Rooted and Fruited
"He told them this parable: A farmer went out to sow his seed." Luke 8:4b, 5a
We're in our fourth week of study from the Gospel of Luke. One of Luke's prominent themes throughout his book is Jesus' emphasis on teaching the people. Many people might not agree that Jesus is indeed the Savior of the World, but few people would dispute that Jesus is a Master Teacher and the Ultimate Storyteller. Jesus used a variety of techniques in his teaching; everyday word pictures, illustrations, and proverbs. He especially, however, loved using parables. A parable is a story that is easily remembered. Initially it piques our interest by both revealing and concealing truth. On a deeper level, parables become mirrors in which we see ourselves and ultimately a window through which we see God. In Luke's Gospel there are four kinds of parables and all of them deal with either entering, growing, living, or finishing in God's Kingdom.
Today's verse is the first line from one of the most important parables that Jesus ever taught. Most of us are familiar with the story as recorded in Luke 8:4-15 and know it as the Parable of the Sower. Some commentators suggest a better title would be the Parable of the Soils. On the surface, the Parable of the Soils is a fairly straightforward story that goes like this:
A farmer went out to sow his seed. Some of the seed fell on the path, was trampled on, and later eaten by the birds. Some seed fell on the rocks, sprung up briefly and withered without water. Other seed fell among the thorns and the plants were eventually choked. A few seed fell on good soil, grew and produced a crop. We could summarize Jesus' story as follows:
Seed along the path - no root, no fruit
Seed among the rocks - root, no fruit
Seed among the thorns - root, no fruit
Seed in good soil - rooted, fruited, produce a harvest
To the crowds who listened to Jesus' story, the parable of the soils was just a good story. Jesus' disciples understand that Jesus' parables are seldom just picturesque stories. Instead the parables are designed to pique our interest and point us to God. Parables both conceal and reveal spiritual truth. The disciples ask Jesus what His story really means. Jesus explains the following:
The seed is the Word of God and the sower is one who teaches or preaches the Word of God
Seed along the path - no root, no fruit - Stubborn hearts who refuse to listen to the Word of God
Seed among the rocks - root, no fruit - Shallow hears who demonstrate an initial superficial or emotional response to God's Word but bear no fruit
Seed among the thorns - root, no fruit - Strangled hearts whose roots are choked by worries of life and deceitfulness of riches
Seed in good soil - rooted, fruited, produce a harvest - Sincere hearts who not only receive God's Word, but also retain it and reproduce it
The Parable of the Soils is a metaphor for the condition of our hearts. In all four scenarios the seed was the same and each soil heard the Word. The difference was the condition of the soil. The fate of the seed depends on the condition of the soil.
We must all ask ourselves: How am I am listening to God's Word and what is the condition of my heart? Am I stubborn or hard hearted? Am I shallow or strangled by life's care, worries, and troubles? Or do I listen to receive, retain, and reproduce God's Word, not just in my life, but the lives of others? Am I asking God for a soft, tender heart which is ready- and willing- to receive, retain, and reproduce God's Word? In order for God's gifts to be received, His Word must be believed and obeyed.
Stubborn, shallow, strangled, or sincere. What is the condition of the soil of our hearts today?
Amen and Amen,
Donna