Luke 8:11-15

Luke 8:11 (KJB)
Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God.

Now Jesus begins to expound the parable. Luke’s account of this parable emphasizes the seed and the sower. Of course, the Lord interprets and tells us that the seed is the word of God and the sower is anyone who spreads the word of God. When the word of God is preached, whether it bears fruit by someone becoming saved depends on the type of ground it falls on. The good ground are the Elect of God who will hear the word because God will qualify them to hear it.

Luke 8:12 (KJB)
Those by the way side are they that hear; then cometh the devil, and taketh away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved.

The wayside was a pathway which was so hard that it was like tempered brick and when the seeds fell on it, the hardness disallowed the seeds from penetrating it. It is akin to the person that hears the Gospel and because their hearts are so hardened, when they hear the Gospel it does not penetrate their heart but instead Satan steals away what has been sown because it did not penetrate. You can see this kind of person sitting in church who is more concerned with making out tomorrow’s works schedule than their own soul or someone who falls asleep in church because they are bored being there. The Gospel does not penetrate these people because they are hardened. Many world religious leaders are like that as they become more and more steeped in their false religions and become more hardened to the true Gospel every day.

Luke 8:13 (KJB)
They on the rock are they, which, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away.

The stony or rock places where the soil looked the same topically but underneath a plate of stone prevented the plant from growing strong, instead it would wither in certain weather conditions. This type of person hears the Gospel and then receives it with much joy. They may be at some type of church where there is tongue speaking or promises of health and wealth and they hear that message and joyfully accept it. They may be in a regular church and hear the Gospel message and receive it with much joy. (Heb 6:4 KJV) For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, Just liken the person in Hebrews 6 who is a partaker of the Holy Spirit and tasted of the heavenly gift. They may be in a church where they sing the old hymns and hear the word of God being preached and for those few moments are partaking of the kingdom of God with the saved. Yet, they remain unsaved and attempt to be like the Christians in the church and have a feeling of spiritual euphoria which they think is salvation.

Luke 8:14 (KJB)
And that which fell among thorns are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection.

This person hears the word of God but just as the thorns and briers which were present in the field that took nourishment away from the good plants, the cares of this world does the same to those who hear the Gospel and allows them to rule. This person may or may not be saved and is attempting to serve two masters. One cannot do that, you cannot serve Christ and the world because if you truly are saved, then the cares of this world will definitely choke out and overtake whatever Gospel they have. When a person is choking it is because something is caught in their throat, they are gasping for air to live. When a Christian is being choked by the cares of this world, then their spiritual lives are being choked and if the cares of the world and the riches continue to impinge upon the Christian, then their spiritual lives will become unfruitful for the Kingdom of God. There are many who become saved that still want to hang on to the world because they have a love for the world and for the materials they can gather to themselves. This creates a choking of the word, that is, they are unable to live their Christian lives because everything they do is overshadowed by their desire for more wealth and how to keep it. A double minded Christian is of no or little value to the Kingdom of God, simply because they run their Christian life so it does not interfere with their worldly life instead of the other way around.

Luke 8:15 (KJB)
But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience.

Then Jesus finally comes to the sown seeds that fell on good ground. The good ground are those who have been qualified to hear the Gospel and understand it. It is these people who are sold out to the Lord and desire to send forth the Gospel unto the ends of the earth and in the fulfillment of that task, they will reap the great harvest. Notice that the verse states that they have an honest and good heart. This can only apply to the Elect, those whom God has qualified to hear the Gospel. Matthew 13:23 speaks about the Elect having a harvest of 30, 60 and even 100 fold. Notice that the verse states that they bring forth fruit with patience. Not every evangelistic attempt will yield much fruit. A few here and a few there and that is why we are to be patient when we bring the Gospel because we do not know who the Elect are. God knows who they are and since it is a remnant, it will not be a large number. Our responsibility is to be faithful and bring the word and the Lord will do the rest.

Back