Keep Your Eyes on Your Ears
Notes
Transcript
1 After this, Jesus traveled about from one town and village to another, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God. The Twelve were with him, 2 and also some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases: Mary (called Magdalene) from whom seven demons had come out; 3 Joanna the wife of Chuza, the manager of Herod’s household; Susanna; and many others. These women were helping to support them out of their own means.
4 While a large crowd was gathering and people were coming to Jesus from town after town, he told this parable: 5 “A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path; it was trampled on, and the birds ate it up. 6 Some fell on rocky ground, and when it came up, the plants withered because they had no moisture. 7 Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up with it and choked the plants. 8 Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up and yielded a crop, a hundred times more than was sown.”
When he said this, he called out, “Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.”
9 His disciples asked him what this parable meant. 10 He said, “The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of God has been given to you, but to others I speak in parables, so that,
“ ‘though seeing, they may not see;
though hearing, they may not understand.’
11 “This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is the word of God. 12 Those along the path are the ones who hear, and then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. 13 Those on the rocky ground are the ones who receive the word with joy when they hear it, but they have no root. They believe for a while, but in the time of testing they fall away. 14 The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life’s worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature. 15 But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop.
16 “No one lights a lamp and hides it in a clay jar or puts it under a bed. Instead, they put it on a stand, so that those who come in can see the light. 17 For there is nothing hidden that will not be disclosed, and nothing concealed that will not be known or brought out into the open. 18 Therefore consider carefully how you listen. Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what they think they have will be taken from them.”
19 Now Jesus’ mother and brothers came to see him, but they were not able to get near him because of the crowd. 20 Someone told him, “Your mother and brothers are standing outside, wanting to see you.”
21 He replied, “My mother and brothers are those who hear God’s word and put it into practice.”
Introduction
Introduction
You might be from Wisconsin if…
You’ve ever worn shorts and a winter coat at the same time.
You know there’s a party because there’s a pile of 15 winter coats on a random bed in the house
You know what a cannibal sandwich is and think it is less gross than being an actual cannibal
You’ve ever gotten a drink from a bubbler
Kwik Trip is an option when looking for fine dining
You’ve ever gone out of your way to drive on a Rustic Road
You only cook with 3 spices – salt, ketchup, and cheese
You feel the need to say how much of a discount you got on every purchase you’ve ever made
You’ve ever waited in line at the car wash for 45 minutes because it was 33° outside
You’ve ever seen a dead deer in the trunk of a Toyota Corolla
“The good dishes” just means not a Kool Whip container
You don’t understand why Oconomowoc is hard to spell
What characteristics identify you as who you aare?
Unexpected Followers
Unexpected Followers
1 After this, Jesus traveled about from one town and village to another, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God. The Twelve were with him, 2 and also some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases: Mary (called Magdalene) from whom seven demons had come out; 3 Joanna the wife of Chuza, the manager of Herod’s household; Susanna; and many others. These women were helping to support them out of their own means.
Jesus’s followers are a diverse group
Men (disciples)
Women
Outcasts (Mary)
Insiders (Joanna)
Supporters
So if gender and status aren’t indicators of who Jesus’s followers are, what is?
The structure of this section
Women Followers (1-3)
Parable of the Sower – how the ground hears (4-8)
Explanation of Parable – knowledge of the kingdom has been given to you but to others I speak in parables (9-15)
Parable of the Lamp – consider how you listen (16-18)
True Family – those who hear God’s word and put it into practice (19-21)
The true mark of a disciple is whether or not he or she hears Jesus’s message.
A Disciple Hears and Grows
A Disciple Hears and Grows
4 While a large crowd was gathering and people were coming to Jesus from town after town, he told this parable: 5 “A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path; it was trampled on, and the birds ate it up. 6 Some fell on rocky ground, and when it came up, the plants withered because they had no moisture. 7 Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up with it and choked the plants. 8 Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up and yielded a crop, a hundred times more than was sown.”
When he said this, he called out, “Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.”
9 His disciples asked him what this parable meant. 10 He said, “The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of God has been given to you, but to others I speak in parables, so that,
“ ‘though seeing, they may not see;
though hearing, they may not understand.’
11 “This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is the word of God. 12 Those along the path are the ones who hear, and then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. 13 Those on the rocky ground are the ones who receive the word with joy when they hear it, but they have no root. They believe for a while, but in the time of testing they fall away. 14 The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life’s worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature. 15 But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop.
4 Responses to Jesus Message
The hard hearted response
The hard hearted response
12 Those along the path are the ones who hear, and then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved.
The rootless response
The rootless response
13 Those on the rocky ground are the ones who receive the word with joy when they hear it, but they have no root. They believe for a while, but in the time of testing they fall away.
The distracted response
The distracted response
14 The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life’s worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature.
The fruitful response
The fruitful response
15 But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop.
Summary
Summary
The emphasis is on the response to the gospel not the sowing of the gospel
The sower is generous with his seed
The seed is not deficient; the soil is deficient
This isn’t a predictor of percentages of response – the good seed bears 100 fold
This parable is for you because the simple fact that you are hearing the Word means you’re a character in it.
If you hear and respond to the Word properly you will be changed permanently.
A Disciple Hears and Understands
A Disciple Hears and Understands
10 He said, “The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of God has been given to you, but to others I speak in parables, so that,
“ ‘though seeing, they may not see;
though hearing, they may not understand.’
These comments show that in some sense, this is a parable about parables.
Jesus is preaching in a hard hearted world.
Echoing the world of Isaiah
9 He said, “Go and tell this people:
“ ‘Be ever hearing, but never understanding;
be ever seeing, but never perceiving.’
10 Make the heart of this people calloused;
make their ears dull
and close their eyes.
Otherwise they might see with their eyes,
hear with their ears,
understand with their hearts,
and turn and be healed.”
By quoting Isaiah Jesus is connecting the religious people of his day to Old Testament Israel
The Pharisees loved to point out the sins of others
In their day
In the time before
But Jesus message isn’t intended to obscure the truth but reveal it to the right people
16 “No one lights a lamp and hides it in a clay jar or puts it under a bed. Instead, they put it on a stand, so that those who come in can see the light. 17 For there is nothing hidden that will not be disclosed, and nothing concealed that will not be known or brought out into the open. 18 Therefore consider carefully how you listen. Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what they think they have will be taken from them.”
Jesus calls the people to listen to his message so they understand it
This isn’t an illustration about the importance of evengelism (though other similar texts are)
The hard hearted people do not understand
This doesn’t mean everything Jesus says is easy to understand – he does need to explain the parable to the disciples
This doesn’t mean that Jesus is trying to communicate a secret message.
The Word of God hardens those who resist it and softens those who receive it
Non-newtonian fluid
Application
Application
Consider carefully how you listen
“Watch your ears”
A Disciple Hears and Obeys
A Disciple Hears and Obeys
19 Now Jesus’ mother and brothers came to see him, but they were not able to get near him because of the crowd. 20 Someone told him, “Your mother and brothers are standing outside, wanting to see you.”
21 He replied, “My mother and brothers are those who hear God’s word and put it into practice.”
This section that began by listing several followers of Jesus ends by identifying how to be close to him
Jesus always honored and loved his father and mother, but his mission was bigger than his family.
The true mark of a follower of Jesus is not their place in society; it’s not what they have to offer him. The only real question is do you hear him and put his words into practice.
Conclusion
Conclusion
You are identified as a disciple of Jesus by your response to his teaching.
