Luke 8:5-15

5 “A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path; it was trampled on, and the birds ate it up. 6 Some fell on rocky ground, and when it came up, the plants withered because they had no moisture. 7 Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up with it and choked the plants. 8 Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up and yielded a crop, a hundred times more than was sown.”

When he said this, he called out, “Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.”

9 His disciples asked him what this parable meant. 10 He said, “The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of God has been given to you, but to others I speak in parables, so that,

“‘though seeing, they may not see;
though hearing, they may not understand.’

11 “This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is the word of God. 12 Those along the path are the ones who hear, and then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. 13 Those on the rocky ground are the ones who receive the word with joy when they hear it, but they have no root. They believe for a while, but in the time of testing they fall away. 14 The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life’s worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature. 15 But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop.

Pondering Point

The Parable of the Sower is one of the most familiar parables of Jesus. In it, Jesus describes the word of God as it intersects with people's lives.

It begs a question: How is your soil and what does your output look like?

Read the parable in light of the week's theme of forgiveness of sins.

Ask yourself: is the focal point of God's word (the seed) to bring judgment or to bring forgiveness?

Both are present in the word that is sown, but where is God's heart?

The answer lies in John 3:17-18. Read it aloud and ask God about His heart toward you -- and toward those you love -- and toward those He loves that you might not love so much.

Prayer

Father God, let the seed of Your word plant deeply in my heart. Let it not be taken away by my enemy, nor wither during difficult times, nor be strangled by the pleasures or anxieties of this world. Instead let it grow in my heart and produce a harvest in my life that enables Your will to be done on earth as it is in heaven. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen