Ears To Hear

 1 Corinthians 3:5-17 (NASB)
5 What then is Apollos? And what is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, even as the Lord gave opportunity to each one. 6 I planted, Apollos watered, but God was causing the growth. 7 So then neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but God who causes the growth. 8 Now he who plants and he who waters are one; but each will receive his own reward according to his own labor. 9 For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, God’s building. 10 According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I laid a foundation, and another is building upon it. But let each man be careful how he builds upon it. 11 For no man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 Now if any man builds upon the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, 13 each man’s work will become evident; for the day will show it, because it is to be revealed with fire; and the fire itself will test the quality of each man’s work. 14 If any man’s work which he has built upon it remains, he shall receive a reward. 15 If any man’s work is burned up, he shall suffer loss; but he himself shall be saved, yet so as through fire. 16 Do you not know that you are a temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? 17 If any man destroys the temple of God, God will destroy him, for the temple of God is holy, and that is what you are.

Romans 10:1-21 (NASB)
1 Brethren, my heart’s desire and my prayer to God for them is for their salvation. 2 For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not in accordance with knowledge. 3 For not knowing about God’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own, they did not subject themselves to the righteousness of God. 4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes. 5 For Moses writes that the man who practices the righteousness which is based on law shall live by that righteousness. 6 But the righteousness based on faith speaks thus, “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’ (that is, to bring Christ down), 7 or ‘Who will descend into the abyss?’ (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead).” 8 But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart”—that is, the word of faith which we are preaching, 9 that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved; 10 for with the heart man believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation. 11 For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes in Him will not be disappointed.” 12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, abounding in riches for all who call upon Him; 13 for “Whoever will call upon the name of the Lord will be saved.” 14 How then shall they call upon Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? 15 And how shall they preach unless they are sent? Just as it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring glad tidings of good things!” 16 However, they did not all heed the glad tidings; for Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our report?” 17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ. 18 But I say, surely they have never heard, have they? Indeed they have; “Their voice has gone out into all the earth, And their words to the ends of the world.” 19 But I say, surely Israel did not know, did they? At the first Moses says, “I will make you jealous by that which is not a nation, By a nation without understanding will I anger you.” 20 And Isaiah is very bold and says, “I was found by those who sought Me not, I became manifest to those who did not ask for Me.” 21 But as for Israel He says, “All the day long I have stretched out My hands to a disobedient and obstinate people.”

Tonight we want to talk about ears to hear. Ears to hear. Hear what? Don’t we all hear the same things? We certainly do, so why does the bible make a distinction between people who have ears to hear and those that don’t? Perhaps it would help us to understand if we said it like this, the bible speaks of people who have ears that perceive. We all know that people see many things differently than others. That still is not what we are talking about here. We still hear the same message and yet, what we perceive effects our next emotion or feeling or decision. What we are talking about is how every individual will react or act upon a truth. Now, granted, this assumes the individual accepts the chosen proposition as a truth  - continue here – about different types of soil Matt 13:3-17

Then maybe the axiom – what am I saying, is it true and if it is true, what am I going to do about it?

The Bible is really a message. One uniform and concise message that seeks out individuals to understand or perceive it. That does not mean it is a complicated message. Quite the contrary, it is so simple a child could explain it but so deep it has kept theologians humbled at its genius and vastness for two millenia.

I’ll wager (not for anything of value but just a friendly wager) that there are folks in here right now that do not know God but have desperatly sought after Him.

"“For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it shall be opened." (Matthew 7:8, NASB)

" “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied." (Matthew 5:6, NASB)

You want to know Him. There is something that has been knawing and pulling at you and you just can’t put a handle on it. There is a sense of destiny but the what and where of it has been driving you crazy. It’s like you have been looking for that final data entry to complete the program that is you so finally you can get on with life.

Notes. We are not called to prepare the soil, but to sow the seed. We can however and should prepare the sowers. This is discipleship.

We contemplate wether we should preach as though it is our first sermon or last sermon when we should consider it the last sermon someone may hear.