Make a good heart.

[Online Message]

Luke 8:9~15

Make a good heart.

 

[NIV]

9  His disciples asked him what this parable meant.

10  He said, The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of God has been given to you,

but to others I speak in parables, so that, though seeing, they may not see;

though hearing, they may not understand.

11  This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is the word of God.

12  Those along the path are the ones who hear, and then the devil comes

and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved.

13  Those on the rocky ground are the ones who receive the word with joy when they hear it,

but they have no root. They believe for a while, but in the time of testing they fall away.

14  The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way

they are choked by life’s worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature.

15  But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart,

who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop.

 

[MESSAGE]

Our Lord told to his disciples, “Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness.”(Matthew 6:33)

All we believers who follow the Lord Jesus Christ have to expand the kingdom of God in us

and in our lives.

 

In today’s text, the Lord taught his disciples the mysteries of the kingdom of God.

The Lord explained the mysteries of the kingdom of God using a parable of four kinds of soil.

So the kingdom of God is no longer mysteries to us now.

Therefore we can accept this parable as the principle of the process of the kingdom of God.

 

The parable in the text is that the seed fell into on good soil grow well and bear fruit.

Therefore, making a good mind is the principle of the process of the kingdom of God.

The seed fell on the road indicates to the mind dominated by devil.

And the seed fell on the rocky soil is like a weak mind,

in time of temptation or hardship fall away.

 

The Lord, thirdly, explained the parable of the seed fell under the thorns.

This parable refers to the people who have the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes

and the boastful pride of life.(1 John 2:16)

Most people belong to here.

Many believers are stuck in the thorns and remain in a state of immaturity.

 

In today’s text, our Lord Jesus gives us an important message.

The fact is that only mature believers can expand the kingdom of God.

For those with honest and good hearts, the word of God grows well in them.

Believers with honest and good hearts can become spiritually mature.

Therefore, we need to train ourselves to make a good heart.

 

In here, the word “honest”(καλος) means “morally flawless.”

And the word “good”(αγαθος) means “morally perfect.”

In God’s sight, good is really good.

We should become mature believers with good hearts in God’s sight.

 

In Luke chapter 8 and verse 8, “The seed fell into the good soil, and grew up,

and produced a crop a hundred times as great.”

Jesus said, “I am gentle and humble in heart” so “take my yoke upon you

and learn from me.”(Matthew 11:29)

And apostle Paul said, “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus.”

(Philippians 2:5)

If we are filled with the mind of Christ, our lives will be abundant fruitful.