Luke 8:11-15 What Do You Do With the Word?

[11] Luke 8: 11-15 - What Do You Do With the Word?

"Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. [12] The ones on the path are those who have heard; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. [13] The ones on the rock are those who, when they hear the word, receive it with joy. But these have no root; they believe only for a while and in a time of testing fall away. [14] As for what fell among the thorns, these are the ones who hear; but as they go on their way, they are choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature. [15] But as for that in the good soil, these are the ones who, when they hear the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with patient endurance.

What is happening in this scripture? – Jesus is traveling with his disciples around the countryside. He tells the gathered crowd another parable, this one about sowing seeds. Then he tells his disciples who ask him the meaning, after saying that he uses parables so that some “others” hear him but won’t really understand. I think he was talking about either the Roman or Temple authorities who might have been watching and listening for a way to have him legitimately arrested.
The “inside” meaning he gives to his closest disciples is given. The seed is the word of God. The good news, or gospel he has been spreading is that God is on the side of the poor, economically, politically, and spiritually. He speaks of “the devil” coming and taking away the word from the hearts of those who have heard this good news. In this context, the devil is probably the rule of the Roman civilization, the belief in power, the domination systems of the day.
Jesus speaks of those who receive the gospel with joy but when tested, as they surely will be, fall away. Then he speaks of those who hear the gospel but are choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature. The seed in the good soil represents those who hold fast with an honest and good heart, with patient endurance.

Questions to Ponder in our world today:

1. What do people like us know about hearing the gospel with joy, but when tested, fall away?
2. What “devils” want to come and take this good news away from you?
3. How does the rule of normalcy want to take away the good news?
4. When are we choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life? How does this keep us from maturing as companions of Christ?
5. Who is someone you know who seems to hold fast with an honest and good heart, with patient endurance? What must we be honest about? What does a good heart mean?
6. What do we need to patiently endure?

How is this story my story? – I can imagine being in the crowd and hearing this parable. I can imagine getting really uncomfortable when he spoke of being choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life, and how that prevents their fruit from maturing.