Winter 1997
To Hear Or Not To Hear
By Dale Spangler

"Who hath ears to hear, let him hear." Matt 13:9.

The hearing of words is part of the process of conveying information from one person to another. Generally, hearing prompts a reaction to what is being received. With light or trivial conversation, a smile or laughter may result. When a warning is received, more intense action results. Consider this in the Word of God.

"Behold I stand at the door and knock, if any man
hear my voice, and open the door, I will come into
him and will sup with him and he with me." Rev 3:20.

When the Lord knocks, He expects a response from the hearer. However, the response may not be the one He desires. The resident of the house has the option of either opening, or remaining behind a closed door.

This verse is within the letter to the church of Laodicia. Why then is He outside, knocking?

The disciples who walked with Jesus had a problem with their hearing. Throughout the ministry of Jesus, His disciples were waiting for Him to overthrow the Roman government and restore the land to Jewish control (Acts 1:6).

Although they heard His teaching about the Kingdom of God, they were without understanding. There was little or no response, because they had a preconceived notion of His mission. The information their ears collected did not fit the past information they had heard and stored.

This happens many times in our lives. We also have preconceived opinions that block the better things the Lord has for us. For example, when asked if the Bible is the written Word of God, and if the Lord is the same today as he was yesterday, and will be tomorrow, most Christians will answer with a resounding "yes," while at the same time they believe that most of the gifts of the Spirit do not operate today.

Because of this, there is little present moving of the Spirit, and the gift ministries are hindered in fulfilling their purpose.

In the parable of the sower, the Word of the Kingdom is sown by way of speech (Luke 8:10-15). The Word is heard by the ear and is sent to either the brain, or to the heart. If the heart, which denotes the center of our spiritual being, is receptive, the seed is received and begins to develop (Luke 8:15). Therefore, the verses that follow do not deal with the seed, but address the condition of the soil.

The wayside is a regularly traveled path upon which the soil is so packed that the seed cannot take root. We easily become busy with so many things that there is little or no room for the "Word of the Lord" to take root within us. Much traffic makes the heart hard and unreceptive to the seed of the Kingdom.

In Israel, many fields have large flat limestone deposits within inches of the soil surface. In these rocky spots, the soil loses its moisture rapidly. Thus the seed sprouts, begins to grow, and dies very quickly (Luke 8:13).

The seed is received with joy, then temptation comes. The decision to yield to the temptation, or to follow the Lord, will determine whether the crop will die or continue to grow. Remember, the soil condition was there before the seed was sown, the choice is ours to make. We are called to obey, and to follow Him.

Just as a garden needs proper care, our heart condition requires constant attention, or the briars will take control and the crop (the will of God for us) will suffer loss.

An honest heart is one that acknowledges the paths, rocks, and thorns (hindrances to our fulfilling the will of God). If problems with the soil are recognized and acknowledged, they can then be corrected. We often forget how painful rock removal can be. Thorns must be removed, root and all. The more pollutants that are removed, the more abundant the crop.

If we are to walk with Him, we must both hear and obey; there is no other way.

"To day if ye will hear his voice, Harden not your
hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of
temptation in the wilderness." Heb 3:7b-8.

He is knocking. Are we hearing and responding?