ARE YOU LISTENING?
Matthew 13:18-23
An excited little boy was telling his dad about what had happened to him that day. His dad said, Slow down, you’re talking too fast! His boy shot back at him, Oh, no, Dad, I’m not talking too fast. You’re just listening too slow! Are you listening?
I read this week that we think four to five times faster than we talk. This means that if I talk at 120 words a minute, you’re thinking at about 500 words a minute! I suppose I need to talk a lot faster or you need to listen slower, otherwise I will put you to sleep!
My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry. James 1:19
Are you listening? It pays to listen to the right person, at the right time, and for the right length of time. After Jesus was transfigured on the mountain top, God said, This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him! Matthew 17:5 It always pays to listen to Jesus!
Are you listening? It pays to listen, especially, when it comes to listening to God. The Holy Spirit is speaking to you this morning, are you hearing him? It pays big dividends to listen to him. If you don’t, you’ll never grow!
Ann watched those around her try to persuade the judge to exempt them from serving on the jury. One man explained that he had a severe hearing problem and wouldn’t be able to follow the proceedings. You’re excused, the judge informed him. What did you say? the man asked. The judge repeated himself and motioned to the exit. As the man reached the door, the judge told the clerk, Juror No. 9 is excused, but he will still be paid for his time. Thank you, Your Honor! came the voice from the far end of the courtroom.
To our own detriment, we can be selective in our hearing. Excuse my attitude here, but sometimes it seems like a waste to me. God does a lot of speaking and we miss most of it. Just like the sower who scatters the seed. It lands in all these places where it will not grow. Why bother? Why speak when so little is welcomed?
God speaks because it’s his nature to do so. He wants to reveal himself to us. Jesus said,
Listen then to what the parable of the sower means: When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is the seed sown along the path. The one who received the seed that fell on rocky places is the man who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. But since he has no root, he lasts only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, he quickly falls away. The one who received the seed that fell among the thorns is the man who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it, making it unfruitful. But the one who received the seed that fell on good soil is the man who hears the word and understands it. He produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. Matthew 13:18-23
1. A hard heart
The first listener has a hard heart. The seed that fell on the footpath represents those who hear the message about the Kingdom and don’t understand it. Then the evil one comes and snatches away the seed that was planted in their hearts. vs19 NLT
This listener is hardened to the Gospel, they can’t seem to understand it or grasp it. The description of the hard-packed ground is a picture of the hard heart. It’s not the message that is defective. It’s the individual that does not understand, or worse, is not interested. The Word makes no penetration into the heart. The message goes in one ear and out the other.
The person who is self-sufficient and self-satisfied is exposed to Satan’s attack. He snatches any little bit that was sown in that person’s heart before it can start to grow and bear fruit.
We tend to think of this as only people who don’t know God. But this can easily be us. Are you listening? What do I mean?
At one point during the Little League game, the baseball coach said to one of his players, Do you understand what cooperation is? What a team is? The little boy nodded yes. Do you understand that what matters is whether we win together as a team? The little boy nodded yes.
So, the coach continued, when a strike is called, or you’re out at first, you don’t argue or cuss or attack the umpire. Do you understand all that? Again the little boy nodded. Good, the coach said. Now go over there and explain that to your mother.
There are some things that some people just don’t seem to understand in life! However, understanding all about baseball is not nearly as important as understanding the basics or the essentials of the gospel.
For example, Jesus said we are to forgive those who hurt us, that’s not optional. How do I know that? He went on the say that If I don’t forgive, my heavenly Father won’t forgive me! You don’t need a graduate degree to understand that.
In order to keep Satan from stealing what has been sown in our hearts and minds we must make the message of Christ as clear and as interesting as possible! Pray that every time I open my mouth I’ll be able to make Christ plain as day to them. Colossians 4:4 Message
2. A shallow heart
The seed on the rocky soil represents those who hear the message and immediately receive it with joy. But since they don’t have deep roots, they don’t last long. They fall away as soon as they have problems or are persecuted for believing God’s word. Matthew 13:20-21 NLT
The shallow-hearted listener doesn’t have any staying power. They are quick to believe, receive and rejoice, but they don’t stay with as soon as things get tough.
It’s like new year’s resolutions. We have good intentions, but don’t stick to the program. It’s like those who have started a jogging or an exercise program, because it’s beneficial, but after only a short time they quit. Why? The excitement wore off. The going got tough. We experience sore muscles, leg aches, shin splints, it’s hard going to the gym! And what we’ve done with various sports, we’ve done with jobs, with relationships, and with Jesus.
Why don’t we stick with it? No roots. In order to grow we must have roots. To help develop those roots, we need to come along side and help those new to following Jesus.
Stanley Jones, who became a missionary in India, said, I am quite sure that I should not have survived as a young Christian had I not had the corporate life of the church to hold me up. When I rejoiced, they rejoiced with me. When I was weak, they strengthened me, and one when I fell, a rather bad fall, they gathered around me with prayer and love, and without blame or censure, and they lovingly lifted me back to my feet again.
That’s it! That’s one key to the survival of all Christians! We must love each other, even in our failures! We must support each other, encourage each other, and pray for each other.
Paul writes, ...we urge you, brothers, warn those who are idle, encourage the timid, help the weak, be patient with everyone. I Thessalonians 5:14 Accept him whose faith is weak, without passing judgment on disputable matters. Romans 14:1 We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves. Each of us should please his neighbor for his good, to build him up. Romans 15:1-2
I’ve heard it said that Christians are the only people who shoot their wounded. I wouldn’t say that always holds true, but it does part of the time. When someone fails, what do we do? Do we shoot them or do we try to save them? Do we criticize and condemn them or do we try to help solve their problem? Are you listening?
I realize that you can’t help someone who doesn’t want help. But you never stop praying for them, because God can get through.
I keep asking if you’re listening because we all know people who are shallow, but are you shallow this morning? Are you hearing the Holy Spirit speak to you? Don’t be shallow hearted.
3. A heart full of clutter
The seed that fell among the thorns represents those who hear God’s word, but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the worries of this life and the lure of wealth, so no fruit is produced. Matthew 13:22 NLT
This heart is cluttered up with the things of this world. Listen to this prayer, Dear Lord, please just let me sit here in my pew today. Please don’t let anyone else try to sit there. Lord please help me get home quickly after the service, before all those church people try and recruit me to actually do something I don’t want to do.
Please help them understand that I’m happy and content to just show up on certain Sundays. Heavenly Father, thank you for hearing my prayer, I’ve got to go, the game starts in a couple of minutes. I know you understand Lord. Thanks for putting some great games on this weekend, and thank you for that all-sports cable channel. See you next Sunday or the Sunday after Lord. Amen.
Some people are caught up in the clutter of entertainment and sports, which keeps them from hearing the voice of the Lord. Did you know that last year Americans gave: $2.9 billion dollars to overseas missions? Sounds pretty good until you hear the rest of the story. Americans also spent $8.4 billion to see movies, $13 billion to buy chocolate, $23 billion to buy toys, $23 billion to buy stuff for their pets, $24 billion for jewelry, $58 billion for soft drinks, $85 billion for lawn and garden care, and $354 billion to eat out at restaurants!
Doesn’t sound like Americans are interested in God and helping others find Jesus? I know you’re different, but as Americans, the vast majority of us are not interested in God. We may say we are, but we are interested in anything and everything else. Are you listening? What about you? Is there clutter in your heart?
A cluttered heart is preoccupied with money, career, fashions, sports and everything but the Lord’s priorities. So if you want faith that is weak and anemic, keep those matters as priorities and they will keep your faith from taking root.
Why am I saying all this? If it wasn’t for the Lord in my life, I’d have season tickets to the Lakers or another sports team. What has happened is that I’ve begun to learn to listen to God. My priorities have changed. His priority is people, especially the ones that don’t know anything about him. Clutter in my heart prevents me from seeing them. Clutter causes me to see myself above everything else. Clutter causes me to look right over those who need my help the most.
Are you listening?
4. The good heart
The seed that fell on good soil represents those who truly hear and understand God’s word and produce a harvest of thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times as much as had been planted! Matthew 13:23
The good-hearted listener hears the Word, understands it, and bears fruit. Do you know what the difference between perseverance and obstinate is? One is a strong will and the other is a strong won’t. We need to have a strong will in doing God’s Word instead of a strong won’t.
James speaks about this clearly, Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. James 1:22
He goes on to say, Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it – he will be blessed in what he does. James 1:23-25
The good-hearted listener sees himself in the mirror of God’s Word and doesn’t like what he sees. Consequently, he does something to change that image. He believes and obeys God’s Word. He allows it to grow deep roots. The good-hearted listener listens, understands, and bears fruit.
Jesus said, Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me. Revelation 3:20
I want to encourage you to listen. Realize that God is still speaking and has not given up on you. You are not a waste of time to him. In Max Lucado’s book, Just Like Jesus, he talks about the motivation behind God’s desire to make us like Jesus.
God loves to decorate. Let him live long enough in a heart, and that heart will begin to change. Portraits of hurt will be replaced by landscapes of grace. Walls of anger will be demolished and shaky foundations restored. God can no more leave a life unchanged than a mother can leave her child’s tear untouched. It’s not enough for him to own you; he wants to change you. Where you and I might be satisfied with a recliner and refrigerator, he refuses to settle for any dwelling short of a palace. After all, this is his house. No expense is spared. No corners are cut.
This might explain some discomfort in your life. Remodeling the heart is not always pleasant. We don’t object when the Carpenter adds a few shelves, but he’s been known to gut the entire west wing. He has such high aspirations for you. God envisions a complete restoration. He won’t stop until he is finished.
Are you listening? Jesus is knocking on the door of your heart. He is knocking in many ways and by means of many people. Do you hear him? Are you listening? He is not saying, let’s do lunch. He is saying, Let’s do life together. Are you listening?
