Not everyone will ‘get’ this.

And please believe me when I tell you that I don’t say this, where I see myself as being in a place of possessing great wisdom, intellect, or ‘spiritual enlightenment’. It’s just how I have come to understand the fact that much of God’s truth, truth that brings genuine freedom and transformation...is ‘buried’ in His word. And we don’t find or discover it on our own. He has to ‘reveal’ it to us. I can’t tell you either, why God chose to operate this way; so you’ll have to ask Him why if that is a point of contention for you.(Acts 15:8; 16:14)

There is a familiar story recorded in three of the four gospels, known as the ‘Parable of the Sower’ (Matt. 13; Mark 4; Luke 8) Great multitudes or crowds had begun to gather around Jesus as His fame was spreading, primarily because of all the miracles of healing and deliverance He had been performing, along with some ‘new’ and profound teachings (Mark 2:12). And on this particular day, the crowds were so large as they pressed in, that Jesus got into a small boat and pushed out on the water just a bit so He could address the people who had come to hear Him.

Jesus did not begin His lesson by declaring what I opened up with today, but I can almost hear Him saying, or at least thinking to Himself...”Most of you here today will not ‘get this’... what I’m about to share with you.” Then, He launches off into telling this story about a man who went out to sow some seed, and how the seed landed on various types of soil, and what happened to those seeds. Some never took root and were eaten by birds that flew in; some sprang up but had no depth and withered away. There was some plants that looked as if they might bear fruit, but never did as they got entangled with some thorny bushes of sort; but there was some seed that fell on ‘good ground’ and produced an abundance of fruit. (Matt. 13:8)

Then, He wraps up that story with this statement: “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.” (Luke 8:5). That was it.

Imagine being in the crowd that day, and listening to the responses among the people, some who probably had traveled a great distance to come and hear Him.

“That’s it? We came all the way to hear a lesson on gardening?” If there had been an admission charged to attend, I bet some would want their money back. Others, were probably delighted to hear such a short message...now they could get back home and watch the game, or tend to some chores they really wanted to finish; then grab a bite to eat before getting a nap in for the afternoon. Talk about something being anti-climactic!

But then we read in Matt. 13:10: ‘And the disciples came to Him’... and asked Jesus about the parable. Would you please take a moment and read John 5:39-40 and give some thought as to what it really means to ‘come to Jesus’, because this is the true mark of a ‘disciple’. And they came to Jesus inquiring ...what was the meaning of this parable He had just shared (Luke 8:9)?

Please take your time with this next part, as it is very important that you ‘see this’. You can read all three accounts in: Matt. 13:11-16; Mark 4:10-12; Luke 8:9-10. Summarizing here for you now: Jesus tells them, alone in private, that the ‘mysteries of the kingdom’ were not intended to be understood by the masses, but to those who had come to Jesus, His disciples. These ‘mysteries’ or ‘hidden truths’ were specifically designed to be seen and heard ...only by those who had come to Jesus with all their hearts.

Friends...the story of the rich young ruler who initially came to Jesus in Matt. 19...was he ready to surrender his ‘whole heart’ to Jesus? Or was there something in it that Jesus pointed out to him...that he was unwilling to surrender, or give up so that he could wholly follow Jesus along with the other disciples? You probably remember how that played out (16-22).

If you have ever wondered why the Bible can seem to be such a ‘closed book’ to you... you might have the reason being spelled out for you right here, at this very moment.

So now back to the parable of the sower, where we have Jesus alone with those who have truly ‘come to Him’; and what does Jesus do? He begins to ‘explain’ or to ‘reveal’...the 'hidden' message. It really is fascinating to see the ‘light come on’ as He makes it so clear to them what the message was about. We read how the ‘seed’ was the ‘word of God’. Then those four different ‘soil types’ were a picture of men’s hearts and how they tend to receive the word of God, and what follows over time. But let’s zero in on that first soil, or ‘heart’ type that seems to have been trampled down, like a hard path, maybe.

You can go back and read all three gospel accounts but basically, Jesus likened this hardened ground to people who ‘hear the word, but don’t understand it’. Then, we are told that ‘Satan comes immediately to take away the word of God out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved’ (Mark 4:15; Luke 8:12).

Isn’t it noteworthy, that Jesus draws this parallel or connection...with the ‘birds of the air’...and the devil? No need to get sidetracked now with what really is an interesting study on that subject alone,(‘birds of the air’) but you might jot down and look up Rev. 18:2-3; Luke 17:36-37; Deut. 28:26; Ps. 79:2 & Ezek. 39:17, just to start with.

Now look up Luke 10:17-24 and read that passage. What is the subject matter it opens up with? Jesus talking to those 70 disciples about ‘demons’, the ‘power’ they possess, and the ‘authority’ He has given to them to overcome them. And please underline that word in vs.21 where we learn that these things, or truths’ are hidden to one group of people and how the Father has ‘revealed’ them to babes. That word ‘reveals’ means to ‘uncover’ or ‘take the lid off’. Why not pray and ask the Lord to begin doing this for you...if there is anything here for you to learn; then meet me back here tomorrow, Lord willing.