FOUR KINDS OF HEARERS
Very few hear and rejoice in the gospel of Christ. In the parable of the sower only one out of
four heard. (Lu 8:
4-5) I have seen young people grow up, move out and cease coming to hear the gospel. Do not ever take for granted the fact that
God has sent the gospel to you nor forsake the preaching of the gospel. If God saves us this will be the means by which God does it from the first hour to the last. (1 Cor 1:
21; 1 Pet 1: 23-2: 3; Rom 10: 12-15) Take heed how ye hear!
Wayside Hearers: “A sower went out to sow his seed:
and as he sowed, some fell by the way side; and it was trodden down, and the
fowls of the air devoured it… Those by the way side are they that hear; then cometh the devil, and
taketh away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be
saved.” (Lu 8: 5, 12)
These are most common. The fowls of
worldly care and fleshly lusts take the word away as soon as the message is
over. Take heed therefore how ye hear. (Gen 15: 11)
Stonyground Hearer: “And some fell upon a
rock; and as soon as it was sprung up, it withered away, because it lacked
moisture…They on the rock are they, which, when they hear, receive the word
with joy; and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of
temptation fall away.” (Lu 8: 6, 13) The truth of the gospel finds an entrance with these hearers
but only as far as the natural understanding. So “when affliction or persecution ariseth for
the word’s sake, immediately they are offended.” (Lu 8: 13; Mt 4: 17) Christ is not formed within, (Lu 8: 13; Gal 4: 19), they have no new heart created of God in righteousness and true holiness and they do not have the
love of Christ dwelling in their hearts! Without this
it is impossible to stand with Christ against loved ones or opposition of any
kind. So they side with others against Christ and his people and disappear. Take heed
therefore how ye hear.
Thornyground Hearers: “And some fell
among thorns; and the thorns sprang up with it, and choked it….And that which
fell among thorns are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are
choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to
perfection.” (Lu 8: 7, 14) The thorny ground hearer attempts what Christ says cannot be done: to serve God and mammon. Ccares such
as a spouse, children, occupation, bills, community, the
deceitfulness of riches, the pleasures of life, applause, position, and power steal their hearts. Something is more valuable to them than
Christ. So they fall away. (Lu 12: 34; Mt 6: 24) Take heed how you hear!
Goodground Hearers. “And
other fell on good ground, and sprang up, and bare fruit an hundredfold…But
that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having
heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience.” (Lu 8: 8,
15) These
are God’s elect given a new heart of God in regeneration. (Eph 2: 8-9) All their fruit is
of God. They do not all bring forth the same amount
of fruit but all bring forth fruit. One of
the fruits of a “good-ground hearer” is that they take heed how they hear. (Lu 8: 8-9)
It is a
rare thing to hear the gospel with spiritual ears. In this parable, only one in four was given ears to really hear and believe. Take heed how you hear.