Luke 8 begins by showing us something powerful:
“Soon afterward Jesus began a tour of the nearby towns and villages, preaching and announcing the Good News about the Kingdom of God. He took his twelve disciples with him, along with some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases… and many others who were contributing from their own resources to support Jesus and his disciples.” (Luke 8:1-3 NLT)
Come on, ladies—where you at? Supporting Jesus! I read that and thought, “Where are the fellas at supporting Jesus with their money?” God made sure to include that verse so we’d know women have always been a vital part of ministry.
Then Jesus told one of His most well-known parables—the farmer scattering seed. Some fell on the footpath and was eaten by birds. Some fell on rocky soil, sprouted, but died for lack of moisture. Some fell among thorns and got choked out. And some fell on good soil, producing a hundred-fold harvest.
Jesus said, “Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand.”
When His disciples admitted they didn’t understand, He said, “You are permitted to understand the secrets of the Kingdom of God.” (Luke 8:10 NLT)
He explained:
The seed is God’s Word.
The footpath represents those who hear but let the devil steal the word before it takes root.
The rocky soil are those who receive it with joy but fall away when tempted.
The thorns are the worries, riches, and pleasures of life that choke out maturity.
The good soil represents those who hear the Word, cling to it, and patiently produce a huge harvest.
So, there’s a 25 percent chance of the Word landing on good soil. Let’s be that 25 percent!
We often apply this parable to healing, provision, or general faith—but it also applies directly to salvation. Scripture says, “Faith comes from hearing, that is, hearing the Good News about Christ.” (Romans 10:17 NLT)
When you share the message of salvation—Jesus died and rose again so people can be saved—some will reject it completely. Others will receive it with joy but fall away when temptation comes. And some will try to mix it with worldly living, letting the “weeds” of life choke it out.
I learned this lesson firsthand on my own pasture. I let weeds with little white flowers grow up among the grass my cows needed. When I finally mowed it down, there was nothing left but barren dirt—no grass to turn into beef!
If I’d mowed those weeds earlier, the grass would’ve survived. It’s the same in life. If you don’t pull out the weeds worries, riches, pleasures, they’ll choke out the Word of God in you. You’ve got to weed your life so your faith can grow strong.
Jesus described people who received the Word with joy but had no deep roots. When temptation came, they fell away. Notice it’s a choice. No one can snatch you out of the Father’s hand (John 10:28), but you can choose to walk away.
Too often, modern church culture tells people they’re fine just because they prayed a prayer or raised a hand. But Jesus warned that some will receive the Word and later fall away. That’s why we must preach the truth about salvation—it’s not a one-time event, it’s a transformed life.
If someone prayed the prayer but nothing changed, it’s time to prepare the soil again—remove the rocks, soften the heart, and plant the Word deep so it grows strong.
Our job isn’t to decide who’s saved and who’s not. We’re not the discerner of hearts. Our job is to recognize when someone needs help preparing their soil.
Pride hardens the ground. Humility softens it. No one can receive salvation without humility. You have to admit, “I can’t make it without Jesus.”
If you’re calculating how good you are, comparing your sin to others, or deciding someone else’s sin is worse, you don’t really know Jesus yet. Because when you’ve received His forgiveness, you’re just grateful. You stop comparing, realizing we all had a debt we couldn’t pay. Jesus paid it for us.
Salvation requires humility. It’s like someone offering to pay off your debt. Some would jump at the chance. Others would say, “No, that’s my debt. I’ll take care of it.” But that pride keeps you from receiving what Jesus already paid for.
Let Him cancel your debt. When you realize you could never earn it, you stop comparing yourself to others and live in gratitude instead.
Jesus went on to say, “No one lights a lamp and then covers it… For all that is secret will eventually be brought into the open.” (Luke 8:16-17 NLT) Then He said, “Pay attention to how you hear.”
He warned that those who truly listen will receive more understanding, but those who don’t will lose even what they think they have. Later, when His family tried to reach Him, He said, “My mother and my brothers are those who hear God’s Word and obey it.” (Luke 8:21 NLT)
Hearing isn’t enough. Obedience proves you’ve really heard.
When Jesus calmed the storm, His disciples had never seen Him do that before. Yet He still asked, “Where is your faith?” He expected them to believe even when they hadn’t seen that kind of miracle.
Faith isn’t about experience—it’s about trust. Jesus expects us to believe even for things we’ve never seen Him do. If His Word says He can, that’s enough. True faith believes what it hears, not what it’s already seen.
After calming the storm, Jesus crossed the lake and delivered a man possessed by demons. The entire trip was for one man. He didn’t stay to preach to the crowds—He freed one person, then got back in the boat.
That one man became a missionary, telling his whole town what Jesus had done. Sometimes God will send you far for one person, because that one life will multiply the message. Don’t discount divine assignments that seem small—they’re kingdom-sized in impact.
Later, a woman who had suffered for twelve years touched the fringe of Jesus’ robe and was instantly healed. Jesus said, “Your faith has made you well. Go in peace.” (Luke 8:48 NLT)
It wasn’t the fabric that healed her—it was her faith. Others believed in His word, some in His touch, others in His presence. Jesus met each one at their point of faith. He’s not worried about the formula—He responds to faith.
When Jesus raised Jairus’s daughter from the dead, He told the parents not to tell anyone. Yet earlier, He told the man freed from demons to tell everyone.
So which is it? The answer: stop with the formulas. Be led by the Spirit. Sometimes God tells you to share it; other times He tells you to stay quiet. Faith isn’t a formula—it’s a relationship with a living God.
Let’s stop trying to figure out the perfect sequence for healing, deliverance, or blessing. Just trust Him. Stop with the formulas, and be led by His Spirit.
The message of Luke 8 reminds us that the Word is alive and powerful, but how it takes root depends on the soil of our hearts. Keep your heart soft, pull out the weeds, and let humility prepare you to receive all God has for you.
Pay attention to how you hear. Believe what you hear. Live what you hear. And above all, stop with the formulas.
