Seeds Sown in Our Lives

The eighth chapter of Luke begins with Jesus, His disciples, and several women who supported His ministry traveling through cities proclaiming the good news. The first detailed action described is Jesus delivering the parable of the sower. Each account following this parable demonstrates the different types of seeds sown. Let’s look at the events following the parable and connect them to the different types of seeds.

Then His mother and His brothers came to Him, but they could not reach Him because of the crowd. And He was told, “Your mother and your brothers are standing outside, desiring to see you.” But He answered them, “My mother and My brothers are those who hear the word of God and do it.” (Luke 8:19-21 ESV)

The crowd was enthralled by the words Jesus was speaking that there was standing room only! His family couldn’t get to Him because the people were so tightly packed together. The Book of Mark puts what is currently going on in a greater context. Earlier in the day, the hearts of Jesus’ family can be seen:

Then He went home, and the crowd gathered again, so that they could not even eat. And when His family heard it, they went out to seize Him, for they were saying, “He is out of His mind.” (Mark 3:20-21 ESV)

His family wasn’t looking to say, “Hello.” They were startled by all the commotion and what Jesus was saying. They wanted Him to stop what He was doing. Now the Lord’s response makes sense: those who are listening to God’s word and are willing to do it are His family. Jesus was not going to submit to their desires.

This is an example of a seed thrown onto the path:

Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. The ones along the path are those who have heard; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. (Luke 8:11-12 ESV)

A path is a well-traveled route. It is hard-packed and firm. Seeds are words spoken into our lives. The first words sown into our lives should be about salvation. The biological family of Jesus knew Him and watched Him grow up. Because that natural, family view of Jesus was so firmly implanted in their hearts, they were not receiving His words and were missing out on the salvation He offered.

If we are focused on where we need to go in life, the way it has always been, or the firmness of what is around us, words spoken about Jesus being the Son of God, the Savior, Redeemer, and what we need to do to get to Heaven may seem foolish. When we are set on what we think we know, when our hearts hardened and unwilling to receive correction, direction, or new revelation from God, then words spoken into our lives may be stolen from our understanding by the enemy.

The next event mentioned in Luke is this:

One day He got into a boat with His disciples, and He said to them, “Let us go across to the other side of the lake.” So they set out, and as they sailed He fell asleep. And a windstorm came down on the lake, and they were filling with water and were in danger. And they went and woke Him, saying, “Master, Master, we are perishing!” And He awoke and rebuked the wind and the raging waves, and they ceased, and there was a calm. (Luke 8:22-24 ESV)

And He said to them, “[Why are you so fearful?] Where is your faith (your trust, your confidence in Me—in My veracity and My integrity)?” And they were seized with alarm and profound and reverent dread, and they marveled, saying to one another, “Who then is this, that He commands even wind and sea, and they obey Him?” (Luke 8:25 AMPC)

Jesus is the Word, and when He speaks, the outcome is inevitable. Jesus stated they were going across to the other side of the lake. When the wind and rain came, the disciples began to fear what would happen, which allowed the storm to grow to a point where it hindered their progress. This is an example of a seed sown in the rocky ground:

And those upon the rock [are the people] who, when they hear [the Word], receive and welcome it with joy; but these have no root. They believe for a while, and in time of trial and temptation fall away (withdraw and stand aloof). (Luke 8:13 AMPC)

The disciples received Jesus’ instructions with joy, and they were ready to go to the other side of the lake. Because Jesus knew it was God’s will for Him to go, He was resting so much in God that He fell asleep!

But when they got out into the water, Satan had his minions stir up a storm to test the faith of the disciples concerning the words spoken by Jesus. The storm came down from the mountains, so the disciples must have perceived it as dark and foreboding. This tested their faith in Jesus, a test which they failed. The Lord rebuked His disciples for failing to trust in and rely on what He had said, which had given the enemy power to attack their boat with the storm.

The next mighty act accomplished by Jesus involves two groups of people and is an example of both the seeds among the weeds or thorns and the seed on good ground bearing much fruit. Jesus sets a demon-possessed man free by casting a legion of demons into a herd of pigs. This man had plagued the people of the nearby town; you would think they would hail Jesus as a hero for delivering a man who couldn’t even be bound in chains! That is not the case:

Then people went out to see what had happened, and they came to Jesus and found the man from whom the demons had gone, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind, and they were afraid. And those who had seen it told them how the demon-possessed man had been healed. Then all the people of the surrounding country of the Gerasenes asked him to depart from them, for they were seized with great fear. So he got into the boat and returned. (Luke 8:35-37 ESV)

Powerful seeds were planted in the lives of the townspeople. A man was restored to his right mind and healed! The words of faith in Jesus were stolen and replaced by fear from the enemy. Why?

Prophets were known for bringing harsh corrections from God because of sin. This often came in the form of droughts, plagues, and such. Pigs were considered unclean by God’s people. Raising them for food is a sin. This is why Jesus could send demonic spirits into them: they were unclean. The townspeople were afraid because what was sin had been removed, and it was a business! What other sinful businesses might be in danger should this powerful Prophet remain? This is a perfect example of seeds falling in the weeds.

And as for what fell among the thorns, they are those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature. (Luke 8:14 ESV)

The people of this city liked their lives the way they were and wanted to maintain their sinful pleasures and the riches that came from sin. They received the word from the herdsmen and came out to see Jesus, but the cares of the world choked out the good news of people being set free. They simply wanted to continue living in sin and making money, so they rejected Jesus and asked Him to leave! The man who was set free of the legion of demons was another story altogether.

The man from whom the demons had gone begged that he might be with Him, but Jesus sent him away, saying, “Return to your home, and declare how much God has done for you.” And he went away, proclaiming throughout the whole city how much Jesus had done for him. (Luke 8:38-39 ESV)

The man who had been set free wanted to stay with Jesus, because the seeds had taken root in his life. But God had a different plan. This is one of the few times Jesus tells someone to go and let people know what has been done, to spread the word. In another account of this event, we see that the ground was fertile and bore much fruit!

And he departed, and began to publish in Decapolis how great things Jesus had done for him: and all men did marvel. (Mark 5:20 AKJV)

The people he spoke to marveled at what God had done! This was preparing the way for Jesus to minister in the Decapolis. In Mark 7, Jesus goes to the region and they bring Him a mute man whom He heals! The testimony of this man was seeds sown on fertile ground:

As for that in the good soil, they are those who, hearing the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with patience. (Luke 8:15 ESV)

The man who told people what God had done had to hold fast to His deliverance by sharing his testimony with others. In time, when Jesus came to his area, the fruit of his testimony was shown by others receiving healing.

God’s people had a church, called a synagogue, in most towns and one Temple where God’s presence resided in Jerusalem. When Jesus returned across the lake, the leader of the synagogue was waiting for Him. Jairus’s only daughter was dying, so he fell at Jesus’s feet, showing he was submitting to Him because he wanted Jesus to come to his house and heal her.

A crowd of people pressed upon the pair as they traveled toward the leader's home. On the way to the house, a woman pressed through the crowd and touched the edge of Jesus's robe, saying to herself, “If only I can touch the hem of His garment, I will be whole,” for she had a flow of blood that the physicians couldn’t heal. Her thoughts were reported in the account Matthew gave of this encounter.

The words this woman had heard about Jesus took root in fertile ground and produced much fruit! Not only did she get healed, but the crowd learned something new. Jesus stopped and asked the crowd who had touched Him.

The disciples were flabbergasted. It seemed the whole town had come out to see Jesus, and they were wading through a press of people. Why was Jesus asking if someone had touched Him? A bunch of people were!

But Jesus said, “Someone touched Me, for I perceive that power has gone out from Me.” And when the woman saw that she was not hidden, she came trembling, and falling down before Him declared in the presence of all the people why she had touched Him, and how she had been immediately healed. And He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace.” (Luke 8:46-48 ESV)

When a woman had a flow of blood, she was considered unclean. According to Jewish law, women had to be sequestered during this time. Confessing that she had disobeyed this law could have brought condemnation upon her. The healed woman bravely gave her testimony, which are seeds that have been planted in the hearts of many.

Now we know that there are many ways to receive healing. One is through our faith, reaching out to Jesus, knowing that He will heal us. She had to take actions in agreement with her faith that were contrary to the traditions: faith without works (actions) is dead.

As the leader of the synagogue, Jairus was an important man. The interruption of their progress would lead to a time of testing for him.

While He was still speaking, someone from the ruler's house came and said, “Your daughter is dead; do not trouble the Teacher any more.” But Jesus on hearing this answered him, “Do not fear; only believe, and she will be well.” (Luke 8:49-50 ESV)

Fear is the opposite of faith. It is a weed sown by the enemy and will choke out our faith. Jairus could have let the cares and troubles of the world choke out the seeds of faith that had been planted, or he could continue in faith.

And when He came to the house, He allowed no one to enter with Him, except Peter and John and James, and the father and mother of the child. And all were weeping and mourning for her, but He said, “Do not weep, for she is not dead but sleeping.” (Luke 8:51-52 ESV)

Jesus only brought the disciples who were closest to Him, the ones with the greatest faith. The people in the household were mourning and declaring death. Jesus had to sow words of faith into that atmosphere to counteract what they were sowing.

And they laughed at Him, knowing that she was dead. But taking her by the hand he called, saying, “Child, arise.” And her spirit returned, and she got up at once. And He directed that something should be given her to eat. And her parents were amazed, but He charged them to tell no one what had happened. (Luke 8:53-56 ESV)

The Book of Mark tells us that Jesus kicked everyone out of the house that mocked Him. Only then, in the company of those who had the seed of faith, did Jesus bring the girl back to life. We must be careful what we are listening to and how much attention we give to it. Jesus spoke about this after interpreting the parable about the seeds for His disciples.

“No one after lighting a lamp covers it with a jar or puts it under a bed, but puts it on a stand, so that those who enter may see the light. For nothing is hidden that will not be made manifest, nor is anything secret that will not be known and come to light. Take care then how you hear, for to the one who has, more will be given, and from the one who has not, even what he thinks that he has will be taken away.” (Luke 8:16-18 ESV)

You shouldn’t keep it a secret if you have truly received something from God, whether it be deliverance, healing, or salvation. It should shine like a bright light in our lives, so that others can receive seeds of faith from it. For those who really have not received seeds, the truth of the emptiness will be shown in due time.

We need to examine what is being sown into our lives and take good care of good seeds by giving testimony and sharing it with others, meditating upon it, and asking the Holy Spirit for wisdom each step of the way. This will cause the seeds to grow and bear fruit. What happens with fruit? It produces more seeds!