May it please Almighty God to bless us together this morning as we meditate in His Holy Word. Let's turn to the Gospel of Luke, chapter 8, and we'll read verse 8. The Gospel of Luke, chapter 8, and reading verse 8. and other fell on good ground, and sprang up, and bare fruit, and hundredfold. And when he had said these things, he cried, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.

I'm sure most of you know that this account is referred to as the Parable of the Sower. It's actually recorded in three Gospels, in Matthew, Mark and Luke, all with some small amounts of variation. But nonetheless the essence is very clear and very relevant. And as this parable is concluded, these words are very important for all of us, as the Lord says, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.

Now all of us here today, all of us, young people as well, we've all got ears, haven't we? We can all hear, thankfully. We don't really have any badly deaf people amongst us, have some perhaps of hard of hearing, but everybody can hear what is said. And Jesus here, as he was speaking to the multitude, he spoke these words, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear. The accountant Mark, also commences with that very clear word, hearken. So we have a beginning to hearken, we have an end. He that is to hear, let him hear.

Well, it's very important that all of us recognise such great truths which are set before us very simply in this parable, and as it's recorded in the other Gospels. And it teaches us how we should hear, how we should hear. And the disciples asked Jesus, what might this parable be? Well, the truth is that, of course, as we read here in this account, the seed which the sower sowed in this particular reference was of course grain which fell into the ground but the significance was it points us to the Bible it points us to the Word of God and what that means is when you and I hear the Bible read we are to listen to what it says and we're not to think it's something which is irrelevant. Many people do.

But the great blessing is that God has given us his word, the Bible, to read. And the Bible tells us everything that you and I need for this life and everything that you and I need for our eternal life. So it's a great and wonderful blessing. And I think also, and you young people should really appreciate this, we have the Bible in our own language. All of us who can read can read it. And yet there are billions of people in the world who do not have a Bible and do not read it. And so we should recognize how wonderfully blessed we are to have the Bible to read.

Jesus in this parable he speaks about this seed being sown and he uses it naturally and we can use it spiritually as the Word of God and it falls into four types of ground and that really means it comes to four types of people four types of people and they are described And perhaps the description suits you and me in one of the cases. Three of the cases were not good at all. And it was only the last case, which we read to you, which was a good case because we're told it fell on good ground. And on the good ground, it sprang up and it bear fruit. and that is very important in your life and my life, to be amongst those who bear spiritual fruit.

Because our life on this earth is not to go around pleasing ourself. Our life on this earth is for the honour and glory of God. And if we are therefore to show forth the blessings of God It is from the fruit that we shall receive from hearing the Gospel preached. Hearing the Word of God preached. Now remember there's four types. And four types that you and I can fall into. But you and I want to fall into the last type. And Jesus describes the other three types and it's good just to run through them and to see whether perhaps we're one of the other types. And if we are to pray to God that we may be changed and that we may not be amongst the other types.

And so Jesus starts and he says, a sower, the sower of course is really the preacher, the minister. The sower went forth to sow his seed. And as he sowed, some fell by the wayside. And he says, and it was trodden down, and the fowls of the air devoured it. So that didn't do much good, did it? There it was, by the wayside, trodden down. And that means, in your life and my life perhaps, that the word of God, that the Bible may be preached, to us, and what do we do? We don't want it. We tread it down. We try to get rid of it. We tread it underfoot. We don't want to listen. We don't want to understand. Well, that's a very sad position, isn't it? But how true it is. Today, most people do not want to hear the Word of God. do not want to hear the gospel and therefore effectively it's trodden down they just want to get rid of it and the result was here the fowls of the air devoured it well it was taken away it was disappeared it was sown but it didn't do any good well this morning as we have a position like that as you and I here the Gospel preached, the Bible spoken of. What do we do? Do we just trot on it? Tread on it? And say, well, I don't want to listen to that. And I don't know, perhaps even now you may have turned off and you may not be listening. You may be thinking about the things you did yesterday, but the things you're going to do tomorrow.

what does that mean? that means really you fall into a category like this where the Word of God is trodden down and we should not forget and I hope you won't forget that you and I are wonderfully blessed today to come together to worship God come together to hear the Word of God read come together to hear the Word of God preached. That means the Word of God is explained and there's some natural understanding. And what a blessing it is if the Holy Spirit comes and opens our eyes to hear, our spiritual eyes. We're told here, he that hath ears to hear, let him hear. Well, we have natural hearing and we have spiritual hearing. And what a blessing if God gives you and me an ear to hear God's word and to retain what God's word says.

And so the first example Jesus gives of this sower, sowing this seed, falls by the wayside, trodden down, and fowls in the air devoured it. No good at all, was it? What a waste that was. And how often it is, as the gospel is preached, how often it's wasted. People don't listen. People don't want to listen. They don't hear what God says. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear. And yet, these things are so important. important because they concern the life of our soul because you and I have a natural life as I often told you we have a natural life and we have a spiritual life and we understand our natural life but we want to have a spiritual life we want to have the evidence that God is speaking to us and he speaks to us through his word he speaks to us through the Bible

Well, then Jesus goes on to the second case and he says, and some fell upon a rock and as soon as it was sprung up, it withered away because it lacked moisture. Well, I'm sure we can understand that, can't we? If you put some seed out on a rock, a lump of concrete or something, there's no earth and if there's no moisture, no rain, what's gonna happen? when it's going to just shrivel up, isn't it? Shrivel up. How sad it is.

Well, coming just back to the previous illustration that the Lord Jesus gives, because He speaks about that as well. And He says, those by the wayside, are they that hear, then cometh the devil, and taketh away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved.

So you think of that, how many times, if you and I are honest and truthful, we may come and we may hear the gospel preached, we may read the word of God, but very quickly we forget what we've heard. we forget what we've read and what happens is the devil who is always trying to take good things away from our memory so that we don't remember them sometimes perhaps it's good if you sit and listen to a sermon preached you come to the end and you go outside the chapel and someone might ask you well What did you think of the sermon this morning? And you can't remember what was spoken. You can't remember anything about it because you wasted your time. You didn't actually listen.

Well, that's why Jesus gives us this very important example that we should recognize the relevance of it. The devil comes. He's very active. He doesn't want you and me to retain the truth of the Gospel. He doesn't want us to. That's why sometimes it's very useful to make notes as we go along, to write down some of the salient points so that we can then meditate upon them. Because the reason is, as you and I come to hear the Word of God, It's good to meditate upon those things that we have heard, which are then profitable for our souls.

Well then, you see the Lord says then, some fell upon a rock and it sprung up and withered away because it lacked moisture. Sad, isn't it? In that situation. And then the Lord says, they on the rock, are they which when they hear, receive the word with joy and these have no root which for a while believe and in time of temptation they fall away what does that mean? that means that you and I perhaps can hear the preaching we think oh that was a good point that was worth listening to and then you go away and you lose it you forget what was spoken, it just disappears away. And what you find is that which was perhaps profitable, the devil takes away.

They which are on a rock, when they hear, they receive the word with joy, and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away.

Well, that means, of course, that every plant, as I'm sure we all know, needs a root. If a plant doesn't have a root, it can't gain any goodness from the soil, and it very quickly shrivels up and dies.

And that is the same in our spiritual life. that means if you and I don't have a root that means something which God has given us which goes down into seeking spiritual knowledge seeking spiritual understanding then we just lose it that which we've had because it suddenly becomes irrelevant and when other things come into our mind into our hearts we forget we don't retain it it's just like this position here this good seed falling onto a rock it doesn't benefit it's very sad isn't it and so many people today are just like that

and perhaps If we're honest, we have to consider and recognize that we've often been like that. We've heard many sermons. I remember years ago, Leonard Broome, some of you may remember, was preaching at Bethel Luton. It was on an Easter Monday, I think, and we as a family went to the service and he preached and he said this. He said, you know, there's tons of grain which go over this pulpit cushion. Tons of grain. He asked the minister, sow the word. Tons of grain. But he said, how much of it produces any goodness?

It's worth pondering such an illustration like that, isn't it? Look back in our lives. How many sermons have we heard? Many, many, many. How many do we remember? How many words do we remember?

Well that's because the devil is very keen to destroy what we hear and so remember that and then he comes with his third illustration the Lord brings he says and some fell among thorns and the thorns sprang up with it and choked it And what does the Lord say about that? He says, and they which fell among thorns are they which when they have heard go forth and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life and bring no fruit to perfection.

These words are very wonderfully written by the Holy Spirit. And it gives us three positions which we have to remember. First of all, the first one which chokes the word is cares. Cares. That means we're very occupied with the things of our life. It may be very good and very proper and very right, many cares, but we have to be careful that those cares don't choke the word so that it becomes unprofitable. And then riches. I suppose all of us like to have money that we can use. and I suppose all of us have some money saved up however small that may be and sometimes perhaps we think about it and count it and yet this consideration can also come and choke the word so that it becomes unprofitable you see the devil is very cunning never underestimate the skill of the devil he's very clever and he can bring things into our mind in a flash which destroys perhaps a good thought we've had perhaps a meditation we've had and suddenly our mind's taken from it and we drift into something which is not necessary and which is unprofitable and so it's choked with the cares and with riches and then also the pleasures this life we live don't we today in a pleasure loving world people are always looking for pleasure whatever that may be perhaps it's sport perhaps it's other things but whatever it may be we're looking for pleasures what does that do? what does that do? well I'll tell you it destroys our meditation it destroys our meditation

I know that some of you, I've said before and I've told you that when I was young I often used to spend my Saturday afternoon watching television, watching rugby or football and sometimes we used to go and watch football matches and rugby matches. What did that do on a Sunday? What was our mind filled with? What we'd heard, what we'd seen on the Saturday. What was that? The pleasures of this life. What did it do? It took away any blessing or any spiritual desire that we might have had.

Well, we live in a pleasure-seeking time today in the age in which we live. We must be very careful to heed such words because We're told here in this eighth verse, he that hath ears to hear, let him hear. We're not to say, well, that's irrelevant. In any way, I don't want to listen to words like that. We want to realize the relevance of them. And thinking about these things, these illustrations that the Lord God gives us here, cares, riches, and pleasures, to just sometimes analyze our own life and see how much we lose through paying attention to such temptations. It's very easy, isn't it, to fall into the snares that the devil lays for us. He's very clever, he's very cunning, and he knows your weakness and my weakness, and they're probably very different. But nonetheless, he homes in on those things to distract us from the things of God.

So when we hear a statement like this, and some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up with it and choked it, don't think that that doesn't apply to you and me. Because we follow down and see the explanation. We recognize, well, perhaps I do come under that condemnation and I do realise that comes and takes away something of the blessings that perhaps I wanted something of the blessings that I desired and so he says and that which fell among thorns are they which when they have heard not as though they haven't heard it's not as though we haven't heard those that have heard go forth and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection.

Well, that's three of the cases that the Lord brings before us, brings before the multitudes. and as I said it's recorded in Matthew, Mark and Luke. Slight variations but nonetheless the essence is the same and therefore it's very relevant and it's very relevant because God in his mercy and sovereign will has ordained that these things should be recorded for you and me in our life to understand and take heed.

And then he comes to this fourth point. An other fell on good ground and sprang up and bare fruit and hundredfold. What a great blessing was that. And then he says, he explains that, he says, and that on the good ground are they which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it and bring forth fruit with patience.

Well, there's the four types and what a blessing you and I can really desire to be found amongst the fourth type who receive the Word of God into good ground now if we are to receive the Word of God into good ground what does it mean? it means that God in his love will have prepared our heart to receive it prepared our heart to receive it And again, that's interesting, isn't it? Because you and I have met here this morning to hear the word of God. We may ask ourselves the question, has God graciously prepared my heart to receive his word? Have I prayed that my heart might be prepared to receive his word? Have I prayed? that all the cares of this world, the riches, the pleasures may be banished from my mind and I might be taken up with the things of God, the great and glorious truths.

Well, what a mercy if God indeed comes to us and encourages us in this way. And so, as the Holy Spirit says, but that on the good ground are they which in an honest and good heart. You see, God looks at the heart. People don't see the heart, do they? No one knows what your heart's thinking. But God does. God does. And so here we have this statement which the Lord says very gloriously and very wonderfully. And that on the good ground are they which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it and bring forth fruit with patience. That means that the Word of God will be beneficial to us. It'll be that which feeds our soul. Our soul. You know, we come here, don't we? At least I hope we come here to receive spiritual food. And if we are to receive spiritual food, It means that our heart needs to be prepared to receive it. That's why we have this word explained like this, this good ground. So the Lord says, but that on the good ground are they which in an honest and good heart, an honest and good heart, have come with a right attitude, a right desire, a right hunger, God knows, doesn't he?

And you and I know, if we're honest and examine ourselves, and we are encouraged to examine ourselves, not examine other people, we have to examine ourselves to see where the fault lies. But that on the good ground are they which in an honest heart, in good heart, bring forth fruit with patience. Now the blessing is that if you and I bring forth fruit, that means spiritual fruit, what does it do? Spiritual fruit brings forth honour and glory to God. Honour and glory to God. the Apostle Paul, when he wrote to the Galatians. It's a familiar chapter and familiar words, which I'm sure you are familiar with. But in the fifth chapter of the book of the Galatians, the Lord Jesus gives us a wonderful list of the fruit of the Spirit. Now, if we are good ground hearers, If God has prepared our heart to receive his word, then we can recognize the benefit of it and desire that we might be possessors and bring forth fruit and so we read in the 5th Galatians and verse 22 but let me just say first of all of course it tells us about the works of the flesh and I've just itemized really all I haven't said it as such they are the works of the flesh which do not profit our soul but then he tells us the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance. Against such there is no law. And that's quite a comprehensive list.

And if you think about that and then compare it with the works of the flesh, which we've already itemized in some small way with regard to what the Spirit of God tells us in the things which choke the worth, the cares and the riches and the pleasures of this life that's just three statements which really encompasses those things which are specified as the works of the flesh and what a blessing if our desire is to be fruitful in the things of God. The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance. Against such there is no law and they that are Christ's.

How relevant that is. How important that is. And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh. Crucifixion is the most painful death. We have to sometimes crucify our flesh with regard to those things which I've already mentioned. Crucify the flesh. with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, there's also walk in the Spirit. What a blessing then, if we have the evidence that we are Christ's. Because if we are Christ's, it's simply because the blessed Saviour has revealed himself to us. as the one thing needful. The one thing needful. And as the hymn writer says, I without him perish must. And so we will.

What a blessing it is then to have Christ and to realise What a valuable asset this is. So much more important and relevant than anything else. So, as you and I come to hear the Word, what do we come to hear? We come to hear about Christ. How we come to hear what He's done on our behalf. How He's come and touched our hearts. how he's come and drawn us to himself how he's come and showed us something of the beauty which is in him the glory which is in him his amazing love his wonderful mercy to such unworthy sinners

you see it puts things in a right perspective and that's why God in his love to the church has given us such a parable as the parable of the sower so that you and I may examine ourselves and to see whether we are using our hearing time well or whether we're not and if we are whether what we hear is a blessing to our souls and brings us closer to Christ.

The hearing of the gospel won't take us away from Christ. It'll bring us further to Christ, nearer to Christ, so that we rejoice when we hear His name. His name, which is a name above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee shall bow.

What a blessing for us today. When we hear the name of the Saviour, we bow down to Him. We don't bow down to all the things of time. We bow down before the Saviour and our desire is to honour and glorify Him for what He's done

and how much better it is to think and to meditate upon Christ than it is to be taken up with the vanities of this poor life.

So we have this great statement, another fell on good ground and sprang up and bear fruit. There is fruitfulness, you see. If we are prepared people to receive God's word, when that word falls into our heart, does it spring up and bear fruit?

What a mercy if it is. If God is gracious to us so that we do grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. That's a healthy soul isn't it? That's a soul that desires spiritual blessings. That's a soul that longs after those things which prove then that we are a good ground hearer.

Well this morning we've just briefly gone over the three types which are not good ground hearers. and just also briefly over what a good ground here is.

And so as you go away this morning, remember what we started with, as we read in Mark, when this parable was spoken, the Lord opened with those words, hearken. Well, you've had the opportunity this morning to hearken to what God speaks.

And what a mercy then, if we conclude with that true statement, he that hath ears to hear, let him hear. Well, God knows whether we've hearkened, God knows whether we've had ears to hear this morning, and if we have, we can thank God for it. We can praise God for it, because it's God that gives spiritual life,

It's God that gives a spiritual desire to hear the truth of the gospel and to turn away from those things which do not profit. We live in a world, we live in a time of much opposition, of much temptation.

But let us remember, our God is the same. He doesn't vary. The same yesterday and today and forever. And remember those glorious words, he, none less, he giveth more grace, more unmerited favour.

May that be our real desire, that we may be healthy and lively Christians and be those who do bring forth fruit to the honour and glory of God. Amen.