Living Word, Listening Ears

There are over 100 references in the New Testament to the necessity of having ears that will hear the message of the Scriptures. Some address the terrible results of not listening to what God has said. From his prison cell, Paul even told Timothy that “the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables” (2 Timothy:4:3-4 [3] For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; [4] And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.
See All...). The majority of passages, however, stress the benefits of hearing the message that has been recorded, promising that the more one listens, the more one will understand Kingdom principles.

Two vivid illustrations from our Lord’s teaching speak to the way eternal truths are received in the world: the Parable of the Sower and the Parable of the Wheat and the Tares (Matthew 13; Mark 4; Luke 8). The illustration of the sower identifies the seed as “the word” and gives us the picture of how we can expect the word to be received when it is “sown” throughout the world. Sometimes the word is not understood (Matthew:13:19When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side.
See All...), and Satan comes immediately (Mark:4:15And these are they by the way side, where the word is sown; but when they have heard, Satan cometh immediately, and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts.
See All...) and “takes away the word out of their hearts” (Luke:8:12Those by the way side are they that hear; then cometh the devil, and taketh away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved.
See All...). Clearly, some hearts will not be receptive to the truths of Scripture; their ears will not hear.

The Parable of the Wheat and the Tares speaks to this same issue from God’s perspective. The Son of Man sows “sons of the kingdom,” and the devil sows “sons of the wicked one” (Matthew:13:37-39 [37] He answered and said unto them, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man; [38] The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one; [39] The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels.
See All...). Apparently, even the angels of God are unable to tell the difference (Matthew:13:28-29 [28] He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up? [29] But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them.
See All...). They are told to wait and let them grow together until the end of the age before they are authorized to gather “those who practice lawlessness” out of His Kingdom and “cast them into the furnace of fire” (Matthew:13:39-42 [39] The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels. [40] As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world. [41] The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; [42] And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.
See All...). Evidently, there are those among the children of the Kingdom who are mistaken for “ministers of righteousness” (2 Corinthians:11:15Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.
See All...).

There are also some who respond to the word and “immediately receive it with gladness” (Mark:4:16And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground; who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness;
See All...). However, that immediate “joy” (Luke:8:13They on the rock are they, which, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away.
See All...) fades when “tribulation or persecution arises because of the word,” and they stumble (Matthew:13:21Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended.
See All...). Many pastors can affirm this disappointing reaction among those who initially seem to respond to the gospel but soon disappear or fall away from what they once embraced. The Bible tells us that once these ears have heard but later reject what they knew to be true, they cannot be rededicated to what they have spurned (Hebrews:6:4-6 [4] For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, [5] And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, [6] If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.
See All...; 2 Peter:2:20-22 [20] For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. [21] For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them. [22] But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.
See All...).

Perhaps the most important principle we can gain from these parables is that some people (perhaps even the majority) will not respond to God’s Word—no matter how often they hear or how much they have experienced. Our job is to be His spokespersons, but some ears are shut tight.

http://www.icr.org/article/10655/