Hearing the words of the Kingdom
Mark 4:11-33
11 And he said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables:
12 That seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest at any time they should be converted, and their sins should be forgiven them.
13 And he said unto them, Know ye not this parable? and how then will ye know all parables?
14 The sower soweth the word. (We can only preach seed!)
15 And these are they by the way side, where the word is sown; but when they have heard, Satan cometh immediately, and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts.
· Matt 13:19
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.
16 And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground; who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness;
17And have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward, when affliction or persecution ariseth for the word's sake, immediately they are offended.
18 And these are they which are sown among thorns; such as hear the word,
19 And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful.
20 And these are they which are sown on good ground; such as hear the word, and receive it, and bring forth fruit, some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some an hundred.
21 And he said unto them, Is a candle brought to be put under a bushel, or under a bed? and not to be set on a candlestick?
· Things have a purpose and they are useless if not used and used for that purpose.
· Hearing with a purpose. If you do not hear with a determination to do, you do not really hear with the purpose intended by the communication! ie.. News broadcast about an approaching Hurricane! “Ladies and Gentlemen, This is a warning! There is a dangerous Hurricane approaching, please evacuate the city at once!”
· Did you hear that? His voice sounded tired! It seems that they are always talking about problems today. Yes they are and the announcers voice, it isn’t one of those pleasant ones, they should make their announcer a woman with a nice voice. I didn’t like the tie he was wearing either! No no he would look better in a green color! Etc…
· Or hearing with a different purpose. Spectator, player, Trainer! No spectators on the earth! But the church is full of spectator hearers!
22 For there is nothing hid, which shall not be manifested; neither was any thing kept secret, but that it should come abroad.
23 If any man have ears to hear, let him hear. PLEASE!
24 And he said unto them, Take heed what ye hear: with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you: and unto you that hear shall more be given.
· What you hear! There are things that will poison you! Unbelief, fear, garbage, waste of time filler!
· The measure you hear with. You choose how much you will hear!
· Your ears will be trained to hear and want more of what it has been receiving!
25 For he that hath(ears that really hear), to him shall be given: and he that hath not(ears that really hear), from him shall be taken even that which he hath.
· If the ears are not working, nothing is working!
26 And he said, So is the kingdom of God, as if a man should cast seed into the ground;
27 And should sleep, and rise night and day, and the seed should spring and grow up, he knoweth not how.
28 For the earth bringeth forth fruit of herself; first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear.
29 But when the fruit is brought forth, immediately he putteth in the sickle, because the harvest is come.
· If you are a hearer this is the rest, and how little effort is required to make the word grow!
30 And he said, Whereunto shall we liken the kingdom of God? or with what comparison shall we compare it?
31It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when it is sown in the earth, is less than all the seeds that be in the earth:
32But when it is sown, it groweth up, and becometh greater than all herbs, and shooteth out great branches; so that the fowls of the air may lodge under the shadow of it.
· Even the smallest amount will grow into something BIG!
33 and with many such parables spake he the word unto them, as they were able to hear it. (KJV)
James 1:22-25
22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.
23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror;
24 for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was.
25 But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does.
(NKJ)