Luke 8:4-15

1 Timothy 6:13-16

Psalm 100:1b-2, 3, 4, 5

Luke 8:4-15

When a large crowd gathered, with people from one town after another

journeying to Jesus, he spoke in a parable. 

“A sower went out to sow his seed.

And as he sowed, some seed fell on the path and was trampled,

and the birds of the sky ate it up.

Some seed fell on rocky ground, and when it grew,

it withered for lack of moisture.

Some seed fell among thorns,

and the thorns grew with it and choked it.

And some seed fell on good soil, and when it grew,

it produced fruit a hundredfold.”

After saying this, he called out,

“Whoever has ears to hear ought to hear.”

Then his disciples asked him

what the meaning of this parable might be.

He answered,

“Knowledge of the mysteries of the Kingdom of God

has been granted to you;

but to the rest, they are made known through parables

so that they may look but not see, and hear but not understand.

“This is the meaning of the parable. 

The seed is the word of God.

Those on the path are the ones who have heard,

but the Devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts

that they may not believe and be saved.

Those on rocky ground are the ones who, when they hear,

receive the word with joy, but they have no root;

they believe only for a time and fall away in time of temptation.

As for the seed that fell among thorns,

they are the ones who have heard, but as they go along,

they are choked by the anxieties and riches and pleasures of life, 

and they fail to produce mature fruit.

But as for the seed that fell on rich soil,

they are the ones who, when they have heard the word,

embrace it with a generous and good heart,

and bear fruit through perseverance.”

Opening Prayer: Lord God, give me all the nourishment and grace I need to bear abundant fruit for your divine kingdom. Pour out your Spirit into my heart. Soften the parts of my heart that are like the hardened path. Clear the rocks from the soil of my heart. Uproot the thorns that choke your Word.

Encountering the Word of God

1. Unique Elements in Luke’s Telling of the Parable of the Sower: The Parable of the Sower is found in all three synoptic Gospels. Mark and Matthew record the parable in a very similar fashion. Luke includes some elements and details not found in the other two Gospels. First, Luke mentions that the seed that fell on the path was not only devoured by the birds of the air, but also trampled down. This indicates that those who hear the word of God but are indifferent to it are not only swept away but also beaten down by a life without meaning and an eternal horizon. Second, Luke says that the seed that is sown on rock withers not only for lack of depth, but also for lack of moisture. True nourishment that yields spiritual growth comes through the grace and water of the Holy Spirit. Third, Luke doesn’t distinguish between the different yields of the good soil. Good soil, nourished by the Spirit, yields a supernatural harvest of one hundredfold!

2. Unique Elements in the Meaning of the Parable: When Luke records the meaning of the parable, he adds that the devil comes and takes the word out of the hearts of those who are like the path, so “that they may not believe and be saved.” Luke’s Gospel focuses on Jesus as the universal savior. We need to be saved from the debt of sin and the threat of eternal death. The devil seeks to thwart the plan of God by keeping us from God’s merciful salvation. Luke also characterizes those likened to good soil as having generous and good hearts. Throughout his Gospel, Luke emphasizes the danger of earthly wealth. And here he hints at how we need to be generous with the good things we have. Finally, Luke indicates that we will bear fruit through patient perseverance. Making an act of faith and welcoming God’s grace is not a one-and-done event in our lives. Just as a crop needs months of sun, good soil, water, and nourishment, so also we need the continuous flow of divine grace to produce good fruit for the kingdom. And just as a crop needs to persevere through times of drought and severe weather, so also we need to persevere, trusting in God’s help.

3. Paul Coaches Timothy for the Battle: In his First Letter to Timothy, Paul recognizes that Timothy is a “man of God” (1 Timothy 6:11). He has a prophetic authority, which means being a channel of God’s will for his people and of the people’s needs to God. As a shepherd of God’s people, Timothy is to pursue righteousness, devotion, faith, love, patience, and gentleness. Paul charges Timothy to keep all that he has commanded him in the letter about teaching sound doctrine and all that Jesus has commanded in the Gospel. Timothy is to look forward to the second coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. “That coming is described here as an epiphany, the kind of glorious manifestation that the Hellenistic world associated with the magnanimous arrival of the emperor to a city. Paul elsewhere calls it the Parousia (1 Thess 2:19; 3:13; 4:15; etc.)” (Montague, First and Second Timothy, Titus, 129-130). Jesus’ second coming will happen at the proper time. Until that time, Jesus is the king of those who now reign and the Lord of those who exercise sovereignty. “In the Roman world this was a dangerous confession to make. While the Church must pray for kings and all in authority, there are times when one must obey God rather than men (Acts 5:29, 32)” (Montague, First and Second Timothy, Titus, 130).

Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, you are the divine gardener. You know how to treat the soil of my heart and make it fruitful. I will do my part in the battle of life as best as I can, but I need you. Lord, I trust in you!

Living the Word of God: Am I a man or woman of God? Am I pursuing righteousness, devotion, faith, love, patience, and gentleness? Which of these six things do I struggle with the most to practice? How can I do better?