October 14 - Hearing That Bears Fruit
SCRIPTURE READING:
Matthew 13; Luke 8
SCRIPTURE:
Matthew 13
¹ The same day went Jesus out of the house, and sat by the sea side.
² And great multitudes were gathered together unto him, so that he went into a ship, and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore.
³ And he spake many things unto them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow;
⁴ And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up:
⁵ Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth:
⁶ And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away.
⁷ And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them:
⁸ But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold.
⁹ Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.
¹⁰ And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables?
¹¹ He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.
¹² For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath.
¹³ Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.
¹⁴ And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive:
¹⁵ For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.
¹⁶ But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear.
¹⁷ For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.
¹⁸ Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower.
¹⁹ When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side.
²⁰ But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it;
²¹ Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended.
²² He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful.
²³ But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.
²⁴ Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field:
²⁵ But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way.
²⁶ But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also.
²⁷ So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares?
²⁸ He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up?
²⁹ But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them.
³⁰ Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.
³¹ Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed in his field:
³² Which indeed is the least of all seeds: but when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof.
³³ Another parable spake he unto them; The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven, which a woman took, and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened.
³⁴ All these things spake Jesus unto the multitude in parables; and without a parable spake he not unto them:
³⁵ That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things which have been kept secret from the foundation of the world.
³⁶ Then Jesus sent the multitude away, and went into the house: and his disciples came unto him, saying, Declare unto us the parable of the tares of the field.
³⁷ He answered and said unto them, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man;
³⁸ The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one;
³⁹ The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels.
⁴⁰ As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world.
⁴¹ The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity;
⁴² And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.
⁴³ Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.
⁴⁴ Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field.
⁴⁵ Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls:
⁴⁶ Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it.
⁴⁷ Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net, that was cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind:
⁴⁸ Which, when it was full, they drew to shore, and sat down, and gathered the good into vessels, but cast the bad away.
⁴⁹ So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just,
⁵⁰ And shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.
⁵¹ Jesus saith unto them, Have ye understood all these things? They say unto him, Yea, Lord.
⁵² Then said he unto them, Therefore every scribe which is instructed unto the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which bringeth forth out of his treasure things new and old.
⁵³ And it came to pass, that when Jesus had finished these parables, he departed thence.
⁵⁴ And when he was come into his own country, he taught them in their synagogue, insomuch that they were astonished, and said, Whence hath this man this wisdom, and these mighty works?
⁵⁵ Is not this the carpenter's son? is not his mother called Mary? and his brethren, James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas?
⁵⁶ And his sisters, are they not all with us? Whence then hath this man all these things?
⁵⁷ And they were offended in him. But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, save in his own country, and in his own house.
⁵⁸ And he did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief.
Luke 8
¹ And it came to pass afterward, that he went throughout every city and village, preaching and shewing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God: and the twelve were with him,
² And certain women, which had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities, Mary called Magdalene, out of whom went seven devils,
³ And Joanna the wife of Chuza Herod's steward, and Susanna, and many others, which ministered unto him of their substance.
⁴ And when much people were gathered together, and were come to him out of every city, he spake by a parable:
⁵ A sower went out to sow his seed: and as he sowed, some fell by the way side; and it was trodden down, and the fowls of the air devoured it.
⁶ And some fell upon a rock; and as soon as it was sprung up, it withered away, because it lacked moisture.
⁷ And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprang up with it, and choked it.
⁸ And other fell on good ground, and sprang up, and bare fruit an hundredfold. And when he had said these things, he cried, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.
⁹ And his disciples asked him, saying, What might this parable be?
¹⁰ And he said, Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God: but to others in parables; that seeing they might not see, and hearing they might not understand.
¹¹ Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God.
¹² Those by the way side are they that hear; then cometh the devil, and taketh away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved.
¹³ 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 fall away.
¹⁴ And that 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.
¹⁵ But 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.
¹⁶ No man, when he hath lighted a candle, covereth it with a vessel, or putteth it under a bed; but setteth it on a candlestick, that they which enter in may see the light.
¹⁷ For nothing is secret, that shall not be made manifest; neither any thing hid, that shall not be known and come abroad.
¹⁸ Take heed therefore how ye hear: for whosoever hath, to him shall be given; and whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he seemeth to have.
¹⁹ Then came to him his mother and his brethren, and could not come at him for the press.
²⁰ And it was told him by certain which said, Thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to see thee.
²¹ And he answered and said unto them, My mother and my brethren are these which hear the word of God, and do it.
²² Now it came to pass on a certain day, that he went into a ship with his disciples: and he said unto them, Let us go over unto the other side of the lake. And they launched forth.
²³ But as they sailed he fell asleep: and there came down a storm of wind on the lake; and they were filled with water, and were in jeopardy.
²⁴ And they came to him, and awoke him, saying, Master, master, we perish. Then he arose, and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water: and they ceased, and there was a calm.
²⁵ And he said unto them, Where is your faith? And they being afraid wondered, saying one to another, What manner of man is this! for he commandeth even the winds and water, and they obey him.
²⁶ And they arrived at the country of the Gadarenes, which is over against Galilee.
²⁷ And when he went forth to land, there met him out of the city a certain man, which had devils long time, and ware no clothes, neither abode in any house, but in the tombs.
²⁸ When he saw Jesus, he cried out, and fell down before him, and with a loud voice said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God most high? I beseech thee, torment me not.
²⁹ (For he had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. For oftentimes it had caught him: and he was kept bound with chains and in fetters; and he brake the bands, and was driven of the devil into the wilderness.)
³⁰ And Jesus asked him, saying, What is thy name? And he said, Legion: because many devils were entered into him.
³¹ And they besought him that he would not command them to go out into the deep.
³² And there was there an herd of many swine feeding on the mountain: and they besought him that he would suffer them to enter into them. And he suffered them.
³³ Then went the devils out of the man, and entered into the swine: and the herd ran violently down a steep place into the lake, and were choked.
³⁴ When they that fed them saw what was done, they fled, and went and told it in the city and in the country.
³⁵ Then they went out to see what was done; and came to Jesus, and found the man, out of whom the devils were departed, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed, and in his right mind: and they were afraid.
³⁶ They also which saw it told them by what means he that was possessed of the devils was healed.
³⁷ Then the whole multitude of the country of the Gadarenes round about besought him to depart from them; for they were taken with great fear: and he went up into the ship, and returned back again.
³⁸ Now the man out of whom the devils were departed besought him that he might be with him: but Jesus sent him away, saying,
³⁹ Return to thine own house, and shew how great things God hath done unto thee. And he went his way, and published throughout the whole city how great things Jesus had done unto him.
⁴⁰ And it came to pass, that, when Jesus was returned, the people gladly received him: for they were all waiting for him.
⁴¹ And, behold, there came a man named Jairus, and he was a ruler of the synagogue: and he fell down at Jesus' feet, and besought him that he would come into his house:
⁴² For he had one only daughter, about twelve years of age, and she lay a dying. But as he went the people thronged him.
⁴³ And a woman having an issue of blood twelve years, which had spent all her living upon physicians, neither could be healed of any,
⁴⁴ Came behind him, and touched the border of his garment: and immediately her issue of blood stanched.
⁴⁵ And Jesus said, Who touched me? When all denied, Peter and they that were with him said, Master, the multitude throng thee and press thee, and sayest thou, Who touched me?
⁴⁶ And Jesus said, Somebody hath touched me: for I perceive that virtue is gone out of me.
⁴⁷ And when the woman saw that she was not hid, she came trembling, and falling down before him, she declared unto him before all the people for what cause she had touched him, and how she was healed immediately.
⁴⁸ And he said unto her, Daughter, be of good comfort: thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace.
⁴⁹ While he yet spake, there cometh one from the ruler of the synagogue's house, saying to him, Thy daughter is dead; trouble not the Master.
⁵⁰ But when Jesus heard it, he answered him, saying, Fear not: believe only, and she shall be made whole.
⁵¹ And when he came into the house, he suffered no man to go in, save Peter, and James, and John, and the father and the mother of the maiden.
⁵² And all wept, and bewailed her: but he said, Weep not; she is not dead, but sleepeth.
⁵³ And they laughed him to scorn, knowing that she was dead.
⁵⁴ And he put them all out, and took her by the hand, and called, saying, Maid, arise.
⁵⁵ And her spirit came again, and she arose straightway: and he commanded to give her meat.
⁵⁶ And her parents were astonished: but he charged them that they should tell no man what was done.
DEVOTIONAL:
Matthew 13 and Luke 8 are dominated by the question of hearing. Jesus tells the parable of the sower, but the decisive variable is not the seed. The seed is good; the soils differ. Some hear without understanding and the word is taken away. Some receive with quick joy but possess no depth to endure pressure. Some allow cares, riches, and pleasures to choke fruitfulness. Good soil hears, understands, keeps the word, and bears fruit with patience. The parable refuses shallow measures of spiritual success. Immediate enthusiasm is not the same as persevering discipleship, and exposure to truth is not the same as receiving it deeply.
Jesus explains that parables both reveal and expose. They disclose mysteries of the kingdom to those given ears to hear, while also bringing Isaiah's warning about hardened perception into view. This is not divine delight in confusion. It reveals a sobering moral reality: repeated resistance to truth can become incapacity to receive truth. Jesus therefore keeps saying, in effect, pay attention to how you hear. The heart is not a neutral recording device. Desire, fear, pride, distraction, and attachment shape reception. Spiritual listening requires humility.
Matthew's additional kingdom parables teach patience and disproportionate hope. Wheat and tares grow together until the harvest, warning disciples against pretending they can execute final judgment ahead of God. Mustard seed and leaven begin small yet exert remarkable influence. Treasure and pearl reveal the incomparable worth of the kingdom. The net points toward final separation. Together these images prevent two errors: despair because the kingdom often appears unimpressive now, and triumphalism that assumes the church can purify history by force. The Son of man will judge at the proper time.
Luke places the parable of the sower beside a lamp, a storm, demonic oppression, chronic illness, and death. The One whose word must be heard also speaks with authority over chaos and uncleanness. The disciples ask, 'What manner of man is this!' after wind and water obey Him. The delivered man is sent home to tell what God has done, and Luke immediately says he declares what Jesus has done. Jairus learns to keep believing when news of death arrives. The hemorrhaging woman learns that Christ's power is personal rather than magical. Hearing the word leads into trust under pressure.
The family saying also sharpens the theme: Jesus' mother and brethren, in the spiritual sense He emphasizes, are those who hear God's word and do it. The kingdom creates a people formed by responsive hearing. Scripture is not given merely to decorate thought or supply debate material. It is seed meant to enter, take root, endure, and bear fruit. Christ remains Lord of the harvest, Lord of the storm, Lord over unclean powers, and Lord over death. The question for the disciple is whether His word is being merely heard or actually kept.
In daily life, In daily life, identify what is choking the word in your present season. Cares can consume attention even when the concerns are legitimate. Riches can make self-sufficiency feel normal. Pleasures can train the heart to avoid anything demanding. Build depth before affliction arrives: read Scripture slowly, pray it back to God, discuss it at the table, and practice one concrete act of obedience. In church, do not confuse a crowded event with deep roots. In family life, celebrate patient fruit more than emotional intensity. When storms come, return to the word of the One who rules the storm rather than letting fear become your interpreter of reality.
In U.S. civic life, In U.S. civic life, the virtue arising from these parables is patient discernment. Pray that citizens will listen carefully before reacting, resist being choked by fear or material self-interest, and remember that final judgment belongs to God. Christians should show up in public life as people who hear before speaking, persevere without panic, and pursue faithful fruit rather than demanding instant cultural victory.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
Which of the soils in the parable most closely describes the present pressure on your spiritual life, and why?
How do the wheat and tares teach both confidence in final judgment and patience in the present age?
What is the difference between hearing the word emotionally and keeping it with patience?
How can your family or small group cultivate deeper roots rather than merely more religious activity?
PRAYER:
ADORATION:
Sower of truth and Lord of the harvest, we praise You for the living word, for the hidden growth of Your kingdom, and for Jesus whose authority reaches storms, demons, disease, and death.
CONFESSION:
Forgive us for shallow hearing, crowded hearts, anxious distraction, and impatience with slow growth. We confess how easily fear or comfort chokes what You have spoken.
THANKSGIVING:
Thank You that the seed is good, that Your kingdom can grow from small beginnings, and that final judgment is safe in the hands of the Son of man.
SUPPLICATION – GENERAL:
Make our hearts good soil. Give depth under pressure, freedom from choking attachments, patience in fruit-bearing, and faith that keeps listening to Jesus when circumstances become frightening.
SUPPLICATION – U.S. / CIVIC:
Grant our communities patience, careful listening, and freedom from panic. Help Christians resist reaction driven by fear or self-interest and bear steady fruit in service, truthfulness, and neighbor-love.
SCRIPTURE:
Take heed therefore how ye hear. — Luke 8:18