Matthew 13:1-17 (ESV)
1 That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the sea.
2 And great crowds gathered about him, so that he got into a boat and sat down. And the whole crowd stood on the beach.
3 And he told them many things in parables, saying: “A sower went out to sow.
4 And as he sowed, some seeds fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured them.
5 Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and immediately they sprang up, since they had no depth of soil,
6 but when the sun rose they were scorched. And since they had no root, they withered away.
7 Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them.
8 Other seeds fell on good soil and produced grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.
9 He who has ears, let him hear.”
10 Then the disciples came and said to him, “Why do you speak to them in parables?”
11 And he answered them, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given.
12 For to the one who has, more will be given, and he will have an abundance, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.
13 This is why I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand.
14 Indeed, in their case the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled that says: “‘“You will indeed hear but never understand, and you will indeed see but never perceive.”
15 For this people’s heart has grown dull, and with their ears they can barely hear, and their eyes they have closed, lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and turn, and I would heal them.’
16 But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear.
17 For truly, I say to you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.
What's the key in this parable? The sower? The Seed? I would suggest it's the "ears" and the "eyes". It seems that Jesus is making a point that the word is continually going forth and those who want to hear it, and want to see it, will.
Here's something to think about. God wants us to hear Him. God is the God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, David, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Peter, Paul and down through church history to today has always communicated to His people. He is always able to make himself known.
John 16:13 (ESV)
13 When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.
We know that Christianity is a personal relationship and not just a set of beliefs, rules or regulations to follow. What might be the biggest lacking in this is the absence of the Spirit from our knowing of God. Most Christians are not adverse to talking to God, but we sometimes forget that the purpose of the Spirit is to "come alongside" (which is literally what Jesus says the Spirit of God will do) and to guide us into God's truth. In other words, the Spirit of God will "speak" to guide.
Jesus makes it clear - there is no detailed road map, a five year plan, or one size fits all discipleship program. We may want all of those, but what God wants is for us to know him...or should we say to get to know who he is over time, each day giving time to "listen".
The overall purpose in this is to remind us that we are Spiritual, and our lives are meant to be spiritually led.
So how do we learn to listen?
It starts with God's word. God has spoken through his word and it is in this book that His revelation has been made known. The word revelation comes from a Latin word and it means "to draw back the curtain" The writers were varied, but they each heard from God and wrote down - in their own ways - what they understood God to be speaking. The word of God is the starting place where we can hear what God has to say in a timeless way.
I think we can add to that discipline. Quietness, Silence, and Waiting upon God are disciplines that I will never perfect, but are necessary elements to listening to God.
Psalm 46:10 (ESV)
10 “Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!”
What do we do? Nothing? No, we spend time with God's word and we listen. It's not an automatic thing, but like all relationships it shows desire when we want to spend time with a person.
We Pray...which is conversational. It goes both ways. Mark 1:35 (ESV)
35 And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he [Jesus] departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed.
"Lord hear my prayers..."
"Spirit of God help to hear what you have to say to me."
Some people journal...I have in the past. It's good to do so if the desire is to write down those things that you are seeking to understand might be coming from God. I think I quit because I got caught up in writing so that my children or others might read it someday - it was too full of my self, and less desiring to listen. If you can write in a more unfiltered way, go for it. Otherwise its more of an internal discipline that needs to be developed.
Lastly, be open to what God says. That can take many different turns. The direction we receive will always be in accord with God's word.
God loves us and wants us to know that. He wants us to know that the life we have is meant to be lived in fellowship with Him.
Peace
1 That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the sea.
2 And great crowds gathered about him, so that he got into a boat and sat down. And the whole crowd stood on the beach.
3 And he told them many things in parables, saying: “A sower went out to sow.
4 And as he sowed, some seeds fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured them.
5 Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and immediately they sprang up, since they had no depth of soil,
6 but when the sun rose they were scorched. And since they had no root, they withered away.
7 Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them.
8 Other seeds fell on good soil and produced grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.
9 He who has ears, let him hear.”
10 Then the disciples came and said to him, “Why do you speak to them in parables?”
11 And he answered them, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given.
12 For to the one who has, more will be given, and he will have an abundance, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.
13 This is why I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand.
14 Indeed, in their case the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled that says: “‘“You will indeed hear but never understand, and you will indeed see but never perceive.”
15 For this people’s heart has grown dull, and with their ears they can barely hear, and their eyes they have closed, lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and turn, and I would heal them.’
16 But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear.
17 For truly, I say to you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.
What's the key in this parable? The sower? The Seed? I would suggest it's the "ears" and the "eyes". It seems that Jesus is making a point that the word is continually going forth and those who want to hear it, and want to see it, will.
Here's something to think about. God wants us to hear Him. God is the God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, David, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Peter, Paul and down through church history to today has always communicated to His people. He is always able to make himself known.
John 16:13 (ESV)
13 When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.
We know that Christianity is a personal relationship and not just a set of beliefs, rules or regulations to follow. What might be the biggest lacking in this is the absence of the Spirit from our knowing of God. Most Christians are not adverse to talking to God, but we sometimes forget that the purpose of the Spirit is to "come alongside" (which is literally what Jesus says the Spirit of God will do) and to guide us into God's truth. In other words, the Spirit of God will "speak" to guide.
Jesus makes it clear - there is no detailed road map, a five year plan, or one size fits all discipleship program. We may want all of those, but what God wants is for us to know him...or should we say to get to know who he is over time, each day giving time to "listen".
The overall purpose in this is to remind us that we are Spiritual, and our lives are meant to be spiritually led.
So how do we learn to listen?
It starts with God's word. God has spoken through his word and it is in this book that His revelation has been made known. The word revelation comes from a Latin word and it means "to draw back the curtain" The writers were varied, but they each heard from God and wrote down - in their own ways - what they understood God to be speaking. The word of God is the starting place where we can hear what God has to say in a timeless way.
I think we can add to that discipline. Quietness, Silence, and Waiting upon God are disciplines that I will never perfect, but are necessary elements to listening to God.
Psalm 46:10 (ESV)
10 “Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!”
What do we do? Nothing? No, we spend time with God's word and we listen. It's not an automatic thing, but like all relationships it shows desire when we want to spend time with a person.
We Pray...which is conversational. It goes both ways. Mark 1:35 (ESV)
35 And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he [Jesus] departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed.
"Lord hear my prayers..."
"Spirit of God help to hear what you have to say to me."
Some people journal...I have in the past. It's good to do so if the desire is to write down those things that you are seeking to understand might be coming from God. I think I quit because I got caught up in writing so that my children or others might read it someday - it was too full of my self, and less desiring to listen. If you can write in a more unfiltered way, go for it. Otherwise its more of an internal discipline that needs to be developed.
Lastly, be open to what God says. That can take many different turns. The direction we receive will always be in accord with God's word.
God loves us and wants us to know that. He wants us to know that the life we have is meant to be lived in fellowship with Him.
Peace
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