A Cultivated Heart

Drew Baptist Church, Wild Game Supper and Fellowship

Luke 8:4-15.

ETS: Jesus gave warning about the condition of one’s heart and their response to the Gospel.

ESS: We should cultivate a heart that welcomes the Gospel and lives the Gospel.

OSS: [Evangelistic] {I want the hearers to evaluate what kind of hearer they have been.} Cognitive: I want the hearers to know that it is important they respond to the Gospel by welcoming the Gospel with a heart cultivated for the Gospel. Affective: I want the hearers to feel the significance of the Gospel for their lives. Psycho-Motor: I want the hearers to commit to cultivating a heart where the Gospel can flourish and produce fruit.

PQ: What types of hearers/hearts are represented in the parable?

UW: Types

Intro.: [AGS]: [TS]: [RS]:

TS: Let us examine together a few types of hearers/hearts represented in the text, now:

NOTICE:

a. Many were gathered to hear Jesus; yet He spoke in form of parables- “…derived from a Greek word signifying to compare together, and denotes a similitude taken from a natural object to illustrate a spiritual or moral subject. It is a narrative of some fictitious or real event, in order to illustrate more clearly some truth that the speaker wished to communicate.” [1] Additionally, it is important to note that the word mysteries or secrets is not meant to refer to “incomprehensible things” but rather “concealed things” meant for the disciples first and then to the rest of the world. [Barnes]

b. Notice verse 11: The seed is the word of God.

The uncultivated, hardened heart. [vv. 5 and 12]

These are those that have no interest in the Gospel. Their hearts are not even open to entertaining the thought of it.

Perhaps informationally, they have head knowledge of the Gospel, but their hearts are not in a condition to hear the Gospel. It is uncultivated.

The uncultivated, rocky heart. [vv. 6 and 13]

These are those that have little interest in the Gospel. They hear the Gospel, but they do not allow it to take root in their hearts.

Perhaps, they entertain the Gospel, but they are still caught up with the flesh and the ways of the world in a way that hinders the Gospel to take root.

Yet again, the heart is uncultivated.

The cultivated, thorny heart. [vv. 7 and 14]

These are those that have interest in the Gospel. They hear the Gospel, and they have a cultivated heart that allows it take root. Yet, its roots are shallow.

Perhaps, though they allow the Gospel to come into their lives, when the difficulties of life are encountered, they take matters into their own hands, they become distracted, and they ultimately do not allow the Gospel to take root and mature them.

The heart is cultivated, but ultimately, they do not allow the Gospel to truly take hold and transform them. Little-to-no fruit is produced.

The cultivated, fertile heart. [vv. 8 and 15]

These are those that have cultivated their hearts to allow for the Gospel take deep root and flourish.

Perhaps these are those that truly welcome and surrender to the Gospel. The heart is cultivated, and fruit is produced.

CONCLUSION:

[1] What type of hearer are you? Have you spent time cultivating a heart that allows the Gospel to flourish, producing fruit, and bringing forth a bountiful harvest?

[2] If you have been any of the first three hearers, there are simple steps for you to take to cultivate a heart where the Gospel can flourish:

a. 1 Jn. 1:9.

b. Rom. 10:9-10.

c. 2 Chronicles 7:14.

Bibliography:

[1] Albert Barnes, Notes on the New Testament: Matthew & Mark, ed. Robert Frew (London: Blackie & Son, 1884–1885), 139.