Luke 8:9-15 The Secrets of the Kingdom

9 His disciples asked him what this parable meant. 10 He said, “The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of God has been given to you, but to others I speak in parables, so that, “‘though seeing, they may not see;
though hearing, they may not understand." 11 “This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is the word of God. 12 Those along the path are the ones who hear, and then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. 13 Those on the rocky ground are the ones who receive the word with joy when they hear it, but they have no root. They believe for a while, but in the time of testing they fall away. 14 The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life’s worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature. 15 But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop.

Reflection: What I am interested in today is Jesus as he teaches about the kingdom of God. In Luke's gospel he uses the term "kingdom of God", whereas Matthew uses the term "kingdom of heaven". Kingdom of God means, where God rules or reigns. Therefore the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom where God rules help us to see how God's kingdom comes on earth as it is in heaven. Dallas Willard teaches us in the "Divine Conspiracy" that the kingdom of the heavens is closer to us than we think, for God is with us and imminent. He is not just a distant deity. So what does this mean for us today?

1. Some people understand this kingdom and some people are blind to it. It is not as though God wants to hide it, as those who seek will find it. He is not just playing hide and seek games with us. The disciples asked Jesus the meaning of the parable so they were seeking.

2. There are some who seek it and are close to finding it, only to be thwarted by something outside of themselves that prevents the secrets of the kingdom from manifesting itself through them. In this passage the culprits are the devil, the time of testing, and the worries and concerns of this world.

3. The seed that falls on the good soil produces a crop. Those whose seed roots and stays rooted multiply the seed, which is the Word. The Word is everything we can know about God. Jesus came as the Word to completely reveal what God is like. In that sense He completely brought in the kingdom of God in everything he said and did.

So what then is a good and productive life that will bring in the secret of the kingdom of God to earth as we wait its completion when Jesus returns. It is those who hear the word and obey it. By hearing the Word and obeying we stay rooted and mature and become what we were created for. See Colossians 1:28!

Where is God calling you to obey His Word, as you follow Jesus today?

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