How To Hear The Word Of God

How do people listen to the Word of God?

Many are polite but indifferent. Many others are not so polite. In fact, some are hard and hostile. Some will even kill you for it, although not often in America. 

Some are inquisitive and make a little progress in understanding, although not as much as you would hope. While there are others who always listen but never seem to learn much at all.

Some are excited by it and thankful you brought it up. But then there are those who are excited because they are excited for the opportunity to mix in their own opinions. Some talk so much it is a wonder they hear anything at all.

Some are so hungry to hear that they take you by surprise. You wonder if they are hearing correctly and their faith is genuine. Their growth is astounding. Others make just as quick a turnaround and close themselves up, or slowly fade away, or come to a standstill.

Some are pure delight and respond with true spiritual understanding. They grow and keep on growing.  God’s love in Christ is abundant in them.

This is a short list.  It seems that each person is a category unto themselves, doesn’t it?

Jesus talked about the rewards of listening well in Luke 8.

Luke 8:16–18 ESV ““No one after lighting a lamp covers it with a jar or puts it under a bed, but puts it on a stand, so that those who enter may see the light. For nothing is hidden that will not be made manifest, nor is anything secret that will not be known and come to light. Take care then how you hear, for to the one who has, more will be given, and from the one who has not, even what he thinks that he has will be taken away.””

This section appears in Mark 4, its sayings are scattered throughout Matthew, and are repeated later in Luke. The admonitions to hear the Word well are applied differently in different situations. 

Jesus likely repeated such sayings on many occasions in His preaching tours. Jesus took hearers hearing the Word very seriously. He wants those who hear Him to understand this and listen well.

The Lamp Analogy

Luke 8:16 ESV ““No one after lighting a lamp covers it with a jar or puts it under a bed, but puts it on a stand, so that those who enter may see the light.”

A lamp is lit to provide light for those in the room. One does not light a lamp and then put it out again, or go and hide it. Rather, it is put in a prominent place so as to provide enough light for everyone to see.

The light is God’s revelation now shining most brightly in His Son Jesus Christ and His teaching of the Gospel of the Kingdom. This light would continue to shine in the Apostles teachings, the New Testament Scripture and the Church’s proclaiming of Christ until He returns.

The Time of Revelation

Luke 8:17 ESV “For nothing is hidden that will not be made manifest, nor is anything secret that will not be known and come to light.”

The time of relative obscurity under the Old Covenant is over, the time of clear disclosure is here in Jesus Christ. The time of God’s vindication of Himself and His plan of redemption for millennia has finally come!

Gospel proclamation is now public and the Old Testament is made clear by Jesus, and shortly it will be made even more public and more clear by the Apostles after His Cross and Resurrection.

Another interpretation of this verse is that the rejecters of God and the sins of their hearts will be exposed for who the are and what they are by Jesus’ teaching. It will be obvious that the Gospel of Jesus is true, and that it is the truth that tying together all of the history of revelation and redemption!

John 3:19–21 ESV “And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.””

The Lamp has been placed prominently in world history! We can ask ourselves and others, “how will you hear it?”

The Reward for Hearing Well

Luke 8:18 ESV “Take care then how you hear, for to the one who has, more will be given, and from the one who has not, even what he thinks that he has will be taken away.””

Those who respond by hearing the Gospel well will be rewarded. Those who have gained some spiritual insight will continue to receive even more from Jesus.

The parallel passage in Mark 4:24-25 reads, “Pay attention to what you hear: with the measure you use, it will be measured to you, and still more will be added to you. For to the one who has, more will be given, and from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.”

Those who have not gained spiritual insight, but only think have, will have their false spirituality taken away. Jesus will take it away from them and stop teaching them. Jesus leaves no place to casually ponder His words as prideful intellectuals. As it is stated in Proverbs 14:6, “A scoffer seeks wisdom in vain, but knowledge is easy for a man of understanding.”

To become a close disciple of Jesus a person must hear the Word of God with a good heart, hold on to it, and persevere in doing it. Those who are close disciples of Jesus Christ receive the Word and keep on receiving it. He gives them further and further understanding by the Holy Spirit.

Consider this wonderful promise that Jesus is holding out to the world, to those who listen well—that they will continue to receive more and more true spiritual understanding without limit!