Listen

Luke 8 1-21

Nov.9

When the Berlin Wall fell in 1989, the West rejoiced. At first we heard much of “tremendous openness,” “thousands accepting Christ,” “demand for Bibles.” This was probably true. Then we began hearing about growing materialism and power struggles among some Christian leaders. Journalists began to report that many who came to meetings were mainly eager for Western contacts to worldly opportunities.
Wherever the Gospel is preached results vary, because people have different motives for listening and responding. Jesus knew this about his contemporary audience, and he dealt with it in a graphic way.

1. What were the two most significant factors that influenced your response to the Christian gospel?

2. Read Luke 8:1-21. Luke’s description of the women followers in verses 2-3 is unique among the Gospels. What do these verses tell you about the changing nature of Jesus’ ministry?

3. The reason for Jesus’ telling the first parable is implied in verse 4. What danger in Christian ministry does this reason suggest to you?

4. In Jesus’ first parable the seeds sown are the same, but the soils are different. How are they different?

5. Jesus himself interprets this opening parable. What is his main point (vv. 11-15)?

6. As the crowds grow, Jesus increasingly teaches in parables. He gives his reason for this in verses 8b-10. How is the use of parables effective in testing a listener’s sincerity?

7. Jesus’ second parable of the lighted lamp on a stand reinforces his teaching in the first (vv. 16-18). Consider your habits of listening to God’s truth.

What helps you to retain it and persevere in it?

8. Luke uses the family episode as a live illustration on listening to God (vv. 19-21).
What does Jesus highlight by this illustration?

9. Home is a hard place to put God’s Word into practice, as Jesus well knew.
Share an experience of putting into practice a specific biblical truth in your family and what happened.

10. Think over 8:15, where Jesus spells out what good soil is. How do you