~ Luke 8:1-15The Soil of Your Heart

God Gives Us His Words of Eternal LifeLuke 8:1-15

Found on page 864 in our guest Bibles.

Today’s Scripture:

“The Sower” (1888) Vincent Van Gogh

image: ILRI

“Vincent van Gogh’s Sower with Setting Sun

changed my life. Although I had been surrounded by

art and architecture of great significance all of

my life, I did not have the eyes to really see the art.

I don’t know why this painting presented itself in

a new way.

“…However, when I en-countered Sower with

Setting Sun… I understood it as something more than

a picture…. I knew the parable of the sower. I knew I was the soil….

I understood that Vincent was challenging me to

open myself to it, to let the work take root in me.”

~ Dr. James Romaine

~ Luke 8:1-15The Soil of Your Heart

ILRI

image: Mathias

1 …the different soils of the human heart

2 …what this parable reveals about you

Be on the lookout for...

Soon afterward he went on through

Luke 8:1

the cities and villages, preaching and bringing good news of the kingdom of God….

~ Zechariah 14.9

“The Lord will be king over the whole earth.”

And the Twelve were with him, and

Luke 8:2-3

also some women who had beenhealed of evil spirits and infirmities:Mary, called Magdalene, from whomseven demons had gone out; andJoanna, the wife of Chuza, Herod’s

…household manager, and Susanna,

Luke 8:2-3

and many others, who provided forthem out of their means….

Luke 8:4

And when a great crowd was gather-ing and people from town after towncame to him, he said in a parable….

Luke 8:5-6

A sower went out to sow his seed. And as he sowed, some fell alongthe path and was trampled underfoot, and the birds of the air devour-ed it. And some fell on the rock,and as it grew up, it withered away,

Luke 8:6-8

…because it had no moisture. Andsome fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up with it and chokedit. And some fell into good soil, andgrew and yielded a hundred fold….

“…the path…”

“…among thorns…”

“…the rock…”

“…good soil…”

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Har

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Luke 8:6-8

he called out, “He who has ears tohear, let him hear….”

And as he was saying these things,

Luke 8:9-10

And when his disciples asked himwhat this parable meant, he said,“To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of God,but for others they are in parables,

Luke 8:9-10

and hearing they may not hear….’…so that ‘seeing they may not see,

And he said, “Go, and say to this people:

‘Keep on hearing, but do not understand;

keep on seeing, but do not perceive.’” ~ Isaiah 6:9-10

The same sun that hardens clay…

…melts wax.

image: Jalal Hameed Bhatti

Luke 8:11-12

Now the parable is this: The seed isthe word of God….

Luke 8:11-12

path are those who have heard….

Now the parable is this: The seed isthe word of God. The ones along the

Luke 8:11-12

path are those who have heard. Then the devil comes and takes away theword from their hearts, so that theymay not believe and be saved….

Now the parable is this: The seed isthe word of God. The ones along the

“In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of unbelievers, to keep them from

seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ….”

~ The Apostle Paul in 2 Corinthians 4:4

Luke 8:13

it with joy. But they have no root; they believe for a while, and in timesof testing fall away….

And the ones on the rock are those who, when the hear the word receive

“…those who hear with enthusiasm, but the

enthusiasm doesn’t go very deep. It’s only

another fad, and the moment there’s

trouble, it’s gone.”

Luke 8:14

go on their way they are choked outby the cares and riches and pleasuresof life, and their fruit does not mature…

And as for what fell among the thorns,they are those who hear, but as they

‘The pleasures of this life…’—these are not evil in themselves. These are not

vices. These are gifts of God. They are your basic meat and potatoes and coffee

and gardening and reading and decorating and traveling and investing and TV-watching and Internet-surfing

and shopping and exercising and collecting and talking. And all of them

can become deadly substitutes for God.

“

”~ John Piper, A Hunger for God

Luke 8:15

fast in an honest and good heart,and bear fruit with patience….

As for that in the good soil, they are those who, hearing the word, hold it

~ The Apostle Peter in 1 Peter 1:23, 25

“…you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable,

through the living and abiding !word of God….And this word is the !

good news that was preached to you.”

Why does Luke include this teaching of Jesus

in his historical biography?

Important Question

Only the grace-tilled heart that is open to the Good News of Jesus Christ will produce a lasting harvest both in this life

and for eternity.

Ask Jesus for a

good heart.

1

image: Josh Kenzer

Cultivate the soil of your heart

2

image: mystuart

My people come to you, as they usually do, and sit before you to listen to your words,

but they do not put them into practice. With their mouths they express devotion, but their

hearts are greedy for unjust gain. Indeed, you are nothing more than one who sings love songs with a beautiful voice and plays

an instrument well, for they hear your words, but do not put them into practice.

“

”~ Ezekiel 33:31-32

Conclusion

ILRI: http://www.flickr.com/photos/ilri/5240469654/

Phyllis Harris: http://www.flickr.com/photos/baine/699788014/

Les Chatfield: http://www.flickr.com/photos/elsie/93650804/

James Wheeler: http://www.flickr.com/photos/james_wheeler/9035674677/

flickr images courtesy of:

mystuart: http://www.flickr.com/photos/melystu/5004414541/

Mathias: http://www.flickr.com/photos/afroboof/3591077177/

—Tico—: http://www.flickr.com/photos/tico_bassie/120810354/

Jalal Hameed Bhatti: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jalalspages/711161806/

Josh Kenzer: http://www.flickr.com/photos/shoot-art/4329432316/