Eyes to Perceive; Ears to Understand

Matthew 13:3-17

If you know anything about bank safes, you would know that they are durable and difficult to break in. From the outside, they look indestructible. Made of steel or iron some are fire retardant.
This poses a difficult task of breaking it open.

However, there is a method that was learned in the 19th century. It was found that you can break into a steel or iron safe simply by hearing or feeling the ‘clicking’ noise of the combination.

After all, a safe is only as secure as its combination.

Of course, it would be easier if someone just gave you the combination, but this technique was mastered by pros, and as more locks became sophisticated, it became more difficult to master and had to deal with keener senses.

But the purpose of breaking the safe, was not for the thrill of it, but simply what was found inside.

In the kingdom of God, there is a safe to break. And that is the will of God. A code deciphered only through the listening and sensitivity of a person.

But the prize to be found is much more the thrill.

We need a prayer and a mastery to hear and see what God wants for us, to unlock the mystery of God for us.

No Ears to Hear

Jesus tells them after they have heard his message, “He who has an ear let him hear!"

Now why would Jesus say this?

Well we can see why in the next few verses.

Matt 13:14-15
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.'

I’m amazed to see my son Isaiah's reaction when I call out to him sometimes.
I may be shouting his name, but he is oblivious to my voice.
He can even seem as if I am not even there.

Many of times this is how we can be with the voice of God.
His mouth is moving, but you can’t hear a word that He is saying.

It takes us tuning in to God. It takes us positioning ourselves, as a cat burglar would position his self to crack the safe. He doesn’t stand from a distance; his ear is on the safe. It is poised to hear the simple clicking.

When Elijah was faced with discouragement, God presented to him the technique of fine tuning to God’s voice.

1 Kings 19:11-12
Then He said, "Go out, and stand on the mountain before the LORD." And behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake; 12 and after the earthquake a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice.

With all of the noise from the world, it can be difficult to hear God’s word. It can seem to drown out the voice of God, especially if it is found in a still small voice.

This takes us mastering the art of listening to God.

But Jesus goes even further.

Understanding and Perceive

In our text, Jesus’ parable is about those who hear the word of God, and respond differently because of the understanding of their heart.

While some whom understanding can be seen as seed fallen on stony ground, there are those that even after hearing the word of God, are choked by the voices of the world.

Still, there are those who found having good soil, and therefore when the word of God comes, it is able to take root and bear much fruit.

He is talking about an understanding and a response of the voice of God!

We need to pray that we may not only have ears and eyes to see and hear, but that we might understand and perceive.

Jesus references the book of Isaiah which gives us the detail of why this is so important.

Isaiah 6:10
Lest they see with their eyes,
And hear with their ears,
And understand with their heart,
And return and be healed."

Years ago, early in my Christianity, this began to be my prayer.

It later grew to ask God, that I might fine tune, or hear more clearly His voice as I continued to understand and perceive.

This is a very important prayer, because it brings the fruit of life, the healing, and the restoration that only God can bring.

There is so much more that God wants to bring to our lives, to enrich our lives, if only we would simply understand and perceive.

God’s salvation is only the beginning.

Jesus says,
Vs. 23 But he who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty."

Gauging Our Present State

This parable carries much weight for us.
Because the purpose of this parable was to ask the question, where is our present state?

The understanding of this parable will help us decipher the will of God.
How do we receive the word of God? It is going to determine if we are fruitfull in our walk with God.

We must look within and ask ourselves, what is my present state?

This must be found through humility.
For pride would say, I am always the good soil.
I understand the mystery of God.
But the question would then be, where is your fruit?

This parable was given to a multitude of people who felt the same way. What we see here are even the disciples coming and asking what is the meaning of this. These are men who walked with Jesus daily!

Jesus says to us to he who has an ear, let him hear!

We too must find an honest gauge of our present state, that we might find victory.

Jesus gives us explanation of the parable. I love it that Jesus took the time to give us understanding. It helps the process.

Matt 13:18-23
"Therefore hear the parable of the sower: 19 When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, then the wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is he who received seed by the wayside. 20 But he who received the seed on stony places, this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; 21 yet he has no root in himself, but endures only for a while. For when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles. 22 Now he who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the word, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful. 23 But he who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty."

This is going to take us finding our present condition and working towards the goal of understanding and perceiving all that God has for us.

Throughout the history of safe cracking, it grew increasingly difficult to crack the safes. Companies began using lightweight wheels and nylon to decrease the sound of the click.

The burglar had a difficult task, nevertheless, they spent the time training themselves to listen more intently.

I began thinking about this.

If these thieves can take such extraordinary time trying to master an illegal operation that amounts to a small amount of reward, how much more should we take the time to master that art of hearing and seeing the word of God!

To take the time to understand and perceive it. We are working for a more promising an everlasting prize.

We must gauge where we are at, and look toward honing in on the fine tuning of listening the voice of God.

Where is your present state in understanding the word of God?

Is it found by the wayside? Does the word of God fall on stony ground? Is it choked by the cares of this world?

Jesus says heaven and earth shall pass away, but My word shall not pass away.

Can we spend the time honing in on the skill of not only hearing the word of God, but understanding it.

May it fall on good soil when it is given. For there is where we shall produce much fruit.