Sermon26-27 Lk8 "Hear Carefully" Guide

Luke 8:9-18 theme verse Luke 8:18

The praise and honor and glory be to our heavenly Father who seeks true worshipers who worship Him with the Spirit and truth.

In this twenty second Sunday of the year 2026, I pray that His grace of the application of all the benefits which Jesus earned for our salvation and the glorious ministry of the proclamation of His kingdom by the power of the Holy Spirit may be full in our life. Last week, on the Pentecost Sunday, through John chapter 14, we meditated on what the ministry of the Holy Spirit for us and His church are. Yet from this Sunday to the Thanksgiving Sunday for 26 weeks, since we keep it as the ordinary season after Pentecost, while following Jesus closely, with the help and leading of the Holy Spirit, on this first Sunday of Ordinary season after Pentecost, we would like to think about how we have to hear the Word of God among two Christian basics; the Word and Prayer together.

1)    The Gospel of Luke as a whole is divided into four parts. I mean,

in 1:1–4:13, after Luke introduces the preparation of His ministry of Jesus, from His birth of the Virgin Mary to His receiving the anointing of the Holy Spirit, then he summarizes Jesus’ ministry into three major ones. I mean,

the first, as in 4:14–9:50, he describes His kingdom ministry, such as healing the sick and casting out demons, in Galilee on three separate occasions.

And then secondly, in the long passage from 9:51–19:27, he introduces the discipleship ministry in His way from Galilee to Jerusalem.

And finally, in 19:28–24:53, he introduces the atoning work accomplished in Jerusalem—specifically, His death on the cross, His resurrection after three days, and His ascension.

Among them, today’s passage covers the three ministries in Galilee as He traveled through every city and village proclaiming the Kingdom of God, Jesus told the parable of the seed that fell on four types of soil in response to the varying reactions of the audiences. Yet, when the disciples, who did not fully understand the parable, asked Jesus for its meaning, in Today’s text of verse 9 through 18, Jesus explained its meaning to them.

2)    I mean, the Lord explained that the "seed" represents the Word of God, specifically, the message of the Gospel.

He said that the seed that ”fell along the path" refers to the path that was heavily trodden by people so that soil compacted that the seed cannot take root at all so that the devil comes and snatches the Word away.

Secondly, the seed that "fell on rocky ground" refers to the soil which is the popular type of soil in the Palestine region, I mean, this does not mean ground that was full of stones but ground which was only a thin skin of earth over a shelf of limestone rock. In such ground there was no moisture or nourishment, and the growing plant was bound to wither and die. (The Gospel of Luke, NDSB Lk, Barclay, Williams, p.117) Our Lord likened it to the seed that fell upon rocky ground.

And then the soil "full of thorns" refers to soil that may appear clean immediately after being plowed; however, the seeds of weeds and the fibrous roots of wild grasses remain embedded within it so that even if good seeds are sown there, the weeds sprout alongside them, growing more vigorously and ultimately choke out the life of the good seeds.

And finally, He said there is the "good soil.” This refers to a mind which a) hears the Word with a good and honest heart; b) holds fast to it; and c) perseveres, thereby yielding a harvest of a hundredfold.

3)    In other words, throughout His ministry spanning chapters 4 through 9, among vast crowds whom the Lord encountered and proclaimed the Kingdom of God,

the majority of His audience was expecting something monumental and definitive to occur, for instance, the emergence of a new king to overthrow Herod, the appearance of a legitimate high priest to oust the incumbent one, or the rise of a Jewish movement to purge the Gentiles who were lording it over them; this kind of Messiah was the one they eagerly awaited.

Yet, none of these things came to pass; rather, Jesus earnestly exhorted that people’s eyes and ears would be opened to see and hear what God was actually accomplishing.

But, Luke says the people in the synagogue at Nazareth who heard Jesus’ sermon based on the Prophet Isaiah, remaining captive to their own preconceptions, consequently, trampled upon His words so that the birds of the air swooped down to devour the message.

And a Pharisee who invited Jesus to dine at his home, ostensibly to hear His teachings, yet since His actions and words proved far more shocking than anticipated, he unable to relinquish his biases, instead strove to maintain as much distance from Jesus as possible, as Jesus sowed the seeds of His word upon the stony ground of his prejudices.

And also, the people of that generation (7:31) who had their hearts filled with other concerns and held no desire for a prophet such as Jesus, as the seeds of the Gospel fell among thorns, it was ultimately choked out and failed to bear any fruit.

4)    However, here Luke also introduces us those who possess "good soil”, I mean, a good heart consequently that bears fruit.

Among them is the "Gentile Centurion" (7:1–10), a man of faith who believed that Jesus possesses the authority to heal his servant’s severe illness through the power of His word alone.

There is also Levi the tax collector (5:27–39), who abandoned his socially disreputable profession in order to follow Jesus.

And also there is the unnamed woman (7:36–50) who, out of deep gratitude for the divine forgiveness and new life she had received in the depths of her heart, came to Jesus, brought an alabaster jar of perfume, poured it over His feet, and wiped them with her own hair.

In other words, Luke identifies the "good heart" as the soil in which the Word takes root, sprouts, grows, and bears fruit which has three characteristics. I mean,

a) Hearing the Word with a "good and noble heart." The Greek terms translated here as "good" and "noble” are “καλός (kalos)” and “ἀγαθός (agathos)” conveying not only the general sense of goodness but also being "honest" and "obedient,” signifying hearing the Word with an honest and obedient heart.

b) And then keeping the Word.  Yet, since the verb is used in the present tense, it implies a continuous and ongoing commitment to observing and obeying to the Word.

c) And also bearing fruit with patience. I mean, ultimately, this signifies a heart that yields a harvest by patiently enduring while continuously obeying the Word. In essence, the passage teaches that the Word can only bear fruit when it is continuously observed with an obedient heart and sustained with patience.

5)    Therefore, we would like to learn few lessons, by meditating on two or three points drawn from today’s text together.

First, as we see in the verses 10 and 18, we can know that the Bible, the very Word of the Lord is, in a sense, a "closed Book." In other words, as the disciples in today’s text did not understand the meaning of the Lord’s parables at the beginning, we, too, cannot truly understand the mysteries of the Kingdom of God without the help of the Holy Spirit.

That’s why in John chapter 6, even though a multitude of people followed Jesus after witnessing the miracle of the feeding of the five thousand with five loaves and two fishes, they all abandoned Him when Jesus began to proclaim the Gospel, leaving only the disciples behind.

As such, the wise men who possesses profound knowledge of other religions or exceptional worldly wisdom only can read the Bible and understand that as a set of moral codes to be obeyed, perceiving it as no different from their own religious traditions.

And even the Pharisees and scribes of Israel who are the very custodians of God’s law, misunderstood it as nothing other than a heavy and burdensome yoke to take.

Therefore, the Bible in Romans 3:11 declares that "there is no one who understands," so unless God the LORD gives "the mind to understand, the eyes to see, and the ears to hear" as Deuteronomy 29:4 says, nobody can understand true meaning of the Bible.

So, we have to remember that if we are able to gain insight and understand God’s Word as we read or listen, that very capability came from God’s grace.

Moreover, as Jesus personally expounded upon His teachings when His disciples failed to grasp its meaning, the Holy Spirit enables us to remind and understand the Word, as John 14:26 says, or the teacher or the pastor to whom the gifts of the Holy Spirit were endowed instruct us into the Word so that we can understand the Word of God. As such, when we could hear and understand the Word of God, we have to remember and thank God since we are truly blessed person!

6)    Secondly, the passage we would like to meditate upon consists of verses 16 and 17.

The 13th-century Italian theologian Bonaventure described the Word has three functions, I mean a) “Purgation”, purifying us of sin; b) “Illumination to truth”, guiding us toward the truth; and c) “Perfective Union” bringing about a complete union with Christ.

As such, Scripture is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness as 2 Timothy 3:16 says so that as Hebrews 4:14 says, God’s Word has a living and active force, sharper than any double-edged sword so it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow, and judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart, as verses 16 and 17 says, it make people see the light of the Word, bringing hidden things to light, I mean, revealing the "rocks" and "weeds" that lie concealed within our hearts. This phenomenon happens when we read or listen to the Word.

At that moments, we have to avoid a "department-store approach" to listening, I mean, instead of picking and choosing only those words which sound pleasant to our ears, rather we have to hear the Word that pierces our hearts, as described in verse 15, with a "good and honest heart”, I mean, with a honest and obedient heart and and observe the Word with patience. This is the very moment when the Word of God intersects with the specific context of the listener's life.

That’s why, during our small group meetings, when your group leader encourages you to identify which specific words from the Scripture resonated with you, and to connect those words to the unique context of your own life, and to reflect on how you might apply them to transform your thoughts and actions and prepare a prayer note and to ask to God in prayer for help, please follow his or her instruction. This entire process is referred to as the “cultivation” of the Word.

Then, through this very process, the image of the Lord is fully formed within us, thereby deepening our relationship with the Lord, that is, the union with Christ.

That’s why in today’s text the Lord admonished us to take care how we listen to the Word of God.

7)    By the way, as we read today’s text, sometimes, we can encounter a moment when we are in trouble. I mean, when we take a close look at ourselves, sometimes we find that as like the disciples in today’s text, we can feel that we cannot hear the Lord’s words, as if the Word fell down on deaf ears, I mean, as if it scattered along a path. Ans also sometimes, we can be shaken, when the difficulties strike, as if the Word fell on the rock. And also sometimes we cannot see the fruit of the Word, as if it fell on the soil with weeds, being lured away by the anxieties of this life, by wealth, and by worldly pleasures.

At that our lowest moments, we can even find ourselves plagued by doubts, wondering if we have truly been born again or whether the Lord truly with us through the Holy Spirit.

But, as we could see the disciples in today’s text, as Luke does not highlight the disciples' weaknesses as harshly as Mark does, yet even though he still portrayed them as figures who are still stumbling and wavering, we can know that as the disciples needed the Lord’s help in desperate, we also need His help. So whenever we ask for help, He will help us. That we have to remember.

And also we have to remember that growth and maturity require both time and patience that flows from the Lord’s grace as the Lord said not only to hear His Word and obey it, but also to hold fast to that Word with patience.

8)    I confess that, even in my heart which the Lord has plowed over time again and again, there remain so many stones and weeds! And oh, how painful it is when the Lord extracts those stones. And also after the Lord has begun to supply water and nutrients, so many weeds have begun to run rampant. Yet, I could see God, the Divine Farmer, tilling my heart and rooting out the weeds one by one “so that I no longer live the rest of my earthly life for human desires, but rather for the will of God” as 1 Peter 4:2.

Although I have not yet yielded a harvest of a hundredfold, it seems that flowers are slowly beginning to bloom in one corner of my heart, while small fruits are ripening in another. Therefore, relying on the Lord, I look forward to the day of the harvest, while following Him, step by step, day by day.

I don’t know where you find yourselves on this journey right now, yet as the "Means of Grace” are none other than the Word, the Sacraments, and Church Discipline, I pray that as we read and hear the Word every day, we may receive it with an honest and good heart, yielding obedience to it; and by enduring with patience so that we may ultimately yield a harvest of a hundredfold.

Key Questions as Small Group Activity

Q1 Through today’s text, we became to know that we have to read the Word of God with a good and honest heart, holding it fast with patience. So after reflecting our life and checking how we read or hear the Word of God, I hope we could share our thought and experience with our team members together to learn from each other.

Q2 And also, we became to know that there need a time for our growth and maturity to hear the Word of God and obey to it. So after reflecting our life and checking whether we are growing through the Word of God, I hope we can share our thought and experience with our team members together to learn from each other.

Love you. Thank you. God bless you.

Prayer Note

Dear ( God’s attribute which you found Today ) God!

Thanks for ( something you received through the sermon or  even during the week )

Praise, gratitude and glory be to You, Lord!

Today, I realized my sin (pains) that ( the sin God reminded through the sermon ),

please forgive (or heal) me and help me not to repeat ( the sins you recognized   ).

I learned that ( something you learned through the sermon                                    )

Please help me to live in that (  learned way of life                                                )

I pray in ( Jesus’ attribute you find ) Jesus’ name. Amen.