Sermon Tone Analysis

Review

Has God's gracious dealing with you changed the way you treat people that others look down on and despise?

Jesus gives the parable and the explanation.

Luke 8:4–15 (KJV 1900)

4 And when much people were gathered together, and were come to him out of every city, he spake by a parable: 5 A sower went out to sow his seed: and as he sowed, some fell by the way side; and it was trodden down, and the fowls of the air devoured it.

6 And some fell upon a rock; and as soon as it was sprung up, it withered away, because it lacked moisture.

7 And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprang up with it, and choked it.

8 And other fell on good ground, and sprang up, and bare fruit an hundredfold.

And when he had said these things, he cried, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.

9 And his disciples asked him, saying, What might this parable be? 10 And he said, Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God: but to others in parables; that seeing they might not see, and hearing they might not understand.

11 Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. 12 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.

13 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.

14 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.

15 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

Why Parables?

Large crowds calls for a parable.

Mark 4:1-2 tell us that this crowd was so large that Jesus taught this from a boat.

Luke 8:4 (KJV 1900)

4 And when much people were gathered together, and were come to him out of every city, he spake by a parable:

This will be the norm moving forward

Parables are used often in Luke

Parable of the Two Debtors 7:41-43

Parable of the Sower 8:4-15

Parable of the Good Samaritan 10:25-37

Parable of the Rich Fool 12:13-21

Parable of the Mustard Seed 13:18-19

Parable of the Great Dinner 14:15-24

Parable of the Lost Sheep 15:1-7

Parable of the Lost coin 15:8-10

Parable of the Prodigal Son 15:11-32

Parable of the Dishonest Manager 16:1-9

Parable of the Widow and Unjust Judge 18:1-8

Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector 18:9-14

Parable of the Ten Pounds 19:11-27

Parable of the Wicked Tenants 20:9-19

Those without ears to hear

Luke 8:8 (KJV 1900)

8 And other fell on good ground, and sprang up, and bare fruit an hundredfold.

And when he had said these things, he cried, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.

Some will given to know mysteries but the rest will hear parables.

Luke 8:10 (KJV 1900)

10 And he said, Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God: but to others in parables; that seeing they might not see, and hearing they might not understand.

If you don’t understand the key to the parable, you don’t understand it at all.

We can imagine what different people in Jesus’ audience might have thought when He taught this parable with no explanation.

The farmer thought, “He’s telling me that I have to be more careful in the way I cast my seed.

I guess I have been wasting an awful lot.”

The politician thought, “He’s telling me that I need to begin a farm education program to help farmers more efficiently cast their seed.

This will be a big boost in my reelection campaign.”

The newspaper reporter thought, “He’s telling me that there is a big story here about the bird problem and how it affects the farming community.

That’s a great idea for a series in the paper.”

The salesman thought, “He’s encouraging me in my fertilizer sales.

Why, I could help that farmer more than he knows if he only used my product.”

But none of them could understand the spiritual meaning until Jesus explained the key to them:

Messianic Secret

Ever heard God used reverse psychology?

Mark 9:9 (KJV 1900)

9 And as they came down from the mountain, he charged them that they should tell no man what things they had seen, till the Son of man were risen from the dead.

Matthew 16:20 (KJV 1900)

20 Then charged he his disciples that they should tell no man that he was Jesus the Christ.

Mark 3:12 (KJV 1900)

12 And he straitly charged them that they should not make him known.

Mark 8:30 (KJV 1900)

30 And he charged them that they should tell no man of him.

Messianic Secret: The “Messianic Secret,” if rightly understood, is not Jesus’ attempt to keep people from knowing, believing in, and following Him ultimately.

Instead, it is the temporary means Jesus employed to accomplish redemption on Calvary so that all may be saved through faith in Him after His plan was fulfilled.

- Leighton Flowers

This is how Paul explains it

Jesus hid the fact he was the Messiah for the cause of the cross.

1 Corinthians 2:8–9 (KJV 1900)

8 Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.

9 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.

Jesus knew that they would make him king and this would mean no cross.

John 6:14–15 (KJV 1900)

14 Then those men, when they had seen the miracle that Jesus did, said, This is of a truth that prophet that should come into the world.

15 When Jesus therefore perceived that they would come and take him by force, to make him a king, he departed again into a mountain himself alone.

Mark 4:11–12 (KJV 1900)

11 And he said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables: 12 That seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest at any time they should be converted, and their sins should be forgiven them.

What was the purpose in this temporary blinding of the eyes.

John 12:39–40 (KJV 1900)

39 Therefore they could not believe, because that Esaias said again, 40 He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them.

For WHAT reason could they not believe?

Is it because they were rejected by their Maker before the world began?

Is it about their being born incapable of responding willingly to God’s own appeals for reconciliation by God’s unchangeable decree?

Of course not!

They are being temporarily blinded in their already calloused condition so as to accomplish redemption for the world.

What does the text tell us is the reason that Jesus used parables?

Differs from teaching that man was born with total inability.

These people were blinded for a temporary season for a purpose.

There hearts were hardened of people who had freely rebelled for a long time

God was acting solely out of a heart of mercy and a genuine desire for the reconciliation of every individual (Lk.

19:42)

Romans 11:11 (KJV 1900)

11 I say then, Have they stumbled that they should fall?

God forbid: but rather through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy.

In His divine wisdom, He knows that is best accomplished through cutting them off rather than enabling them in their rebellion.

Conclusion of the matter

Those who did not have “ears to hear” who were not aware that the Messiah would come would continue in their disobedience.

This would lead them to crucify Jesus which provides mercy and forgiveness of sin to all that believe.

Even them!

Romans 11:32 (KJV 1900)

32 For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all.