What was Jesus’s purpose for telling the parable of the seed and the sower in Luke 8?
As the story goes, the sower is scattering seed around his field. Some of the seed falls on the footpath, is stepped on, and eaten by birds. Other seed falls into shallow soil. This seed grows but withers and dies. Other seed fell among thorns, shot up, and was choked out and died. However, other seed fell into fertile soil. This seed grew and produced crops one hundred fold.
Susie Larson explains what Jesus said after he shared this parable.
“When He said this He called out, anyone who is willing to hear this should listen and understand.”
In order to hear what God is trying to say to us, we must be willing to listen to Him.
“When you want to understand you get Spirit eyes. That’s why the Bible says, may the eyes of your heart be opened up. You start to see a dimension that other people don’t see. Those who have soft hearts, those who want to learn and want to know, they’re permitted the capacity to understand what Jesus is saying.”
Jesus then goes on to explain what each seed represents.
“The seed on the path represents those who hear the message, but the Devil steals it away and prevents them from believing. They hear it, but they don’t listen, they don’t understand.”
“The rocky soil represents the people who hear the message with joy. They believe for a while but wilt when the hot winds of testing blow.”
“The thorny ground represents those that hear the message, but the message is all too quickly drowned out by the pleasures and riches of this life.”
“The good soil represents honest, good-hearted people who hear God’s message and cling to it and they produce a harvest one hundred times what was planted.”
Susie says we can help cultivate our hearts to be able to accept the life-giving Word of God. Today, ask God to help your roots run deep into the soil of your heart.
Susie Larson is the host of Live the Promise and author of over 10 books and many articles including .
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