Do You Listen to Understand?
“Listen! Behold, a sower went out to sow.” (Mark 4:3)
“You too, Brutus?” Familiarity betrayed Julius Caesar, as it does all of us. As Jesus begins telling the Parable of the Sower, what strikes us is the familiarity of the story. We think of this parable as much as we think of being vertebrates. Yes, we all know the story. So familiar are we with this parable that it needs no interpretation, warranting the writing of this article superfluous. However, as I often remind people, I am not paid for knowing how to preach; I am paid for knowing when to stop. Now is not the time to stop.
Jesus’ parable relates to us the fruitfulness of four types of hearers, and where do we most often hear the Word? In Sunday service. For some, the devil “immediately comes and takes away the Word.” He sends distracting thoughts – “the piano is out of tune, his dress is too shabby, and is any of this true anyway?” For others, they want all the benefits, but none of the Christ. Salvation? Yes! Constant companion? Yes! Promised inheritance? Yes, Lord! But what of the fine print? “If children, then heirs – provided we suffer with Him in order that we may also be glorified with Him.” (Rom. 8:17) “It has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in Him but also suffer for His sake.” (Phil. 1:29) Oh, we didn’t sign up for that!
In our day and age, a great majority are those who “fell among the thorns.” The sermon floats overheard as they ponder: “Who does Ole Miss play next weekend? What jobs do I have going on for Monday? What is the yield on my investment?” Or even worse, Sunday service is an opportunity for “networking.” Oh, the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things dam up our hearts to the Word. We may still sit in Grandma’s ol’ pew, but we will lack Grandma’s fruitfulness.
The smallest percentage are those who hear the word and “understand it” (Matthew 13:23). This is more than hearing the Word. When I was a little boy and did not do what my mother told me, she would say, “Did you hear me?” She did not mean, “Did sound waves bounce off your ear drums?” No, she meant, “Did you understand me?” Do we understand? Have we listened and processed the Word, making application to our own lives? Have we “become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed” (Rom. 6:17)? Have we “learned Christ,” putting to death the deeds of the old man and bearing fruit in the new man (Eph. 4:20)?
This parable may be familiar to us. However, if the proportions of this parable are indicative of the average congregation, fruitfulness may not be familiar. The question is: do we you see fruitfulness?
