery of Christ, not revealed until this time, among other things, including that God’s people, the Jews, and Gentiles alike are welcomed before the throne of God.

Jesus tells this parable to make a point. Some will hear Him but will not believe. Soil is used as a type of the human heart.  The point here is that it is Satan who is permitted to keep the word from having any impact.

2Corinthians 4:4  In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.

Is the heart prepared to receive the truth or are we so proud and full of Self that we can believe in no god greater than ourselves, playing right into Satan’s hands?

There are some who have a shallow belief based perhaps on pure self-interest, but when something comes along to oppose their faith they crumble immediately. They retreat in the face of persecution and the fact that faith is inconvenient to approval of the world.

Matthew 10:33  But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.

2Timothy 2:12  If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us:

Some don’t bear fruit because the worries, the quest for money, and the pleasures of this life overcome them.

Luke 16:15  And he said unto them, Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God.

1Timothy 6:10  For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

1John 2:16  For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.

But, the simple and honest person who receives the word with a good heart will bring forth much fruit.

Galatians 5:22  But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23  Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

It is impossible to hide these attitudes and beliefs from God. Nothing is hidden from Him.

Psalm 139:23  Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts:
24  And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

1Corinthians 4:5  Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God.

The Bible itself, Christ in book form, knows everything about you and God reveals it.

Hebrews 4:12  For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.13  Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.

Should you be led to doubt the divine nature of the Bible note this. Paul said that the Scripture said to Pharaoh…

Romans 9:17  For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth.

But it was God Himself who said what was delivered.

Exodus 9:16  And in very deed for this cause have I raised thee up, for to shew in thee my power; and that my name may be declared throughout all the earth.

Also, see Paul’s reference to what God said in Genesis.

Galatians 3:8  And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed.

Genesis 22:18  And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice.

And one thing is made very clear in Psalms regarding God’s words.

Psalm 138:2  I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name.

Verse 18 is a clear warning about the foundation of our faith. Upon what foundation does your faith rest? Is it shallow or deep? Were you brought to Christ by the enthusiasm of a preacher, the simple faith of other Christians, or by what means? Are you grounded in the Bible’s truths or just some politically driven or social agenda of a pastor? Are you prepared when storms assail your faith, either from the world or from your own flesh?

Paul warned the Corinthians about the foundation of their faith and how their faith would be judged.

1Corinthians 3:11 ¶  For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12  Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; 13  Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is. 14  If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. 15  If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.

Our faith must be founded on the belief in the resurrection of Christ, that Christ is the Son of God, or God walking in human flesh, what Christ said about Himself, and it is on the rock of that profession that God has built His church upon which the judgment of Hell, the meaning of the phrase gates of hell, shall not threaten it.*

Matthew 16:15  He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? 16  And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. 17  And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. 18  And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

[For gates as a reference to a place of judgment see Deuteronomy 16:18]

The family of God consists of those who believe in Him.

Ephesians 3:14 ¶  For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15  Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, 16  That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; 17  That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, 18  May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; 19  And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God. 20  Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, 21  Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.

There are those whose hearts are hardened and they will not hear Christ. There are those of a shallow profession of faith who fall away at the first difficulty. There are those whose faith is choked by the cares and pleasures of the world. Then, there are those whose foundation is solid, whose soil is fertile, who go on to bear much fruit for Christ. And God surveys them all.

The Bible is the place where the foundation of your faith rests. You are not saved because you feel saved. Some days and after some things you do you might feel far from God. You are saved because you believe and the Bible says that is the basis of your salvation. Salvation is predicated upon belief. If you want to build your faith read the Bible from cover to cover over and over again. Pray about it. Study it. Write about it or record your thoughts and discoveries on audio. But, make the Bible your main food. Food for the ear and the eye. It is in the Bible, not in our twisted consciences, deluded minds, or wicked hearts that we find the answers to our questions. God will speak to you through His words, words that He has preserved for us. The Bible is not a textbook, is not like the user’s manual for your computer or Emily Post’s Book of Etiquette. You know, put your fork there and your knife there. It is a conversation between you and your Creator.

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