The Good Heart
Luke 8:11-15 NKJ
11 “Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. 12 Those by the wayside are the ones who hear; then the devil comes and takes away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved. 13 But the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, who believe for a while and in time of temptation fall away. 14 Now the ones that fell among thorns are those who, when they have heard, go out and are choked with cares, riches, and pleasures of life, and bring no fruit to maturity. 15 But the ones that fell on the good ground are those who, having heard the word with a noble and good heart, keep it and bear fruit with patience.
Our verses for today are one of the most important parables of Jesus. He speaks of what it takes to bear fruit for God, something we all should attain to.
The seed is the Word of God. God’s Word is seed. Not just any seed but divine seed that does not rot, fade, or lose any of its power. There have been documented stories of some seed that sat dormant for two thousand years and were planted and produced. Not all seeds retain that capacity, but God’s Word is incorruptible seed; it never loses its potency.
So if the seed of God’s Word is so powerful, why are we not more fruitful? That’s a great question that Jesus answers in three verses. There is nothing wrong with the seed; the X factor is the soil, the heart of the hearer.
The seed sown on the wayside is seed that is never given a chance to produce. This is seed that is taken from the heart. At face value, that does not seem fair. The seed was planted and stolen. But Satan cannot steal seed that is believed and received into the heart. When someone hears God’s Word and mixes it with faith, the seed is planted, and the devil cannot steal it.
The seed sown on the rock is received into the heart. We know that there is a difference in heart condition because this seed is believed and received with joy. When you hear good news and believe it, there will be joy. The wayside ground did not believe, and there was no joy. But the rocky heart latched on to the Word of God. So why no fruit? The rocky heart only believed for a time, but when temptation came, the heat ratcheted up, and this person stopped believing. They abandoned the seed of God’s Word, and no fruit was produced. When the heat is on to bear fruit, we must keep believing.
The seed sown on thorny ground is seed sown into an overcrowded heart. Too many things were taking up the ground of this heart. Cares, the pursuit of wealth, and the desire for pleasure created an overcrowded heart that choked out the seed of God’s Word. This is why the Scriptures talk about renewing our minds and living separated lives to God. It’s not that God is trying to make our lives mundane. He knows what will bless and help us and what will hinder us from being fruitful.
The heart condition that produced was the noble and good heart. This is the heart that hears and receives. And the heart that is obviously not overcrowded, nor gives up when the heat is on. The seed will produce in ground that is good. The good news for us is that all of us can be good ground. All of us can hear and believe with joy. All of us can persevere even when circumstances are not favorable. And all of us can have the nobility of heart to not get swept away with the cares, riches, and pleasures of this life. Paul wrote the Colossian church to seek the things above, not the temporary things of this earth. We can do this, and we can all bear good fruit for God’s glory.
Prayer
Lord, please show me where I can make the heart adjustments to be more fruitful for You.