The Lesson of Hearing
Thank God for giving us many wonderful opportunities to hear God¡¦s
words in the summer conference through His servant on the topic of ¡¥Worthy For
God¡¦s Kingdom¡¦. Last Sunday, I shared with you on ¡§The Words of Christian¡¨,
exhorting all to take heed in our words. The children of God have a lot of
self-discipline in both ¡¥speaking¡¦ and ¡¥hearing¡¦. For the theme of our church
in August is ¡¥To Equip by Hearing¡¦. And I would like to share with you a bit on
this column.
When Jesus taught about the mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven, He
began to point out the importance of ¡¥hearing¡¦ in the first parable of ¡¥Seed
and Soil¡¦. (Matthew 13:1-23) This parable is the first parable on a series of
parables of the Kingdom of Heaven. In this parable, our Lord told us that our
heart must be ready and our attitude must be right towards the unchanging
living words of God. If it is not, we still do not understand after hearing His
words. Like the Jews in the time of Jesus, ¡¥for their heart has become calloused;
they hardly hear with their ears and they have closed their eyes.¡¦ Therefore,
even though the Great Creator of both the heaven and the earth revealed to
them, speaking to them, they still did not know Him, or understand His
parables, or realize the great blessing they encountered. (Matthew 13:15)
According to the teaching of our Lord, the first essential lesson
to perceive the mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven is to make ready of our
heart to hear God¡¦s words. (1) Satan does not afraid to see us often hearing
God¡¦s words. It is because he is swift to snatch away the seed of His words
from a heart that never seeks for understanding. This is exactly like the seed
that is sown along the path. (verse 4, 19) We must have a heart that seeks for
understanding, do not simply swallow the words of God without an in depth
meditation. Remember the evil one is quick to snatch away God¡¦s words from our
heart. (2) Satan does not afraid to see us receiving God¡¦s words with joy and
with understanding. It is because he will use trouble and persecution to reveal
our shallowness of soil in our heart. The stony place of heart is those people
who do not love spiritual things and noble things of God. People who deeply
desire for God may focus on heavenly eternal things. (Colossians 3:2) If we
have deep and stoneless soil in our heart, the seed of God¡¦s words will have
greater chance to take root and grow strong. If a plant can take deep root into
the soil, it has less chance to be fallen down. It is because life in it grows
strong. (3) Satan will use earthly cares and deceitfulness of riches to choke
God¡¦s words in our heart so that it cannot grow. This is the seed that is sown
among the thorns. There are many people on the Sunday service whose minds
wander away on the things of this world such as work, family, children, health
and the desires on drinking and eating. The earthy and fleshy things will choke
God¡¦s words. Therefore, we must get rid of those cares and deceitfulness of
materialism from us. Do not let them to take root in our heart. Allow room for
God in us. (1 John 2:15-17) (4) A good soil is the heart of those people who
hear with understanding and delight, desiring God, allow no deceitful roots to
take place, bear fruits and produce; some hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.
For if we do not simply hear the words of God, but to work out His truth, God¡¦s
words will generate a great incredible effect. Thus, the lesson of hearing
God¡¦s words is just like the labor of a farmer on his field. There is a lot of
hardship and exercise before he can see a good harvest.
Thank God! There are many people desiring to hear God¡¦s word by
coming to the Community Center on Sunday. But I hope to see as many ¡¥Wise Men¡¦
as possible among us. For they hear and do God¡¦s word. (Matthew 7:24) And I
prayerfully ask God to raise among us as many ¡¥Overcomers¡¦ as possible. For
they hear and obey what the Spirit says to the churches. They live according to
the Holy Spirit. (Revelation 2:7,11,17,29, 3:6, 13,22) Amen.
By: Daniel To