Title: Hearing and Giving the Word
Theme: To show how God can use us to share the word.
Text: Matthew 13:1 -9, 18 – 23
Power of the Word
Preparation for the Word
Placement of the Word
Opening Scripture:
Matthew 13:1-9 On the same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the sea. (2) And great multitudes were gathered together to Him, so that He got into a boat and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore. (3) Then He spoke many things to them in parables, saying: "Behold, a sower went out to sow. (4) And as he sowed, some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds came and devoured them. (5) Some fell on stony places, where they did not have much earth; and they immediately sprang up because they had no depth of earth. (6) But when the sun was up they were scorched, and because they had no root they withered away. (7) And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up and choked them. (8) But others fell on good ground and yielded a crop: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. (9) He who has ears to hear, let him hear!"
Community Clusters at Langley Pond
Introduction
This is one of the only parables that Jesus speaks and then turns around and gives the explanation for. The disciples were confused as to why Jesus speaks in parables. As the them of this parable is, Jesus was reminding them it is a matter of the heart in understanding the parables.
Some people will get it because they are ready, some people will not.
Anyway, I believe there are some principles we can learn from this parable that will apply to our lives.
“This parable has two applications. Primarily, it speaks of how we hear the Word. Secondarily, it gives understanding about how we share the Word. In verse Mat_13:9, Jesus says, "Whoever has ears to hear, let him hear." Tune in! Think through. Listen up!” – Courson
Jesus gives us the answer to the parables in the same chapter.
Shortage of the Word
Amos 8:11 Behold, the days come, saith the Lord GOD, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread (word of God), nor a thirst for water (spirit), but of hearing the words of the LORD: 12 And they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east, they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the LORD, and shall not find it.
Importance of the Word of God
Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is living and powerful (active), and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit (laying to bear where our soul will rest and who controls our spirit), and of joints and marrow (cuts to the bone), and is a discerner of the thoughts (mind) and intents (motivations) of the heart.
Hebrews 4:13 And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of
Him to whom we must give account.
We need this word, why to expose us.
Matthew 12:34 For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.
Indifferent - Wicked one
23 "Therefore hear the parable of the sower: (19) When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, then the wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is he who received seed by the wayside.
“word of the kingdom” – This is the key to everything. It is the word of the kingdom. It is a word from God. God can use this in many ways. I told you that there are two Greek words for “word” in the scriptures. 1) logos word – written word (John 1:1 “the written word” 2) rhema – word (Ephesians 6:17 “the sword of the Spirit, which is the word (rhema) of God”
“does not understand it” – gives the impression that the person is not willing to understand it. Not willing to even try. Could be they are only listening for what they want to hear.
Devil “steals” (snatches it away) the word.
How?
1) Bitterness
2) Unforgiveness
3) Lack of trust
4) Worry
5) Fear
Christian: Don’t give a place to the enemy.
Rootless - shallow
(20) But he who received the seed on stony places, this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; (21) yet he has no root in himself, but endures only for a while. For when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles.
“stony places” – trying to stay
“receives it with joy” – there is excitement, maybe even a heart touched.
“he has no root” – The problem is not allowing a place for the word to grow.
How? Do we get root.
- Surrender
- Trust in God
“endures for a while”
“tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles” or “falls away”
Christian: don’t be afraid to speak the word in the lives of others.
“Preach the word, and when necessary use words”
Thorny - cluttered
(22) Now he who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the word, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful.
“hears” not just understands, not just receives but actually hears. Maybe even starts making application.
Takes the word
- Cares of this world (our kingdom is not of this world)
- Deceitfulness of riches
“the love of money is the root of all evil” (love, pursuit, distraction)
Choke the word
Result: unfruitfulness
There is an expectation in our relationship to bear the fruit in our relationship. The fruit of love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, kindness, self-control,
Christian: We must watch the cares of this world that will pull us down from receiving the word of God.
Good Ground
(23) But he who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty."
Luke 8:15 NASB But the seed in the good soil, these are the ones who have heard the word with a good and virtuous heart, and hold it firmly, and produce fruit with perseverance.
Luke 8:15 MSG And the seeds that fell on the good soil represent honest, good-hearted people who hear God’s word, cling to it, and patiently produce a huge harvest.
“good ground”
“understands it” – knows the implication that this means, makes an application.
“bears fruit”
Ezra 7:10 For Ezra had firmly resolved to study the Law of the Lord and to practice it, and to teach His statutes and ordinances in Israel.
Matthew 5:8 NKJV Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
Observation
A. The seed goes everywhere.
So the word that we give should not be held back. We make too much a judgement one how to give the word of God. I think we sometimes use the excuse, “Well they won’t receive it or understand it.” That is not our judgement.
Studying in 1 Corinthians we were reminded in 1 Corinthians 3:6 Paul said, “ I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase.”
How God is going to use that word we give, we don’t know?
Isa 55:11 So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.
B. 25% of the seed that was sown is bearing fruit.
1 in 4. What if I told you that every 4th person you witness to will receive the word. Now I know there is more to it but the odds are not far off.
C. The challenge we have is to:
1. Listen to the word (hear the word) tune in, don’t tune out.
2. Understand the word (don’t just be settled with what you are hearing) study the word
3. Obey the word (make application), take notes, review what you heard
D. The simple part we play is to give the word
.
Conclusion
We must prepare our own heart, how?
We must “give the word”, how?
