Parables series, Luke 8:4-15
Luis Cruz, GCF Durham
Spring is sowing season for us! It’s time to go and find the right soil. We go, we reach out to others as we live this life. It is a lifestyle. It is something we think about, pray and do every day. As you may know, a church that does not go and make disciples is a disobedient church. We must have the heart to obey. Do we have the faith, that would help us carry on the task that God has given us? Are we doing this, by our own power or by the power of the Holy Spirit? We were commanded to go, and we need to find the right soil to plant the word of God and disciple them for Jesus.
1. Defining Parable
“4 While a large crowd was gathering and people were coming to Jesus from town after town, he told this parable:” Luke 8:4
The Greek term for parable is Parabole, which means riddle. In Hebrew, it carries a broader meaning – proverb or saying. Nonetheless, like any riddle and proverb, a parable is meant to captivate the audience to listen and understand.
2. Understanding the purpose
“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.” Luke 8:10
To teach those who earnestly seek him how to obtain salvation.
To hide the spiritual truths to His rejecters.
3. Appreciating the context
“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:” Luke 8:1-4
The twelve male disciples
Women disciples were with them.
Jesus gave importance to women in His ministry amidst the patriarchal society.
This might have attracted more women in the crowd.
4. Finding the right spiritual condition in the crowd.
“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.” Luke 8:5-8
Hardened soil. This represents the hardened heart of men.
Rocky soil. This is the quick hearers who quickly turns away when trials, challenges and difficulties come.
Thorny soil. May or may not be a believer. Either a hearer is prevented to fully come to faith because of worries, riches and pleasures, or, that a believer is unable to grow because of unhealthy love for material things.
“10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.” 1 Timothy 6:10
Good soil. Refers to people with noble and good hearts who hear and retain the Word and persevere to become productive/dependable/useful in the Kingdom of God.
Matthew 24:13, “13 but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.”
5. This parable has challenged us in two ways:
To examine ourselves what type of soil are we?
To go and find the right soil to invest your resources and make disciples for Jesus.