Sovereign Grace Chapel, located at 135 Annabel Lane in Beaver, West Virginia, invites you to listen to a gospel message concerning Jesus Christ our Lord. Welcome to today's broadcast. For today, I have just one verse I wanna read. And I actually wanna read from Matthew chapter 11. And as I said, it's just one verse. It's a phrase uttered by our Lord Jesus Christ. And listen to the words. Matthew chapter 11 and verse 15. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear. You see it? Simple enough, isn't it? He that hath ears to hear, let him hear. This is my title, this is my subject. It's right there, just that whole verse. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.

This phrase, he that hath ears to hear, let him hear, is recorded in the New Testament 11 times, 11 times. Now, if God puts it in his word, his holy scripture, If God puts it in his word one time, it's vital. It's vital. I mean, the man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. If God says it once, it's vital. But when God stresses something, when it's given over and over and over again, we ought to pay attention to it, shouldn't we? We ought to pay attention. This phrase, as I said, is recorded 11 times in the New Testament. It must be, it has to be, it is certainly of great importance, certainly an understanding of Christ's words here are important. What did he mean? What did he mean when he said this?

Now, what I want to do is just consider three thoughts this morning in light of our text. This little short phrase, he that hath ears to hear, let him hear. Three thoughts.

Number one, certainly, This stresses the importance, that is the essential need to hear of the personal work of Jesus Christ. Paul made this clear when he wrote to the believers who lived in Rome, and he wrote these words, we read them in Romans chapter 10, verses 13 through 17, and he wrote these words, for whosoever

Verse 13 of Romans 10, for whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. That's quoted by people all over this country, all over the world for that matter. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. But does that mean that someone just says, well, Jesus helped me and everything's fine? No, it doesn't mean that. Look, for whosoever. shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? So a person to call this way, to call upon the name of the Lord, who he is, who he is, what he's done, all that appertains to the Lord Jesus Christ. Because calling upon him, those people shall be saved. But how then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? But that's not the end of it.

And how shall they preach? That is, preach what Paul has declared, not just preach anything and everything. but to preach the truth of the person and work of Christ. How then shall they call on him? You see, it's about a him in whom they have not believed. And how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach except they be sent? It is written, and this is from the Old Testament, a quote, how beautiful are the feet of them that bring glad tidings of peace and bring glad tidings of good things.

So we see that. This is essential. Paul told the church at Corinth that it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching, and that was the preaching of the cross of Christ, the preaching of the substitutionary sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ for sinners. It pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.

So again, My first point is this, this first thought I want us to consider is this, certainly it stresses the importance, the absolute essential need to hear of the person work of Christ. But even in our text, in Romans 10. Look at what he says. Right after he said that, how should they preach except they be sent? He quotes from the Old Testament. Verse 6, 16 says, but they have not all obeyed the gospel. See, that's what he's preaching, the gospel. But just hearing it preached just in and of itself, okay? For Isaiah, that is Isaiah, saith, Lord, who hath believed our report? Do you see it? Who hath believed our report? So certainly it expresses the importance, the vital character of hearing. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear, okay?

Now, here's the second point. Certainly, it stresses the importance of our attitude and condition when we hear, okay? It's not just about hearing, it's not getting lucky. It's not just happening to show up at some time when somebody's preaching. There's essentiality here. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear. In other words, be attentive. Pay attention to what you're hearing. So again, I say it stresses the importance of our attitude and our condition when we hear.

Two thoughts under this thought. Two thoughts under this second thought. According to our Lord Jesus Christ, and let me turn to Mark chapter four, let me get to my passage, Mark chapter four. According to the Lord Jesus Christ, it's essential, it is vital as to what we hear, you see it? What we hear. Listen to our Lord Jesus Christ in Mark four, just a few verses. Mark four in verse 21. Excuse me. And he said unto them, is a candle brought to be put under a bushel or under a bed and not to be set on a candlestick? For there is nothing hid which shall not be manifested, neither was anything kept secret but that which should come abroad.

If any man have ears to hear, do you see it? If any man have ears to hear, let him hear. And he saith unto them, take heed what ye hear. Do you see it? It's just to say, well, I go to church. Is that man preaching the truth about the person and work of Jesus Christ? And he said unto them, take heed what you hear. With what measure ye meet, it shall be measured to you, and unto you that hear shall more be given. For he that hath, to him shall be given, and to him that hath not. So not everybody has it ear to ear. You see it? But to those that have an ear to hear, let him hear. For he that hath, to him shall be given. And he that hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he hath.

And in looking at that, think of these words from the Apostle Paul that he wrote to the churches of Galatia. And we're talking about this important thing of what you hear is important. Now listen to how the Apostle Paul put it when he wrote to the churches of Galatia. And he wrote these words in Galatians chapter one, just a few verses, starting in verse six. I marvel that you're so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ and to another gospel, which is not another, but there be some that trouble you and would pervert the gospel of Christ. So see, not every message is right. Not every message honors Christ. Not every message is preaching the true person and the true work of the Lord Jesus Christ. He said, they preach another gospel, but it's not another. But there be some that trouble you and pervert the gospel of Christ. But though we or an angel from heaven preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. You see, that's strong language. As we said before, so say I now again, if any man preach any other gospel unto you than that which he have received, let him be accursed.

So what we hear is vital, it's vital. But not only that, listen to what our Lord said on another instance here about this. He that hath an ear to hear, let him hear. Remember, what we hear is vital. but also how, how we hear is vital.

Luke chapter eight, just a couple of verses. Luke chapter eight, verse 16, it's very familiar to Mark four, but this was at a different time and our Lord was speaking of some slightly different things, listen. Mark, Luke chapter eight, verse 16. No man, when he hath lighted a candle, cover it with a vessel, or putteth it under a bed, but setteth it on a candlestick, that they which enter in may see the light. For nothing is secret that shall not be made manifest, neither anything hid that shall not be known and come abroad.

But look, take heed therefore how ye hear. See, so it's not about just luck. Not about happenstance. It's not about just coming along when something's being said. Look, take heed how ye hear. For whosoever hath, to him shall be given. And whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he seemeth to have. Do you see that?

So again, Remember the first thing we looked at here, certainly this phrase, he that hath ears to hear, let him hear. Certainly it stresses the importance, the essential need to hear of the person of work of the Lord Jesus Christ. But it also stresses the importance of our attitude and condition when we hear. We need to take heed to what we hear, that's vital. And we need to take heed to how we hear, that's vital.

In light of that, listen to what the epistle to the Hebrews says about this how we hear, okay? How we hear. Listen to Hebrews 4, verse one. I'm sorry, let us therefore fear, lest a promise be left us of entering into his rest, that is God's rest, any of you should seem to come short of it. For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them. He's talking about those folks in the wilderness, those Israelites in the wilderness, way back there hundreds of years ago. For unto us was the gospel preached as well as unto them, but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it. For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said, as I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest, although the works were finished from the foundation of the world, for he spake in a certain place. of the seventh day on this wise, and God did rest the seventh day from all his works. He's illustrating the rest. And in this place again, if they shall enter into my rest, look, seeing therefore it remaineth that some must enter therein. Why? Because God's ordained it. God purposed it, it must happen. Seeing therefore it remaineth that some must enter therein. And they to whom it was first preached entered not in because of what? Unbelief.

So remember, what we hear is vital. Better take heed who you're listening to. Better take heed where you're going to church to. Better take heed to the preachers you're listening to. But you also better be careful how you're hearing. Even if you're hearing a man preaching the truth, don't listen to it nonchalantly. Don't say, well, if I get something from God, I get something from God. If I don't get something from God, I don't get something from God. Come with an earnest ear. He that hath an ear to hear, let him hear.

You see, this hearing, This is a faith hearing. It's not hearing just with these, although this certainly may play an important part, but for people who don't have physical ears, their eardrums are shot or messed up, they're deaf, they just can't hear. They may can see it with the eye of faith or hear it with the ear of faith. That's what we're talking about. That's what our Lord's talking about when he says, he that hath ears to hear, let him hear. He's talking about a spiritual ear, that gift that God gives.

You see this hearing, this faith hearing is a work of God. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear. all preachers who stop short of preaching this kind of hearing, not just physically, oh, you need to come to church, you need to listen. That's certainly true, but you better be careful, better take care what you hear, and you better take care how you hear, okay? Any preacher who stops short of this kind of hearing, This kind of ear and its source, it must come from God. They are imposters. Remember what we read from Romans 10, verses 13 through 15. They must be sent of God if they're to preach him, that is Jesus Christ. Not every man preaching is sent of God. Some send their sales. Some of the church sin, some decide they're going to seminary and get a job being a preacher. We're talking about a God sent man who's preaching the truth about the person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ.

So here's the third thing, number three. Remember, certainly it stresses the importance of hearing the gospel preached, but it also stresses the importance of our attitude and condition when we hear, but these words, that is, he that hath an ear to hear, let him hear. These words stress the absolute necessity of the work of God in a man or a woman before they ever really truly spiritually hear even the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.

I'm gonna turn to Ephesians chapter two. And I wanna read something to you. And this is about believing, hearing and believing. And the Apostle Paul in chapter one talks about hearing in Ephesians chapter one, verse 11 and 12, in whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will, that we should be to the praise of the glory of Christ, who first trusted in Christ, in whom he also trusted after that she heard, you see it? After that, she heard the word of truth, but you trusted it, but only after you heard it, and it's got to be what? The word of truth. You believe a lie, it does you no good. You believe a lie, it may only add to your condemnation. In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel, or the good news of your salvation. In whom also, after that ye believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise. Now to these people, the Apostle Paul went on to write these words. Verse 15, wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints, cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him. You see, this thing is a gift of God.

the eyes of your understanding, being enlightened. You don't enlighten yourself, you have to be enlightened. And it goes on, that ye may know what is the hope of his calling and what is the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints and what is the exceeding greatness of his power to usward who believe.

Remember, you can't call unless you believe, you can't believe unless you've heard, you can't hear unless you hear a man preaching the truth, and a man won't preach the truth unless he's said of God. And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to usward who believe according to the working of his mighty power? That's where that ear to hear comes from.

the working of God's mighty power. We hear, and it's this faith hearing, because even Romans 10 goes on to say, so then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by what? The word of God, which he wrought in Christ, that is this mighty power that it took for us to believe, which he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead.

Glory be to God, this is an act of God. It takes the work of God to hear, in this believing way. But here's another thought under this third heading. It is the work of God. If you ever hear in this way, listen to this. You don't have to turn to it, but if you wish, turn to Proverbs chapter 20 if you're following along. I just have one verse here.

Now you think about this. This is not a new truth. This is not what some make a dispensational truth. This is the eternal truth. It is the everlasting gospel. It is the one and only gospel. Anything else other than the gospel, the one Paul preached, the one that's always been the gospel that's been preached, is a perversion of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Listen to what even Solomon wrote back in his day, hundreds of years ago. Proverbs 20. Listen to what it says in verse 12. The hearing ear, you hear that? The hearing ear and the seeing eye, the Lord hath made even both of them. You see that? Isn't that glorious? Think of it.

Now someone says, what, is he talking about just these ears and these eyes? Yeah, well, of course he's talking about that. God made you what you are in your body. God made these bodies. God determined it and decreed it before the world began when he created Adam and formed him out of the dust of the earth and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life.

When he did that, Adam was made exactly as God ordained for humanity to be made with hearts, a muscle here that pumps the blood and keeps us living, eyes that we can see with and ears that we can hear with and a mind to think with. God doesn't give that to everybody. Now does he? Now come on, does he? It's his prerogative, even in the physical realm.

But I'm telling you, it's true also in the spiritual realm. The hearing ear and the seeing eye, the Lord hath made even both of them. If you have it, it's because God made it for you. None of us have it by nature. Remember I said, God formed Adam's body out of the dust of the earth and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living soul. But Adam sinned against God in that garden. Adam rebelled against God and partook of that fruit and ate of it, and when he did, he fell into sin. And all of us being born after that are made this way.

Listen to what, listen to how the Apostle Paul put it. In Romans chapter five, he put it this way. Romans 5 verse 19, for as by one man's disobedience, many were made sinners. Do you see that? We don't have that seeing eye and hearing ear and perceiving heart spiritually by nature. For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one, that's Jesus Christ, shall many be made righteous.

Moreover, the law entered that the offense might abound, but where sin abounded, grace did much more abound. We don't have that spiritually seeing eye, spiritually hearing ear, and spiritually perceiving heart by nature. We lost that in the fall of our daddy Adam. but grace abounds, even over where sin abounds. You see it? Moreover, the law entered that the offense might abound, but where sin abounded, grace did much more abound. That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life. And that's not by anything we do, I do, or you do. to reign and to righteousness and to eternal life by Jesus Christ, our Lord. Do you see that?

Truly, Solomon knew of the Messiah, the coming one who would redeem his people from their sins. And he says that the hearing ear and the seeing eye, the Lord hath made both of them. So again, I say these words here, He that hath ears to hear, ears to hear, a spiritual ear, I know I keep pointing up here, but he that hath ears to hear, let him hear. It takes a work of God to hear in this believing way. And it is a work of God if you hear in this way. God's not waiting on us to act, God must act. This thing ain't up to us, it's up to God.

Is that the way your preacher's presenting God to you? Or does he present him as this weak old granddaddy type figure up in heaven just waiting and wishing somebody would listen to him? Somebody would listen to his preachers? Somebody would believe on his poor little son Jesus Christ? Or is your preacher preaching to you the sovereign majesty of the sovereign of God that has mercy on whom he have mercy and whom he will harden? Which one? It's one or the other. And the true and the living God made manifest in the person of Jesus Christ is an absolutely sovereign God who gives mercy and compassion and grace to whom he will. It's up to him. We don't have God over a barrel. No, sir, it takes the work of God if you hear in this way.

But here's another thing. Listen to what Paul wrote to the church at Thessalonica. And in 1 Thessalonians, this is an amazing passage. Now listen to me, remember what I said. I said, certainly it stresses, this phrase stresses the importance, the essential need to hear the personal work of Christ. And certainly it stresses the importance of our attitude and condition when we hear. It's vital as to what we hear, it's vital as to how we hear. But also these words stress the absolute necessity of the work of God in a man or a woman. for us to be able to hear. It takes the work of God to believe this way. It is a work of God if you do believe this way.

But it also is this. If you hear, if you have a hearing ear and you're intent on hearing, oh God, teach me through one of your God sent preachers. Teach me the truth of the personal work of Christ. If that's your attitude, if that's your condition, then I can say this. It is a manifestation of God's electing love. Do you know that? It is a manifestation of God's electing love when you hear this way.

Listen to what Paul wrote to the church at Thessalonica. 1 Thessalonians 1, verse 4. Knowing, brethren, beloved, your election of God. Now that's an astounding statement when according to Paul, the election took place in Christ before the foundation of the world. So how does a person know they're elected of God when God did the electing way back yonder, as we say? See it?

Knowing, brethren, beloved, your election of God, full word. Our gospel came not to you in word only. Do you see it? But also in power. and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance. Now that power is not power in us. It's not some kind of might. Here's that power, that resurrecting power that it takes for a man or woman to believe, according to Paul in Ephesians chapter two.

For our gospel came not to you only in word, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance, assurance of him, not assurance in ourselves. As ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake, and ye became followers of us. This is how we know God chose you. and you became followers of us and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy in the Holy Ghost, so that you were in samples to all that believe in Macedonia and Achaia, and the word sounded out from you."

Here's what he sums it up. For they themselves, in verse nine, shew of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath that come." That's how you can know it.

This hearing ear and hearing with intention. and with love and with desire and faith toward the Lord Jesus Christ is a manifest token of the electing love of God Almighty. This work is a work of God and a work of God only, and that's clear according to the Apostle Paul in 2 Corinthians 4 verses one through seven. Those who don't believe are blinded by Satan, and it takes a mighty work of God for them to believe. And I thank God for that.

If God had left it up to me to have a hearing ear, I'd have perished. And if God had left it up to me to be intent on hearing, if he'd just give me the ear and then left it up to me, I'd perish. If he'd done something for you, you know you would too. Thank God he does not let us go. He that hath an ear to hear, let him hear. Don't take it for granted. Don't be presumptuous. Let him hear. This is a work of God.

Now, my question is, do you have an ear to hear? Do you say, well, preacher, I don't believe what you're saying. I don't believe that stuff about Jesus Christ and election and him being God. Well, then I'm not speaking to you. God's not done anything for you. I pray he does, but he's not. But if you have an ear to hear, are you listening? Is your desire, oh God, are you like Cornelius? Before you knew much of anything, praying unto God, in some manner or some form, Lord, teach me the truth. And you know what God did? He sent Peter down there to him. He could have sent an angel, but he didn't, he sent Peter. A God-sent man, that's the way God does things. Another sinner, saved by the grace of God, sent to preach the truth of Christ to another sinner that God Almighty's done something for. And old Peter went down there and preached the Cornelius and the Holy Ghost fell on him and said, I believe. I believe, why? Because God had given him a hearing ear.

So again, I repeat what our Lord Jesus Christ said. Listen to what he said. He that hath an ear to hear, let him hear. Amen.