Understanding the Word

Luke 8:12,
"Those by the wayside are they that hear;
then cometh the devil, and taketh away the
word out of their hearts, lest they should
believe and be saved."

LUKE 8:4-13

The first type of person Jesus describes is
someone who doesn't understand God's
Word (Matthew 13:19).

Before God's Word can get into our hearts,
we have to understand what it's saying.
If the Word isn't understood, then it will be
like seed scattered on top of hard-packed
ground (the wayside).
The birds will eat the seed and there will be
no fruit.

Mark 4:15 and Luke 8:12, makes it clear
that these birds represent Satan, and Mark
says the devil comes immediately to steal
away the Word.

Satan did not have direct access to the Word
in any of the other heart-types which Jesus
described.

Satan cannot steal the Word from us if we
will hide it in our hearts (Psalm 119:11).

This first type of person simply heard the
Word but didn't receive it.
He never applied it to his life, so he lost it.

Notice that Luke links belief and salvation
with the Word being sown in our hearts in
the same way as Romans 10:14-17.

If there is no Word, there cannot be any
belief or salvation (I Peter 1:23).
We must preach the Word, not just morality
or social issues.

Luke's use of the word "saved" could
include, but is not necessarily limited to,
forgiveness of sins.
Salvation includes much more than
forgiveness of sins.
This verse could describe a person who
didn't receive the Word and, therefore,
was eternally damned.

It could also be describing a Christian
who simply doesn't receive the Word in
a certain area of his life and therefore
doesn't experience the victory that Jesus
provided for him.

Are we experiencing His victory in our lives?