Luke 8:11-15 - The Parable Of The Sower - Deals With The Reception Of God's Word.

Luk8:11-15: The Parable Of The Sower - Deals With The Reception 
Of God's Word. 

That some of the seed produced no crop was not the fault of the 
faithful farmer or of the seed. The yield depended on the condition of 
the soil where the seed fell.... "Path" people, like many of the 
religious leaders, refused to believe God's message. "Rock" people, like 
many in the crowds who followed Jesus, believed his message but never 
got around to doing anything about it. "Thorn patch" people, 
overcome by worries and the lure of materialism, left no room in their 
lives for God. "Good soil" people, in contrast to all the other 
groups, followed Jesus no matter what the cost. Which type of soil are 
you? [Life Application SB] 

The fate of the word of God depends on the heart into which it 
is sown.  
(a) The hard path represents the shut mind, the mind which 
refuses to take it in.  
(b) The shallow ground represents those who accept the word but 
who never think it out and never realize its consequences and who 
therefore collapse when the strain comes.  
(c) The thorny ground stands for those whose lives are so busy 
that the things of God get crowded out. We must ever remember that 
the things which crowd out the highest need not necessarily be bad. 
The worst enemy of the best is the second best.  
(d) The good ground stands for the good heart. The good hearer 
does three things. First, he listens attentively. Second, he keeps 
what he hears in his mind and heart and thinks over it until he 
discovers its meaning for himself. Third, he acts upon it. He translates 
what he has heard into action. [Barclay Commentary] 

If you haven't discovered it already, the Christian life can be 
tough. Perhaps some of your friends don't like it that you've changed. 
Maybe God is talking to you about some areas of your life that need to 
change and you're finding that it's hard, even though you want to do 
it. Or maybe you thought becoming a Christian would solve all those 
other problems in your life - marriage issues, children problems, job 
frustrations - and you're discovering that those things are still the same.  
When Jesus gave this parable of the seed, he was talking about 
how sometimes new believers accept the message but then wither 
because of life's difficulties or fail to grow to maturity because of 
life's temptations. Jesus wants you to be like the good soil so that 
the seed of his Word can take root and grow. 
So what do you do when the going gets tough? Stay close to God. 
Read the Bible every day. Pray about the situations that arise. Seek 
to do what you know is right. As you "hang in there," you'll find 
that God's Word is taking root. As the roots go down deep, your faith 
will grow strong. [The One Year Bible for New Believers re Luke 
8:11-15] 

Luke 8:18 (CWB) You are held accountable for the good news you 
hear. Whoever shares with others what he's heard will be happy and 
will be entrusted with more, but the person who doesn't share what 
he's heard will actually lose what he has because it will slowly 
disappear from his own heart." 

Luke 8:18 (MSG)  So be careful that you don't become misers of 
what you hear. Generosity begets generosity. Stinginess 
impoverishes."  

Truth that is not understood and appropriated will be lost 
(19:26), but truth that is used will be multiplied. [NIV SB]