Understanding Is The Key

I. EXORDIUM:

Do you understand every WORD of GOD that You hear? What is the difference between listening and hearing?

II. AUDIENCE PROFILE:

Believers

III. OBJECTIVES:

To show that we put high value in hearing and hearing the WORD of GOD because this is where we increase our faith.

IV. TEXT:

Mark 4:24 (Amplified Bible)

4:24 And He said to them, Be careful what you are hearing. The measure [of thought and study] you give [to the truth you hear] will be the measure [of virtue and knowledge] that comes back to you—and more [besides] will be given to you who hear.

V. THESIS:

Praise, worship and thank You very much, LORD JESUS, for You wake my ears every morning to hear as a disciple, and I enjoy more spiritual understanding and more good memory.

VI. TITLE:

Understanding is the key

VII. EXPLICATION:

A. Author: Mark, son of Mary of Jerusalem. Referred to as "John Mark" First name: John, Surname: Mark

B. Date written: 58 B.C. earliest of the Gospels

C. Purpose: To present Jesus of Nazareth as God's Suffering Servant, the Redeemer of the world.—Thompson Chain - Bible Book Outlines

D. Main Theme: Christ is the tireless servant of God and humanity.—Thompson Chain - Bible Book Outlines

VIII. MAIN BODY:

A. The measure you use in your hearing will be used in returning it to you

"And He said to them, Be careful what you are hearing. The measure [of thought and study] you give [to the truth you hear] will be the measure [of virtue and knowledge] that comes back to you"

Be careful, take heed or "blepo" in Greek meaning:

1. to look at

2. behold, beware, look, perceive, regard, see, sight

Hear or "akouo" in Greek meaning:

1. to hear

2. give audience - as if you're saying "you have my undivided attention"

3. be noised

4. be reported

5. understand

We are warned by the bible not to hear everything that this world teaches if it will be in conflict with the bible.

Proverbs 19:27 (Amplified Bible)

19:27 Cease, my son, to hear instruction only to ignore it and stray from the words of knowledge.

We welcome every message from the bible and study it if it were so.

Acts 17:11 (Amplified Bible)

17:11 Now these [Jews] were better disposed and more noble than those in Thessalonica, for they were entirely ready and accepted and welcomed the message [concerning the attainment through Christ of eternal salvation in the kingdom of God] with inclination of mind and eagerness, searching and examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so.

But we test every spirit.

1 John 4:1 (Amplified Bible)

4:1 BELOVED, DO not put faith in every spirit, but prove (test) the spirits to discover whether they proceed from God; for many false prophets have gone forth into the world.

Proverbs 27:21 (Amplified Bible)

27:21 As the refining pot for silver and the furnace for gold [bring forth all the impurities of the metal], so let a man be in his trial of praise [ridding himself of all that is base or insincere; for a man is judged by what he praises and of what he boasts].

B. More will be given to you who hear

"and more [besides] will be given to you who hear."

Mark 9:7 (Amplified Bible)

9:7 And a cloud threw a shadow upon them, and a voice came out of the cloud, saying, This is My Son, the [most dearworthy] Beloved One. Be constantly listening to and obeying Him!

Isaiah 55:3 (Amplified Bible)

55:3 Incline your ear [submit and consent to the divine will] and come to Me; hear, and your soul will revive; and I will make an everlasting covenant or league with you, even the sure mercy (kindness, goodwill, and compassion) promised to David.

John 10:27 (Amplified Bible)

10:27 The sheep that are My own hear and are listening to My voice; and I know them, and they follow Me.

Isaiah 50:4 (Amplified Bible)

50:4 [The Servant of God says] The Lord God has given Me the tongue of a disciple and of one who is taught, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him who is weary. He wakens Me morning by morning, He wakens My ear to hear as a disciple [as one who is taught].

Illustration:

We have two ears and one mouth that we may listen the more and talk the less.Greek proverb

—Great Thoughts

Hear means: To perceive by the ear; to feel an impression of sound by the proper organs; as, to hear sound; to hear a voice; to hear words.

Listen means: to attend closely with a view to hear.

What comes first? listen or hear? Listen comes first because we can choose what to hear but we can't choose what to listen to. Therefore what we hear, if we listen to it accidentally, then we can choose not to hear all the more. Listen less to bad news and hear all the more the good news - WORD of GOD.