Listening to God’s Word
Summary and Discussion Questions
Based on a sermon by Pastor Jeff Hardy
Sunday, June 14, 2026 | Christ Hills Church in Monroe, NC
Matthew 13:1-23
Every healthy relationship involves two-way communication. We talk, and we listen. We speak, and we hear. The same is true in our relationship with God. But here’s the surprising thing: even when Jesus was physically present on earth, speaking directly to people, many still didn’t really hear Him. That’s the heart of Matthew 13. Jesus tells the Parable of the Sower—a story about seeds, soil, and farming. But the real issue isn’t agriculture. It’s listening.
Let’s organize our thoughts on this topic into three simple sections: Look, Listen, Live It.
1. Look
Jesus begins with a story about a farmer scattering seed. If we’re honest, it sounds like this farmer could use a lesson in efficiency. The seed lands everywhere—on the path, among rocks, among thorns, and on good soil.
Jesus was a carpenter, not a farmer. So is He just ill-informed about agriculture? Of course not. He knows exactly what He’s doing. The point is that the farmer generously spreads seed everywhere. The problem isn’t the farmer, and it isn’t the seed. The issue at hand is the soil.
The seed represents God’s Word. More than that, Jesus Himself is the message — in the flesh. Similar to the farmer scattering seeds on all kinds of soil, Jesus freely gives Himself and His truth wherever He goes.
As Jesus explains the parable, only one of the four soils produces fruit. Three soils fail to receive the seed properly. That can feel discouraging. Sometimes we share God’s truth, pray faithfully, parent diligently, or invest in others and see very little results from our labor. Yet this parable reminds us that fruitfulness is ultimately determined by the condition of the soil. But the seed—God’s Word—is always good.
And if we’re honest, we’re not static. Most of us can see a little of each soil in our own heart. Sometimes we are receptive and eager. Other times we are distracted, shallow, resistant, or overwhelmed. The invitation is not to examine everyone else’s soil. It’s to look honestly at our own.
2. Listen
The disciples ask Jesus an interesting question: “Why do You speak to the people in parables?” His answer is surprising. He says that parables actually make understanding harder.
Why would Jesus do that? The answer is because parables require something of us. Yes, they are simple stories with easy-to-follow plots, but they are designed to pull us in and push us deeper. Jesus wants us to think. He wants us to wrestle. He wants us to ask questions, seek answers, and keep knocking until understanding comes.
Verse 11 speaks of “the secrets of the kingdom” being given. Those are the wonderful “aha!” moments when God opens our eyes and hearts. In a sense, Jesus conceals truth in order to reveal it. It’s a little like hiding Easter eggs. The goal isn’t that they stay hidden forever. The joy comes in eventually finding them.
What’s the difference between hearing and listening? Hearing is simply sound waves vibrating your eardrum. Listening is when the message moves from your ears into your head and eventually into your heart. Yet, we can hear God’s Word while keeping it at arm’s length. We can stiff-arm it. We can keep it as information rather than allowing it to become transformation.
The seed of God’s Word is meant to settle into the crevices of our entire being. And here’s a beautiful truth: We don’t arrive by proving ourselves to God. If we can’t even hear rightly on our own, what makes us think we can earn our way to Him? Faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ (Romans 10:17). He who has ears, let him hear…and listen…and understand…and (we’ll cover this in the next section)…respond.
3. Live It
God’s Word is never meant to stop at information. It should affect what we think, what we feel, and what we do. Yes, God is sovereign. But His sovereignty doesn’t mean we sit passively. Throughout Scripture, God calls us to respond. If you hear His voice, don’t harden your heart. God is always engaging us—inviting us to listen, trust, follow, and obey.
One area where this becomes especially important is suffering. Suffering acts like a continental divide. It often causes us to flow either toward God or away from Him. And since this parable is all about soil, can you think of ways that bad soil can become better soil? Here’s one: In gardening, growth often comes by adding fertilizer or compost—that is, things that are dead or things that are, quite frankly, pretty gross.
Could it be that God wants to use dead stuff and gross stuff to grow stuff in our lives? Absolutely! That doesn’t make suffering enjoyable, but it changes how we view it. We become less surprised when hardship comes and more open to asking, “Lord, how might You use this to grow something good in me?”
Psalm 40:6 contains a fascinating phrase: “ears You have dug for me.” The image is of God opening ears that were previously blocked. Here’s another way to think about it: A blockhead has no ears and would need God to dig some out for him. What a wonderful prayer: “Jesus, dig out my ears so that I can truly hear You.”
Our God is a speaking God. He wants us to hear His Word, receive it deeply, feel its impact, and respond in faith. The question is not whether God is speaking. The question is whether we are listening.
Questions for Reflection & Discussion:
Which of the four soils best describes the condition of your heart right now, and why?
What distractions, fears, hurts, or habits tend to keep you from truly listening to God rather than merely hearing His Word?
How might God be using a current struggle or season of suffering to cultivate deeper faith and greater fruitfulness in your life?