We know we should listen and understand something God is telling us through His word, but do we really? In Luke 8 Jesus is telling a story in parable form about scattering seed. Here are the verses in Luke 8:4 One day Jesus told a story in the form of a parable to a large crowd that had gathered from many towns to hear him: 5 “A farmer went out to plant his seed. As he scattered it across his field, some seed fell on a footpath, where it was stepped on, and the birds ate it. 6 Other seeds fell among rocks. It began to grow, but the plant soon wilted and died of lack of moisture. 7 Other seed fell among thorns that grew up with it and choked out the tender plants. 8 Still other seed fell on fertile soil. This seed grew and produced a crop that was a hundred times as much as had been planted!” When he said this, he called out, “Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand.”
The parable was meant to be heard and understood by those closest to Him. When we give our life to Jesus and begin to follow Him, He begins to show us some very important things that will help us understand His ways. But we need to have ears that perk up to the truth and really listen. Sometimes my wife will tell me something, knowing I didn't really listen that well, and she will ask me what she said. That's when I "fake it" and most of the time I can't come up with anything to show I was really listening. Why wasn't I listening? Usually, I am engrossed in something that has my attention and i am not willing to give up listening to it to really hear what she is saying. It is frustrating to her and I can see why because it happens to me too. In this parable, Jesus is desperately wanting His disciples to get the meaning because this eternal truth teaches a great lesson about what we do with the wonderful seed of the gospel, which is found in God's Word. When Jesus sees He has the disciple's attention and they are listening, He goes on to explain the parable. So listen up!!
Luke 8:11 “This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is God’s word.12 The seeds that fell on the footpath represent those who hear the message, only to have the devil come and take it away from their hearts and prevent them from believing and being saved.13 The seeds on the rocky soil represent those who hear the message and receive it with joy. But since they don’t have deep roots, they believe for a while, then they fall away when they face temptation.14 The seeds that fell among the thorns represent those who hear the message, but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the cares and riches and pleasures of this life. And so they never grow into maturity.15 And the seeds that fell on the good soil represent honest, good-hearted people who hear God’s word, cling to it, and patiently produce a huge harvest.
As you can see by the explanation given by Jesus we are living with the reality of what happens to the seed when it is not taken care of correctly. It is very important that we not only listen to what Jesus is saying but react correctly in what we do with what He says. The Word is the key to everything we say and do and make sure that Word is deeply planted in the lives of new converts is a necessity. Not only reading the Word but studying the Word and then living the Word. All of this is possible when we "hear" the Word because the Word of God is ALIVE!! Hebrews 4:12 says 12 For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Without it we cannot grow into the faith walk and we will fall away. The easy conclusion is "listen to the Word of God and believe in it." READ IT ALOUD!!
When we share the Word of God we share Jesus, who is the Word of God. The power and life of that Word are real and lasting and affect lives forever. Paul, in writing to the church of Thessalonica said it this way in 1 Thessalonians 2:13 Therefore, we never stop thanking God that when you received his message from us, you didn’t think of our words as mere human ideas. You accepted what we said as the very word of God—which, of course, it is. And this word continues to work in you who believe. We don't speak on our behalf and from our conclusions about the Word. We speak THE WORD! What happens next is how we handle that Word. Paul wrote to Timothy in 2 Timothy 2:15 Work hard so you can present yourself to God and receive his approval. Be a good worker, one who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly explains the word of truth.
Ears are listening and searching for pure truth and we have it if we have the Word of God. So listen to it. Believe it. Shout it and let it do Its work!! The Word of God will not let us down EVER!
The Pilgrimage Continue..
David Warren
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