OVER and OVER AGAIN (Luke 4:16-30; Mark 6:1-6; Mathew 13:53-58; 17:21; 21:21; Luke 17:1-6; Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23; Mark 4:1-20; Luke 8:4-15)

HEARING

Watching Movies

If you are ever watching movies or shows on some streaming services, even ones where you pay a subscription for the service, some of them still have commercials, and no matter whether it is a TV series, with multiple episodes, or a feature length movie, sometimes it can become quite annoying at the number of times the same advertisement is repeated, throughout the program; to the point that you know more about the ad than you may about whatever show you are actually watching.

7 - 20 Times

Though it is sometimes a mystery who does the studies, years ago, it was determined that you have to hear something 7 times before you actually start to "hear" it, and 20 times before you are motivated to act on it, which is why they advertise. All of us have found ourselves seemingly motivated to buy a product or service, not because we really like the product, or even know that much about it, but simply because we have heard about it so many times, that we have been conditioned to act on purchasing something that we may not even like.

Hometown Preacher

Jesus initially preached in His home town in Luke 4:16-30, and they tried to kill Him. he spoke there again, as recorded in Mark 6:1-6, preaching the same message about how He was anointed and that "...mighty works are done by His hands" (Mk.6:2), and He laid His hands on a few sickly people, and healed them, but, "...he could there do no mighty work..." (Mk.6:5), but they didn't try to kill Him. A third time it is recorded that He spoke in His hometown (Matt.13:53-58), preaching the same message, that He could do mighty works (Matt.13:54), and this time, "...He did not many mighty works..." (Matt.13:58), but the Greek is clear that He did do some "mighty works", not just laying His hands on a few sickly folks, and they definitely didn't try to kill Him. He kept preaching the same message getting increasingly better results.

Speak to the Mountain

In Matthew 17:20, regarding the demon possessed son, Jesus spoke about faith being "...as a grain of mustard seed..." and that you could speak to a mountain, and it would rise up in the air and move, and nothing would be impossible to you. In Matthew 21:21, when He cursed the fig tree, He said you could say to the mountain, be removed and cast into the sea, and it shall be done. In Luke 17:1-6, teaching on offence and forgiveness, Jesus said, "If you have faith as a grain of mustard seed, you might say to this sycamine tree, 'Be plucked up by the root, and be planted in the sea'; and it will obey you" (Lk.17:6). Although the circumstances were different, the teaching principle that He taught was the same, over and over again.

Parable of the Sower and the Seed

The parable of the sower and the seed is recounted in Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23; Mark 4:1-20, and Luke 8:4-15. However, Luke, who was a doctor, and tended to be more precise in his accounting of similar events, makes no mention of being by the seaside, as Matthew and Mark both do. It is very probable that Luke's account, although the same teaching, did not occur at the same time as Matthew and Mark record. The meaning is that Jesus taught the same truth's over and over again, especially to His disciples, so they would get it, and begin to act on what they had heard.

We need to "hear" over and over again, until we actually act on what we have heard.

You are God's Best and God's Best is Yours