“Those who produce a crop”

Read Luke 8:4-15

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In Mark’s gospel Jesus says that this parable is the key to understanding all parables (Mk.4:13) because it shows that how we respond to his teaching is crucial. It’s not so much the parable of the sower but the parable of the four soils – the same seed (“the word of God” Lk.8:11; “the word of the kingdom” Mt.13:19) falls on four different kinds of ground and it’s that which determines the outcome.

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There are many obstacles to faith, both within the listeners themselves e.g. hard-heartedness and shallowness (12-13) and from outside them too e.g. opposition, worldly concerns and the desire to be rich (13-14). So it’s no surprise that there are many people who reject the message or don't stick with it. But for those who have “a good and noble heart” there is the promise of a rich harvest (15; Lk.6:45; Col.1:10; Gal.5:22-23).

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Those with a good heart have “ears to hear” (8) but hearing alone is not enough – we need to “hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop” (15; Gal.6:7-9). This requires carefully watching our lives to avoid those things which choke our love for Jesus, whilst at the same time letting his word take deep root in us (Jn.8:31-32; Col.3:16).