Luke 8:1-21

Luke 8:1-21 (New Living Translation)

Women Who Followed Jesus

 1 Soon afterward Jesus began a tour of the nearby towns and villages, preaching and announcing the Good News about the Kingdom of God. He took his twelve disciples with him, 2 along with some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases. Among them were Mary Magdalene, from whom he had cast out seven demons; 3 Joanna, the wife of Chuza, Herod‘s business manager; Susanna; and many others who were contributing their own resources to support Jesus and his disciples.

Parable of the Farmer Scattering Seed

 4 One day Jesus told a story in the form of a parable to a large crowd that had gathered from many towns to hear him: 5 "A farmer went out to plant his seed. As he scattered it across his field, some seed fell on a footpath, where it was stepped on, and the birds ate it. 6 Other seed fell among rocks. It began to grow, but the plant soon wilted and died for lack of moisture. 7 Other seed fell among thorns that grew up with it and choked out the tender plants. 8 Still other seed fell on fertile soil. This seed grew and produced a crop that was a hundred times as much as had been planted!" When he had said this, he called out, "Anyo ne with ears to hear should listen and understand."

 9 His disciples asked him what this parable meant. 10 He replied, "You are permitted to understand the secrets of the Kingdom of God. But I use parables to teach the others so that the Scriptures might be fulfilled:

   ‘When they look, they won‘t really see.
      When they hear, they won‘t understand.’

 11 "This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is God‘s word. 12 The seeds that fell on the footpath represent those who hear the message, only to have the devil come and take it away from their hearts and prevent them from believing and being saved. 13 The seeds on the rocky soil represent those who hear the message and receive it with joy. But since they don‘t have deep roots, they believe for a while, then they fall away when they face temptation. 14 The seeds that fell among the thorns represent those who hear the message, but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the cares and riches and pleasures of this life. And so they never grow into maturity. 15 And the seeds that fell on the good soil represent honest, good-hearted people who hear God‘s word, cling to it, and patiently produce a huge harvest.

Parable of the Lamp

 16 "No one lights a lamp and then covers it with a bowl or hides it under a bed. A lamp is placed on a stand, where its light can be seen by all who enter the house. 17 For all that is secret will eventually be brought into the open, and everything that is concealed will be brought to light and made known to all.

 18 "So pay attention to how you hear. To those who listen to my teaching, more understanding will be given. But for those who are not listening, even what they think they understand will be taken away from them."

The True Family of Jesus

 19 Then Jesus’ mother and brothers came to see him, but they couldn‘t get to him because of the crowd. 20 Someone told Jesus, "Your mother and your brothers are outside, and they want to see you."

 21 Jesus replied, "My mother and my brothers are all those who hear God‘s word and obey it."

Devotion

The parable of the farmer scattering seed is such a powerful parable.  In this parable the farmer represents god and the seed represents Gods word or the way. Picture the different soils that the farmer scattered his seed; the foot path, the rocky soil, the thorny soil, and the fertile soil.  We are all in different stages in our faith and if each of us are honest we have all been these different soils.  I remember back in college I had a friend that was a devote Christian madly in love with Jesus and  was always trying to get me to go to church or read the bible with her.  We had many discussionbut at that point in my life I was that hard soil that the seed could not penetrate and gods word just could not set its roots.  Another time in my life I was invited to church, attended several times and then drifted away because my root could not be planted in the rocky terrain.  I have also been smothered by the thorns of life with human desires such as wanting more personal items, having more power , and wanting more social recognition for wha t I do or have done.  I think if we look deep into our lives we have all been at different stages  with different growth from Gods seed but we should all strive to be the fertile soil to accept Gods word and blossom into fruit that would be worthy to be called one of Gods children.

Prayer

Lord thank you for scattering your seed of love throughout, help me to be the fertile soil so that I can grow in faith so that I may spread some seeds of love to others that they might feel your great power and love . In his name we pray amen