Are You Ready to Listen to God's Word Proclaimed? Part 2

In reading through chapter 2 of Expository Listening, the parable of the sower is used to explain how the Word of God (seed) is received when it is preached. The context indicates that this reception basically had to do with hearing the gospel message of salvation, but by way of application, we can see that the same can be true when anything is taught from God’s Word. There are four different ways that we might respond.

First, Rolled Eyes: A Stubborn Heart  We might ignore the Word proclaimed.  Some people come to church, hear a sermon, but it doesn’t do them any good. It is specifically stated that the devil comes and takes the message away from them. Such a person is unsaved. The message of salvation needs the involvement of the Holy Spirit to take the Word, bring conviction, and give them repentance and faith (both of those are gifts, by the way!).  

Second, Teary Eyes: A Superficial Heart  We might “make a decision”.   The second type of soil is the kind where the seed finds a place to get some roots started. Such a person can hear the message, and they even respond to it in a positive way. They get excited about it! They appear to be truly impacted to the point that there is some type of change taking place. But such change does not last. When things get tough (“time of testing”), so dies the change. It disappears, just a memory. True, it is difficult to be consistent over the long haul, but there was no “long haul” with such a person. There is no lasting fruit, if there is any at all. It wasn’t heart change. This person was not saved.

Third, Distracted Eyes: A Strangled Heart  We might make some changes in our life.  This type of hearer appears to last longer than the second. There is even some fruit for a period of time, just as it takes weeks awhile before they begin taking over in a garden. They build up over time. The one who hears the Word of God can show some fruit for a while. But eventually, something becomes more important to them than the Word. They get distracted. They are deceived by a pursuit for more wealth. They become pleasure-seekers. The times in which they live have captured their attention, and they drift away, like Demas (2 Timothy 4:10). This person who showed such promise was not a believer at all, but a“make-believer”.

Fourth, Focused Eyes: A Soft Heart  We make changes that have a permanent impact on how we live. Then there is the person who not only is a hearer, but a doer (James 1:22). He hears the Word of God and puts it into practice, not just for a brief time, or even for an extended time. There is consistent, habitual action. There is fruit that is evident. And the fruit is abundant. It is clear to all who look at this person that there is a changed life. This is the only one of the four types of hearers that is truly born again.

We should be careful not to judge the amount of fruit that others are showing in their life (“I have more fruit than you!”). Their fruit may look different than our fruit. But there WILL be fruit if they are truly saved. If your life is evidenced by a continual response to God’s Word like the first three soils, then it is time to examine yourself, to see if you are in the faith (1 Corinthians 13:5). At the same time, however, we should always be striving to produce more fruit as we grow.

That brings up another point: growth. True believers do grow, just like plants will grow as they are fed with what is needed. We should always seek opportunities for more growth (by getting more of the Word), but we should continually producing more fruit. In people’s lives, the fruit may change. At one time, you may have been an aggressive evangelistic, or a faithful teacher of the Word. Later, your fruitfulness may be in more personal work, impacting smaller groups, or perhaps just one or two people. But there is still fruit.