Take Heed How Ye Hear

by Micky Galloway

To “take heed” is to be cautious or to be careful. It is a warning that indicates a condition that might be misunderstood or even unnoticed if it were treated with an attitude of indifference. We must stop and think, exercise caution to make sure our efforts are pleasing unto God. Mark 4:24 says, “And he said unto them, Take heed what ye hear: with what measure ye mete it shall be measured unto you; and more shall be given unto you.” On the other hand, Luke 8:19 says, “Take heed therefore how ye hear: for whosoever hath, to him shall be given; and whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that which he thinketh he hath.” The parable of the sower in Luke 8:4-15, illustrates four very different kinds of hearers. The wayside hearers were those from whom Satan snatched the word out of their hearts. The rocky ground hearers were deterred by outside influences as they confronted temptations. The thorny ground hearers were choked by the internal influences of their own cares and pleasures. But the good ground hearers were those who were productive.

It is important that we take heed how we hear. Not all who hear the truth are profited by it. The rich young ruler of Matthew 19 heard the truth, but was not benefited. He went away exceeding sorrowful because he was not willing to obey it. What kind of hearer are you?

Let us not be...

Forgetful hearers. James 1:25 says, “But he that looketh into the perfect law, the (law) of liberty, and (so) continueth, being not a hearer that forgetteth but a doer that worketh, this man shall be blessed in his doing.” Perhaps our biggest problem is not that we fail to know or understand, but we forget to apply what we know. In II Peter 3, some willfully forgot what they had been taught in order to teach that there was not going to be a coming of the Lord. “For this they willfully forget, that there were heavens from of old, and an earth compacted out of water and amidst water, by the word of God; by which means the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished … But forget not this one thing, beloved, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day” (II Peter 3:5,6,8). We may know many truths, yet forget them until it is too late in the day of sickness or death.

Dull hearers. Jesus said of the Pharisees, “For this people's heart is waxed gross, And their ears are dull of hearing, And their eyes they have closed; Lest haply they should perceive with their eyes, And hear with their ears, And understand with their heart, And should turn again, And I should heal them” (Matthew 13:15). The Hebrew writer also wrote of some who were Christians, “Of whom we have many things to say, and hard of interpretation, seeing ye are become dull of hearing. For when by reason of the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need again that some one teach you the rudiments of the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of solid food” (Hebrews 5:11-12). These heard the truth, but it had no strong appeal to them. These obviously were not hungering and thirsting after righteousness (cf. Matthew 5:6). They had no appetite for the word of God.

Itching ear hearers. Paul wrote to Timothy, “For the time will come when they will not endure the sound doctrine; but, having itching ears, will heap to themselves teachers after their own lusts; and will turn away their ears from the truth, and turn aside unto fables” (II Timothy 4:3-4). These are those who want a “feel good, positive gospel.” These may be heard to say, “Don’t preach on any issues, we don’t want a negative gospel.” In every age “soft-soapers” and “false teachers” have been in great demand. Isaiah wrote of those claiming to be children of God, “For it is a rebellious people, lying children, children that will not hear the law of Jehovah; that say to the seers, See not; and to the prophets, Prophesy not unto us right things, speak unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits” (Isaiah 30:9-10; cf. Jeremiah 5:31; 6:16). Jeremiah knew that this kind of teaching would lead the people away from God. “Woe unto the shepherds that destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! saith Jehovah … In the prophets of Jerusalem also I have seen a horrible thing: they commit adultery, and walk in lies; and they strengthen the hands of evil-doers, so that none doth return from his wickedness: they are all of them become unto me as Sodom, and the inhabitants thereof as Gomorrah … Thus saith Jehovah of hosts, Hearken not unto the words of the prophets that prophesy unto you: they teach you vanity; they speak a vision of their own heart, and not out of the mouth of Jehovah. They say continually unto them that despise me, Jehovah hath said, Ye shall have peace; and unto every one that walketh in the stubbornness of his own heart they say, No evil shall come upon you … How long shall this be in the heart of the prophets that prophesy lies, even the prophets of the deceit of their own heart? that think to cause my people to forget my name by their dreams which they tell every man to his neighbor, as their fathers forgat my name for Baal” (Jeremiah 23:1,14,16,17,26-27). This is sad indeed! Many congregations have been led into apostasy because the preachers tried to please the people instead of save the people.

Stopped ear hearers. When Steven presented his resounding sermon in Acts 7, his hearers stopped their hears that they might not hear. They were so stubborn they would not hear. “But they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and rushed upon him with one accord; and they cast him out of the city, and stoned him” (Acts 7:57-58). It is not uncommon when folks do not like the message, they want to kill the messenger. This was true of the Lord and true of the apostle Paul (Matthew 26:4; Mark14:1; John 5:18; 7:1; Acts 9:23,29; 21:31; 25:3). Jesus told his disciples these things would come (Matthew 24:9).

It is not enough that one merely hear preaching, even the preaching of truth. It is essential that one hear correctly to apply accurately God’s word. Let us examine ourselves and “take heed therefore how ye hear.”

Let us give diligence to be...

Discerning hearers. When one hears another preach, he needs to remember that men are subject to mistakes. It is possible that while one professes to be preaching the truth, he may ignorantly or knowingly, preach that which is false. Not all who teach are honest. Jesus described some as “false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly are ravening wolves” (Matthew 7:15). Even when one is honest in purpose, he may be mistaken. Consider Apollos who “knowing only the baptism of John” needed to be taught “the way of God more accurately” (Acts 18:24-28). Hearers must carefully compare what they hear with that which is taught in the Scriptures. As Paul said, “Prove all things; hold fast that which is good” (I Thessalonians 5:21).

Honest hearers. While recognizing that preachers may be mistaken, one must recognize his own fallibility. One’s own preconceived ideas can be mistaken, causing him to hear with prejudice. This may cause one to close his eyes and harden his heart against the truth he so badly needs. Jesus said of the Jews, “For this people's heart is waxed gross, And their ears are dull of hearing, And their eyes they have closed; Lest haply they should perceive with their eyes, And hear with their ears, And understand with their heart, And should turn again, And I should heal them” (Matthew 13:15). The Jews in Thessalonica rejected the truth and drove Paul out for preaching truth (Acts 17:1-9). The Bereans on the other hand “searched the Scriptures daily, whether those things were so” (Acts 17:11). These were described as “more noble than those in Thessalonica.”

Reverent hearers. Men should stand in awe of God’s word. The Psalmist said, “Princes have persecuted me without a cause; but my heart standeth in awe of thy words. I rejoice at thy word, as one that findeth great spoil. I hate and abhor falsehood; (but) thy law do I love” (Psalms 119:161-163). We must delight in it and meditate in it day and night (Psalms 1:2). We must love it and hide it in our hearts that we might not sin (Psalms 119:11,47). Paul was thankful to God without ceasing for those in Thessalonica who received the truth he preached. He said, “ye accepted (it) not (as) the word of men, but, as it is in truth, the word of God, which also worketh in you that believe” (I Thessalonians 2:13). Be assured, no man respects God who does not respect his word.

Believing hearers. Jesus said as he prayed to His father, “Thy word is truth” (John 17:17). I have personally had folks say to me after the reading of some plain statement in God’s word, “I don’t believe that.” Often, instead of accepting the simple truth of scripture, one seeks to dismiss it by refusing to believe it. The Jews were not permitted to enter into the promised land because of unbelief (I Corinthians 10:1-2; Hebrews 3-4). Failing to believe what God said, they failed to do what God said. “And to whom sware he that they should not enter into his rest, but to them that were disobedient? And we see that they were not able to enter in because of unbelief” (Hebrews 3:18-19). We too can fail to enter the heavenly rest for the same reason. “Let us therefore give diligence to enter into that rest, that no man fall after the same example of disobedience” (Hebrews 4:11). When God speaks, men should hear and believe it.

Obedient hearers. When one hears God’s word and believes it, he must obey it. Jesus clearly taught in Matthew 7:21-23, “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy by thy name, and by thy name cast out demons, and by thy name do many mighty works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.” Jesus went on to illustrate that the wise man is the man who “heareth these words of mine, and doeth them” but, “every one that heareth these words of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man” (Matthew 7:24,26).

If one is to be benefited by hearing the truth of God, he must yield himself in complete and unreserved submission to the revealed will of God. One must completely surrender his will to the will of God. Obey His commands “from the heart” (Romans 6:16ff). May God help us all to “take heed how ye hear” that we may hear and obey.