Luke 8 New Testament One Year - Parable of the Sower, Jesus Heals a Demon Possessed Man, A Woman with a Bleeding Disease, and Raises a 12 year old Girl from the Dead!

Click Here to Read or LIsten to Luke 8

The Parable of the Sower

Jesus now became an itinerant teacher. Notice Luke's reporting of the women who were healed by Jesus, who were now following him. Also a woman who was a manager of Herod's household. It says many others too presumably other women.  It is notable that Luke mentions these women.  Women, who were involved in Jesus' ministry, is another theme in the gospel of Luke, 

This is one of Jesus' most famous parables. He used the analogy of a farmer, which is was a very common occupation in Jesus' day. The long and short of the parable is that a farmer sowed seed liberally on the ground. The soil condition determined the outcome of that seed. Only in one scenario, where the seed was sowed on good soil, did the seed do what it was supposed to do. Not only did this seed multiply, but a 100 times over. Quite a yield.

Afterwards, the disciples asked Jesus to explain the meaning of the parable. First of all, Jesus explains that the secrets of the kingdom are given in parables so that those who truly seek the truth will find it. Remember Jesus keeps emphasizing "the kingdom". The kingdom is what he preached and taught, and he lived it out through its healings and miracles. 

First of all, Jesus explained that the seed is the Word of God. Jesus explained why the first three soil conditions did not bear fruit. In each case the seed's growth is disrupted by an outside force. In the first case it was the devil, who snatched it up before it could take root. In the second case, though the seed starts to grow, the rocks crowded out the growth. This is the person who receives the word but then when troubles come, they walk away. The final negative scenario is where thorns creep in and choke out the growth of the seed. This represents the worries and concerns of the world, which choke out a believer's growth. 

The seed that multiplied many times over represents the person who receives the Word (Jesus) into their hearts and because they go deeper into that Word, the roots go deep. Eventually the nourishment of God's Word causes the seed to grow, break, and bear much fruit. 

In this parable the seed fell on four different types of soil. Though this is commonly called the parable of the sower, it could be better called the parable of the soils. The difference is never the seed, but on the kind of soil it lands on. (Guzik)

The parable was also an encouragement to the disciples. Even though it might seem that few respond, God is in control and the harvest will certainly come. This was especially meaningful in light of the rising opposition to Jesus. “Not all will respond, but there will be some who do, and the harvest will be rich.” (France)

What kind of Christian are you? Are you receptive to God's Word? Are you nourishing your soul with the Word of God? Do you obey God's Word so that the Word of God takes root in your heart and bears fruit in your life? 

A Lamp on a Stand

Jesus continues to use metaphors to explain how people who receieve and retain the seed of God's Word are like a lamp which shines in the world. Someone who is living in God's Word cannot help but shine light in the world around them. Someone who is not bearing fruit will eventually be brought into the light. In addition, those who are shining God's light will be blessed and God will continue supply their lamps with even more oil, so they can shine light in more places. 

If you have the truth of God, you have a solemn responsibility to spread that truth in whatever way God gives you opportunity, even as someone who has the cure for a life-threatening disease has the moral responsibility to spread that cure. God didn’t light your lamp so that it would be hidden. (Guzik)

Where is God calling you to shine the light of Christ in your world? 

Jesus’ Mother and Brothers

Jesus explains who is his true family. This is not to demean his biological family in any way, as we see throughout the gospel. I.e. His devotion to his mother even as he is on the cross. But those who follow Jesus and do his will are his true followers. 

Jesus Calms the Storm 

Jesus not only exercised power over sicknesses and demons, he also shows the disciples the supernatural power he has over creation. Jesus, was the Word of God, who was with God in the beginning as God created it, so Jesus was very familiar with Creation. But when Jesus became a man, he was subject to Creation. But in this case Jesus shows his power over even nature when he calms the storm. The disciples are amazed and it is another sign to them that Jesus is not just a man. 

In the span of a few moments, the disciples saw both the complete humanity of Jesus (in His tired sleep) and the fullness of His deity. They saw Jesus for who He is: truly man and truly God. (Guzik)

Jesus Restores a Demon-Possessed Man

Next, Jesus meets a demon possessed man. This shows us someone can be demon possessed. Though he was a man, he was controlled by this demon. In this case it was not just ONE demon. Interestingly when he saw Jesus he threw himself down and pleaded with Jesus to not torture him. He immediately recognized the power and authority Jesus had over him. We soon learn that it was not one demon but a "legion of demons", which helps explain why they had so much power over the man. 

Demonic possession is when a demonic spirit resides in a human body, and at times will exhibit its own personality through the personality of the host body. Demonic possession is a reality today, though we must guard against either ignoring demonic activity or over-emphasizing supposed demonic activity. (Guzik)

A Roman legion usually consisted of six thousand men. This does not mean that the man was inhabited with six thousand demons, but that he had many. (Guzik)

So though Jesus is addressing just one demon at first, there were other demons working with this demon, which again shows why it had so much power over this man. Christians sometimes get uncomfortable talking about demons, or think it is just the stuff of movies like, "The Exorcist". But the gospel is clear that demons are real but limited in scope and power. Most importantly they must obey Jesus' command. Since we have the Spirit of Jesus living inside of us, we have access to this same power and don't need to fear them, but also not underestimate them either. 

Literally when Jesus cast out these demons, they went out to a crowd of pigs who rushed down to the river and drowned. This shows the reality of demons and their effect on things around them, including animals. Instead of celebrating this man's deliverance, the people were afraid of Jesus and asked him to leave town. Meanwhile, the man who was delivered begged Jesus to go with him, but Jesus thought it was better for him to go back to his hometown and spread the Gospel by sharing his story. 

Jesus Raises a Dead Girl and Heals a Sick Woman

As Jesus continues to show the crowds what God's kingdom looks like here on earth, he meets Jairus, whose 12 year old daughter was dying. Jairus is a synagogue ruler which shows that the influence of Jesus is spreading even into the religious establishment. When Jesus was on his way to Jairus' house, a woman who was subject to bleeding touched the hem of Jesus' robe and was healed. This is the first time Jesus healed someone in this way. 

When Jesus asked who it was who touched him, no one came forward assuming Jesus was not happy about it. But eventually the woman came forward albeit trembling and falling at Jesus' feet. But Jesus tells her gently, "Go Daughter, your faith has made you well." This woman was desperate to heal this chronic bleeding issue in her life, and she desperately reached out to Jesus for help in faith.

When things get desperate in your life, do you desperately reach out to Jesus? 

Meanwhile someone gives Jesus an update on Jairus' daughter, and tells him not to bother because she had died. Jairus must have been devastated, but Jesus told him to not worry but to have faith because she would be healed. You only imagine what was going through Jairus' mind. He was hoping against hope Jesus could heal his teenage daughter, but he also knew she was dead. 

When Jesus got to Jairus' home, the scene was one of mourning and wailing. Jesus told them to stop their hysterics, because she was not dead just asleep. Some even laughed at him. But it was no joke when Jesus told her to get up she did. Her spirit returned to her, and she got up. Jesus was also concerned that she get something to eat. Jesus cared for her whole person. Jesus told Jairus and his wife not to tell anyone, which seems odd that he wouldn't want this good news sperad. 

We see many interesting juxtapositions of the woman and this 12 year old girl. (Guzik)

1.  Jairus had twelve years of sunshine (Luke 8:42) that were about to be extinguished. The woman had twelve years of agony that seemed hopeless to heal.

2. Jairus was an important man, the ruler of the synagogue. The woman was a nobody. We don’t even know her name.

3. Jairus was probably wealthy, because he was an important man. The woman was poor because she spent all her money on doctors.

3. Jairus came publicly. The woman came secretly.

4. Jairus thought Jesus had to do a lot to heal his daughter. The woman thought all she needed was to touch Jesus’ garment.

5. Jesus responded to the woman immediately. Jesus responded to Jairus after a delay.

6. Jairus’ daughter was healed secretly. The woman was healed publicly.

Jesus heals many people in many ways. He heals young and old, rich and poor, those with lots of faith and those with little, he heals Jews and Gentiles. 

Do you believe Jesus still heals people today? Do you pray for other people for healing? Though they may not be healed instantly, I have seen many instances where over time a person was healed and concerted prayer by me and other prayer warriors!