THE SECRETS OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD, Ron Ward
THE PARABLE OF THE SOILS
Passage: Luke 8:4~10  
Key verse: 10a
4 While a large crowd was gathering and people were coming to Jesus from town after town, he told this parable: 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 ate it up. 6 Some fell on rocky ground, and when it came up, the plants withered because they had no moisture. 7 Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up with it and choked the plants. 8 Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up and yielded a crop, a hundred times more than was sown.”
When he said this, he called out, “Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.”(A)
9 His disciples asked him what this parable meant. 10 He said, “The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of God has been given to you,(B) but to others I speak in parables, so that,
Footnotes
- Luke 8:10 Isaiah 6:9
Cross references
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source:  BibleGateway
1. The farmer sows his seed (4-8)
Jesus is like a farmer, sowing seed of the kingdom of God. Three fourths of the sown seed were unproductive. Some fell on the hard path and never had a chance to germinate; some fell on thin, rocky soil and could not mature because of the lack of moisture; some fell among the tough weeds and could not overcome them. But Jesus was not discouraged, for some seed would fall on good soil and produce a hundred times more than was sown. Those who have ears to hear are those who receive his word and hold it in their hearts until God's kingdom grows.
2. The secrets of the kingdom of God (9-10)
Jesus focused on his disciples. They didn't understand his parable. But they wanted to learn, so they asked questions. Jesus shared the secrets of the kingdom of God with those who sought truth in order to live by it. Parables hid the kingdom's secrets from those who were only curious.
Prayer: Lord, reign in my heart so that I may know the secrets of your kingdom.
One Word: Be good soil