Be Careful How You Hear Jesus' Words

In Luke chapter 8, Jesus tells the parable of the soils in order to help us know whether or not we truly belong to his kingdom. It tells us how the kingdom of God begins in the heart. The emphasis is on hearing (8:8,10,12,13,14,15,18, 21). The parable of the lamp (8:16-17), that follows the parable of the soils, introduces the element of seeing. Hearing and seeing correctly are imperative. Be careful of listening to Jesus with a hard heart. Be careful of listening to Jesus with a shallow heart. Be careful of listening to Jesus with a distracted heart. Be careful to listen to Jesus with an attentive heart. The three women in 8:2-3 are living illustrations of what happens when the seed finds good soil and sinners embrace the light. Jesus’ pronouncement that “those who hear the word of God and do it” are his mother and brothers (8:21) means that the women mentioned in 8:2-3 are now family members. Judas Iscariot, on the other hand (one of the Twelve mentioned in 8:1), refused to let the seed of the word bring forth life in his heart. He rejected the light. The kingdom of God comes by hearing, so be careful how you hear Jesus’ words.