Those Who Have Ears to Hear

 I can't tell you how many times I have finished preaching a sermon on Sunday morning, only to find out that several people walked away with an entirely different meaning than what I had intended.  It doesn't happen every time, but often enough that I have begun to take notice.  It isn't that they heard something entirely opposite mind you; it's just that for them, a different emphasis came across.  I preach the same sermon, but other people interpret the message differently.  I believe this to be both profound and supernatural at the same time, and I will attempt to explain why.  

All of this begs the question: how do we hear God's Word?  Or to put it another way ... how do we interpret what God is trying to tell us?  When attempting to answer Biblical questions, it never hurts to use the Bible to interpret itself.  I am not talking about circular reasoning here (i.e.: I believe it because the Bible said it), but rather I'm talking about using key concepts in Scripture as a reference guide.  The Word itself tells us that all Scripture is God-breathed and fit for teaching and reproof.  So, let's use what Scripture says in one place to understand what God is talking about in another place.

Regarding our topic about hearing the Lord, let us begin with a passage from Proverbs 20:12.  It says this: "Ears that hear, and eyes that see - the Lord has made them both."  Here we see that not only is the Word a gift from God's heart to ours, but also that He grants us the very tools we need to understand what He is trying to tell us.

Furthermore, Matthew 11 relates a conversation that Jesus had regarding John the Baptist.  He is attempting to convince some of John's followers that he is the legitimate Messiah that God was going to send to the people.  Jesus then makes this odd statement in Matthew 11:15, "Whoever has ears, let them hear."  At first glance this may come across as a very strange thing to say, but many scholars agree that this simple statement is a directive for God's people to 'listen up.'  It is an imperative that directs those for whom a truth might apply, to make sure they don't miss it.  It's a wake up call to those who were lucky enough to be listening to one of Jesus' parables two-thousand years ago.  It's also a command for us to listen closely today.

You see, we can decide what truth we let into our hearts, and what we will choose to disregard.  We can harden our hearts like Pharoah, or we can choose to accept what God is trying to impart to us like Moses.  We keep our radio receiver set to "on," or we keep it set to the lowest volume level possible.

No doubt the Lord works on us during sermons and exegesis.  His Word searches our hearts and souls, isolates an issue, diagnoses it, and finally works to begin the healing process.  I can't remember how many times just the right sermon happened to come on the radio when I am driving somewhere and flipping past the different radio stations.  

It takes a certain type of determination to really understand what the Bible has to say about humanity and our role in God's kingdom.  It also takes study to make sure that we are properly comprehending what He has intended for us to do.  In fact, I believe many are led astray today by false preachers and false prophets because we suffer from Biblical illiteracy.  If we don't know what God actually said in the first place, then we can be easily led away from true revelation.

I believe that we often hear what we need on a personal level, because the same God that created the heavens and the Earth cares about us in a personal way.  Let that truth sink in for a moment.  We are all going through something different when we come to church on Sunday morning.  We listen to the pastor's proclamation intently, and then we might each take away something slightly different.  That is, as long as we have ears to hear (if we are tuned in).  

Continue to work on your spiritual listening skills.  Our relationship with God isn't unlike our Earthly relationships in that regard.  If we never take the time to call our friends and catch up, then we remain in the dark as to what they are doing.  Likewise, if we want to develop ears that can hear, we must dial up our Lord and Savior from time to time and have a chat.  

Scripture and preaching reveal truth handed down through the ages from the lips of God's prophets and disciples, but it is up to us to listen properly.  We are the ones who must make up our minds to actively engage with God's Word in ways that go beyond regular hearing.  We must focus with spiritual eyes and ears.

John 17:17 says, "Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth."  This statement is taken from a very personal conversation that Jesus had with God the Father, asking Him to keep and protect his followers.  God's Word is in fact the same thing as truth spoken plainly.  

Be part of a church that partners with God to practicing listening with ears that can hear.  Listen to as many sermons as you can, test them against what the Scriptures actually say, and then bask in the revelation that God has given you.  

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