You have ears

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You Have Ears

Your have legs When I was young, usually when I had sat down at the table with the rest of the family, I had a hard time getting out. So I’d yell out, asking for someone to get me a glass or a fork. And it was usually my sister who, in that sort of snarky way that only sisters can really master, told me that I have two legs. And the point was simple and blunt. If I have legs, I can use them. Here in God’s word, Jesus is making the same point to us in a kinder sort of way. In Matthew 13 we read: “¹ That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the lake. ² Such large crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat in it, while all the people stood on the shore. ³ Then he told them many things in parables, saying: “A farmer went out to sow his seed. ⁴ As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. ⁵ Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. ⁶ But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. ⁷ Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. ⁸ Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. ⁹ Whoever has ears, let them hear.”” (Matt. 13:1–9 NIV11-GKE)

So Jesus tells a parable. And in this parable there are four parts. First there is the seed that falls at the side of the road.¹ The birds quickly come along and eat it up. Second, some seed falls on the rocky path.² It grows up and and burned away. Third, some seed falls in among the thorns and thistles. It grows up just fine—at least until the weeds grow up and choke it to death.³ Finally, some seed falls on the good soil. And it produces a big, bumper crop.

That’s the parable. And Jesus closes the parable saying, “whoever has ears to hear, let that person listen.”⁴ This is Jesus’ urgent way of letting us know that he is not speaking about plants and dirt. He is speaking about something so much more important. And thankfully, he tells us what he is speaking about. We read: “¹⁸ “Listen then to what the parable of the sower means: ¹⁹ When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in their heart. This is the seed sown along the path. ²⁰ The seed falling on rocky ground refers to someone who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. ²¹ But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. ²² The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful. ²³ But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.”” (Matt. 13:18–23 NIV11-GKE)

Notice how, as Jesus explains the parable, he starts from the outside in. He speaks about those who have little exposure to God’s word and moves to those who have had more exposure to God’s word. For the first group, they hear God’s word and then Satan snatches it away. Think of weddings and funerals. At weddings the people are distracted by the wedding dress and the party afterwards. At funerals they are so overcome with grief it’s hard for them to focus. So Satan takes away God’s word from them. The second group are new to the faith. They hear it with joy. But then what happens? Either the world or even their own family makes them choose between Jesus and them. And they become scandalized and ashamed the the gospel they used to rejoice in.⁵ Third, there’s the group who have had the most exposure to God’s word. They even grew up with it for years. But what happens? Worries and wealth slowly choke their faith away. And in the fourth group are those who hear God’s word and put it together.⁶ They listen and learn.

So, my dear friends in Christ, what will you do with these words that Jesus shares with you? It is enough to say that you stayed awake when you heard these words read and shared with you? No, instead your Savior tells you, that you have ears. And he wants you to us them. And what does that look like? First, Listen. The first challenge we face every day and every Sunday is to actually hear the word of God shared with us. And here is where I pray for you. For I know what it is like to be stuck there in a pew listening to someone preach. It is so very hard to keep your attention and stay focused.

You have ears, so listen. But also, as Jesus says here, learn. These words that Jesus speaks here are not about plants, sun, and dirt. They are about you. And they are about the power of God’s word. And that means figuring out what they will mean will be a struggle. For Satan wants to snatch away the meaning of these words before they sink into your souls. Above all wrestle, struggle, and look for word of forgiveness. Martin Luther once said that that law is a constant companion in a believers heart. But the the gospel is a rare guest. How amazing and wonderful it is to know that Jesus sees our struggle to stay awake. He sees our struggles to learn what we are listening to. He knows our failings and he forgives them. And as we do this—as we listen and learn day by day, and week after week, we will then finally have the privilege of sharing.

My friends, these words are sad, aren’t they? If you live long enough you can all find examples of people you hoped would hear that wedding or funeral sermon and come to church. You can think of people who hit a stumbling block and stopped coming to church. You can think of people who, through the worries and wealth in this world were led away. And that fills us with sadness. All of a sudden, when we replace these words about plants and sunlight with people—real people we know, our sleepy souls wake up and our ears perk up. We remember because these words fill us with sadness and pain.

But my dear friends in Christ, that is where this fourth group is so important to hear about. In this fourth group there is seed that sinks deep into the ground. And it not only produces. It produces a bumper crop. This teaches us two truths. First, God’s word is powerful. And that’s why we listen, and then learn, and then get ready to share God’s word. We do this because we trust that it is powerful. And what does that look like? It’s the woman I knew years ago who knew that when I preached for her son’s wedding, she asked me if she could have the paper copy of my sermon. And she told me that down the road, two or ten years later, she’d share these words with her son because she trusted that God’s word had power. It’s the friend who brings his best friend to church. And then the friend is offended by what he hears and doesn’t come back. He waits and studies God’s word so that when the time is right, he can share it again because God’s word is powerful. It’s the dad who sees his daughter grow up and be led away by worries and wealth. And day after day he reads his bible and prays for her waiting for the day he can give her the strength and encouragement from God’s word that the world cannot give. That’s what Jesus is speaking about here when he speaks about this miraculous bumper crop.

But my dear friends, there is one last detail to talk about about before we say, “amen.” Notice the different numbers of the harvest. When we share God’s word it will not always produce the result that we want. But it will always do what God wants. We are the ones who have ears to hear. Our role is to listen, learn, and then share. God is the one who causes that seed of his word to grow. And there is comfort and strength in knowing that we do not have to be responsible to make that word grow. That’s the Lord‘s word. So you have ears. Use them. Listen, learn, and then share God’s word. For it is powerful—whether you see its fruit or not.

¹ “ⲡⲁⲣⲁⲧⲏⲛⲟⲇⲟⲛ” (Matt. 13:4 GNT-WAS)

² “ⲡⲉⲧⲣⲱⲇⲏ” (Matt. 13:5 GNT-WAS)

³ “ⲁⲡⲉⲡⲛⲓⲝⲁⲛ” (Matt. 13:7 GNT-WAS)

⁴ “ⲟⲉⲭⲱⲛⲱⲧⲁⲁⲕⲟⲩⲉⲓⲛⲁⲕⲟⲩⲉⲧⲱ·” (Matt. 13:9 GNT-WAS)

⁵ “ⲥⲕⲁⲛⲇⲁⲗⲓⲍⲉⲧⲁⲓ” (Matt. 13:21 GNT-WAS)

⁶ “ⲥⲩⲛⲓⲱⲛ” (Matt. 13:23 GNT-WAS)
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