Pam Padgett ... teacher
Luke 11:27 And it came to pass, as he (Jesus) spake
these things, a certain woman of the company lifted up her voice, and
said unto him, Blessed is the womb that bare thee, and the paps which
thou hast sucked. 28 But he said, Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it.
When God speaks to us through the Holy Spirit, opening our ears to hear
His word and showing us how the word applies to our lives, and we keep
that word in our lives by doing it, we are blessed ... fortunate and well off.
Jesus taught about the importance and outcome of hearing and keeping the word of God, including the following:
Jesus likened the person who hears and does the word of God to a person
who built a house on a rock. This person is able to stand, not fall and come to ruin, even in the
midst of various trials and problems, for the word of God is sure and will not fail ...
Luke 6:46 And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things
which I say? 47 Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and
doeth them, I will shew you to whom he is like: 48 He is like a man
which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a
rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that
house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock.
49 But he that heareth, and doeth not, is like a man that without a
foundation built an house upon the earth; against which the stream did
beat vehemently, and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that house was
great.
In the parable of the sower, Jesus compared the word of God to seed that
fell on different types of ground. The good ground is like the
person with an honest and good heart in the sight of God who hears and keeps the word of
God. Rather than falling away or bringing forth no fruit or bringing forth imperfect fruit, this person grows strong in the word of God and brings forth an hundredfold in fruit.
Luke 8:4 And when much people were gathered together, and were
come to him out of every city, he spake by a parable: 5 A sower went out
to sow his seed: and as he sowed, some fell by the way side; and it was
trodden down, and the fowls of the air devoured it. 6 And some fell
upon a rock; and as soon as it was sprung up, it withered away, because
it lacked moisture. 7 And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprang
up with it, and choked it. 8 And other fell on good ground, and sprang up, and bare fruit an hundredfold. And when he had said these things, he cried, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.
Luke 8:11 Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. 12 Those
by the way side are they that hear; then cometh the devil, and taketh
away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be
saved. 13 They on the rock are they, which, when they hear, receive the
word with joy; and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in
time of temptation fall away. 14 And that which fell among thorns are
they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares
and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection.
15 But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good
heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with
patience.