The good and honest heart
Luke 8:15 “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.”
My husband always says, when preaching on these verses….”this heart is good, only because it is honest.”
It is interesting to note that in the Greek….honest means beautiful. And certainly to God…when we get honest, when we look for the Truth….we are beautiful.
This ground, described in various parts, which the Lord was speaking about here in this parable of the sower….are the hearts, which HIs Word came to….
….and what they did with HIs Word.
One, we know was hard, the wayside beside the field. Yet seed fell there….and it was not received, but “trodden down” (Luke 8:5)…and the birds came and devoured the seed.
The birds are the devil, but it was after the seed was walked on…because thought so little of it….that they came and “devoured” them.
The second fell on a part of the field that still had rocks in it. The seed sprung up….as in the hearts of those that are emotionally charged with good feelings about Christ….yet when temptations come….the “moisture” of grace is not there….and they “fall away” (Hebrews 6:4-7).
The third fell among thorns that had not been pulled up. The seed grows, but in the midst of thorns….and the thorn roots squeeze out the life from the Word. Jesus said that these thorns are cares (which are usually carried as burdens 1 Peter 5:7), riches, and pleasures of this life (which take over the affections).
But the fourth hearts were those who had been properly prepared.
Remember John the Baptist came to prepare hearts (Luke 3:3-6)….and those that heard him and repented, heard Jesus.
For true preparation for the Word of God comes through honest listening, and honest repentance.
Our hearts are not naturally honest:
Jeremiah 17:9 “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?”
But the Lord (praise Him!), helps us, even here….and prepares our hearts to yearn after a right relationship with Him.
Jeremiah 17:10 “I the Lord search the heart, I try the reins (will), even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.”
If you will…. to see the truth about yourself….God will give you, according to that willingness.
(And it is “give” every man. God will supply our lack…He will give the Holy Spirit’s influence and quickening….and Truth will come to us, for He is the Truth.)
Psalm 139:23-24 “Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts:
And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”
Psalm 119:33-37 “Teach me, O Lord, the way of Thy statutes; and I shall keep it unto the end.
Give me understanding, and I shall keep thy law; yea, I shall observe it with my whole heart.
Make me to go in the path of Thy commandments; for therein do I delight.
Incline my heart unto Thy testimonies, and not to covetousness.
Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity; and quicken Thou me in Thy way.”
The Psalmist here is asking the Lord to: Teach, then given me understanding, make me, incline my heart, and turn away mine eyes….quicken me.
the Psalmist honestly sees His desperate need….and comes to the Lord for help.
Let God do this, and we will know something of the reality of real honesty.
And honesty is absolutely imperative for fruit bearing.
Luke 8:15 “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.”
The term “keep it” here means to hold down, to possess, keep in memory, retain, hold fast. And it stretches from receiving it into the heart….all the way to standing on that Word against doubts and enemies.
That is the means of fruit bearing….keeping the Word close and meditating on it….getting all that we can from it for our lives, for now.
Luke 8:18 “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.”
Do we “have” His Word?
Or do we “seem to have”?…we agree with it….but we have not let His Word take root and grow in our hearts.
The way to know if we are letting HIs Word have rule in our hearts, is by fruit.
Do we have the fruit of the Spirit? (Galatians 5:22-23)
We can never be completely what the Holy Spirit is molding us into, until….we are bearing fruit.
Many never go beyond the hardness of their own hearts….letting the world, the flesh, and the devil take away the Word that is sown there.
Some never go beyond the emotional response to the Word,….yet when temptations (either of trials or lusts) come….they walk away.
Some agree with the Word….yet never repent of those things which are really thorns in their side. They would like to have what the Word sets forth….but not enough to root out their real problems with the Lord. And they do not bring forth fruit.
You see, that is the criteria for our hearts….we are to bring forth the fruit of repentance which leads to salvation in Christ Jesus,..then the fruit of the Spirit, and the fruit of a Christian (which is another Christian).
God brings forth fruit in the “good and honest” hearts.
Some will bring forth more, some less….but a good and honest heart will bring forth fruit.
Again, my husband used to say….”Are we letting His Word sink down from our ears into our hearts, and lives?”
Are we “keeping” HIs Word?
Preaching, Teaching, and Notes 