How to Listen to a Sermon (Part 2) Matthew 13:1-9

Review The 1000s of sermons you’ll listen to + what you’re listening to (God’s Word) + why you’re listening (as an act of worship) + the God-ordained ministry of preaching + the authority of the preacher as a herald and steward + the preparation done by the preacher for your benefit and God’s glory = we need to learn how to listen to sermonsThe 1000s of sermons you’ll listen to + what you’re listening to (God’s Word) + why you’re listening (as an act of worship) + the God-ordained ministry of preaching + the authority of the preacher as a herald and steward + the preparation done by the preacher for your benefit and God’s glory = we need to learn how to listen to sermons

Reverence for God’s Word 1 Thus says the L ORD, “Heaven is My throne and the earth is My footstool. Where then is a house you could build for Me? And where is a place that I may rest? 2 For My hand made all these things, thus all these things came into being,” declares the L ORD. “But to this one I will look, to him who is humble and contrite of spirit, and who trembles at My word.” (Isaiah 66:1-2)

Reverence for God’s Word “Man will not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from God’s mouth.” (Matt. 4:4 = Deut. 8:3)“Man will not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from God’s mouth.” (Matt. 4:4 = Deut. 8:3) Like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation. (1 Peter 2:2)Like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation. (1 Peter 2:2)

The Sower and the Soils 1 That day Jesus went out of the house and was sitting by the sea. 2 And large crowds gathered to Him, so He got into a boat and sat down, and the whole crowd was standing on the beach. 3 And He spoke many things to them in parables, saying, “Behold, the sower went out to sow; 4 and as he sowed, some seeds fell beside the road, and the birds came and ate them up.

The Sower and the Soils 5 Others fell on the rocky places, where they did not have much soil; and immediately they sprang up, because they had no depth of soil. 6 But when the sun had risen, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away. 7 Others fell among the thorns, and the thorns came up and choked them out.” (Matthew 13:1-7)

The Sower and the Soils “And the one on whom seed was sown among the thorns, this is the man who hears the word, and the worry of the world and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.” (13:22)

The Sower and the Soils 8 “And others fell on the good soil and yielded a crop, some a hundredfold, some sixty, and some thirty. 9 He who has ears, let him hear.”

The Sower and the Soils 23 “And the one on whom seed was sown on the good soil, this is the man who hears the word and understands it; who indeed bears fruit and brings forth, some a hundredfold, some sixty, and some thirty.”

The Sower and the Soils Same seed, different resultsSame seed, different results Controlling factor: the character of the soilsControlling factor: the character of the soils

The Sower and the Soils Sow with a view to righteousness, reap in accordance with kindness. Break up your fallow ground, for it is time to seek the L ORD U ntil He comes to rain righteousness on you. (Hosea 10:12)Sow with a view to righteousness, reap in accordance with kindness. Break up your fallow ground, for it is time to seek the L ORD U ntil He comes to rain righteousness on you. (Hosea 10:12)

The Listener’s Body Get to bed early on Saturday nightGet to bed early on Saturday night The principle of preparation (Ex. 19, Josh. 3, 7, Matt. 27:62; Luke 23:54)The principle of preparation (Ex. 19, Josh. 3, 7, Matt. 27:62; Luke 23:54)

The Listener’s Body “Preparing the heart is the most important matter of all, for the Lord’s Day is preeminently a ‘day for heart-work.’ From this point of view, the battle for Sundays is usually won or lost on the previous Saturday night, when time should be set aside for self-examination, confession, and prayer for the coming day. Richard Baxter’s young people’s fellowship used to spend three hours each Saturday evening preparing together for the Sunday gathering in this way…We must get up on Sunday mornings in time to prepare our hearts afresh to praise and pray and hear God’s Word preached.” – J. I. Packer, A Quest for Godliness“Preparing the heart is the most important matter of all, for the Lord’s Day is preeminently a ‘day for heart-work.’ From this point of view, the battle for Sundays is usually won or lost on the previous Saturday night, when time should be set aside for self-examination, confession, and prayer for the coming day. Richard Baxter’s young people’s fellowship used to spend three hours each Saturday evening preparing together for the Sunday gathering in this way…We must get up on Sunday mornings in time to prepare our hearts afresh to praise and pray and hear God’s Word preached.” – J. I. Packer, A Quest for Godliness

The Listener’s Body Rest well so that you can give God your bestRest well so that you can give God your best “We should be sure to get enough sleep. Then in the morning our first prayers should be directed to public worship, and especially to the preaching of God’s Word. If the body is well rested and the soul is well prepared, then the mind will be alert. Good preaching appeals first to the mind. After all, it is by the renewing of our minds that God does his transforming work in our lives (see Rom. 12:2). So when we listen to a sermon, our minds need to be fully engaged.” – Philip Ryken“We should be sure to get enough sleep. Then in the morning our first prayers should be directed to public worship, and especially to the preaching of God’s Word. If the body is well rested and the soul is well prepared, then the mind will be alert. Good preaching appeals first to the mind. After all, it is by the renewing of our minds that God does his transforming work in our lives (see Rom. 12:2). So when we listen to a sermon, our minds need to be fully engaged.” – Philip Ryken

The Listener’s Body Rest well so that you can…Rest well so that you can… Get here on timeGet here on time

The Listener’s Body 6 “A son honors his father, and a servant his master. If I am a father, where is the honor due me? If I am a master, where is the respect due me?” says the L ORD Almighty. “It is you, O priests, who show contempt for my name. But you ask, ‘How have we shown contempt for your name?’ 7 You place defiled food on my altar. But you ask, ‘How have we defiled you?’ By saying that the L ORD ’s table is to be despised. 8 When you bring blind animals for sacrifice, is that not wrong? When you sacrifice crippled or diseased animals, is that not wrong? Try offering them to your governor! Would he be pleased with you? Would he accept you?” says the L ORD Almighty. 6 “A son honors his father, and a servant his master. If I am a father, where is the honor due me? If I am a master, where is the respect due me?” says the L ORD Almighty. “It is you, O priests, who show contempt for my name. But you ask, ‘How have we shown contempt for your name?’ 7 You place defiled food on my altar. But you ask, ‘How have we defiled you?’ By saying that the L ORD ’s table is to be despised. 8 When you bring blind animals for sacrifice, is that not wrong? When you sacrifice crippled or diseased animals, is that not wrong? Try offering them to your governor! Would he be pleased with you? Would he accept you?” says the L ORD Almighty.

The Listener’s Body 9 “Now implore God to be gracious to us. With such offerings from your hands, will He accept you?”—says the L ORD Almighty. 10 “Oh, that one of you would shut the temple doors, so that you would not light useless fires on my altar! I am not pleased with you,” says the L ORD Almighty, “and I will accept no offering from your hands.” (Malachi 1:6-10)

The Listener’s Body Those who honor Me I will honor, and those who despise Me will be despised by Me. (1 Samuel 2:30)Those who honor Me I will honor, and those who despise Me will be despised by Me. (1 Samuel 2:30) The king said to Araunah, “No, but I will surely buy it from you for a price, for I will not offer burnt offerings to the L ORD my God which cost me nothing.” (2 Samuel 24:24)The king said to Araunah, “No, but I will surely buy it from you for a price, for I will not offer burnt offerings to the L ORD my God which cost me nothing.” (2 Samuel 24:24)

The Listener’s Body 11 My name will be great among the nations…” says the L ORD Almighty. 12 “But you profane it by saying of the Lord’s table, ‘It is defiled,’ and of its food, ‘It is contemptible.’ 13 And you say, ‘What a burden!’ and you sniff at it contemptuously,” says the L ORD Almighty. “When you bring injured, crippled or diseased animals and offer them as sacrifices, should I accept them from your hands?” says the L ORD.

The Listener’s Body 14 “Cursed is the cheat who has an acceptable male in his flock and vows to give it, but then sacrifices a blemished animal to the Lord. For I am a great king,” says the L ORD Almighty, “and my name is to be feared among the nations.” (Malachi 1:11-14)

The Listener’s Body “For the lips of a priest should preserve knowledge, and men should seek instruction from his mouth; for he is the messenger of the L ORD of hosts.” (Malachi 2:7) 1.Get rest 2.Get here on time so that you can offer to God your best

The Listener’s Head 1.Remove distractions from your mind 2.Listen carefully to understand the meaning of the passage

The Listener’s Heart 1.Guard your heart 2.Listen with a worshipful heart (God-centered) 3.Listen for your own spiritual growth 4.Pray beforehand to prepare your heart for worship 5.Listen with faith and expectancy For indeed we have had good news preached to us, just as they also; but the word they heard did not profit them, because it was not united by faith in those who heard. (Heb. 4:2)For indeed we have had good news preached to us, just as they also; but the word they heard did not profit them, because it was not united by faith in those who heard. (Heb. 4:2)

The Listener’s Hands 1.Take notes (if that doesn’t distract you) “The main benefit that is obtained by preaching is by impression made upon the mind in the time of it, and not by the effect that arises afterwards by a remembrance of what was delivered.” - Jonathan Edwards 2.Bring your own Bible 3.Apply the passage to your life

The Listener’s Hands Sermon Bulletin:Sermon Bulletin: Your responsibility, by God’s enabling, is to consistently apply the divine principles and truths you have heard (Phil. 2; 1 Tim. 4:7-9; Jam. 1:22-27). As you meditate on this message, ask yourself these questions: How does God want my beliefs or actions to change?How does God want my beliefs or actions to change? How can I accomplish this change?How can I accomplish this change? What is the first step toward bringing about this change?What is the first step toward bringing about this change?

The Listener’s Hands 22 But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves. 23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror; 24 for once he has looked at himself and gone away, he has immediately forgotten what kind of person he was. 25 But one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this man will be blessed in what he does. (James 1:22-25)

How to Listen to a Sermon Before Get enough restGet enough rest Pray to prepare your heartsPray to prepare your hearts Come on timeCome on timeDuring Remove distractions from your mindRemove distractions from your mind Listen carefully with a God-centered heart and for your own spiritual growthListen carefully with a God-centered heart and for your own spiritual growth Listen with faith and expectancy.Listen with faith and expectancy.After Apply the passageApply the passage Talk about the message with someoneTalk about the message with someone

How to Listen to a Sermon (Part 2) Matthew 13:1-9