Should not our hearts, as we receive the Word of God, become hearts like this?
“When people from every town were coming to Jesus and a great crowd was gathering, Jesus spoke by way of a parable: ‘A sower went out to sow his seed. And as he sowed, some fell along the path and was trampled underfoot, and the birds of the air ate it up. Some fell on the rock, and when it sprang up, it withered because it had no moisture. Some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up with it and choked it. And some fell into good soil, and it grew and produced a hundredfold.’ After saying these things, He cried out, ‘He who has ears to hear, let him hear.’ His disciples asked Him what this parable meant. He said, ‘To you it has been granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God, but to others they are given in parables, so that seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand.’ Now the parable is this: The seed is the Word of God. Those along the path are the ones who hear; then the devil comes and takes away the Word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. Those on the rock are the ones who, when they hear the Word, receive it with joy; but they have no root. They believe for a while, and in time of testing fall away. And the seed that fell among thorns—these are the ones who have heard, but as they go on their way they are choked by the worries, riches, and pleasures of this life, and they do not bring their fruit to maturity. But the seed in the good soil—these are the ones who hear the Word with an honest and good heart, keep it, and bear fruit with perseverance’” (Luke 8:4–15).
As I meditate on this passage, I desire to receive the lessons that it gives:
(1) In meditating on today’s main text, Luke 8:4–15, which contains the “Parable of the Sower,” I wish to meditate on it together with Matthew 13:3–23 and Mark 4:3–20.
(a) In this parable spoken by Jesus (Luke 8:4), the “sower” (v. 5) refers to Jesus Himself, and the “seed” that Jesus sows refers to the “Word of God” (v. 11), the “word of the kingdom” (Matthew 13:19). The four kinds of soil—the path, the rocky ground with shallow soil, the thorny ground, and the good soil—refer to the condition of the hearts of people who receive the Word of God (Ref.: Internet).
(i) First, the “seed” that fell “along the path,” which was trampled and eaten by birds (Lk. 8:5), refers to those who heard the Word, but when they heard it, the evil devil (Satan) immediately came and took away the Word that had been sown in their hearts, in order to prevent them from believing and being saved (v. 12; Mt. 13:19; Mk. 4:15).
· Here we can clearly understand the purpose of the evil devil (Satan). That purpose is precisely to keep us, who hear the Word of God, from “believing and receiving salvation” (Lk. 8:12).
- In order to accomplish this purpose, the evil devil (Satan) immediately comes when we hear the Word of God and takes away the Word that has been sown in our hearts (Mk. 4:15).
n The first part of John 10:10 came to mind: “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy….” Truly, the evil devil (Satan) is a thief who steals the Word of God that has been sown in our hearts.
· Then, what must we do so that the evil devil (Satan) does not steal the Word of God that has been sown in our hearts? Psalm 119:56 came to mind: “This is mine: that I keep Your precepts.”
- How can we possess the Word of God? How can we make the Word that we hear and learn “our own possession”? It is simple: we must live according to that Word. It is important that, as we open the Bible ourselves, read it, and meditate on it, we obey and apply in our real lives the Word of God that He gives us, and thus experience the living and active Word of God. Such an experience is precisely the way to make the Word of God “our own possession.”
n Ways to make it “my possession”:
Meditation: The process of reading the Word, deeply reflecting on its meaning, and engraving it in one’s heart.
Delight: Taking joy in the Word and treasuring it as more precious than any worldly wealth.
Obedience: Living according to the Word, thereby making that Word a practical possession in one’s own life.
Reliance: Depending on and following the Word in every moment of life, especially in times of difficulty.
In conclusion, to make the Word of God “my possession” means to regard the Word as the most important value in life, to meditate on it, to obey it, and to receive its guidance in every area of life” (internet).
(ii) Secondly, the “seed” that fell on the “rocky ground with shallow soil” (Mt. 13:5)—which sprang up quickly because the soil was not deep, but after the sun rose was scorched and withered because it had no root and no moisture (vv. 5–6; Mk. 4:5–6; Lk. 8:6)—refers to those who hear the Word of God and immediately receive it with joy, but because it has no root within them [“they do not keep it deeply in their hearts” (Mt. 13:21; Mk. 4:17, Korean Modern Bible)], they endure only for a short time with faith, and when tribulation (suffering), persecution, or testing comes because of the Word, they immediately stumble and fall away—those who turn away [“those who fall away” (Lk. 8:13, Korean Modern Bible)] (Lk. 8:13; Mt. 13:20–21).
· Here, I am once again led to think about the importance of having roots in one’s faith. “The root of faith refers to the essential foundation and source of faith, the core element that forms a firm belief. In Christianity, it mainly refers to being deeply rooted in Jesus Christ and the Word of God, and it is a metaphorical expression that represents an unshakable, solid faith and way of life. This goes beyond mere intellectual agreement and is connected to a deep inner conviction that relies on God and lives according to His will in every area of life” (Internet).
- Core meanings
Jesus Christ: The most fundamental root of the Christian faith, meaning receiving Him as Savior and growing in Christ.
The Word of God: Taking the Scriptures as the nourishment of life and being deeply rooted in the Word, thereby gaining wisdom and strength.
Inner conviction: A metaphor for a firm state of faith that trusts God and moves forward without being shaken even in trials or temptations.
Love and obedience: Expressed in a life that bears love toward God and neighbor, and the fruit of the Holy Spirit (love, joy, peace, etc.).
The meaning of having deep roots in faith
Stability: Not easily falling even in small winds (tribulation or persecution), and one’s faith does not waver.
Growth: The seed of the gospel takes root in the heart and grows, bearing fruit in life.
Fundamental motivation: Having a life purpose in everything—to live for the glory of God.
In conclusion, the root of faith represents the foundation, essence, and firm state of belief, and it means the center of a life that is deeply anchored in Christ and the Word, growing without being shaken” (Internet).
· I would like to share only a few portions from a reflection I wrote on September 4, 2024, under the title “Our Roots of Faith Must Not Dry Up,” centered on Hosea 9:16:
“If the roots of a tree dry up, that tree cannot bear fruit. If the roots of a parent’s faith dry up, that parent’s children cannot bear the fruit of faith (cf. Hosea 9:16). The lesson I gained from meditating on this passage is this: ‘Let us live our life of faith by focusing on the roots rather than on the fruit!’”
“When I think about ‘roots,’ I was led to meditate on Jeremiah 17:7–10: ‘But the person who trusts in the LORD and depends on Him will be blessed. He will be like a tree planted by the water, that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes, and its leaves remain green and fresh; it has no anxiety in a year of severe drought and never fails to bear fruit. The human heart is more deceitful and corrupt than anything else. Who can understand it? But I, the LORD, search the heart and examine the deepest motives, to reward each person according to what he has done.’”
“… Through these words, I receive the lesson that the roots of my (our) faith must never rely on people, but must trust and depend only on God.”
“When I meditate on these two passages together (Jere. 17:7–10 and Ps. 1:1–3), I receive grace from the words that a person of faith (or a blessed person) whose roots are planted by ‘the water’ or ‘the stream’ has roots that ‘spread out toward the stream,’ and therefore ‘does not fear when heat comes’ and ‘has no anxiety in a year of severe drought.’ I believe that we are now facing a spiritually ‘severe year of drought.’ That ‘drought’ is none other than the ‘famine of not hearing the words of the LORD’ spoken of in Amos 8:11—in short, a ‘drought of not hearing (or being unable to hear) the Word of God.’ One of the causes of this, I believe, is found in 2 Timothy 4:3: ‘For the time will come when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own desires.’ Even though such a spiritual drought of the Word has come, the blessed person who trusts and depends only on God delights in the Word of God and meditates on it day and night; therefore, like a tree that always bears fruit, that person will live a life of faith without anxiety.”
(iii) Thirdly, the “seed” that fell among the “thorns” (Lk. 8:8, 14), where the thorns grew up together with it and choked it (v. 7; Mt. 13:7), so that it did not bear fruit (Mk. 4:7), refers to those who hear the Word of God, but as they go on living, they become bound by the worries (anxieties) of this world [“the worries of this life” (Lk. 8:14)] and the deceitfulness of riches (Mt. 13:22; Mk. 4:19), and other various desires enter in (Mk. 4:19). Being absorbed in pleasures, the Word is “choked” (Mt. 13:22), and they fail to live according to the Word and thus fail to bear fruit (Lk. 8:14; Mk. 4:19).
· “The one who has seed sown among thorns” is a person who hears the Word of God but does not bear fruit because the Word is choked. In other words, the person who is unable to live according to the Word is the one whose seed fell among thorns. Why are they unable to live according to the Word of God? The reason is “the worries of this world and the deceitfulness of riches” (Mt. 13:22). In addition, “the desires for other things” (Mk. 4:19) and being “choked by pleasures” (Lk. 8:14) are also causes that prevent a person from living according to the Word of God even after hearing it.
- When we look at Matthew 13:22, Matthew says, “the word is choked, and it becomes unfruitful.” Here, the word translated as “choked” in English is “choke it,” which means “to have one’s breath cut off,” “to suffocate,” or “to strangle.” Another English word used is “strangle,” which means “to squeeze the throat” or “to choke to death.” Thinking about it this way may make it easier to understand. We hear the Word of God with our ears and put that Word into our heads, but that Word is not able to go down into our hearts. Why is that? It is because something is choking our throat. And that “something” is the worries of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, other desires, and pleasures that are in our hearts.
n Dr. Yoon-sun Park said the following: “An environment like ‘thorny ground’ robs the good seed of all the nourishment it needs to take in, and therefore it cannot bear fruit” (Park). What does this mean? If the hearts of you and me are like thorny ground, then although we are now hearing the Word of God, our hearts have already been taken over by the worries of this world, the desire for riches, other desires, and pleasures. As a result, we are unable to live according to the Word, and therefore we cannot live a fruitful life of faith. Is this not truly the case? If, even while hearing the Word of God, our hearts are taken captive by various worldly worries, the temptation of wealth, desires, and pleasures, how can we possibly live in obedience to the Word of God? Rather, we will disobey the Word of God, become anxious, fall into the temptation of wealth, desires, and pleasures, and sin against God.
· This is a short devotional reflection I wrote on May 7, 2019, under the title “Are Our ‘Spiritual Blood Vessels’ Becoming Clogged…?”:
“Among the people I met at church yesterday, two brothers had experienced serious problems because of issues with their blood vessels. One brother seemed to have had a blood clot in his vessel that could have led to a heart attack(?), and another brother had actually suffered a small cerebral hemorrhage.
This morning, as I thought about these two brothers, the passage that came to my mind at the same time was Matthew 13:22: ‘The seed sown among thorns refers to one who hears the word, but the worries of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, making it unfruitful.’
As I reflected on this passage, I began to think about what it means for our ‘spiritual blood vessels’ to become clogged. The Bible tells us that the reason these spiritual blood vessels become clogged is ‘the worries of this world and the deceitfulness of riches.’ Even though we hear the Word of God again and again, could it be that our spiritual blood vessels are becoming more and more clogged because of worldly worries and the temptation of wealth…? And if our spiritual blood vessels were to become completely blocked, might a spiritual heart attack occur in our love for the Lord? Might a spiritual brain hemorrhage occur in our head knowledge of knowing the Lord…?”
· This is another short devotional reflection I wrote on March 22, 2018, under the title “How Can We Trust God?”: “When we incline our ears to listen to the wise Word of God (Prov. 22:17) and preserve that Word in our hearts (v. 18), we are able to trust God (v. 19). The reason we are unable to trust God is that we are not preserving the Word of God in our hearts. And the reason we are not preserving the Word of God in our hearts is that although we have heard the Word of God, it is choked by the worries of this world and the deceitfulness of riches, and therefore does not bear fruit (Mt. 13:22).”
(iv) Lastly, fourth, the “seed” that was sown on the “good soil” (Lk. 8:8, 15), which grew well and bore a hundredfold harvest (v. 8), refers to those who hear the Word with an “honest and good heart” [“with a right and good heart” (Korean Modern Bible)] (v. 15), understand it, [“accept it” (Mk. 4:20, Korean Modern Bible)], keep it well, and bear fruit with perseverance—yielding a hundredfold, sixtyfold, or thirtyfold (Lk. 8:15; Mt. 13:23).
· “The one on whom seed was sown on the good soil” is the person who hears the Word of God, understands it, and bears fruit. Luke 8:15 says this: “But the seed in the good soil—these are the ones who hear the Word with an honest and good heart, keep it, and bear fruit with perseverance” [(Korean Modern Bible): “The seed sown on good soil refers to those who hear the Word with a right and good heart, keep it well, and bear fruit with perseverance”]. Here, in the phrase “an honest and good heart,” although the words “honest” and “good” come from two different Greek words, their meanings both convey the idea of “good.” However, the meaning of “good” can be distinguished more precisely. The second word, “good heart,” refers to a morally upright—straight, noble (pure)—heart (Zodhiates). On the other hand, the first word, translated as “honest,” also carries the meaning of “beautiful,” which includes the nuances of “healthy, sound, and fit” (Friberg). Considering this meaning, I think the Korean Modern Bible’s translation of “honest” as “right” in Luke 8:15 is a good rendering. The reason for distinguishing these two words is to understand more accurately what kind of heart the person is who has seed sown on good soil. That heart is upright and healthy, and suitable for receiving the Word of God. Moreover, it is a morally upright and noble (pure) heart, beautiful in the sight of the Lord.
- When I think of this kind of heart, Acts 17:11 comes to mind: “Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so.” The reason this passage comes to mind is that when we think of the English translation “a noble heart” for the “honest heart” in Luke 8:15, Acts 17:11 describes the people in Berea as “more noble-minded” (Revised Version) or “having noble character” (Korean Modern Bible), and the English translation of that expression is “noble character.” Therefore, when I meditate on these two passages together, I come to understand more richly what the “good soil” spoken of in Matthew 13:8 and 23—that is, the heart like good soil into which the seed of God’s Word is sown—really is. Such a heart is upright and healthy, suitable for receiving the Word of God, morally upright and pure, and beautiful in the sight of the Lord, because it not only receives the Word of God with eagerness, but also examines the Scriptures daily to confirm that Word (to search and ponder it carefully). Should not our hearts become such hearts?