Hearing & Listening - The Parable Series

Hearing & Listening - The Parable Series

Have you ever felt a yearning for something more profound, a sense of belonging within a community built on genuine principles of truth and love, and a desire to worship the ultimate authority? This teaching from Founded in Truth Fellowship invites us into such a space, describing it as more than just a gathering but a family, a home built on the foundation of truth. The speaker, Matthew Vander Els, begins by sharing a humorous anecdote about a misunderstanding between a Polish man and his lawyer to illustrate a crucial point: the difference between merely hearing words and truly listening to understand their meaning.

This distinction between hearing and listening is the central theme of this message. We often hear sounds, including spoken words, but our minds may be preoccupied, preventing us from fully processing and comprehending what is being communicated. This can lead to miscommunication and conflict in our relationships with spouses, friends, and even when engaging with important messages.

The teaching then shifts to the importance of listening in the context of understanding the teachings of Jesus, referred to as Yeshua. The speaker highlights that Yeshua frequently used parables – stories with deeper meanings that require active engagement to grasp their significance. These parables are not simple tales with obvious morals; they are rich in detail and demand our energy and focus to truly understand the underlying message.

The focus then turns to Matthew chapter 13, where Yeshua shares the parable of the sower. This parable describes how different types of soil respond to seeds that are sown, illustrating the varying ways people receive and respond to the "word of the kingdom." The four types of soil represent different hearts and minds:

• The path: Represents those who hear the word of the kingdom but do not understand it. As a result, the evil one easily takes away what was sown in their hearts.
• The rocky ground: Symbolizes those who initially receive the word with joy, but lack deep roots. When faced with tribulation or persecution because of the word, they quickly fall away. Their faith is shallow and not deeply invested in the message of the kingdom.
• The thorns: Represents those who hear the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, making it unfruitful. Other priorities and selfish desires overshadow the message of the kingdom.
• The good soil: Represents those who hear the word and understand it because they truly listen. They bear fruit, yielding a significant harvest in their lives.

The speaker emphasizes that Yeshua deliberately spoke in parables for a reason. Quoting Isaiah, Yeshua explains that those whose hearts are hardened will hear but not understand, and see but not perceive. Their lack of willingness to truly listen reinforces the hardness of their hearts. Conversely, those with open hearts will receive more understanding and knowledge of the kingdom of God.

Central to understanding Yeshua's message in the parables is recognizing the theme of the kingdom of God or the kingdom of heaven. This was the core of Yeshua's preaching – the proclamation of God's reign and rule crashing into the world, bringing reconciliation, love, peace, and healing. The speaker notes that the kingdom is mentioned numerous times in the Gospels, highlighting its importance. The kingdom of heaven is where God reigns, and His rule overtakes everything, transforming the brokenness of the world. Yeshua announced that this kingdom was not just a future hope but was also present, "within you" and "here," beginning through Him and His followers.

To truly grasp the parables, it is crucial to have the right "lenses," meaning the perspective that the Bible itself provides. Just as wearing the wrong 3D glasses distorts a movie, imposing our own preconceived notions or focusing on pet topics can prevent us from seeing the true meaning of scripture. We must strive to understand the context and intent behind the words, rather than reading them through our own biased perspectives.

The speaker connects Yeshua's message to the Old Testament prophecies, specifically referencing Isaiah 35, which speaks of a new creation characterized by healing, restoration, and the end of exile from God. Yeshua's miracles and teachings were a direct fulfillment of these prophecies, demonstrating the arrival of God's kingdom. When John the Baptist questioned whether Yeshua was the Messiah, Yeshua pointed to these very acts of healing and restoration as evidence.

The foundation of our faith is not merely adhering to laws, but rather our allegiance to King Yeshua Messiah. While the Torah is valuable as the reign of God's law, it is not the foundation upon which we build our faith. The true foundation is Jesus Christ himself, the chief cornerstone. Our pursuit of faith is a pursuit of God, and the Bible serves as a tool to facilitate that relationship. When we fail to listen to Yeshua, we risk losing our connection to Him and potentially walking away from our faith.

Application for Everyday Life

• Self-Examination: Regularly examine your heart and mind to determine what type of "soil" you represent in the parable of the sower. Are you truly understanding and acting upon the word of the kingdom?
• Active Listening: Cultivate the discipline of active listening in all areas of life, including your relationship with God, your spouse, family, and friends. Pay attention not just to the words, but to the meaning and intent behind them.
• Kingdom Focus: Prioritize the kingdom of God in your life. Let love, reconciliation, bravery, boldness, grace, and mercy – the characteristics of the kingdom – guide your actions and decisions.
• Guard Your Heart: Be mindful of the "weeds" and "thorns" in your life – the cares of the world, selfishness, hatred, pride, unforgiveness, and the deceitfulness of riches – that can choke the growth of God's word in you. Actively work to remove these obstacles.
• Cultivate Good Soil: Strive to be "good soil" by not only hearing the word but also understanding it through diligent listening and putting it into practice. This will lead to the production of spiritual fruit in your life.
• Produce the Fruit of the Spirit: As described in Galatians 5:22-23, the evidence of good soil is the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Evaluate your life to see if these qualities are increasing.
• Seek Understanding: Don't become complacent with familiarity. Approach scripture with a desire to truly understand it, removing any preconceived "lenses" that might distort its meaning.
• Act on the Word: Hearing and understanding are not enough; we are called to act on the message of the kingdom, living as a new creation in a world of decay and unforgiveness.

Ultimately, the message calls for a conscious effort to move beyond passive hearing to active listening, allowing the transformative power of God's kingdom, centered in Yeshua the Messiah, to take root and bear fruit in our lives. We are challenged to examine ourselves and ensure that we are not just hearers of the word, but doers also, reflecting the reality of God's reign in our thoughts, words, and actions.

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References

• Matthew 7: https://biblehub.com/matthew/7.htm
• Matthew 11: https://biblehub.com/matthew/11.htm
• Matthew 13: https://biblehub.com/matthew/13.htm

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