Ten Wrong Kinds Of Hearers

Ten Wrong Kinds Of Hearers*
Is 58:1,2

Is. 58: 58:1 Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and show my people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins.

2 Yet they seek me daily, and delight to know my ways, as a nation that did righteousness, and forsook not the ordinance of their God: they ask of me the ordinances of justice; they take delight in approaching to God.

Intro: There are many that "hear" the Gospel preached today. The real question is do they really hear the way God wants them to hear? They show up and the message is delivered and they go home. No change, No difference, NO hearing! Are you hearing today?

1. First there are hearers that remember little as they forget too quickly.

No intention to remember
No gumption (spirit) to remember - yet they can often quote secular lyrics, know biography of numerous characters, know all the latest singers and groups, know the stats of the sports figures, etc.

2. Next, There are some whose hearing is the hearing of man, and not the listening to the voice of God.

They need to understand they are disrespectful to His Word - it is the Gospel of God, not the Gospel of Man they reject!
And disrespectful to Him and His man when they reject, ignore, leave, and pull back from God's message He sends forth.

Heb 2: 3 How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him;

3. There are some that will hear what pleases them; But they will not hear that which convicts them.

They are like "picky" eaters gleaning over their plate - "itchy ears"

2 Tim 4: 4:1 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.

3 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.

Many want approval placed upon their ungodliness
They do not want anyone (being) to have any control over their life
Many are happy to hear when the message is part of their "hobby horse"

4. Those who always want to hear something new

Easily bored
Never satisfied
Never grow well - use thought about transplanting an apple tree every month

5. There are some hearers whose hearing is all for the eloquence of the speaker, and not for the substance of that which is spoken.

These are like "Apollosians" (I am of Apollos), "Paulisians" (I am of Paul), "Dixonites" (I am of Bro. Dixon), or "Marcumites" (I Am of Bro. Gary)- they follow after man, not God.
Wanting to hear good preaching is not wrong, but rejecting God's Word simply because of the messenger is contrary to His teachings!
We are all guilty of rejecting good messages because we do not like some preacher!

6. There are many who hear the Gospel, but apply it only to others.

They are like a duck - runs right off their back - Share individual at Bradford Pike
They are often critical and feel they are always right.
They usually are really good at finding others' faults.
Never consider it fits them - like those that never take a hint

7. There is among hearers too much unprepared hearing.

Many people arrive after not thinking of God for a week and want to receive great blessings for their souls
Often people sit in the pews after a large argument with their spouse or children and wonder why the preacher is flat?????
Many are side-tracked or preoccupied and the message filters over their heads.
Large problem is a great lack of prayer - we need to prepare to hear.

8. There are many who come to God’s house with the wrong motive, and such usually do not get a blessing.

See a girl, boy, friend, etc.
Just because their parents come
To ease their conscious
To meet some quota in their mind - "If I go I will be okay."
It is expected of me.

9. Many come to hear the Word, but after having heard it, there is no improvement in them.

They hear, but it does not sink in
They hear, but they do not believe
They hear, but they do not seek
They hear, but they do not apply
They hear, but have little resolve
They hear, but they do not change

10. There are some persons who do not hear to profit because they do not believe on the Lord Jesus Christ.

Hearing is not enough
Knowing is not enough
Considering is not enough
Wanting to believe is not enough

Mark 126: 16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.

Paul told the Philippian Jailer in Acts 16:31 "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house."

Will you act on the Lord Jesus today?

Do you believe upon Him?

Do you know Him?

Do you listen to Him?

Do you really hear Him?

What does He want you to do today?

Gary Marcum - East 38th Street Free Will Baptist Church - 062500am

* The above message is not all my work. The basic ten points are mostly from a message by C.H. Spurgeon, The sub-points were essentially my ideas. It is found in "12 Sermons On Repentance," published by Baker Book House. Therefore, this is a message of his that I slightly reworked and used. As a note of explanation, Josh Hunt makes the statement on his website (www.joshhunt.com) that we should at times preach someone else's material to help prevent our staying in a rut and it causes us to think differently. I think I have used one or two of C.H.S.'s message outlines and they are very difficult for me to deliver. It requires more work for me to "adjust" it to suit me, than to build one of my own. Part of this is the fact that his outlines and the message that results are very deep and at times complicated. They are GOOD, however! It took me a good while before I could use it (It did preach well.). I hope that it will be a blessing to you - Bro. Gary