The hearers referred to in the text yield fruit, which none of the others did. In them, all pointed at failure; in these, all point at success. In them, even the bright colours of promise were dashed with sadness; in these, even the weakness of our common humanity is gilded with the coming glory. In them, every apparent success contained the elements of failure; in these, even partial failure is an earnest of final success.
I. Notice how the difficulties are overcome, and the hindrances removed, in an inverse order from that in which they were fatal. The deepest defect, the most deadly hindrance, was in the will; the will undecided, many-purposed, disloyal; the outworks taken, but the citadel still rebellious. Now mark the difference. First, the will is secured. The heart is honest and good; the direction of the will is plain and simple. The expression "an honest and good heart" conveys to us the idea of ingenuousness, nobleness of purpose, united with goodness, properly so called; such a person would be clear and simple in intent, and that intent a good one.
II. "Having heard the Word, they keep it; they hold it with a fulness of conscious and permanent possession; the feelers of the mind, so to speak, clasp round it, and its roots become twined inseparably among them; they take the Word to themselves in the very depth of affection and earnestness, as a father the son in whom he delighteth." In a word, and that word one often heard, but little pondered on, and even less realised, they loveGod; their hearts are drawn after Him; a new and mighty power has taken possession of them, and is transforming them into the Divine likeness, and making them to bring forth fruit acceptable to God, and that in rich abundance.
III. As in the parable of the talents, so here, every man bears fruit according to his several ability. One plant becomes a great tree, and overshadows a wide space of the forest; another remains, equally healthy and prolific, but of smaller growth, and more limited shade. The seed is received as each man has ears to hear. But let us notice one point common to all three of the degrees of reproduction the high standard at which all are fixed. Thirty, sixty, and a hundred. Must we not enquire whether the usual measure of our choicest Christian attainments reaches even the lowest of these? Where is the thirty-fold return even from our best soil?
H. Alford, Sermons at Cambridge,p. 71.
References: Luke 8:15. Preacher's Monthly,vol. ii., p. 252; H. Alford, Sermons on Christian Doctrine,p. 150; J. Natt, Posthumous Sermons,p. 359; F. Temple, Rugby Sermons,1st series, p. 180. Luke 8:16. Homiletic Quarterly,vol. i., p. 353.