In the Church, we talk a lot about preaching, but in this text Jesus teaches us about hearing God’s Word. We are to hear in order to spread the truth, receive the truth, and obey the truth. How are you listening to God’s Word?
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How Should We Listen To God’s Word?
Luke 8:16-21
Let me give you a test this morning. You’re the engineer of a train. There are 36 people on board. At the first stop 10 get off and 2 get on. At the next stop no one gets off, but 5 get on. At the third stop, 4 get off and 2 get on. What’s the name of the engineer?
Did I stump you? At the very beginning I said, “You’re the engineer of a train.”
One day a man’s wife started talking to him. He dropped his newspaper, looked straight into her eyes and listened intently as she spoke to him. “Stop it” she snapped. “Your deliberately listening just to confuse me.”
The truth is, most of us don’t listen carefully do we? Have you ever caught yourself saying, “Uh-huh” when your husband or wife was talking, but were tuned out and couldn’t repeat what they had said if your life depended on it?
Well, our bad listening skills very often translate right over into not listening well to God’s Word. As Christians, listening to God’s Word is a very big part of our life. Most of us probably spend hundreds of hours a year that we are hearing or reading God’s Word, especially if we count the online sermons we listen to and the Christian books we read. Over a lifetime we will have listened to God’s Word for thousands and thousands of hours. Wouldn’t you say it’s important that we know how to listen?
That’s exactly Jesus point in verse 18, “So take care how you listen.” Now, it’s important that we see that Luke 8:16-21 is continuing the theme of Luke 8:4-15. In other words, there is no break at verse 16. Jesus, just goes right on with the same theme. And what is that theme? It is hearing God’s Word.
Luke 8:8, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”
Luke 8:12, “Those beside the road are those who have heard…”
Luke 8:13, “Those on the rocky soil are those who, when they hear…”
Luke 8:14, “The seed which fell among the thorns, these are the ones who have heard…”
Luke 8:15, “But the seed in the good soil, these are the ones who have heard the word in an honest and good heart…”
Luke 8:18, “So take care how you listen…”
Luke 8:21, “My mother and My brothers are these who hear the word of God and do it.”
It is very apparent that Jesus wants us to learn something about hearing God’s Word. In fact, He says in verse 18 that we must “take care” how we listen. Just showing up on a Sunday morning, and going through the motions of sitting through a sermon, is not enough. We need to be careful and concerned about how we listen.
In the parable of the 4 Soils, Jesus teaches us that what makes the real difference in a person’s life is what kind of heart they hear the Word of God with. If it is a hard heart, God’s Word won’t even penetrate. It’ll just bounce right off. It we have a shallow heart, we will receive God’s Word, but we will fall away whenever a trial or temptation comes our way. If we have a divided heart, we won’t ever bear fruit because our love for the world preoccupies our time and attention. But, if we have a good heart, we will hold fast the Word and bear fruit with perseverance.
As Jesus continues His teaching in verses 16-21, He tells us three things about how we should listen to God’s Word:
1) Listen to God’s Word so that we can spread it
2) Listen to God’s Word so that we can receive it
3) Listen to God’s Word so that we can obey it
1. Listen To God’s Word So That You Can Spread It (Luke 8:16-17)
Jesus begins talking about lighting a lamp and putting it on a lampstand so that the people coming into the house can see where they are going. So, the first question we must answer is “what does the lamp represent?”
First, let’s notice the immediately preceding context. In 8:15 Jesus says, “But the seed in the good soil, these are the ones who have heard the word in an honest and good heart, and hold it fast, and bear fruit with perseverance.” Jesus is speaking of those who have an honest and good heart. This is in contrast with all the other types of soil, because this is the only soil that goes on to produce good fruit. This person is the real deal, a genuine follower of Christ. The shallow heart and the divided heart are false converts, but this fourth kind of soil is the true believer in Jesus Christ. So, when Jesus continues on talking about a lamp that is lit to give light to others, I believe he is talking about His true followers.
That would make sense, because in Matthew 5:14-15 Jesus says, “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.” So, I think we are safe in assuming that when Jesus speaks about the lamp that gives light to others, He’s talking about true Christians – hopefully you and me. Now, what is His point in verse 16? His point is that God has not lit us so that our light would never been seen or that our influence would never be felt by anyone else. God has lit us so that we would diffuse that light to everyone around us. God has saved us and given us His gospel, because He intends for us to spread that gospel to as many people as we possibly can.
Now, up to this point, Jesus’ disciples may have been confused, because Jesus had just gotten done saying in verse 10, “To you it has been granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God, but to the rest it is in parables, so that seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand.” The disciples may have thought that Jesus didn’t want anybody to understand these spiritual truths, so they should just stay quiet and not tell others about the truths He had told them. It is true that at this particular time in His ministry, Jesus taught in parables in order to conceal the truth from those that had no real interest in humbling themselves and being taught. The religious leaders were becoming more and more intense in their opposition to Christ which would eventually cause them to have him crucified. So, at this time, because of their opposition to His ministry, Jesus taught in parables. This would conceal the truth from His enemies, and reveal His truth to His disciples. However, after Jesus died and rose again, His plan was for His disciples to take the truths He had taught them, and publish them far and wide, to every living creature. Remember that after He rose from the dead, He told them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation” (Mk. 16:15).
I believe that’s why Jesus goes on to say in verse 17, “For nothing is hidden that will not become evident, nor anything secret that will not be known and come to light.” Jesus was teaching in parables because He was hiding spiritual truth from His enemies, and keeping it secret from them. But, the day would come, when these same truths were not to be hidden or kept secret, but to be proclaimed everywhere. In Matthew 10:27 Jesus told His disciples, “What I tell you in the darkness, speak in the light; and what you hear whispered in your ear, proclaim upon the housetops.”
So, here is the first principle: We must listen to God’s Word so that we can spread it! Just listening to sermons, or just reading the Bible, or just reading Christian books is not enough. There must be a great purpose for all of it. And here is the first purpose. All of our reading and hearing is so that we can share that truth with others.
In Palestine there are two great bodies of water – The Sea of Galilee and the Dead Sea. The Sea of Galilee is filled with fish and surrounded by lush plant life. The Dead Sea has no fish and no foliage. So, what is the major difference between these two great bodies of water? The Sea of Galilee has an inlet and an outlet. The Jordan River flows into it, and it flows out of it. However, the Dead Sea only has an inlet, but no outlet. Water just keeps pouring into it, but from there it just stagnates. The only way water can leave this sea is through evaporation. If any living fish somehow swim into the Dead Sea they are killed instantly, encrusted with salt, and are washed up onto the shores. Folks, if we only have an inlet, but no outlet, we will end up just like the Dead Sea. If we only listen to sermons, but never share the truths we are learning with others, we will end up stagnant and dead. God wants you to spread the truths you are learning and hearing with others.
J. C. Ryle once wrote, “The highest form of selfishness is that of a man who is content to go to heaven alone. The truest charity is to endeavor to share with others every spark of religious (gospel) light we possess ourselves, and so hold forth our own candle that it may give light to everyone around us.” When you come here on Sundays, you should be thinking, “Who can I teach these truths to?” Can I teach them to my children? Can we incorporate them into our family devotions? Can I start a Neighborhood Bible Study, or a bible study at work, and pass these truths along? Be thinking, “How can I take what I am hearing and shine it to other people?” Remember, you don’t want to have an inlet without any outlet. You don’t want to be a stagnant, dead Christian. You need to find a way to let these truths shine for the benefit of others. So, how will you do it? So, how is your lamp shining? Are you a 25 watt light bulb, or a 150 watt bulb? Are you on a lampstand shining all over the place? Or are you under the bed where nobody can benefit from your spiritual knowledge. Folks, start training your mind so that as you are driving to church you are thinking and praying, “Lord, show me how I can use what I hear today to benefit others?”
2. Listen To God’s Word So That You Can Receive It (Luke 8:18)
Jesus says in verse 18, “So take care how you listen; for whoever has, to him more shall be given; and whoever does not have, even what he thinks he has shall be taken away from him.”
Let’s take the last half of that statement first. Who are the ones who think they have but find it taken away from them? Think back to the parable of the 4 Soils that Jesus has just given. The first three kinds of soils refer to a person that failed to hear with a good heart and with spiritual ears. In each case, the persons hears the Word of God, but in each case, what they think they have is taken away from them.
The person with the hard heart thinks he has the Word, but the devil quickly snatches it away. The person with the shallow heart definitely thinks he has the Word, and faith and joy. However, when trials and temptations come, they find that they only have a superficial enthusiasm, and what they thought they had is taken away. In the case of the person with the divided heart, they think they have the Word, but riches, and pleasures, and worries choke out the Word and they fail to produce fruit. What they thought they had was taken away.
Now, let’s take the first part of Jesus’ statement. Who are those who have? Verse 8 says, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.” Now, not everyone has ears to hear. In verse 10 Jesus says that some people hear but don’t understand. In other words, they hear with their physical ears, but they don’t really hear the truth. So, Jesus is talking about people who have spiritual ears. Then in verse 15 Jesus speaks of those who have an honest and good heart. These are true converts, people who have experienced the New Birth.
So, in the end what it amounts to is this – some have received true spiritual salvation, forgiveness and eternal life. To those folks, more will be given. Others think they have received true spiritual salvation, but they will find everything stripped away in the end. In the final analysis it all comes down to this – “take care how you listen!” If you don’t have, you may hear the gospel with your physical ears, but it won’t transform your life. It won’t cause you to repent of sin, trust in Jesus, overcome the world, fight the devil, rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory. Your hearing will just cause you to rejoice for a while until you fall away, or it will cause you to profess Christ as Savior, but no real fruit will ever be produced. Don’t hear God’s Word like that! Don’t be content to go through the motions week after week, month after month, year after year, with no real transformation ever going on in your life!
Take care how you listen! Listen as if your life depended on it, because it really does! When you listen to a sermon, tell yourself, “I have an immortal soul which will be infinitely happy or unspeakably miserable for all eternity. I will either dwell with God and experience Him in all His glorious fullness, or I shall be punished in outer darkness, in the lake of fire, where there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. And all hangs on how I listen to God’s Word!” Then, when you have heard God’s Word, determine that you will apply it to your life.
Here is our second principle – We must listen to God’s word so that we can receive more of it. Do you have salvation, want more? Do you have peace, but want more? Do you have love, but want more? Do you have holiness, but want more? Do you have power, but want more? Do you have intimacy, but want more? Do you have truth, but want more? Take care how you listen! The way to receive more of all good things in the Christian life, is through listening to God’s Word. Let me give you a few helpful tips on how you should listen to God’s Word:
1) Listen Intently: If we listen in a careless, haphazard, slovenly way, we won’t receive more at all. In fact, that may prove that we only thought we had, but really didn’t have at all. When you are listening to your wealthy grandfather’s will being read, you’re going to listen intently, wanting to know if he has left anything to you. Well, listen to God’s Word like that! Listen to God’s Word like a man dying of thirst who has been given water.
2) Listen Reverently: Remember that this is the very word of the living God. When Paul came to the Thessalonians they received his message, not as the word of men, but as the very word of God. When the Word of God is read and accurately taught, we should receive it as we would if Jesus Christ appeared to us in the flesh, and gave the sermon.
3) Listen Humbly: The Word will do no good to us if we do not listen with a humble, teachable spirit. James tells us, “in humility receive the Word implanted, which is able to save your souls” (James 1:21). If we are too proud to let God instruct us and command us, we will never profit from the Word.
4) Listen Biblically: What I mean by that is to listen with your Bible filter over your mind. No human teacher is infallible. I am very aware that I can make mistakes in my interpretation of Scripture, no matter how diligent I am. So, you need to be a thinking Christian. You need to be asking yourself, “Does this jive with the rest of God’s Word?”
5) Listen Prayerfully: Do you pray every Sunday morning, that God would speak to your heart? Do you cry out to Him, asking Him to reveal His Word more and more to you?
If you will listen intently, reverently, humbly, Biblically, and prayerfully, you will be given more. God will entrust to you great spiritual riches and treasures and gifts, that you might be a greater blessing to others.
3. Listen To God’s Word So That You Can Obey It (Luke 8:19-21)
In these last three verses, we have the account of Jesus’ mother and brothers trying to get to Jesus. Now, why was Jesus’ family trying to get to Him? We find the answer in Mark 3:20-21, “And He came home, and the crowd gathered again, to such an extent that they could not even eat a meal. When His own people heard of this, they went out to take custody of Him; for they were saying, “He has lost His senses.” No doubt, they thought He wasn’t acting rationally. The crowds were so huge, He had no time even to eat a meal. They thought He had snapped.
Imagine the vast size of the crowds, thousands and thousands of people streaming to Jesus to be healed. When His family arrived, the crowd was so dense that they found it impossible to get in the door, so they sent a message in. But, when Jesus get the message, He didn’t say, “Oh, excuse Me. My mother and brothers need me. I’ll only be gone a few minutes.” No, He stretched out His hand and said, “My mother and My brothers are these who hear the word of God and do it.”
Now, let me deal with a little aside for just a moment. The Bible says that Jesus had brothers. In fact four of His brothers are named in Matthew 13, and we are also told that He had sisters. Now, the Roman Catholic church, and the Orthodox church maintain that Mary was a perpetual virgin, and that she never had any other children other than Jesus. They maintain that these brothers were either the sons of Joseph before he married Mary, or were adopted, or were Jesus’ cousins. Now, why would they come to that conclusion? Is there anything in the text that would cause us to think that these were not Jesus’ real brothers? No, the Bible is very straight forward and clear. The answer is not hard to find. The Catholic and the Orthodox church teach that Mary never sinned. Also, the idea surfaced early in the church that celibacy was somehow a more holier lifestyle than normal marriage relationships. However, both the Catholic and the Orthodox church have exalted Mary above all others. They refer to Mary as “the Mother of God” and the “Queen of Heaven.” They believe she is a co-Mediatrix with Jesus, meaning that she has a subordinate but essential role in our salvation. That’s why she is prayed to and venerated. Catholics believe that Mary never died, but ascended bodily to heaven like Jesus. However, there is not a hint anywhere in our Bible that Mary was sinless, that she was a perpetual virgin, that she participated in our redemption, or that she ascended to heaven without dying. There is clear teaching in Scripture that she was a sinner in need of salvation just like everybody else, and that she did have other children besides Jesus.
Another teaching of the Catholics and Orthodox believers is that Mary has closer access to Jesus and God the Father than any other human. However, here in Luke 8, Mary tries to get access to Jesus and is unable. Instead of Jesus leaving the crowd He says that anyone who hears God’s Word and does it, has intimate and immediate access to Him. I only mention all of this because I grew up in the Catholic church, and assumed that everything they taught me was true. However, I began to read the Bible when I was 19 and was shocked to find so many of the things I had always been told were not in the Bible, but in fact the Bible taught the opposite. Folks, we need to test everything by the Word of God.
Here is our third and final principle this morning – we must listen to God’s Word so that we can obey it. Perhaps this is the most important principle of all. Jesus always put a very great priority on obedience to the Word. At the end of His sermon in Luke 6 Jesus says that what makes the difference between someone’s house standing or falling in the great storm, is whether a person has acted on His word or not. In Luke 6:46 He says, “Why do you call Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?” He said, “If you love Me you will keep My commandments.” James, the Lord’s half-brother, says in James 1:22-25, “But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror; for once he has looked at himself and gone away, he has immediately forgotten what kind of person he was. But one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this man will be blessed in what he does.”
Let’s say you looked in the mirror and noticed you had a piece of green spinach in your teeth, and one of your buttons was unbuttoned ad your hair was all messy. After you saw all of that, you left without doing anything. I might wonder why you took the time to look in the mirror if you weren’t going to do anything about your teeth, hair and button. The same is true with us and God’s Word. Why do we even listen to God’s Word if we really don’t intend to change any of our flaws that the Word points out?
Conclusion
Folks, do you currently listen to God’s Word so that you can share it with others? Do you listen to God’s Word so that you can receive more truth? Do you listen to God’s Word so that you will obey it? If you do, it will produce 2 things. First, it will prove that you have an honest and good heart, and are a true convert. Second, it will cause you to produce much fruit. Not only will listening this way make your calling and election sure, but it will cause you to experience the abundant fruitful Christian life. Can there be anything better than this?! Oh, take care how you listen!
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