Everyone play a part… vs. 1-3

• Teaching and preaching with His disciples…
  • Soon after the dinner – Jesus went through every city and village teaching the Gospel…
    • Many women who had been healed/helped by Jesus also came along to help…
    • Mary Magdalene (Jesus cast 7 demons out of her)
    • Susanna – name means Lily – only mentioned here in the NT…
    • Joanna – servant of Herod Antipas – Tetrarch of Galilee – 24:10
  • They helped take care of the practical needs of Jesus and the disciples…
    • Not everyone is called to go out and be an evangelist – or to be a teacher…
    • But everyone can help – everyone has a part to play in getting the Gospel out…
    • Praying for others / helping practically / giving words of encouragement…
    • It is as we work together as a family / body of Christ – we are effective for the Lord!

Parables… vs. 4-18

• Jesus taught them in Parables… vs. 4, 9-10
  • When a great multitude had gathered – from every city – Jesus taught them in parables…
    • Parables are simple stories about life used to teach deeper spiritual truths… 
    • There are as many as 57 parables of Jesus in the Gospels…
    • 2 parables in Luke 8 – ‘The Sower’ / ‘Christian light’…

• Parables were not meant to make spiritual truths more understandable… vs. 10
  • They were meant to conceal or hide them!
  • The crowds did not understand the parables of Jesus – the ‘The Sower’…
  • For all they knew Jesus was telling them how to be better farmers…
  • They completely missed the spiritual meaning behind the Parable
• Why hide the truth…
  • Seeing they do not see – hearing they will not hear – nor will they understand…
  • It was not that Jesus was unwilling for the crowds to hear the truth…
  • They did not want to – their hearts were dull – and they closed their eyes and ears!
  • They did not understand because they did not want to take the time to learn!
• Only to the Disciples understood the real meaning behind the parables… vs. 9
  • Not because they had some special insight – some special ability…
  • Simply because only the Disciples took the time to ask Jesus what He meant!
  • The mark of a true disciple of Jesus – is not the one who understands everything…
  • It is the one who asks because he does not understand – questions are GOOD!
  • If we have a hard time understanding the Word of God – ask questions!
  • Jesus will open our eyes so we can see and our ears so we can hear…
  • He takes the time to explain the Word so that we do understand

• Parable of the Sower… vs. 4-15
  • The Seed is the Word of God – the seed never changes – it’s perfect… vs. 11
  • The soil is the hearts of men that the seed (Word of God) falls on (hearing the Gospel)…
  • Romans 1:16 – “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.”
  • Whether the seeds bring forth fruit depends on the soil it falls on…
  • Jesus tell us there are 4 different types of soil/hearts…
    
• 1^st – The Wayside – the hard heart – those who do not believe… vs. 12
  • The soil / heart is hardened so that it will not believe – because they do not understand…
    • Most people believe they are ‘good people’ – but by whose standard are they good…
    • Only by their own – and ultimately its only by God’s standard we get into heaven…
    • God’s standard is perfection – Holiness – Leviticus 19:1-4
    • What does it mean to be holy – perfect – never sinning even once!
    • The problem is we are not perfect – Romans 3:23
    • And the penalty for not being perfect is death – Romans 6:23
  • We cannot get to heaven by trying to live a good life…
    • We do not meet the standard of God’s perfection – His Law – by trying really hard…
    • We cannot follow the 613 commands of God everyday of our life – without mistakes…
    • Like a measuring tape that can measure how tall you are – but not make you taller…
    • God gave us rules not so we’d be perfect – but so we’d know we’re sinners…
    • Galatians 3:24 – “The law was our teacher to bring us to Christ… justified by faith.”
    • Once we understand we are sinners – we see our need for Jesus as a savior…
    • Salvation only comes through faith in the finished work of Jesus – Romans 10:9-10 
    • It is a free gift – meaning there is nothing we can do to earn it – Ephesians 2:8-9
  • If we don’t think we need Jesus…
    • The Devil takes away the seed from the heart – before it can save us…
    • Do we really believe that we are dirty rotten sinners – deserving of hell…
    • Or does that offend us – do we think we are ‘pretty good’ – are our hearts hard… 
    • God does not send good people to hell – there is no one who is good…
    • Amazingly God does send dirty rotten sinners to heaven – a gift of grace…
      
      
• 2^nd – The Stony Ground – those who believe – but do not endure… vs. 13
  • Stony Places – the man who receives the Word with gladness…
    • When the times of temptation/trial comes – they fall away…
    • The Gospel is not a message of an easy life – it is all about perspective…
    • II Corinthians 4:17 – “For our present troubles are quite small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us an immeasurably great glory that will last forever!”
    • What are we looking to – are we looking to this life – or eternal life…
    • If our eyes are only on this life – we will not understand the reasons for trials…
  • The purpose of trials and difficulties (3 reasons)…
    • 1^st – We need help learning not to trust in ourselves – II Corinthians 1:8-10
      • When hard times come – our first reaction is to look to depend on us…
      • God can ‘turn up the heat’ – till we can no longer handle our problems…
      • So that we would learn not to trust in ourselves – but instead trust in God!
    • 2^nd – Because we find Strength in Weakness – II Corinthians 12:9-10
      • We pride ourselves in our strength – what is our strength in comparison to God’s…
      • In truth we are weak – but it is in our weakness we find true strength…
      • When we realize we are weak we learn to depend on God’s strength!
    • 3^rd – When understanding the reason for trials – we have deep roots…
      • Colossians 2:7 – “Let your roots grow down into him and draw up nourishment from him, so you will grow in faith, strong and vigorous in the truth you were taught. Let your lives overflow with thanksgiving for all he has done.” (NLT)
      • Like a tree that has grown on the weathered windward side of the hill…
      • We become unmovable / unshakable / grounded and rooted in Christ!
  • What happens if we do not have roots that sink deep into Jesus…
    • We fall away – stop coming to church / stop reading the Bible / give up on Jesus…
    • Because the focus in not on the eternal – we do not understand our trials…
    • We doubt and distrust Jesus – the one who gave His life that we might have hope…
    • ‘I tried Jesus, and it didn’t work’ – we end up walking away from life’s only answer!
      
• 3^rd – The Thorny Ground – those who believe – but are unfruitful… vs. 14
  • Those who loves the message of the Gospel – but love the world more…
    • Looking for answers in all the wrong places – choked out by the World…
    • Cares (distractions / anxiety) – riches – and pleasures of life…
  • We like to think the answer to life is money – if we only had more – happiness!
    • Like King Solomon – we think the grass is always greener on the other side…
      • Solomon who tried everything – looking for happiness – Ecclesiastes 2:1-11
      • But Solomon learned instead it was all vanity – like chasing after the wind…
      • Looking for happiness – answers to life in this world – is chasing the wind…
      • It’s not about chasing something that’s hard to catch – there’s nothing there to catch!
      • The love of money – desire for stuff – only get us into trouble – I Timothy 6:9-10
      • If we desire more money – we are missing the greatest riches of all – Jesus!
      • We cannot dedicate our lives to money and possessions – and to loving Jesus…
      • We waste our life on possessions that don’t last – rather than on eternal rewards!
        
    • The solution – be content…
      • Food & clothing – I Timothy 6:8 / Your wages – Luke 3:14 / With what you have…
      • Hebrews 13:5 – “Don’t covet – be content with such things as you have.”
      • The richest man in the world – is the one who is content with what he has!
      • We will never be content – not matter how much we have – if we want more…
  • If we get caught up in the cares of this world – we become unfruitful…
    • Fruitfulness comes from being plugged into Jesus – John 15:4-5
    • When we choose to plug into the world – we become unfruitful…
    • In striving to obtain the wind (riches) – we miss the blessed life in Christ!
    • Are you struggling with finances – are you struggling with fruitlessness…
    • Are you anxious about the cares of the world – then abide in one who created it…
    • He lacks for nothing – He will take care of your needs – and make your fruitful!
      
• 4^th – Good Soil – those who believe – and are fruitfull… vs. 15
  • A man who hears the Word with an honest and good heart – and holds onto it…
    • The one who understands ~ that it is all about Jesus ~ that it is about the eternal…
    • The good soil understands they need a savior – they need for Jesus…
    • The good soil understands the reason for trials  – draws us closer to Jesus…
    • The good soil understands that God abundantly takes care of His children…
    • The good soil understands that it is not about this life – but the eternal life!
  • We all want to be good soil – so how do we understand – how do we become fruitful
    • Luke 24:45 – “Jesus opened their understanding, they might understand the Bible.”
    • Jesus opened up the minds of the disciples so that they could understand…
    • Jesus opened their understanding – because they were walking with Jesus…
    • It is as we are walking with Jesus – fellowship – that He opens our understanding…
    • He makes our hearts good soil – so that the Word bears fruit…
      
• Parable of the Lamp stand… vs. 16-18
  • If you light a lamp in a dark room – you don’t hide it under a basket – or under a bed
    • If you did it would not be able to give off light – not to mention the fire hazard…
    • The purpose of a lamp is to give light to the room – so put out in the open for all to see
  • Nothing hidden that will not be revealed – secret that will not come to light…
    • Jesus was teaching in parables – truths that only the disciples understood…
    • But they were not to be kept a secret– they were truth/light everyone needed to hear…
    • What was given as a secret – hidden in parables – they were to put out for all to see!
    • Those who understand – know the truth – have the opportunity – obligation to share it
    • We know we need Jesus for salvation – we know the reason for trials in life…
    • We understand true riches is contentment – and life is about knowing Jesus…
    • We know what most of the world is in the dark about – we are called to tell them!
  • Be careful what you listen to…
    • Be careful what you allow your ears to hear – what you spend you time listening to…
      • We choose daily what we fill our minds with – by choosing what we listen to…
      • Do we fill our heads and hearts with this world – or with God’s Word
    • The more we hear the Word of God – the more understanding we will be given
      • As we take the time to read the Bible – go to Bible studies – we learn about Jesus…
      • You don’t learn mathematics or chemistry in the first day of school…
      • In the same way you don’t learn everything about Jesus/Word in a day…
      • The more we learn – the more we are able to learn – the more we understand God!
    • But the one does not hear – even what he ‘thinks’ he has – will be taken away…
      • Those who do not learn about God – do not take the time to listen to the Word
      • Even those things they think they have – will be taken away from them…
      • What is it that we think is more important than listening to the Lord – His Word…
      • Riches / possessions / popularity  – we might think we have them but they don’t last
      • Everything else is temporary – It is only our relationship with Jesus that’s eternal!
        

Jesus Family… vs. 19-21

• Mary and Jesus’ brothers come looking for Jesus…
  • Jesus family had become concerned for Him – rejection while visiting Nazareth – Luke 4…
    • Concerned for His well being (perhaps even life) his family came to ‘save’ Him…
    • Mark 3:21 – “But when His own people heard about this, they went out to lay hold of Him, for they said, ‘He is out of His mind’.”
    • Rather than going with them – ‘Who are my mother and brother?’
    • This was not to insult his earthly mother or brothers – but to teach a truth…
  • My mother and My brothers are those who hear and do God’s Word…
    • Jesus calls us his family – and he calls us to do the will of our Father in heaven…
    • We have heard Jesus Word – we understand the answer the world needs…
    • Tell someone today – spread the Word – tell them about the Love of Jesus!