A Story for the Hard of Listening, Part 3

Jesus used the metaphor good soil to describe a fertile heart. The good soil is not always putting out fires. It normally hears and listens normally sees it perceives you think this will be helpful for someone says this is needed in my own life. I need this is a conviction that God is revealing to me. I do not miss it but good soil is a healthy heart and funny thing about human hang out with godly people possess wisdom and charm, but unless we adopt the character they model the impact is zero.

The same is true of good Bible teaching. We can hear the truth all day long unless it becomes planted deeply within nothing in our lives will change today on Insight for living Chuck Swindoll reminds us that Jesus magnified this truth captivating story he told founded on Matthew chapter 13, Chuck titled today's message a story for the hard of list. But here's Jesus sitting in the boat got the crowd ever present crowd. There any decides to teach them in a different way. He told many stories in the form of parable Jesus use these parables, these comparisons first of all to review truth to those who desired to get and then to conceal truth from those who rejected it, denied sort of separated the listeners from those who had no interest.

I like you to take out a piano or pencil because I want you to mark or things that I want to point out very important for us to understand this parable with your pen handy. I want you verse four to mark the footpath or beside the road. It reads as he scattered the seed across the field. Some fell on the footpath mark that is the first kind of soil that he uses to illustrate his point was the footpath well between rows. There would often be provided a place for people to walk so they didn't crush the plants as they walked across the field but imagine everybody walking a pathway gets as hard as a pavement we would just lie there and blow away, which is his point will get to it in the moment to put my guts print ready. Look at verse five. Other seed fell on your Bible may read Rocky Plaisance or rocky soil mind reads on shallow soil.

The reason is it's more shallow than Rocky and it and it doesn't grow it.says that the University now get ready. Here's 1/3 other seed fell among four and hear these fibrous roots that are really foreign and thistles that as soon as the ground begins to be watered in the sunshine's forms grow up along with the grain and the thorns overgrow the grain and choke out the grain so that it cannot produce, then the fourth is market fertile soil or your Bible may read good soil, nice clean soft, well cultivated or well plowed soil at the roots can go into and then the plant grows and is healthy and becomes productive. Verse 10. Naturally, his disciples are hearing this, and I don't know what is going with it is configured out so they said, why do you use parables when you talk to the people. His answer is significant but you are permitted to understand the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, and others are not to those who listen to my teaching at the keyword to those who listen to my teaching more understanding will be given they'll have an abundance of knowledge, but for those who were not listening, even what little understanding that will be taken from them. That's why I use parables. Interesting isn't it. All four soils receive the seed just as we'll see in a moment, all who have the seed planted in their lives. Here but they don't all listen and you know I can't tell by looking. Some of you hide your boredom. Others of you don't that's okay so I fiberboard I do that is promising thing.

But Jesus is giving a parable that reveals a very important truth, get it down ready yet you pin the condition of one's heart determines its receptivity to truth the condition of one's heart determines its receptivity to trip now understand the heart is not the organ that pumps blood when you're reading your Bible of the heart. It rarely refers to a literal heart in the chest. It's the inner person. It's where we informed decisions where we come to terms with life.

It's where convictions make up their mind. It's where we form our break habits. For we make decisions or refuse to make the heart is the interbeing the part of us that will live forever if that mixture of soul and spirit deep within that represents who we are is a very important point. Your heart represents who you are. Now when you go a little further. This one goes right parables.

You know what Jesus interprets this parable not later on. I did warn you the preacher will be interpreting the parables and that's when we get in a lot of trouble if were not careful, because I am.

I don't speak ex cathedra, I can make mistakes and often but Jesus makes no mistakes.

He is right on the money as he comes to this interpretation now still got your pen handy for more things to mark here we go.

Verse 18 Allison, here we are again. Listen listen to the explanation of the parable about the farmer planning to see we are the seed that fell on the footpath represents you mark this those who hear the message and don't understand it, you hear it, but you don't get to make matters worse, truth be told, you don't care if partier heart condition and you know that I just say it to make the point Jesus dealt with those who didn't care. He spoke to Pharisees and it just hit them like drop of water would hit glass and and rewrite all you who hear words you don't perceive the significance of the they don't land deep within with a desire to make a difference.

Having heard them having elicited so first is the footpath. This is a person whose mind to shut his eyes are blinded to truth. This is the individual who is not teachable who refuses to accept and there are none so blind as those who will not see me I just say a word to you who have loved ones in this category.

Talking longer won't help speaking louder won't help.

They're not interested so use the wisdom and understand who you're dealing with now, by the grace of God. Some will find that there's a breakthrough. As a result of her telling them just enough for them to turn over their minds, but for the most part there minds are closed shut the rocky soil and will notice that it represents not the hard heart, that's the first one but this represents the shallow part solicited what it says. The seed on the rocky soil represents those who hear and immediately receive it with joy. But but since I don't have deep roots didn't last long. They fall away as soon as they have problems or they are persecuted for believing God's word. This would be those who fail to think things through their they're quick to grab onto a new craze them a quick start they have no follow-through.

They have a burst of emotion is all excited about this stuff of Jesus, but the lack of firm commitment and trouble comes in soon the fire goes out there are dying ember the shallow hard sometimes see it among celebrity testimonies we hear about someone came to know Jesus but we find out a few weeks later didn't really make a difference and we go back and wonder what happened to the shallow heart.

Some of you have shallow parts you like the burst of enthusiasm. You like the excitement of the moment and and you're attracted to this. But it doesn't really take root is really make a difference. Now there's 1/3. Get some really personal the thorny verse 22 bars represent those who hear God's word. But all too quickly.

The message is crowded out.

I call this the crowded heart crowded out by the worries of this life and the lure of wealth so no fruit is produced.

You read in Mark for the same parable mentions the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things and believe me I it's the word that means desire. The desire for a lot of things you're busy, you too busy to many interest to many involvements too many activities too much stuff. Your life is continually fast-paced, you're preoccupied so eternal things are crowded out takes time to drink in the eternal, the late Holly Hendrix used to say to us.

We were in his class.

You cannot turn a man of God without the luxury of leisure is right, takes time must study is not filled with loud music connectivity and video television program must study assignment and I'm there for hours. I have the privilege of that and I never forget it's a privilege, and children are gone, no longer their grandchildren come and go but the houses usually quiet and is the perfect setting for me to drink in and let it absorb and soak into my soul and it's amazing what can happen, but I can't keep saying yes to a lot of other things and have the time I need to do what I'm called to do. The crowded heart is preoccupied with getting rich.

Money means too much to you, or making an impression, building your own private Empire. Too many exciting things no time for real priorities. That's the crowded heart. These are forms that show the word and it can't produce good word choke crowds out all that really matters. And then he says there's the good soil which obviously is soft and the priorities are based on what's important about what's urgent need to read the little book the tyranny of the urgent. If you haven't already. The good soil is not always putting out fires it it not only hears and listens normally sees it perceives not only think this will be helpful for someone. It says this is needed in my own life. I need his this is a conviction that God is revealing to me and I dare not miss it.

The good soil is a healthy heart, you get them down the hard heart Michelle heart.

The crowded heart and the healthy heart you know it's wonderful about this. It all starts with who we are. You are what your heart is. That's who you really are thought about this one little nursery rhyme came to mind. Not long ago pussycat pussycat word you been I've been to London to look at the Queen pussycat pussycat. What did you there quite the little mouse under her chair. What you gotta be kidding.

Fluff you got to London I had a chance to See Trafalgar Sq., Westminster Abbey you an opportunity to visit Hyde Park you could go and see the changing of the guard. You could even watch as parliament set or maybe even a championship soccer game you at all of this opportunity and what to do.

You sneak in the Queens chamber. You got down the corner and you spotted a mouse under her chair, on what is wrong. The simple answer. Fluff is a cat. She is a mouse hunting feline and no Queen is going to be of interest to her. If there's a mouse in the room because you see no miss it.

What she is determines what she sees and what she sees determines what she does. That's us. That's us is a talk you're losing it.

You have gone too far. Well, nursery rhymes are hard to follow anything so to put in the bottom shelf who you are, determines what you listen to and what you listen to determines how you respond this with this parable is all about which soil are you where are you heart heart. This way your mind stays close.

That's why discussions about spiritual things, but don't really set you on fire. In fact, they make you want to run away from it.

That's why you're blind to see the significance of what can absolutely prepare you for the one thing you're going to face death and life beyond this what you live so fearful because it doesn't take root.

Shallow that who you are sorta hit-and-run, crowded, don't answer out loud, but are you too busy most I meet are too busy said that I have a friend. We flew on his plane as we were going to a particular spot to enjoy time away. The only man I knew who had two faxes and two phones going at the same time too busy about healthy heart you know what truth be told we got a lot of healthy hearts in this church. That's what excites me because I know that no matter how deep I may go.

I'm not going to deep for many of you, you love it and I commend you because I will tell you if not now, there will be a day in your life when you really need it when they take our Bibles away from us and not only our freedom but our families are threatened and were not that far away. Please bow with me who you are, determines what you listen to what you listen to determines how you respond I hope you've listened. I hope you're getting it measurement really need maybe sooner than you realize.

Help us, our father in the midst of this maddening world to grasp what comes from no other source. Teach us to take time, teach us to list we might be transformed in bad habits changed and addictions removed souls rescue in the name of Christ. I pray everyone's payment for kinds of people are identified in this parable from Jesus the hard heart the shallow heart. The crowded heart and a healthy heart. This is insight for living Chuck Swindoll titled today's message a story for the heart of listening.

To learn more about this ministry.

Please visit us online@insightworld.org will hear a closing comment from Chuck in just a moment. So please stay with us first so I'll offer some context for our current teaching series for the entire year of 2021. Chuck is guiding us through a verse by verse study to the gospel according to Matthew.

It's the first time he shared this series on insight for living. It's called the King of Kings. Keep in mind if you missed any portion of this presentation, you can catch up with previous programs by going to insight.org/listen. In addition, you may be surprised to learn that Chuck wrote a biography on the life of Jesus.

And if you're looking to get better acquainted with the real Jesus, the one that writers like Matthew described.

Then we highly recommend adding this book. Your personal collection is called Jesus.

The greatest life of all the purchase a copy right now. Go to insight.org/offer Chuck the gospel writer Matthew spent a lot of time describing a group of first century religious leaders who, in many respects were like spiritual villains stealing joy from those who follow Jesus. The Pharisees were spiritual outlaws. They were bandits like bank robbers.

They had a way of ripping off the treasury of joy.

These religious thugs made up all sorts of untenable rules and tight regulations that were impossible to follow and then they look down their noses with pride and disgust when people failed to keep those rules and regulations. Legalism, their first love is an exhausting lifestyle. Plus, it sucks the joy right out of anyone who aspires to a grace filled life well in Matthew chapter 11 Jesus specifically targeted an audience of battle weary warriors who found a legalistic lifestyle impossible to sustain and exhausting when they tried Jesus opened his arms and said to them come to me all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens and you will find rest for your souls. The rest that Jesus offered that day and still offers to you and me today is different than you might think. He's not talking about wiping sweat from her brow after your morning jog.

He's not offering a vacation or a good nights sleep is far more than that Jesus pinpointed your soul.

You see, his invitation penetrates your inner self that mysterious all-important place within us that represents the spiritual core of our being. This is the focal point of everything we do at insight for living ministries. Our goal is to teach the word of God so that the spirit of God can accomplish what no one else can do we want to see Jesus liberate all who listen to insight for living liberate from the tyranny of religious legalism. And so today I'm appealing to your shared vision to bring men and women around the world to the same place of freedom and grace in Jesus that you and I enjoy you've heard us mention the importance of June 30. Well it's for more than an accounting deadline God could use your generous donation to deliver his message right into the heart and soul of individuals right now and I can assure you everything you give will allow us to share the good news of Jesus who said come to me all you who are weary and carry heavy burdens and you will find rest for your soul's let me explain how you can respond to Chuck Swindoll. The quickest way to get this to go directly to insight.org or call us if you are listening in the US style. 1-800-772-8884 number once again. 1-800-772-8888 or give online by going to insight.org tomorrow. Chuck Swindoll described join us Wednesday dear insight for living.

The preceding message, a story for the heart of listening was copyrighted in 2016 and 2021 and the sound recording was copyrighted in 2021 by Charles R. Swindoll, Inc. all rights are reserved worldwide. Duplication of copyrighted material for commercial use is strictly prohibited