Hold On for Dear Life!

Hold On for Dear Life!

Luke 8:1-21

-Generally, in dangerous situations, we look for something that is stable and to hold onto.

-For the believer in Jesus Christ, God has given a vital life-saving and life-sustaining device—His !

-The point Jesus is making in this passage: we NEED the Word of God in every facet of life and never stop needing to whole-heartedly lean upon It!

-Life itself is dependent upon our on to the truths of God’s Word.

-Jesus uses this parable of the different types of soils to bring us to a decision about our interaction with God’s Word.

-Jesus defines some terms (vv.10-15) to help us understand this parable:

-seed = the Word of God

-the sower = anyone who gives or preaches the Word of God

-the soil = of men and women

-the birds = Satan

-Let’s look at the 4 types of soil and examine our own hearts and answer the question, “What type of soil is my heart?” … “How can I be sure I’m holding onto God’s Words for dear life?”

1. The Wayside Soil (v.12)

-The hard soil is a person that has a closed mind to the Word of God and doesn’t even listen to it.

-Satan is well aware of hearts that are hard to the Word of God and he knows that as soon as the Word of God is given, he can come immediately and it away from them (like a bird!)!

II. Stony Ground (v.13)

-When hard times come, you really find out how this faith is! It crumbles and withers away when life heats up!

-What causes a heart to be stony? (some common causes)

A. Failure to Count the Cost

B. Desire to be

C. Double-Mindedness

III. Thorny Ground (v.14)

-This is the person that is so with life, they don’t have time for Christ.

-Word of God gets choked out by everything else going on in life.

-This passage gives us three reasons why we might have a thorny ground for a heart:

A. of Life

B. Pursuit of Riches

C. Personal Satisfaction

*A thorn is anything that Jesus out of your life!

IV. The Good Soil (v.15)

-This is the person who is to hear the Word of God.

-3 Things that are true about a heart that is ready for God’s Word:

A. Comprehensive Approach – honest and good heart

B. Concentrated – having heard the word

C. Concerted Anchoring – keep it

D. Application – bring forth fruit with patience

-Jesus closes out this section with a another illustration (vv. 16-18) and a reminder (vv. 19-21).

-Illustration: Just like a candle’s light is designed to be seen, so the light of God’s Word is designed to be shining on and through our lives and the lamp needs continual (continual internalizing of God’s Word).

-Reminder: being rightly related to God through what we see in His Words produces a thicker than human blood–a relationship w/ God Himself!

the Word of God is the most important area of the Christian life!