Are You Listening?

Mark 4:1-9

Introduction:

1. 1. “He who has an ear, let him hear…”  (Mark 4:9)
      1. Repeated 8 times by Jesus and 8 times by John in Revelation.
      2. Our ears are useless unless we use them to listen, really listen to heaven’s message.
   2. Jesus’ challenge, “Listen to this!” (vs. 3), Jesus launches into a story about different types of soils (hearts) vss. 3-8.
      1. Some ears were like hardened soil and totally unreceptive to the Word.  The word would not penetrate.
      2. Some ears were like rocky soil.  They heard, but the Word went in one ear and out the other.  They made no commitment, no repentance, no change of “heart.”
      3. Some ears were like overgrown weed patches where the Word was planted but overcrowded and choked out.  (vs. 19)
      4. Some ears are just right and are receptive to the Word.
   3. The same seed and same sower.  The difference lies in the heart of the hearer.
      1. 75% of the world tunes out the Word.
      2. This is because the majority of the people just don’t listen.
   4. The Bible places a premium on listening to God’s voice.
      1. The Shema (Dt. 6) “Hear, O Israel…”
      2. People stood up at the reading of God’s word (Nehemiah 8:3)
      3. “Blessed is the man who listens to me.”  (Proverbs 8:34)
      4. Jesus wants His hearers to listen like sheep (John 10:3).
      5. “Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears my voice…”  (Revelation 3:20)
   5. God made our ears to stay open, not closed. 

1. Selective hearing  (The problem with husbands is that they have selective hearing.)
   1. Pilate:
      1. He chose whom to hear:
         1. He refused to hear his wife (Matthew 27:19)
         2. He refused to listen to Jesus (Matthew 27:11; John 18:37)
         3. He chose to listen to the mob (Matthew 27:20-26)
      2. Romans 10:17, Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God…Since Pilate refused to hear the Word of God he did not lay a foundation for faith to build.
   2. How long has it been since you had your hearing checked?
      1. Not literally, but spiritually?
      2. How long has been since you have given God some uninterrupted time to God and just listened to Him?
2. Just like Jesus
   1. Two essentials:
      1. Prayer-Jesus prayed often and a lot, and He did so alone (Mark 1:35; Luke 5:16).  If Jesus felt it was important to clear His calendar and make time to be alone with the Father to pray, then we too should see the importance in doing the same.
      2. The Bible-During the temptation Jesus used his knowledge in and reliance on the scriptures to battle against the Devil (Matthew 4).  The young can keep themselves pure by knowing God’s Word (Psalm 119:9).
   2. 1 Thessalonians 5:17; Psalm 119:97
   3. Surrogate spirituality
      1. We tend to get too busy to spend time with God in prayer and studying His Word.  Sometimes we are content with letting someone else study for us and feed us a condensed version of God’s Word.
      2. But are we willing to do that in other areas of our lives?
         1. Vacations?
         2. Romance?
         3. Food?
      3. To grow spiritually and to enhance our relationship with God we have to do it ourselves.
3. Are you listening?  Equipped with the right tools we can learn to listen even better.  What are the tools?
   1. A regular time and place
      1. A time-Select a slot on your schedule and a special place in your world and dedicate it to God, make it special.  (Psalm 88:13; Matthew 14:23; Luke 5:16).
      2. Just find a place and make the time, He will be there ready to listen and speak to you.
   2. Open your Bible
      1. Let God initiate the conversation with His Word (Psalm 119:105)
      2. Don’t skim the Bible like a newsfeed, dig deep (Prov. 2:4-5)-Don’t get too caught up on reading a lot just to keep a schedule, read a little to get mine more meaning.
      3. Manna was to be gathered only what could be eaten for one day, not hoarded and wasted.  Read the Bible the same way.
   3. Open your Heart
      1. Some never learn because they never listen.
      2. “He who has an ear, let him hear.”
      3. Listen, learn, and apply!

Conclusion:

1. 1. Matthew 4:4
   2. Deuteronomy 32:46-47

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