<< Previous | Index | Next >>"SPIRITUAL WELLNESS" How Well Do You Hear? INTRODUCTION 1. This lesson is the first in a series entitled "Spiritual Wellness"... a. Just as we may have periodic checkups to gauge our physical well-being b. So we should frequently examine our spiritual wellness in regards to serving God c. Our spiritual checkup begins with checking our hearing 2. We often find Jesus saying, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear!"... a. During His earthly ministry - Mt 11:15; 13:9,43 b. In His letters to the churches of Asia - Re 2:7,11,17,29; 3:6,13,22 3. What is the point of these sayings...? a. What is being said is important, so you had better pay attention! - cf. Mk 4:23-25 b. It suggests a problem that often exists today: many simply do not hear so as to understand 4. I am convinced that many do not appreciate the importance of good listening... a. It certainly concerned Jesus b. So I believe it is appropriate to ask, "How Well Do You Hear?" [Let's begin by pointing out there are...] I. DIFFERENT TYPES OF HEARERS A. THOSE HARD OF HEARING... 1. Isaiah wrote of such people, and Jesus applied it to many in His day - Mt 13:13-15 2. People are this way because they are dull of heart and have closed their eyes to truth -- This prevents one from understanding God's grace and being saved by Him B. THOSE DULL OF HEARING... 1. Some of the Hebrew Christians were like this - cf. He 5:11 2. When a person has this problem, it is hard for others to explain things to them! -- The fault is not with the subject material, nor the presenter, but the hearer! C. THOSE WITH ITCHING EARS... 1. Such people will listen only to that which is pleasing - 2Ti 4:3-4 2. They don't like sound doctrine (which often requires negative preaching) - 2Ti 4:2 -- Many today are often afflicted with this hearing problem! D. THOSE WITH GOOD AND NOBLE HEARTS... 1. Jesus spoke of these in His parable of the Sower - Lk 8:15 2. The Bereans were hearers of this kind, receiving the word with readiness - Ac 17:11 -- This is the kind of hearer we all should be! [Why is it so important to be this kind of hearer? There are several reasons...] II. IMPORTANCE OF GOOD HEARING A. TO BEING BLESSED... 1. For those willing to hear properly, there are wonderful things to learn - Mt 13:16-17 2. Things which great people (David, Daniel, etc.) did not have the opportunity to learn -- We miss out on these blessings if we do not carefully hear! B. TO SAVING FAITH... 1. God has ordained that we be saved through faith in Christ - cf. Ro 1:16-17 2. Such faith comes through the gospel, often involving listening to a preacher - cf. Ro 10:14,17 -- Does your hearing hinder the development of your faith? C. TO BEARING FRUIT... 1. In the parable of the Sower, the soil bearing fruit was the one which heard properly - Lk 8:15 2. That is because bearing fruit comes from understanding the grace of God! - cf. Col 1:6 -- By hearing well we understand God's grace, and thus motivated to bear fruit! D. TO PREVENT APOSTASY... 1. There is a real danger of drifting, by neglecting "so great a salvation" - He 2:1-3 2. The only solution is to "give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard" -- Poor hearing is often the first step to apostasy! E. TO AVOID REJECTION... 1. If unwilling to hear, those teaching God's Word have a right to reject us - cf. Mt 10:14-15 2. We are judge ourselves unworthy of eternal life - cf. Ac 13:44-49 -- Unwilling to hear leads to fewer opportunities to learn the truth! F. TO ESCAPE CONDEMNATION... 1. By the men of Nineveh who repented after one lesson - Mt 12:41 2. By the queen of the South who traveled a great distance to hear Solomon - Mt 12:42 -- Unwilling to hear the Son of God brings condemnation by others! [Hopefully, we better appreciate the opportunities we have to hear God's Word, and the importance of good hearing! How then can we improve our ability to hear? Here are some ...] III. STEPS TO BETTER HEARING A. MAKE HEARING AN ACT OF WORSHIP... 1. How you listen to God's word being read or preached is as much an indication of your devotion to God as to how you pray or sing 2. When you have opportunities to hear the Word of God, do it with "a worshipful attitude" -- Does not the proclamation of God's Word deserve our rapt attention? B. LISTEN FROM FIRST TO LAST... 1. I.e., pay attention all the way through a. Do you expect to understand a novel by simply reading a sentence here and there? b. So it is with listening...to understand we must hear the full context 2. Speakers must follow certain rules of speech so as to be understood: a. Introduce the subject b. Present main points with supporting arguments c. Conclude with a summary -- So hearers must listen to ALL the parts to truly understand C. LOOK AT THE SPEAKER... 1. This greatly aids your concentration 2. This requires self-discipline, but it is conducive to developing a longer attention span -- Try it, and see if it doesn't make a difference! D. LEAN FORWARD IF NECESSARY... 1. Your sitting position can impact your ability to hear 2. A too relaxing position makes it easier for your mind to wander (or sleep!) -- Try this too, and see if it doesn't make a difference! E. READ ALONG IN YOUR BIBLE... 1. You remember more of what you both see and hear over what you simply hear 2. Your knowledge of the Scriptures can be greatly improved by doing this -- We want our children to do this, shouldn't we provide the example? F. HEAR WITH FAITH... 1. I.e., listen with a willingness to accept and believe what is shown in God's Word 2. Notice He 4:1-2; those who died in the wilderness did not hear with faith! -- If we don't hear with faith, we will fall short of our heavenly rest! G. HEAR WITH A MIND TO ACT... 1. Are we like the people in Ezekiel's day? - cf. Eze 33:30-32 2. Hearing must be accompanied by doing to be of any profit - Jm 1:22-25 -- As important as hearing may be, the blessedness comes only if we are doers as well! CONCLUSION 1. How important, then, is good hearing...? a. When it comes to hearing God, very important! - Isa 55:2-3 b. It is essential for the good of our soul! 2. Is there ever a time when God does not hear...? a. Yes, when our sins are between us and God - cf. Isa 59:1-2 b. But we can take care of that problem by receiving God's Mercy - cf. Isa 55:6-7 Today, that mercy is offered through Jesus Christ, God's Son. And as God said: "This is My beloved Son. Hear Him!" (Lk 9:35) Have you heeded Him by obeying His word? Or does the following cry of Jesus apply to you...? "But why do you call Me 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do the things which I say?" (Lk 6:46) Next in our "Spiritual Wellness" checkup, we shall ask "How Well Do You Read?"...<< Previous | Index | Next >>
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