The Sower and his Crop Luke 8:1-8
I want to do an examination of several of Jesus’ parables. A parable is a story that illustrates one or more lessons. It differs from a fable in that a fable uses plants or animals as its characters, and a parable uses human characters.
So why does Jesus use parables rather than just plainly tell the lesson he is trying to get across. I find two reasons. One, not very many people Jesus spoke to in the crowds were fluent in scripture. If Jesus started going through scripture in detail, many of these people he’s trying to teach would get lost in the words and just turn him off. One of the ministers I worked with in seminary was a brilliant man, but he could deliver an hour-long sermon on just the meaning of one word. His messages were beyond most of us in his class.
Jesus used illuminating stories revolving around people and events his audience could relate to. The parables kept the people interested and gave them things to think about and discuss long after he moved on.
Secondly, those who were so egocentric that they believed they knew all God had to tell them, to these people the message of the parable was lost. These people didn’t want to know the true message of God because it conflicted with their sense of importance and influence. Today, similarly, people hear the message of God, some are in churches, but they still let the message of grace and love wash past them because it conflicts with their ingrained prejudice and fear. Fear of a changing world, prejudice against those different from themselves, these interfere and are roadblocks to grace as taught by Jesus. Basically, Jesus’ parables were lessons meant for those, then and now, who are open to the message of grace Jesus presents. This is why he says in verse 8, “Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.”
Today’s parable of the Sower is the first one recorded in Luke’s gospel. Jesus uses this illustration because most of his audience made their living through agriculture, and if they didn’t, they knew those who did, and they had a working knowledge of farming. By using the example of a farmer planting seeds, Jesus’ audience could grasp and understand the story as he led them to consider the spiritual lesson he was teaching. I think this parable is one of the easiest to understand which is probably why it’s the first one Jesus gives.
Verse 5, “A farmer went out to sow his seed…” Here are the first two characters in our story. The farmer, the one who oversees and tends to his crops, a representation of Jesus. Jesus, whether in heaven or on earth, watches over his people. Jesus goes out and takes care of those who follow him. He goes where two or more gather in his name, and he protects his own against the influence of Satan.
The second character in this verse is the seed. Seeds are planted, given the chance to grow and fulfill the plan God has for them. In this regard, the seed is the word of God. Jesus the farmer is spreading the word of God. Even today, through the power and influence of the Holy Spirit, Jesus still is spreading the seed of God’s word.
And like a seed is small, sometimes the message we hear, the seed planted in our hearts and minds is small. Maybe it’s just a sentence or a single word. But as a seed germinates, so does the spirit of God’s word. Jesus knows that trying to get us to digest the entirety of scripture at first would be overwhelming and it wouldn’t take root. Jesus plants in us the seed of gospel truth and allows it to sprout into understanding, and into acceptance and faith.
This sounds great, everyone who hears the word of God will blossom into faith in Jesus. No, and next Jesus explains why. Still using agriculture to demonstrate his meaning, Jesus describes different soils, and each represents a different type of heart for God in mankind.
Verse 5, “…some (seeds) fell along the path; it was trampled on, and the birds ate it up.” This represents a person who has a hard heart against God. The birds eating the seeds represent the ideas and morals of God disappearing from their mind as soon as they hear them. To these people, the ideas and requirements of doing good for others, of accepting others, of giving aid to others in the form of their money and their time; John 21:16; “Jesus said, ‘Take care of my sheep.’” this goes against the very fiber of them. These ideas go against the belief in their soul that their efforts support only themselves. Let others work for themselves, I’m taking care of me. These very idea of grace goes against long-held prejudice and fear.
Verse 6, “Some fell on rocky ground, and when it came up, the plants withered because they had no moisture.” This represents someone who hears the word and receives it within themselves but are surrounded by others who work against the word. They might have family and friends who tell them, “What is all this God stuff, you’re being ridiculous.” They hear the word but don’t seek out other believers to fellowship with. There is no moisture, no nurturing by Godly people. They never mature from milk to solid food. And after a time, milk cannot sustain them, and they drift away from God.
Verse 7, “Other seeds fell among the thorns which…choked the plants.” This describes someone who hears the word of God and for a time allows it to grow within them. But in time, the thorns, the cares and troubles of life, the deceitful draw of riches and influence, the realization of the real expectations of God on your life; these all come together to stifle and choke the message of grace God is spreading. Ultimately this person falls away as the mortal world chokes off the spiritual world in their hearts.
Verse 8, “Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up and yielded a crop, a hundred times more than was sown.” Here is the person who doesn’t just hear the word, they understand it. This person turns their life over to God. They live their life for God. They share his word, and they do his work among others, all in his name, all for his glory.
These soils represent the four types of hearts among the lost in the world who hear the word of God. But as I read this, I also saw how these soils represent the hearts of each person who has accepted Christ in their lives. We hear the word. We accept it as true. But are we hard soil? Does our heart accept Christ but still cling to old prejudice, distrust, and fear? Do we keep those in need at arm’s length? Do we accept Christ, but go no farther?
Is our heart like rocky soil? Do we hear the word and after a while let the joy of salvation die within us?
Do we accept Christ and still live among the thorns? Do we let the world and its problems keep us from trusting God in all aspects of our lives? Do we let family and friends come between us and God? Do we let the things and the people in our lives push God out?
Are we good soil? Understand, we don’t live in good soil, we are the good soil. Do we seek God? Do we live his commandments?
Each person who hears the word of God must decide for themselves which soil they are. They must decide how they will respond to God’s word.
Each Christian must decide which soil they are. They must decide how they want to live with, and for God.
May you all find yourselves to be good soil.
Amen.