He who has ears to hear, let him hear!

1. He who has ears to hear, let him hear! Matthew 11:15; 13:9; 13:43 Revelation 2:7,11,17,29; 3:6,13,22 Mark 4:23-25

2. Mark 4:23-25 “If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.” 24 Then He said to them, “Take heed what you hear. With the same measure you use, it will be measured to you; and to you who hear, more will be given. 25 For whoever has, to him more will be given; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.” i.e. – What you are hearing is very important, and it pays to listen!

3. “Let Him Hear!” • The Dull of Hearing It is hard for others to explain to them. (Hebrews 5:8-11; Matthew 13:13-15)

4. Hebrews 5:8-11 Though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered. 9 And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him, 10 called by God as High Priest “according to the order of Melchizedek,” 11 of whom we have much to say, and hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing.

5. Matthew 13:13-15 “Therefore I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. 14 And in them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled, which says: ‘Hearing you will hear and shall not understand, And seeing you will see and not perceive; 15 For the hearts of this people have grown dull. Their ears are hard of hearing, And their eyes they have closed, Lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, Lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, So that I should heal them.’”

6. “Let Him Hear!” • The Dull of Hearing It is hard for others to explain to them. (Hebrews 5:8-11; Matthew 13:13-15) • Those with Itching Ears They listen only to what pleases them. (2 Tim. 4:3-4; “No” to sound doctrine vs. 2)

7. 2 Timothy 4:3-4 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; 4 and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables.

8. 2 Timothy 4:1-2 I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom: 2Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching.

9. “Let Him Hear!” • The Dull of Hearing It is hard for others to explain to them. (Hebrews 5:8-11; Matthew 13:13-15) • Those with Itching Ears They listen only to what pleases them. (2 Tim. 4:3-4; “No” to sound doctrine vs. 2) • Those who Hear with a Noble and Good Heart The kind of listener that we should all be. (Luke 8:15; Acts 17:11)

10. Luke 8:15 “But the ones that fell on the good ground are those who, having heard the word with a noble and good heart, keep it and bear fruit with patience.” Parable of the Sower: • Good soil that yielded crop a hundredfold. • (vs. 18), “Therefore, take heed how you hear”

11. Acts 17:11 These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so. In contrast, those in Thessalonica became envious, and sought to harm Paul and Silas (cf. vs. 5)

12. Conclusion How important, then, is listening? When it comes to listening to God, it is very important! Isaiah 55:2-3

13. Isaiah 55:2-3 Why do you spend money for what is not bread, And your wages for what does not satisfy? Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, And let your soul delight itself in abundance. 3 Incline your ear, and come to Me. Hear, and your soul shall live; And I will make an everlasting covenant with you-The sure mercies of David. “This is my beloved Son. Hear Him” Luke 9:35