This entire chapter seems to be showing varying manners of reactions in the people who hear the Word of God.

• Everyone of you tonight will fall into one of the slots presented in this chapter.

• And it's not just the parable of the sower, sowing the seed of God's Word that speaks of this issue.

• Read on and see how everything here speaks a message about hearing the Word.

As a minister, we often wonder how many people truly appreciate the word that God gives to us to minister to them.

• Hours are spent.

• Determination to hear from God.

• Many ministries simply rehash old messages, that, although God certainly wants truths repeated for the sake of helping us get them into our hearts, are only the result of not seeking God for a word to give.

• But when a minister gives out the Word, has it been time int eh Word well spent and well invested, since those who hear it squeeze out every truth and APPLY IT to their lives?

Ultimately, ministers must do it as unto the Lord, even if nobody does hear and make use of it.

• But God wants everyone who hears the word to properly PRODUCE something as a result.

The four descriptions of people who hear the word are not given so that if we see we are like the thorny ground that is so preoccupied with cares of life and other things, that we just cannot produce a proper crop God wants, that we just say, "Oh well, that is where I fit in.  I guess God cannot expect much from me."

• No.

• It's shown to us because WE HAVE TO ENSURE WE ARE GOOD SOIL.

• Nobody is in such a state that they cannot cause themselves to BE GOOD GROUND THAT PRODUCES GOOD FRUIT.

• If you're stony ground, get the stones out.

• If you're shallow ground, then get some depth.

• If you've got spiritual A.D.D. and cannot sit still long enough top hear a good sermon, then get that A.D.D. dealt with!

We do not need saints who blame everything else and everyone else on THEIR LACK for producing fruit.

(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. 

Get some patience!

Patience is so important since we need it to sit and hear and REALLY TAKE WHAT IS PREACHED INTO OUR HEARTS.

But after Jesus spoke of the four kinds of ground, he said:

(16)  No man, when he hath lighted a candle, covereth it with a vessel, or putteth it under a bed; but setteth it on a candlestick, that they which enter in may see the light.  (17)  For nothing is secret, that shall not be made manifest; neither any thing hid, that shall not be known and come abroad. 

It's the same point repeated in another way and by another angle.

• The WORD IS LIKE a seed but also LIGHT.

• And God LIGHTS YOUR CANDLE when he gives you the word, as a ground receives  SEED.

• And the CANDLE MUST PRODUCE!

• He doesn't plant seed for thorns to choke the plant that it cannot grow fruit.

• And he doesn't light a candle for someone to COVER IT UP, so the light is not see IN THE PERSON WHO HEARD THE WORD.

• Letting the LIGHT SHINE is not covering up ANY RESULTS the WORD MIGHT ACCOMPLISH IN YOU.
  
  
  Then He says this:

• 
  

Luke 8:17 KJV  For nothing is secret, that shall not be made manifest; neither any thing hid, that shall not be known and come abroad.

He does not want HIS WORD TO HIDE IN YOU so that nobody sees any results.

• Like no fruit coming from a ground where a seed was planted.

• Or no LIGHT coming from a candle that has been lit but covered up.
  

HOW DO YOU HEAR THE WORD?

Notice all through the four examples of ground we read

v. 12:  they that hear

v. 13: when they hear

v. 14: when they have heard

v. 15: having heard.

TAKE HEED HOW YOU HEAR.

• In other words, be conscientious of WHAT IS IN YOUR LIFE TO EITHER INHIBIT OR PROSPER THE WORD WHEN IT IS GIVEN TO YOU.

• If you hear it while at the same time never got yourself into a place where you dropped cares of the world and the deceitfulness in your heart that stems from riches, or pleasures of life, then it is your fault that the word is sown and gets choked to hardly produce anything worth harvesting.

• It's our fault that we are not giving forth fruit.

• God did His part.

• The seed has all the ingredients in it, the matrix in it, to produce after it's own kind and manifest FRUIT.

• But our SOIL HAS TO DO OUR PART.

And as though he stressed it all over again, we read:

Luke 8:19-21 KJV  Then came to him his mother and his brethren, and could not come at him for the press.  (20)  And it was told him by certain which said, Thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to see thee.  (21)  And he answered and said unto them, My mother and my brethren are these which hear the word of God, and do it.

And here is where things go into story form, to teach us a lesson of what He SAID.

Luke 8:22 KJV  Now it came to pass on a certain day, that he went into a ship with his disciples: and he said unto them, Let us go over unto the other side of the lake. And they launched forth.

Jesus wanted to go over the other side of the lake.

• It was then he went to the Gadarenes where the demon possessed man dwelt in tombs.

SITUATION NUMBER 1:

Suddenly a storm rises up.

Luke 8:23-25 KJV  But as they sailed he fell asleep: and there came down a storm of wind on the lake; and they were filled with water, and were in jeopardy.  (24)  And they came to him, and awoke him, saying, Master, master, we perish. Then he arose, and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water: and they ceased, and there was a calm.  (25)  And he said unto them, Where is your faith? And they being afraid wondered, saying one to another, What manner of man is this! for he commandeth even the winds and water, and they obey him.

Jesus questions their FAITH.

• We already see that THE WORD PREACHED was not affecting the disciples as it should.

• Saith comes from hearing and hearing by the word of God.
  

Rom 10:17 KJV  So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

He questioned their faith because He preached enough to them by then that they should not have reacted the way they did when the storm arose.

• This is a lesson to us.

• We can hear great truths of faith, but when a situation comes in life where we're not sitting on the pews shouting "Hallelujah" to a note about God's ability to help you in your storms, we lost our shout and faith and fear and dread.

• We should have this word in us so much so that when a situation arises, we SHOUT HALLELUJAH as much as we did in church when the preacher said God can give us miracles!

• We shout hallelujah in sermons about hardships and how God can help us, but not in hard situations where God can help us!

• We should be able to say, "Praise God, this is ripe opportunity for a miracle, and I am going to get a miracle because I BELIEVE GOD IS WITH ME and when I CLAIM HELP in His name, I will get it!"

• But we don't, because when we hear the WORD, we might have shouted, but we DID NOT ADEQUATELY RECEIVE IT and let it root itself in us, due to some sort of lack as in the first three examples of the SOWER PARABLE.
  

They were AFRAID.

• You are going to see FEAR throughout this chapter as we continue.

• Because fear is the sum product in us that exists when we DID NOT ADEQUATELY GET THE WORD IN US WHEN WE HEARD IT.

It is so important HOW YOU HEAR THE WORD.

• What state your mind is in when you hear it.

• Because the way it gets into it when you first hear it, determines whether you will cry out in doubt and fear when you NEED TO USE IT!

• If you HEARD IT while you were totally dedicated to really progressing in God and PRAYING for whatever God wants you to know, to give it to you, that word entered properly and was able to root itself and was free and clear to rise up and produce strong FRUIT, so that when trouble comes you DID NOT CRY IN FEAR.

THIS MOMENT RIGHT NOW IS SO IMPORTANT IN REGARDS TO THE STATE OF YOUR HEART AS YOU HEAR THIS WORD.

• Your STATE RIGHT NOW, while you hear, will determine if this word will be able to produce fruit when you are going to need it!

• The hours and days ahead from now, after you heard it, will also determine what the word will be able to do.

• For if you are infatuated with progressing today, and have cleared your heart to proper status to really receive it and conducive status to produce fruit, tomorrow might allow something to take your heart away from God and into sin.
  

SEEDS TAKE TIME to grow.

• If a thorn is not in your heart now, between the time the Seed of the Truth is planted and produces fruit, a seed of a thorn can be planted, and still mess you up.

PATIENCE.

And as if to teach a lesson on what he just SAID, we read of a series of events.

So he goes over and sees the demoniac run to him and worship, begging Jesus to not torment him.

• And we learn the reason why they begged him like this.

• He commanded the devil to come out.

• When the devils are cast out, they enter into 2000 pigs and the pigs cannot take it, as the man took it for a long time, and run over a cliff into the water and drown.
  

Now, Jesus just lit a candle!

• Jesus just planted a seed!

• THAT MIRACLE of deliverances was a SEED from God and LIGHT on a candle to PRODUCE FRUIT.
  
  Luke 8:34-37 KJV  When they that fed them saw what was done, they fled, and went and told it in the city and in the country.  (35)  Then they went out to see what was done; and came to Jesus, and found the man, out of whom the devils were departed, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed, and in his right mind: and they were afraid.  (36)  They also which saw it told them by what means he that was possessed of the devils was healed.  (37)  Then the whole multitude of the country of the Gadarenes round about besought him to depart from them; for they were taken with great fear: and he went up into the ship, and returned back again.

And, although WORD WAS SPREAD, and people told it, THE GADARENES COVERED IT UP so it could not produce FRUIT.

Jesus is the WORD MADE FLESH.

• So when He did something in flesh, it was like the WORK THE WORD DOES IN OUR LIVES.

And we cannot cover it up!

This corresponds to:

Luke 8:12    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.

Jesus then dealt with the idea of his work doing something for you and you keeping it to yourself.

Luke 8:38-39    Now the man out of whom the devils were departed besought him that he might be with him: but Jesus sent him away, saying,  (39)  Return to thine own house, and show how great things God hath done unto thee. And he went his way, and published throughout the whole city how great things Jesus had done unto him.

As if Jesus said, "DO NOT FOLLOW ME AND KEEP THIS TO YOURSELF, WHEN I WANT YOU TO SHINE THIS LIGHT FROM YOUR LIFE."

• TELL OTHERS!

• SPREAD THE WORD!

So he goes back to Capernaum.

SITUATION NUMBER 2.

Luke 8:40    And it came to pass, that, when Jesus was returned, the people gladly received him: for they were all waiting for him.

Mar 4:16    And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground; who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness;

There is a problem here.

• He is the WORD and they GLADLY RECEIVED HIM.

Luke 8:13    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.

Luke 8:41-42    And, behold, there came a man named Jairus, and he was a ruler of the synagogue: and he fell down at Jesus' feet, and besought him that he would come into his house:  (42)  For he had one only daughter, about twelve years of age, and she lay a dying. But as he went the people thronged him.

They gladly receive Him, and Jairus believes God for his daughter's healing.

• 12 years old, his only daughter, and GLADLY RECEIVES JESUS.

When you pick up the story later, we read:

Luke 8:49-56    While he yet spake, there cometh one from the ruler of the synagogue's house, saying to him, Thy daughter is dead; trouble not the Master.  (50)  But when Jesus heard it, he answered him, saying, Fear not: believe only, and she shall be made whole.  (51)  And when he came into the house, he suffered no man to go in, save Peter, and James, and John, and the father and the mother of the maiden.  (52)  And all wept, and bewailed her: but he said, Weep not; she is not dead, but sleepeth.  (53)  And they laughed him to scorn, knowing that she was dead.  (54)  And he put them all out, and took her by the hand, and called, saying, Maid, arise.  (55)  And her spirit came again, and she arose straightway: and he commanded to give her meat.  (56)  And her parents were astonished: but he charged them that they should tell no man what was done.

She dies.

THEY FEARED.

(50)  But when Jesus heard it, he answered him, saying, Fear not: believe only, and she shall be made whole.

THE BELIEVERS BELIEVE FOR SOME THINGS, but not all.

• Her death causes them to lose all faith.

• TEMPTATION arose in the form of her death... temptation to believe Christ cannot do that much.

But Jesus can raise the dead as much as heal the sick!

But he tells them to tell no one.

• On the one hand, he wants the light to shine and the fruit to be produced from the word.

• But on the other hand people can be on another extreme, and simply cause sensationalism over the Word.

• Sensationalism is when something is SHALLOW, received with JOY (sensations), and the word has not really rooted in the life to cause serious consideration of it, to count the cost, and to really dedicate oneself to this faith.

• Jairus' situation parallels this.

• Jesus doesn't want another flash-in-the-pan faith that gladly receives the Word and then fizzles out when a temptation comes.

• So he tells Jairus to not publish this.

• HE KNEW IT WOULD SENSATIONALIZE THE WHOLE THING, and HE DID NOT WANT HIMSELF VAINLY UPLIFTED.

• He would not do miracles so PEOPLE COULD FEED ANY VANITY that his flesh was tempted with.

• Sensationalistic preachers are vain and want glory themselves.
  

When you love sensationalism, the first temptation you come across after getting into the church over love for miracles will destroy your faith!

He told us to do the same:

Mat 6:1-4    Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven.  (2)  Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.  (3)  But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth:  (4)  That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly.

Not to be seen of men BUT TO GLORIFY GOD.

SITUATION NUMBER 3:

This next situation was BEST so far.

Luke 8:43-48    And a woman having an issue of blood twelve years, which had spent all her living upon physicians, neither could be healed of any,  (44)  Came behind him, and touched the border of his garment: and immediately her issue of blood staunched.  (45)  And Jesus said, Who touched me? When all denied, Peter and they that were with him said, Master, the multitude throng thee and press thee, and sayest thou, Who touched me?  (46)  And Jesus said, Somebody hath touched me: for I perceive that virtue is gone out of me.  (47)  And when the woman saw that she was not hid, she came trembling, and falling down before him, she declared unto him before all the people for what cause she had touched him, and how she was healed immediately.  (48)  And he said unto her, Daughter, be of good comfort: thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace.

She had FAITH.

• She had a WORD that produced FAITH in her heart, so much so that she said to herself she need only touch his garment and she'd be healed.

• She did not doubt her healing as Jairus did.

• BUT SHE STILL HAD A PROBLEM.

• SHE WAS HIDING HER LIGHT.
  

(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.

(46)  And Jesus said, Somebody hath touched me: for I perceive that virtue is gone out of me.  (47)  And when the woman saw that she was not hid, she came trembling, and falling down before him, she declared unto him before all the people for what cause she had touched him, and how she was healed immediately. 

SHE TRIED TO HIDE what happened.

• She tired to HIDE THE LIGHT.

(16)  No man, when he hath lighted a candle, covereth it with a vessel, or putteth it under a bed; but setteth it on a candlestick, that they which enter in may see the light.  (17)  For nothing is secret, that shall not be made manifest; neither any thing hid, that shall not be known and come abroad. 

She trembled since she was not hid.

• And her trembling and fear were things that hindered the light from shining,

• She is the third ground.

• She had enough reception to produce a plant, but the FRUIT CANNOT GROW TO PERFECTION.

• She was healed, BUT SHE FELT SHE HAD TO HIDE IT.

• The first two showed lack of fruit.

• But she had fruit.

• AND SHE FEARED BECAUSE SHE FELT SHE WAS IMPOSING UPON JESUS.
  

Recall that the Gadarenes feared.

The disciples in the boat feared.

Jairus FEARED when the news of her death came.

FEAR IS SOMETHING THAT KILLS FAITH.

• Prevents the fruit from coming forth.

• The woman had faith but not perfect faith because she FEARED.

• She misunderstood something about Jesus.

• She felt she was troubling Jesus.
  

When news of the daughter's death came, there was also indication people thought they were troubling Jesus.

Luke 8:49-56    While he yet spake, there cometh one from the ruler of the synagogue's house, saying to him, Thy daughter is dead; trouble not the Master. 

The woman felt she was imposing on Jesus, and thereby LACKED PROPER UNDERSTANDING OF HIM THAT WOULD ALLOW HER LIGHT TO SHINE.

• She feared.

• She felt she imposed on Him.

• And she hid.

He that lights a candle want see to come in AND SEE IT.

As if to say DO NOT FEAR LIKE THAT, YOU DID NOT TROUBLE ME....

Luke 8:48    And he said unto her, Daughter, be of good comfort: thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace.

GO IN PEACE!

IT DOES NOT TROUBLE JESUS.

• It does not impose upon Him.

The preacher cannot make you into good earth.

• You have to deal with your own soil.

The daughter was twelve years old.

• The woman had the issue of blood the same twelve years.

• The year her issue started, Jarius' daughter was born.

• Neither of them wanted to lose these things!

• And both of them came to a place where they were beyond man's help.

• The woman already spent all she had and just got worse.

• She could not get more help.

• Jairus' daughter died.
  

The man of Gadara was BEYOND WHAT MEN COULD DO AS WELL.

Mar 5:3-4    Who had his dwelling among the tombs; and no man could bind him, no, not with chains:  (4)  Because that he had been often bound with fetters and chains, and the chains had been plucked asunder by him, and the fetters broken in pieces: neither could any man tame him.

BUT JESUS CAN GO BEYOND WHAT MAN CAN DO.

TWELVE comes up again the FOURTH instance:

Luke 9:1    Then he called his twelve disciples together, and gave them power and authority over all devils, and to cure diseases.

SITUATION NUMBER 4: GOOD GROUND:

Luke 8:15    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.

Luke 9:1-7    Then he called his twelve disciples together, and gave them power and authority over all devils, and to cure diseases.  (2)  And he sent them to preach the kingdom of God, and to heal the sick.  (3)  And he said unto them, Take nothing for your journey, neither staves, nor scrip, neither bread, neither money; neither have two coats apiece. 

Recall the third ground wherein deceitfulness of riches, cares of life and pleasures of life hindered the fruit.

(SCRIP is a small satchel or purse for carrying provisions.)

• Before you go, be free of the things fleshly believers see hinder them.

Mar 6:8    And commanded them that they should take nothing for their journey, save a staff only; no scrip, no bread, no money in their purse;

Mar 6:9    But be shod with sandals; and not put on two coats.

Scrip... purse.

Money... riches

bread.. pleasures of life.

No STAVES (plural), JUST STAFF (singular)

Not two coats, but one.

THAT TAKES FAITH!

• God told them not to worry about their wellbeing.

• He would take care of them.

• People would help them and feed them, etc.

• AND THEY WENT!

• AND THEY PRODUCED FULL FRUIT!
  

THAT means they counted the cost before they went out showing they would bring forth fruit IN PATIENCE.

• Their faith was manifested int hat they went after being told all these things that would cause doubters to forget about it before they even started.

Seems to parallel the very three things that hinder the thorny ground from TRULY producing mature fruit.

(4)  And whatsoever house ye enter into, there abide, and thence depart.  (5)  And whosoever will not receive you, when ye go out of that city, shake off the very dust from your feet for a testimony against them.  (6)  And they departed, and went through the towns, preaching the gospel, and healing everywhere.  (7)  Now Herod the tetrarch heard of all that was done by him: and he was perplexed, because that it was said of some, that John was risen from the dead;

They performed wonders and HEROD HEARD OF ALL THAT WAS DONE.

Luke 9:8-9    And of some, that Elijah had appeared; and of others, that one of the old prophets was risen again.  (9)  And Herod said, John have I beheaded: but who is this, of whom I hear such things? And he desired to see him.

He thought it was God's work of raising GODLY JOHN.

• Or GODLY ELIJAH returned!

They took people who were associated with GENUINE GODLINESS, and had THAT impression of Jesus.

• Not some sensationalistic clown or flash-preacher that was a joke.

• SERIOUS GENUINE MIRACULOUS EVENTS!
  

Do not allow circumstances to dictate to you what God's Word stands for.

• If God gave you a word, LET IT PRODUCE.

• If the word did a work in your life DO NOT HIDE IT.

• LET IT OUT!
  

Youth ministry:

• Growing pains.

• Some do not understand your burden, and although they mean well and do not want to hinder, you can be discouraged from what you set your heart to do.

• DON'T LET ANYONE OR ANYTHING DISCOURAGE THE WORK OF THE WORD IN PRODUCING FRUIT IN A MINISTRY THROUGH YOU.

HOW ARE YOU HEARING THIS WORD TONIGHT?

God sent me here, and situations can discourage me.

• But God still sent me here knowing those situations would arise.

• That did not change His will for me.

• Do not let discouraging situations ruin the work GOD'S WORD INTENDS TO PRODUCE IN YOU.

• Situations change, BUT GOD'S WILL DID NOT.

• GOD WOULD NOT CALL YOU SOMEWHERE IF the situations he knew would arise would ruin your chance at doing His will.

• HE CALLED YOU KNOWING THOSE THINGS WOULD COME, AND EXPECTED YOU TO GO THROUGH THEM without allowing them to hinder you.
  

Is there something in your heart now that might hinder His word from properly working in  you, so that as soon as a bad situation arises you whither away?

IT IS UP TO YOU.

HOW ARE YOU HEARING THIS WORD?