8 Ears and 4 Hearts

For the next two Sundays in our study of Luke’s gospel, we will look at two parables that Jesus told in Luke 8.  Today, I want to share a message with you entitled, 8 Ears and 4 Hearts.

 

A parable is an earthly story with a heavenly meaning.  In other words, Jesus often told a story with familiar characters and objects in order to illustrate a spiritual truth.

 

Your Bible probably calls today’s text the parable of the sower.  However, I think a more accurate title is the parable of the soils, and it has to do with farming and would have made much sense to first-century Palestinians and especially those who farmed.

 

 

1. The Parable Described, Luke 8:4-8

4 And when a great multitude had gathered, and they had come to Him from every city, He spoke by a parable: 5 “A sower went out to sow his seed. And as he sowed, some fell by the wayside; and it was trampled down, and the birds of the air devoured it. 6 Some fell on rock; and as soon as it sprang 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 But others fell on good ground, sprang up, and yielded a crop a hundredfold.” When He had said these things He cried, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear!” 

 

Verse 4 tells us that a large crowd was coming together to hear and see Jesus.  They must have heard about His healings and miracles. 

 

Keep in mind that this crowd was made up of a lot of different people and different kinds of people.  Some would be receptive to Jesus.  Others would not.

 

Verse 4 says that Jesus spoke a parable to this great multitude.  He spoke to them an earthly story that had a heavenly or spiritual meaning.  The good news about this parable is that Jesus told the parable and explained the parable. 

 

Verse 5 say that the sower went out to sow his seed.  In this first century culture, the farmers sowed first and plowed second. 

 

Picture this farmer with a pouch draped over his shoulder.  Sowing was doing between October and December since the harvest came around June. 

 

He would take a handful of seed and broadcast the seed from left to right or right to left.  Obviously, seed cast in broadcast form would land on multiple types of soil.

 

Some fell on the road or path that was hard and had been trampled down.  Therefore, it served as bird feed. 

 

Other seed fell on rocky soil.  This was soil with a thin layer of top soil but rocks underneath.  This seed grew fast but soon died for lack of water. 

 

Other seed fell into the thorns or weeds.  It was choked out.

 

Finally, some seed fell on good soil.  It grew and produced fruit. 

 

By the way, that is purpose of planting seed right?  If no fruit or crop is produced, the plant is dead. 

 

In verse 8, after Jesus finished the parable, He said, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”  In other words, if you can understand the parable, that is great. 

 

Understand it and apply it to your life.  Hear and do.

 

 

2. The Parable’s Desire, Luke 8:9-10

9 Then His disciples asked Him, saying, “What does this parable mean?”  10 And He said, “To you it has been given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God, but to the rest it is given in parables, that ‘Seeing they may not see, And hearing they may not understand.’

 

In verse 9, Jesus’ disciples asked about the meaning of this parable.  His answer is verse 10.

 

He gave two desires of any parable.  The parable will reveal, or the parable will conceal. 

 

To the disciples, the parable was meant to reveal the mysteries of the kingdom of God.  The parable was meant to explain the secrets or hidden truths about salvation. 

 

However, for the rest, the parable was meant to conceal.  The parable’s desire was convict or judge the hearer. 

 

In verse 10, He quoted Isaiah 6:9-10.  The Lord sent Isaiah to unbelieving and rebellious Israel to preach to them, and even though they saw, they didn’t see.  Even though they heard, they didn’t understand. 

 

In the crowd that day, there were those that had already made up their minds that Jesus was not the promised Messiah.  He spoke in a parable to judge them. 

 

They saw Him, but they didn’t understand.  They heard Him, but they didn’t understand.  This parable concealed truth from them because they had already rejected Him. 

 

 

3. The Parable Disclosed, Luke 8:11-15

11 “Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. 12 Those by the wayside are the ones who hear; then the devil comes and takes away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved. 13 But the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, who believe for a while and in time of temptation fall away. 14 Now the ones that fell among thorns are those who, when they have heard, go out and are choked with cares, riches, and pleasures of life, and bring no fruit to maturity. 15 But the ones that fell on the good ground are those who, having heard the word with a noble and good heart, keep it and bear fruit with patience.

 

Evidently, Jesus’ disciples were looking for a fuller explanation.  The seed is the word of God preached.  In that day, the sower was Jesus.  Today, it is anyone who preaches or shares the gospel. 

 

The first soil can be likened to a heart that is subverted by a predator.  The gospel is preached or shared, but before it takes root, they devil steals the seed and prevents these individuals from believing and beings saved.  An example would be the Pharisees.

 

The second soil can be likened to a heart that succumbs to problems.  Look at verse 13.  The gospel is received initially with joy, but it is not cultivated and gives way to temptations or trials or distress or problems. 

 

These folks begin following Jesus so enthusiastically, but appear to fall away when they experience difficulties.  An example of this second set of ears and second heart maybe those who came to Jesus excited about His miracles of healing but didn’t for long.

 

The third soil can be likened to a heart that surrenders to pleasures.  Verse 14 says the seed or gospel is received but instead of surrendering to the word of God, this heart surrenders to the cares or riches or pleasures of this life. 

 

Following Jesus was going to cost them too much.  These individuals were dooped into thinking that Jesus wasn’t worth it.  An example of this third set of ears and third heart would be the Rich, Young Ruler.

 

The fourth and final soil can be likened to a heart that succeeds with perseverance or patience.  This heart welcomes the word of God immediately and deeply and exclusively and bears fruit because ultimately. 

 

This individual’s heart is obedient to God’s word.  This set of ears and this heart is that of the disciples. 

 

 

Invitation

First, the invitation for some of you today is to hear the gospel in that you are a sinner and if you are left to answer for your sin alone, you will not be able to stand, and you will be judged to hell by holy God because of your sin. 

 

However, if you recognize that you are a sinner and understand that Jesus died on the cross in your place, you can confess Him today as Lord and Savior of your life surrendering your life to His will and His way.

 

Second, if you are here today and you have welcomed the gospel into your life, don’t fall to the distresses of this life.  Don’t fall to the desires of the world.  Persevere in following Jesus through thick and thin, in good times and in bad, for better and for worse. 

 

Finally, don’t forget that you are now a sower of the seed.  Don’t worry about the seed.  It is God’s word. 

 

Don’t worry about the soils.  That is not your concern, but sow the seed wherever you go and with whomever you meet.