Hearers of the Word

Temple Baptist Church - 9-29-2013

 

Amos 8:11-12

 

Introduction:

A. Two things need to be done in light of people “properly” hearing God’s Word. I often use this verse which can both be properly interpreted and practically applied this morning.

Amos 8:11-12 Behold, the days come, saith the Lord GOD, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD: (12) And they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east, they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the LORD, and shall not find it.

1. The Word of God must be made indiscriminately available to the people. “Shall not find it.” The Word of the Lord needs to be preached in every land, to every creature! Before saving faith can be implemented, one must hear the Word of God. We hold up the King James Bible for many reasons but here is the most important one: without the Word of God, there can be no salvation. There is certainly a famine of sound, doctrinal preaching in our country.

2. God’s Word must be uncompromisingly magnified in the sight of the people. “The word of the Lord.” This bible I hold in my hand is more than the work of man; its preservation is an act of God. If it is errant, then our preaching is flawed. If it is fallible, then our eschatology is in doubt. It is not perfectly right, then our doctrine cannot be perfectly right. Psalm 138:2 declares that God has magnified it about all His name. With that being said, “Please leave this precious Bible alone! If you do not believe this precious Bible, then just leave this preacher and this church alone!”

3. God’s Word must be earnestly sought by the people. “And they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east, they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the LORD.” There must be a burning desire in the hearts of God’s people for God’s Word; there must be a hungering and thirsting for its precepts; there must be an earnest acceptance and obedience to it.

B. Having said that the Word of God is essential, let me say that the Word of God is also effective! One, it must be preached as it is; two, the hearer must listen to what the Word of God says; and, three, the hearer must believe God’s report through the Bible.

C. I want to look at another verse in order to make an application: Romans 10:17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. (There are two hearings found here and they are in reverse order. There is an outer hearing [with the ear] and an inner hearing [with the heart]. Once again I will use the illustration: “You hear me but you don’t listen!” Now, I want to make a practical application with this verse.)

D. Though this particular hearing is salvation, there is much said about hearing to God’s children. Saving faith comes by hearing the Word of God as does sanctification, surety, service, etc.

1. The new believer needs the milk of God’s Word. God “grows” the child of God slowly and methodically. He is so careful with these new born children and so is this pastor. I try to preach fully and carefully (which is not compromise) for God’s children are tender when new born.

2. The mature believer needs the meat of God’s Word. God allows the preaching to feed both at the same time. The church is much like the old one room schoolhouse. It had up to 12 grades in the same room with the teacher instructing all grades together. As God’s man preaches, it is milk to the new born and meat to the mature.

E. Having said all of this, I believe that it is important for us to “hear” what God says. Preaching is for admonition, instruction, and motivation.

1. We need to prayerfully prepare our hearts to receive the preached Word.

2. We need to pray that the Word of the Lord have free course and be glorified.

3. We need to keep our hearts and minds stayed upon the preached Word.

4. We need to understand that God’s man is just a man and, yet, the Word preached in the Lord’s

5. We need to rightly, personally apply the Word of God to our hearts.

F. If rightly preached and rightly received, the Word of God should do some things.

1. Preaching should instruct your mind. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness (17) That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works. (We need the whole counsel of God in ord to be perfect or fully equipped. A good education is a well-rounded one!)

2. Preaching should tan your hide. 2 Timothy 4:1-2 I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; (2) Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. (The Word of God chastens.)

Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

3. Preaching should warm your heart. Luke 24:32 And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures? (God’s people don’t get mad; they get glad when the Word is preached compassionately straight. I have had people come us to me and say, “Preacher, that did not offend me.” I am not here to offend but I am here to preach straight and straight preaching get us all. It should warm our hearts to know that God cares enough for us to give it to us straight.)

4. Preaching should provoke your will. Hebrews 10:24 And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: (We are here to provoke each other unto love for the brethren and also unto good works. The preaching presents a challenge that demands a decision.)

A Famine of Hearing

Temple Baptist Church - 5-29-2011

Amos 8:11-12

Introduction:

A. The prophecy of the Lord concerning the Word of God in the end time. The interpretation is to Israel but application can certainly be made to the end-time church also. A famine defined: extreme and general scarcity of food, as in a country or a large geographical area; any extreme and general scarcity; extreme hunger; starvation.

B. There are several things that I want to notice concerning this “famine” of the last days.

1. The famine is sent of the Lord. There is an old saying that goes something like this, “God will always give you what you want but it will always cost you what you’ve got!” God is neither the Author of sin nor does He approve of sin but, when someone is just too hard headed to listen, God will allow that individual to do as he or she wishes. God will allow that sin to run its course and then let the judgment come.

Galatians 6:7 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.

James 1:14-15 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. (15) Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.

2. The famine is a scarcity of hearing the Word of God. They shall seek the Word of God but “shall not find it.” There are still those who want God’s Word but, because of the scarcity, they cannot find it. They “wander” from church to church seeking and not finding. They “run to and fro” which speaks of confusion. What a shame! Our nation was established on God’s Word and its principles.

C. What I want to deal with tonight is the aspect of “hearing” of God’s Word. A famine of hearing! The problem with hearing God’s Word is two-fold in America and in our area called “The Bible Belt.” I have said for years that the “Bible Belt” is “unbuckled!”

1. The South cut its spiritual teeth on the King James Bible and its preaching. Great revivals began in the South and its spiritual heritage runs deep.

2. The South in our day is permeated with biblical ignorance. As we knock on doors, I am astounded at the lack of biblical knowledge of supposedly saved people. They not only know nothing, most of these people do not even suspect anything!

3. The problem here is two-fold and the answer to the problem is found in Romans 10:17, “ So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” I find two “hearings” in that verse: an outer hearing and an “inner” hearing. Thus, we find the problem of the “famine.”

D. Let us look at that verse and the two “hearings” for a few minutes.

A LACK OF OUTER HEARING

1. First of all, there is a “famine” of Bible preaching in the land because they do not have the Bible. Most churches today do not even understand what the Word of God is. These churches have many “bibles” instead of one Bible. I often say, “If you do not know what God’s Word is, then I do not care to hear what you have to say spiritually.” NASB, NIV, NKJV, etc. are the “bibles” that you find in churches and book stores. The revered King James Bible is “antiquated” and no long relevant to our day, according to the “experts.” In order to hear the Word of God, you must have the preaching of the Word of God.

2. Secondly, there is a “famine” of Bible preaching in the land because those who do have a King James Bible either do not preach it or only preach a part of it. The only thing that will help our churches is having the whole counsel of God’s Word preached!

a. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: (17) That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works. (If all scripture is profitable—and it is—then all scripture needs to be preached! Otherwise, man is not made perfect (mature) nor is he throughly furnished unto all good works.)

b. Matthew 4:4 But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. (If man is to live by “every word” of God, then he cannot be living a godly life when much of God’s Word is not being preached! Thus, we have worldly, carnal children.)

3. Thirdly, there is a serious lack of and decline in God’s men! Preachers climb into pulpits that are neither called nor qualified!

a. Unsaved Preachers – False prophets such as the old man who prophesied of the Lord’s coming last week. Many are religious Charlatans who are making fortunes off of lost church members.

b. Unscriptural Preachers – False preachers who teach heretical doctrines and lead people in the wrong paths.

c. Unconcerned Preachers who place personal needs above the needs of their people. I put these in two categories:

1) Popular Preachers – These preach “smooth” things and are heavy on salvation and exhortation with little or no regard to holiness and spiritual maturity. Their congregations are worldly and will remain that way. These are afraid to preach, either because they have no personal conviction or are afraid that conviction will run their people off.

2) Prosperous Preachers – These are men who are in the ministry because it is an easy way to earn a living. These are guilty of “filthy lucre.”

A LACK OF INNER HEARING

1. The main object of preaching God’s Word is that people spiritually hear. Jeremiah 22:29 says, “O earth, earth, earth, hear the word of the LORD.” This is not just a physical hearing but is also a spiritual one. We sometimes hear the expression, “You hear but you don’t listen!” This hearing is paying attention and heeding the preaching.

2. People no longer want to hear the Word of God and are pouring into the aforementioned churches where they either do not have God’s Word or do not preach it. Matthew 13, in the parable of the Sower, there are 4 types of hearers with only one bringing forth fruit.

a. Some hear Bible preaching but will not properly respond. Ezekiel 33:31 And they come unto thee as the people cometh, and they sit before thee as my people, and they hear thy words, but they will not do them: for with their mouth they shew much love, but their heart goeth after their covetousness.

b. Some leave Bible preaching churches in search of “teachers” because they have itching ears. Instead of desiring help, they simply desire to have their ears scratched.

1) They harden their necks to the preaching. Proverbs 29:1 He, that being often reproved hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy.

2) They pull away the shoulder. Zechariah 7:11 But they refused to hearken, and pulled away the shoulder, and stopped their ears, that they should not hear.

3) They eventually leave for “greener grass.” 2 Timothy 4:3-4 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; (4) And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.

c. These have ears to hear but do not hear!

Conclusion: We have something very special here. We have the Word of God and the preaching of God’s Word. Let us do two things:

1. Follow God’s Man as he follows the Lord.

2. Follow God’s Word by being doers of the Word and not hearers only.