St Louis UBF UBF Bible Study : Luke 8:1-15 (2011)

Bible Study Materials

Luke 8:1-15 (2011)

by Paul Choi 02/06/2011

Question

THE SEED OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD

Luke 8:1-15

Key Verse: 8:15

1. Read verse 1a. To what does "After this" refer? What characterized Jesus' life-giving ministry? What is the good news of the kingdom of God? (Mk 1:15) Why is the kingdom of God the focal point of Jesus' ministry?

2. Read verses 1b-3. Who traveled around with Jesus? How had Jesus helped the women? Why and how did they serve Jesus and the Twelve? Why is the serving of sacrificial women essential to Jesus' ministry, then and now?

3. Read verses 4-8a. How did Jesus see the crowd that gathered? What was evidently the crowd's attitude toward the word of God? What parable did Jesus tell them? What are the 4 different heart soils into which the seed of the word fell?

4. Read verses 8b-10. Who are the ones who can have spiritual insight, and know the secrets of the kingdom of God? (Compare Jn 6:66-68) Why might Jesus be discouraged? How did the quotation from Isaiah 6:9 comfort Jesus?

5. What kind of heart does the path represent? (11-12) The rocky soil? (13) The thorny soil? (14) What happens to the seed that falls in each of these? What is the good soil? (15) How can we have good heart soil? How does the kingdom of God grow within us? Which kind of soil do you have?

Attachment

THE SEED OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD(Lk8-questions).doc

Message

The Parable of the Heart Soil

Luke 8:1-15

Key Verse:8:15 “ But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop.”

Last week we learned that Jesus’ grace produces love. This means that those who have received much grace from Jesus, especially the grace of forgiveness of sins, love Jesus more. Those who love Jesus feed his sheep. All our male missionaries decided to feed three sheep this year because they love Jesus and want to pay back God’s grace upon their lives by feeding Jesus’ sheep. Missionary Abraham Park works hard all day long as a tent maker. Later in the evening he teaches the bible to his sheep. He looks so happy with no hint of any tiredness. Jesus’ grace produces love, love which overcomes the world. I pray that we may remember Jesus’ grace all the time and love Jesus and his sheep all the more. Amen.

Today’s passage is the parable of the heart soil. The focal point for this passage is not the sower, but the soil. So I would rather call this ‘the parable of the heart soil’ than ‘the parable of the sower’. In this parable Jesus teaches us what kind attitude we should have toward the word of God. Probably there are some who say to themselves, “Msn. Paul. I know this parable and I know what you’re going to talk about. I have heard it a hundred times so far.” Today’s passage is for this kind of person as well as for those who came here with many other motives and desires. I pray that God may grant us ears to hear and hearts to retain the seed of God’s word today. Amen.

First, beautiful and faithful women of God in Jesus’ ministry (1-3) Look at verses 1-3. “After this, Jesus traveled about from one town and village to another, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God. The twelve were with him, and also some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases: Mary (called Magdalene) from whom seven demons had come out; Joanna the wife of Cuza, the manager of Herod’s household; Susanna; and many others. These women were helping to support them out of their own means.” Jesus’ ministry was marching on. The message of the kingdom of God continued. Traveling about from one town and village to another, Jesus proclaimed, “The time has come. The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news!” (Mk 1:15) His twelve disciples were with him. Behind Jesus and his disciples some women followed. They were Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Susanna and many other women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases. Among them, Mary Magdalene had been possessed by seven demons. But, when she came to Jesus, all her demons came out.

Mary followed Jesus after that. She wanted to serve Jesus and his company as much as she could. She was so thankful to Jesus who healed her from her sin-sickness. Jesus was everything to her. She decided to dedicate her life to Jesus. Not only did Mary follow Jesus but also Joanna, Susanna and many others who had received the same grace from Jesus. They loved Jesus and served him behind the scenes. They supported Jesus out of their own means. They met Jesus and his disciples’ needs. Above all, they were prayer servants. These women’s contribution laid the foundation for Jesus’ ministry. What precious and beautiful women of God they were!

Like these women, our UBF church has many devoted and faithful women of God who lay a solid foundation for Jesus’ ministry. There is no one here who has not received prayer support and spiritual babysitting from women of God in our chapters and ministries. Personally I was spiritually babysat by missionary Joanne Kim until I came to America. My wife Missionary Mary Choi also received much grace and prayer support from several women of God in Korea and in America. Such sacrificial and devoted women have raised up many spiritual leaders around the world for the last 50 years. In a family, a devoted and sacrificial woman of God lays a solid foundation for a house church. All fathers and husbands should admit this and give thanks to God for such beautiful and faithful women of God in our families and in our church. Let us pray that God may raise many devoted and faithful women of God in our church from young people beginning with Priscilla, Pangaa, Hannah, Ine, Grace, Joanne and even Victoria. Amen.

Second, the parable of heart soil (4-8,11-15) There was a large crowd who gathered to hear from Jesus. They had various motives and attitude toward Jesus’ word. So Jesus taught them how to accept his words and bear fruits through the parable of the heart soil. He taught about four kinds of heart soil. First, the path (5,12). Look at verse 5. “A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path; it was trampled on, and the birds of the air ate it up.” Here Jesus compared himself to a farmer who sows the seed. The seed is the word of God. (11) Some seeds which the farmer scattered fell along the path. What happened to the seed which fell on the path? The path is a busy road. So the seed on the path was trampled on by people, animals and vehicles. It was not allowed to take root. The seed that fell on the path is also noticeable to the eyes of the bird and soon it became food for the bird. Jesus explains this parable in verse 12. “Those along the path are the ones who hear, and then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved.” Here the bird is compared to the devil. Those who have hard hearts like the path have no room for the seed to take root. The path is a hard surface. Like the path, those who have hard hearts cannot accept the word of God. Who are those whose hearts are hard like the path? They are people trampled on and overcome by worldly knowledge and godless human philosophy. They have no room in their hearts for the word of God. Once I met a student at Wash U. When I shared the good news of the kingdom of God with him, he immediately closed his heart. He would not let any word of God come into his heart. I felt as if I was scattering seeds on the path. What makes his heart hard? Worldly experience and knowledge and fixed ideas made his heart hard and proud. Among the crowd, the Pharisees and teachers of the law are this kind of people.

Second, the rocky soil (6,13) Look at verse 6. “Some fell on rock, and when it came up, the plants withered because they had no moisture.” The rocky soil indicates soil mixed with many rocks. Seed that falls on rocky soil cannot grow properly. Even though the seed is planted and spring up quickly, it cannot last long because of lack of soil and moisture. When the sun comes up, the plants are scorched, and soon they wither because they have no root. (Mk 4:6) Jesus explained what rocky soil is like in verse 13. Look at verse 13. “Those on the rock are the ones who receive the word with joy when they hear it, but they have no root. They believe for a while, but in the time of testing they fall away.” The rocky soil seems to be better than path. However, since those who have rocky soil have no root, their faith does not last long. When they hear the word, they say many “Amens” and “Hallelujahs”. But when they leave the church or Bible study, they forget everything. The word of God does not change their lives. They are men and women of no influence. They are easily tempted and go astray when persecution comes or temptation approaches. Their problem is that they have no root for the word of God. In other words, they have no commitment to Christ Jesus. Those who live an uncommitted life easily fall into sin. Are you one of those who have rocky soil?

Third, the thorny soil (7,14) Look at verse 7. “Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up with it and choked the plants.” Some seeds fell on thorny soil. Those seeds could not grow properly because of the thorns. As the seeds grew, the thorns grew too, generally faster than the plants. Then the thorns choked the plants and kept them from growing. Jesus compared the thorns to life’s worries, riches and pleasures in verse 13. Mark 4:19 says in more detail, “but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word making it unfruitful.” Worries of this life, such as anxiety about future security, attack us every day like thorns. Anxiety about security chokes our necks until we become suffocated. The love of money has other thorns which make our life unfruitful. 1 Timothy 6:10 says, “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.” We easily find in our hearts the thorns of worldly desire. These days people desire money, sex, sports, fun, friendship, better living conditions, and so on. Even the desire for internet surfing keeps us awake late into the night. The desire for other things leaves us feeling guilty, depressed, and angry, and above all makes us unfruitful. The desire for other things divides our heart. We cannot bear fruit as long as our hearts are divided by many thorns. May God give us an undivided heart for Jesus. Amen.

Fourth, a good soil (8,15) Look at verse 8. “Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up and yielded a crop, a hundred times more than was sown.” What is good soil? Good soil is soft, nutritious, and moist, and has no rocks or thorns. Seeds falling on good soil grow well under favorable living conditions until they become very fruitful. Soft dirt makes seeds germinate easily. Good soil also provides proper nutrition and moisture for seeds to take deep root and grow well. Jesus explains the good soil in verse 15, “But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop.” Those who have good and noble hearts hear the word and retain it. They hold onto the word of God in their hearts by meditating on it day and night. The psalmist says that those who meditate on God’s word day and night are like trees planted by streams of water. (Ps 1:3) Above all those who have good and noble hearts put what they have learned into daily practice. They obey the word of God as of first importance. Thus the word of God changes their lives, influences others and becomes a blessing to the world.

From a human point of view Abraham in the Old Testament was a hopeless old man. But, he was a man with a good and noble heart. When he heard God’s word, he accepted it, obeyed it, and held it until it grew mature. It was not easy for him to hold on to God’s promise. Temptations and persecutions followed him day after day. However, Abraham did not let the seed go. By persevering, his faith grew and produced a big crop.

In the beginning God provided us with good soil. However, as time passes by, our soil becomes a junkyard full of weeds, thorns and rocks. We all belong to one of these four kinds of heart soil. Look at your heart and decide what kind of heart you have. Then, how can you restore your good heart soil? How can you make your heart good and noble? Here a noble and good heart is an ‘honest’ heart in Greek. An honest heart is a pure and repentant heart before the word of God. We must plow our hearts with repentance until they become good hearts. We must break up the hard dirt to make it soft. We must hammer stubbornness, pride, and prejudice out of our hardened hearts until we become humble, obedient, mindful and generous. We also must pull out all kinds of weeds, throw away rocks, and cut thorns and brambles. Then we must plow our hearts with repentance. Repentance is turning to God and leaving our sinful life. The cultivated soil is watered with our tears of repentance. Those who come to God with broken and contrite spirits are those who have good and noble hearts.

One young man has struggled to take away thorns in his heart. He knew that the thorns disturb his spiritual growth and make him immature and unfruitful. Recently he decided to get rid of the thorns in order to grow spiritually and bear fruit. I believe that he will indeed grow as a tree which bears many fruits, fruits of life here and there from generation down to generation. Amen.

Third, the seed of the Kingdom of God (8-10) After teaching this parable, Jesus called out, “He who has ears to hear; let him hear.” (8) Jesus did not force people to believe his word. Rather he appealed to people to have spiritual ears to understand his word and to accept it. Most people are indifferent and ignorant. But Jesus’ disciples were different. They came to Jesus and asked what the parable really meant. (9). Jesus said in verse 10. “The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of God has been given to you, but to others I speak in parables, so that, “though seeing, they may not see; though hearing they may not understand.” The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of God is the gospel, which is the good news of salvation. It is like a seed falling on soil. The seed has life and power to grow. The seed of the kingdom of God grows in our hearts according to the condition and type of the soil. Those who understand the secrets of the kingdom of God and accept it produce a crop thirty, sixty, and a hundred times. On the contrary, those who do not hear and accept it remain immature and unfruitful. The secret of the kingdom of God is given to us not in parables, but in clear statements. Jesus said in John 14:6. “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” Jesus is the way to enter the kingdom of God. Jesus is the truth which teaches us that we came from God and are going back to Him. Jesus is the resurrection and the eternal life.(Jn 11:25, Ro 6:23b) When we accept Jesus, the kingdom of God grows. When the kingdom of God grows, we bear fruits of the Holy Spirit such as love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. (Gal 5:22,23) Amen.

Last week, I sowed the seed of God’s word in the heart of one Wash U. student. His heart is like a path, hardened with his stubbornness and ignorance. I pray that someday God will make his heart soft and noble so that the seed of the kingdom of God may grow and bear fruits. I also pray that we all may plow our hardened hearts with repentance until they become good and noble hearts. May God make America a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. Amen.

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