Well, let's open our Bibles today to Matthew chapter 13. Matthew chapter 13. Matthew chapter 13. I'm going to begin a message today which it will take me two weeks to finish. So there will be three parts to this. Today will be basically the introduction and the first point. The title of the message is seeing and hearing but not understanding. seeing and hearing, but not understanding. Matthew chapter 13, beginning there with verse 10. And the disciples came and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables? He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given. For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance. But whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath. Therefore speak I to them in parables, because they seeing, see not, and hearing, they hear not, neither do they understand. And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah, which saith, By hearing you shall hear, and shall not understand, and seeing you shall see, and not perceive. For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed, lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them. But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear. For verily I say unto you that many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which you see, and have not seen them. And to hear those things, which you hear and have not heard them. Of course, Solomon is known as one of the wisest men that ever lived and he made some statements in Proverbs chapter 4. Let me just quote them. Solomon literally hit the nail on the head when he said this. Proverbs chapter 4 verse 5 says, Get wisdom, get understanding, forget it not, neither decline from the words of my mouth. And then in verse 7, He says, wisdom is the principle thing, therefore get wisdom, and with all thy getting, get understanding. Obviously, understanding is very important. Does it do us any good to have eyes and not be able to see? Does it do any good to have ears and not be able to hear? And let me just point out that seeing and hearing do not necessarily equate to understanding. one may see or one may hear and yet not understand. Pastor McCurry just recently sent me a little short video of an illusionist or magician, whatever you would call him, doing tricks with doves. And he would take the doves and put them in a little cage after he just pulled them out of nowhere seemingly. And he pulled a little canary out of an egg, a live canary. Obviously, an illusion. And here, the cage that he's putting these live birds in is sitting on this table. And you can see right under it, it's just a little simple cage. And when he gets through with his little dove-making act, he comes over and he takes a black cloth and he puts it over the cage and shakes it and then pulls it back. and the doves are all gone, and here's a beautiful woman in that cage, and the cage is still sitting on the table. Now, I saw it, but I still don't understand it. I know it's an illusion. I know it's a trick. But the point I'm trying to make is, we can see, but we really don't understand sometimes. We can hear, but we really do not understand. And it's interesting, as you read through the Bible, One that lacks understanding is likened unto a beast or to a dumb animal in the Bible. For instance, In Psalm 32 and verse 9 the Bible says, Be ye not as the horse or as the mule, which have no understanding, whose mouth must be held in with bid and bridle, lest they come near unto you. Now notice he said, be not as the horse or the mule, which have no understanding. Wouldn't it be wonderful if we could go up to a horse and just explain what we want to do and ask the horse to cooperate? Well it just doesn't work like that, does it doc? I can assure you, you can explain all day long but the horse does not understand. But you put that bit and bridle in his mouth and you force him to do what you want to do. The Bible says in Psalm 49 verse 20, man that is in honor and understandeth not is like the beast that perish. So someone then without understanding is likened to a dumb beast. That's why Asaph said in Psalm 73 and verse 22, so foolish was I and ignorant I was as a beast before they. So he said I didn't understand And so I was as a beast before thee. So based upon these verses alone, we could conclude that understanding is vitally important. Yet multitudes of Christians read their Bibles daily. And sometimes even study their Bibles, but they do not possess understanding. If you would hold Matthew 13, but turn in your Bibles to Acts chapter 8 very quickly, here's a good illustration in the Ethiopian eunuch. Notice if you would in Acts chapter 8 beginning there with verse 30. Philip has drawn near and he has heard this eunuch reading from the prophet Isaiah. So in Acts chapter 8 and verse 30 we read this. And Philip ran thither to him and heard him read the prophet Isaiah and said, Understandest thou what thou readest? Do you understand what you're reading? And he said, how can I except some man should guide me? And he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him. And then, of course, Philip opened the scriptures and explained to him the word of God. So if one is content to read and not understand, he's basically no better off than the Pharisees. Because to have eyes and see not and have ears to hear not is to be in the same absolute condition as the Pharisees. For instance, look in John chapter 9 at what our Lord said beginning there with verse 39. John 9 and verse 39. Notice, John 9 verse 39. Let's see. John 9 verse 39, And Jesus said, For judgment I am coming to this world, that they which see not might see, and that they which see might be made blind. And some of the Pharisees which were with Him heard these words and they said to Him, Are we blind also? Jesus said to them, if you were blind, you should have no sin, but now you say we see, therefore your sin remaineth. So the Pharisees saw, but they didn't see. They heard, but they didn't hear. However, they professed to see and hear, and yet they had absolutely no understanding of divine truth. Many Christians are like that. At least they profess to believe and know the truth, and yet their lives are completely opposite of that which they profess. And you have to ask, why? And the answer is, because they lack understanding. So you could ask it like this, why did the Pharisees follow the commandments of men instead of the commandments of God? And the answer is, because they had no understanding of divine truth. They saw, but they didn't see. They heard, but they did not hear. Now, when you look at Matthew 13 particularly, which is a chapter dealing with the parables, you have to understand that our Lord often taught in parables. A parable, on the one hand, is easily understood, but on the other hand, It also requires discernment and understanding to ascertain its true meaning. Someone in times past defined a parable as an earthly story with a heavenly meaning. The earthly story is quite common and none fail to see it and grasp it. However, it is the heavenly meaning that most people do not see, hear, or grasp, or understand. So if you look at Matthew 13, where we begin reading, and let's again look at 10 and 11. Matthew 13, verse 10, And the disciples came and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables? Why are you teaching in parables? And he answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God, or the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given. Wow. You see, our Lord often used parables to state his doctrine. If their hearts had been right, if they had not been malignant and blind, they would have understood the parables. His doctrines were clear and concise and stated in the best possible way. And yet it was not his fault that they did not understand them. Moreover, it was entirely proper for our Lord to impart instruction to his disciples, which he did not intend for others. And if you're going to say, well, it's just not right that our Lord did that. Well, let me ask you this. Are you willing for your wife to tell you things that she wouldn't broadcast in church? Are you willing for your husband to tell you things that he would not broadcast on the street or somewhere? Sure, it's proper many times to communicate things to certain individuals that you do not intend to communicate to others as well. So even now, when we think about this, there are truths that the unsaved do not understand and they never will understand unless they're converted by the grace of God. Let me just give you some scriptures. I want you to think about these. In Proverbs 25 and verse 14, the Bible says, The secret of the Lord is with them that fear Him, and He will show them His covenant. The secret of the Lord is with them that fear Him. So God has secret truths and secret things that He only reveals to His own. When you get to Proverbs 3 in verse 32, the Bible says, For the froward is an abomination of the Lord, but his secret is with the righteous. Now, you don't have to turn there, I'll be happy to quote it, but 1 Corinthians 2 in verse 14 really ends the argument and the debate over this. 1 Corinthians 2, 14 says this, But the natural man, that is the unsaved man, man by nature, But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness unto him. Neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. Now I want you to understand what our Lord just said. On the one hand, the unsaved cannot understand the things of God. That is, he does not have the ability. Can is a term of ability. On the other hand, he does not desire or even want to understand the things of God because they're foolishness unto him. So that which condemns the man, it's not just his inability, but also his lack of desire to even have or to hear the truth. Now today, I want to just emphasize one point. This is a point that is not readily received by many Christians. But it is true based upon the word of God. Here it is. Listen carefully. The fact is that a mere reading of the scripture is insufficient. I have people tell me, I read my Bible. Well, then I don't doubt it. But why are you so ignorant? Why cannot you explain certain doctrines? Let me tell you this again now. Listen, it's hard for Christians to receive this, but just a mere reading your Bible is insufficient. Also, just a mere studying of your Bible is insufficient unless you study it with understanding and with application. I have no idea how many times this question has been asked me, but here it is. Why are there so many different churches? Why are there so many different doctrines floating around? Well, here's your answer. Either because of understanding or lack of understanding. Those who have understanding believe the truth. Those who do not have understanding usually do not believe the truth. They will believe an error. Those that do not understand will usually twist the scriptures to their own destruction. Let me show you that. Whole Matthew 13, but look in your Bibles to 2 Peter chapter 3. I want you to see 2 Peter chapter 3. And notice what the Apostle Peter says concerning the teachings of the Apostle Paul. 2 Timothy chapter 3 and verse 16. Yes, did I say Peter? Okay, I was turning to my Bible. 2 Peter chapter 3 and verse 16. Okay, I saw Timothy as I turned there. 2nd Timothy chapter 3, notice if you, ah, 2nd Peter chapter 3, and verse 16. In fact, let's read verse 15. He said, In account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation, even as our beloved brother Paul, also according to the wisdom given unto him, hath written unto you, as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable rest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction. So Peter says the Apostle Paul has written some hard things, some difficult things. And he says there are plenty of people who are resting, that is twisting and perverting what Paul wrote. as well as twisting and perverting the other scriptures to their own destruction. So obviously, there is a need, a necessity of understanding, especially in relationship to the Word of God, because without it, without understanding, we will rest the scriptures to our own destruction. In fact, most of your sects Most of your isms and sisms are derived from a twisting and a perverting and a resting of the scripture. I was thinking just the other day how simple it is to rest the scripture and to twist it. In fact, I could prove to you from the Bible that everyone needs to live in this county. If you don't live in Ware County, you're unscriptural. Because the Apostle Paul wrote, be thou Ware also. Well, is that not a twisting and a perverting? Of course it is. He's telling someone to be on their guard. But if I could twist it and say, hey, you should be living in Ware County. That's what a lot of people do. They take things out of context. They don't compare scripture with scripture. So obviously there is a need and an absolute necessity for understanding. So I want to show you one point this morning. Here it is. The importance and the necessity of understanding. The importance and the necessity of understanding. If you would take your concordance when you get home and you look up the words understand, understanding, understandeth, and understood, you would be amazed at how many times those words occur in the Bible. You'd be amazed at just how many times those words occur in the New Testament. There is indeed a great deal of emphasis in the Bible upon understanding. Now, I want you to stop and think about the original twelve apostles. The original 12 lived with our Lord for three years. Would that not be a blessing? These individuals observed Him, walked with Him, worked with Him, watched Him, listened to Him, observed Him, had intimate access to Him, And if you really want to know who had more access than the others, it was Peter, James, and John. They were the inner circle. And if anyone ever went beyond the normal routines with Christ, it would be Peter, James, and John. But all 12 of them lived with our Lord for three years. Now, here's a question I want to ask you. In light of the close fellowship that these 12 apostles had with our Lord, and especially with the close fellowship of Peter, James, and John, and the easy access that they had to our Lord. Here's my question. Did they always understand his teachings? And the answer is no. The truth is most of the time they did not understand. When you and I think of the apostles we normally think of men with deep spiritual insights and deep spiritual understanding and somehow we place them on a plane far above ourselves. Let me tell you what the truth is. The twelve apostles We're just as human and just as dumb as we are. Did you know for a fact that they very seldom ever understood anything that our Lord taught the first time? Let me show you. I want you to follow me in the scriptures. Let's go to Matthew chapter 15. Matthew chapter 15, and we'll walk our way through the New Testament. Matthew chapter 15, and we'll begin reading with verse 15 and read through verse 20. I'm just going to point out this phrase as it appears in the Bible over and over. In fact, in verse 15 of Matthew 15, Then answered Peter and said unto him, Declare unto us this parable. And Jesus said, Are you also yet without understanding? Do not ye yet understand that whatsoever goeth into the mouth, goeth into the belly, and is cast out of the draught? But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart, and they defile the man. For out of the heart proceed evil, Thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies. These are the things which defile a man, but even with unwashed hands defile not a man. But note in verse 17, our Lord says, do you not yet understand? Verse 16, are you yet without understanding? I just taught you something, and you're asking me to explain it? Didn't you hear what I said? Wow. Look in Matthew chapter 16, beginning there with verse 6. Matthew 16 and verse 6. And remember, let's read verse 5 just so you can see the disciples. And when his disciples were come to the other side, they had forgotten to take bread. Then Jesus said unto them, Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the Sadducees. And they reasoned among themselves, saying, It's because we've taken no bread. Which when Jesus perceived, he said to them, O ye of little faith, why reason you among yourselves because you brought no bread? Do you not yet understand? Neither remember the five loaves of the five thousand how many baskets you took up. Neither the seven loaves of the four thousand, how many baskets you took up? How is it that you do not understand that I spake it not to you concerning bread, that you should beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees? Then understood they how that he bade them not beware of the leaven of the bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and the Sadducees. Whoa! Back up. It almost appears that they were dunces. Just stop and think about it. He told them. And they began to reason totally different from what he said. He said, how is it you do not understand? They were seeing, but they didn't see. They were hearing, but they didn't hear. Look in Mark chapter 9. Mark chapter 9, verses 31 and 32. Mark chapter 9, verses 31 and 32. For He taught His disciples and said unto them, The Son of Man is delivered into the hands of men, and they shall kill Him, and after that He is killed, He shall rise a third day. But they understood not that saying, And we're afraid to ask Him. What? Now, you and I have the opportunity to have the completed Word of God. But He taught His disciples and said unto them, The Son of Man is delivered into the hands of men, and they shall kill Him. And after that He is killed, He shall rise the third day. Now to us, that is so simple. We can understand, He's going to die. He's going to be raised again from the dead. But they understood not that saying. Moreover, they were afraid to ask Him. How could they not understand? They heard, but they didn't hear. Look in your Bibles, Luke chapter 9. Luke chapter 9, verses 44 and 45. Luke 9. Verses 44 and 45. Look at what our Lord said. Luke 9 verse 44. Let these sayings sink down into your ears. For the Son of Man shall be delivered into the hands of men. In other words, He's going to be betrayed. But they understood not this saying, and it was hid from them. And they perceived it not, and they feared to ask Him of that saying. Can you believe that? They couldn't understand. And then they were afraid to ask. We're talking about Peter, James, and John. We're talking about the original twelve. Look in Luke chapter 18. Luke 18, verse 31. We'll begin there. Luke 18, verse 31. In fact, let's read verse 28, just so you will see that he's talking to Peter and the other apostles. Luke 18, verse 28. Then Peter said, Lo, we have left all and followed thee. And he said unto them, Verily I say unto you, there is no man that hath left house, or parents, or brethren, or wife, or children, for the kingdom's sake, the kingdom of God's sake, who shall not receive manifold more in this present time of the world to come, life everlasting. Then he took unto him the twelve, and said unto them, So here's the 12. Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of Man shall be accomplished. For he shall be delivered unto the Gentiles, and shall be mocked, and spitefully entreated, and spitted upon. And they shall scourge him, and put him to death, and the third day he shall rise again. And they understood none of these things. And this saying was hid from them, neither knew they the things which were spoken. What? To me, reading that, it's fairly plain. But they didn't understand. Didn't matter what he said. They had absolutely no understanding. Look in John chapter 10. Beginning there with verse 1. John chapter 10, verse 1. I'm just trying to show you that the apostles were not superhuman. John 10, beginning there in verse 1, our Lord says, Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that entereth not by the door of the sheepfold, but climeth up some of the way, the same as a thief and a robber. But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the porter openeth, and the sheep hear his voice, and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out. And when he put forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. And a stranger they will not follow, but will flee from him, for they know not the voice of strangers. This parable spake he unto them, but they understood not what things they were which he spake unto them. Now, you and I hear that, we read that scripture, and we think, who could not understand this? Of course, we have the benefit of the completed Word of God. But when they heard, they didn't understand. Not at all. We're talking about Peter, James, and John. The inner circle. Look in John chapter 12. Beginning there with verse 12. John 12, verse 12. Now watch. John 12, verse 12. On the next day, much people that were come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, took branches of palm trees and went forth to meet Him and cried, Hosanna! Blessed is the King of Israel that cometh in the name of the Lord. And Jesus, when He found a young ass, sat there on, as it is written, Fear not, daughter of Zion, behold thy king cometh sitting on an ass's colt. These things understood not his disciples at the first. But when Jesus was glorified, then remembered they that these things were written of him, and that they had done these things unto him. When it was happening, they didn't understand. Later on, they remembered. Are you surprised that even the apostles did not understand that which our Lord taught? Oftentimes they had to ask him to explain his parables or his teachings. They had to ask for further illumination and enlightenment. When we think of the apostles, We think of men that are filled with the Spirit of God. They're men of action, men of knowledge, men that understood all the doctrines and teachings of our Lord, and that they understood them instantly, completely, and fully. However, we soon discover the apostles like us were just mere men. They did not possess supernatural understanding. And guess what? They had to listen and ask and learn just the way we do. I don't know if you remember this verse, but I do want you to turn to 1 Peter 1. Let me show you something. This may shock you. Look in 1 Peter 1. And notice if you would please, beginning there, verse 10, because you're going to see that even the Old Testament prophets that prophesied concerning Christ, oftentimes they did not understand their own prophecies. 1 Peter 1, verse 10, of which salvation the prophets have inquired and searched diligently who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you. Searching what? Or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ and the glory that should follow? Unto whom it was revealed that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister things which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you. Would the Holy Ghost set down from heaven which things the angels desire to look into? Did you hear what I just read? These prophets ministered to us. They wrote things that they did not understand. And the Bible says, searching what or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify when it testified beforehand of the sufferings of Christ and the glory that should follow. Yes, they wrote it on the inspiration of the Bible. But they didn't understand it. Even the mighty prophets did not understand. Now, I want you to mark something down. I want you to think about this. If the Old Testament prophets did not even understand many of their prophecies, and if the apostles in the New Testament, who lived daily with our Lord, needed understanding How much more do we need understanding who are not in the actual physical presence of our Lord and do not hear Him speaking and teaching daily as they did? So let me go back to some of the questions I asked at the beginning. What good is hearing if you don't understand? What good is seeing if you don't understand what you're seeing? Do you realize that truth without understanding will quickly be ignored, forgotten, or attacked? Let me say that again. Truth, communicated, but not understood, will quickly be ignored, forgotten, or attacked. It is only understanding that makes truth applicable and personal. If there is no understanding, the truth is quickly discarded, mocked, forgotten, or attacked. Let me show you. Look in your Bibles to 2 Peter chapter 2 and verse 12. 2 Peter 2 and verse 12. And here we're talking about these wicked false teachers. Look what the scripture says. 2 Peter 2 and verse 12. But these as natural brute beasts made to be taken and destroyed speak evil of the things that they understand not and shall utterly perish in their own corruption. So this verse should explain to you why so many attack the Bible and doctrinal truths, why they attack the existence and the attributes of God. Because they don't understand. And when you don't understand, you either ignore, you forget, or you mock and attack. Now listen, a failure to understand not only results in ignorance but also in arrogance. A failure to understand not only results in ignorance but also in arrogance. Ignorance and arrogance both lead to blasphemy and idolatry and ultimately destruction. Wow. I want you to look in your Bibles, Acts chapter 28. Acts chapter 28. And notice verses 26 and 27. Acts 28. Paul is telling us what Isaiah said. In fact, we'll read beginning with verse 25. And when they agreed not among themselves, they departed. After that, Paul had spoken one word. Here's what Paul said. Well, spake the Holy Ghost by Isaiah the prophet unto our father, saying, Go unto this people and say, Hearing you shall hear, and you shall not understand, and seeing you shall see and not perceive. Why? For the heart of this people is waxed gross. And their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes have they closed, lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them. Be it known therefore unto you that the salvation of God is sent unto the Gentiles, and that they will hear it." In other words, you deem yourself unworthy? Fine. I'll leave you into your ignorance and your arrogance. Interestingly enough, and I'm going to show you this in the Old Testament and the New Testament, but when God describes the wicked in Romans chapter 1 and verse 31, here's how he begins. Listen carefully. Without understanding, covenant breakers. Without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful. But he began by saying, without understanding. Do you realize, both in the Old Testament and the New Testament, a lack of understanding is evidence of being unconverted? A lack of understanding is evidence of being unconverted. Let's go in our Bibles, first of all, to Isaiah 44. I'll show it to you in the Old Testament, then we'll go to the New Testament. Look in Isaiah 44, and we will Look at verse 18. Isaiah 44 and verse 18. Isaiah 44, verse 18. Look what God says. They have not known nor understood, for He has shut their eyes that they cannot see, and their hearts that they cannot understand. They have not known or understood. What? They're lost. They're unconverted. Look in your Bibles, Isaiah 56 and verse 11. Isaiah 56 and verse 11. Again, he's talking here about his watchmen. In fact, let's read verse 10. He says his watchmen are blind and they're all ignorant. They're all dumb dogs. They cannot bark, sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber. Yea, they are greedy dogs which can never have enough. And they are shepherds that cannot understand. They all looked in their own way, everyone for his own gain, for his own quarter, from his own quarter. Huh. They cannot understand. So he's talking about them being lost. If you look in the book of Mark chapter 4 and verse 12, Mark 4 and verse 12, obviously in this passage, without understanding or lack of understanding means you're unconverted. Mark 4 verse 12, he says that seeing they may see and not perceive, and hearing they may hear and not understand, lest at any time they should be converted and their sins should be forgiven them. Turn over to John 8 right quickly and look at what our Lord said to the Pharisees, John 8 and verse 43. John 8 verse 43, then we'll go to John 12. Look at John 8 verse 43. Our Lord says this to the Pharisees. Why do you not understand my speech? Even because you cannot hear my word. Hmm. Why do you not understand my speech? Even because you cannot hear my word. They're without understanding. They can't hear. They don't want to hear. And they're lost. Look in John 12 and verse 40. John 12, verse 40. Verse 39, Therefore they could not believe, because that Isaiah said again, He had blinded their eyes and hardened their heart, that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them. Both in the Old Testament and the New Testament, a lack of understanding is a symptom of being unconverted. Now, let me explain something to you. We must comprehend that even a babe in Christ, someone that is just born by God, understands some things. He may not be able to explain them, but he understands them. You can take a newborn baby, and that baby is automatically going to go to his mother's breast. He understands he needs the nourishment. He's going there. A newborn baby in Christ may not be a theologian. He may not have a doctrinal degree, but he knows several things. He understands, number one, that he's a sinner. He understands that Jesus Christ is the only Savior. He understands that he's been saved by grace through faith alone. He understands that the Word of God is his source of sustenance and nourishment. He may not be able to explain it, but he understands that. So if a babe in Christ can understand these simple truths, why is it that someone who professes to have been saved for 40 years can't understand those simple truths? Or anything in the Word of God. Look in your Bibles to 1 Peter chapter 2. 1 Peter chapter 2 verses 1 through 4. 1 Peter 2 verses 1 through 4. Look what our Lord says. Wherefore laying aside all malice and all guile and hypocrisies and envies and evil speakings, as newborn babes desire the sincere milk of the word that you may grow thereby. If so, if so be you have tasted that the Lord is gracious to whom coming as into a living stone disallowed indeed of men but chosen of God and precious. So even a newborn babe knows the preciousness of Jesus Christ. He may not be able to explain the incarnation. He may not be able to explain the impact and the importance of the resurrection or the intercession of Christ. But he knows that Jesus Christ is God. And he knows that Jesus Christ is the one who saved him. Skip down to verse 7. He says, unto you therefore who believe, he is precious. But in them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is become the head of the corner. Now let me explain something. A true Christian may not be the greatest scholar in the world, but at least he has understanding. There are certain things that he does understand. Biblical truths, spiritual truths. I know And you know men and women with earned PhDs that are just absolutely incapable of understanding spiritual truths. Are they brilliant? Yes. Did they earn their degrees? Yes. Does the world acknowledge their brilliance? Yes. but they have absolutely no understanding when it comes to the Word of God. A child of God understands certain things. He may not understand the whole Word of God, but he does understand that salvation is of the Lord, and that Jesus Christ is God and He's the only Savior, and the Bible is indeed the Word of God. And I want to tell you something. I had rather be criticized and mocked and ridiculed by the world and have everyone call me names and think I'm stupid and dumb and have understanding of the Word of God and of Jesus Christ than have all kind of degrees the world can fasten upon me. Spiritual understanding far exceeds just simply intellectual knowledge. I don't care if the world calls me the smartest man in the world. Without understanding spiritual truths, I'm mighty dumb. Let me make some applications and try to tie these things together. by way of encouragement, and I hope this is encouragement, allow me to say that we are not to consider ourselves dumb or stupid just simply because we do not understand truth the very first time we hear it. Did the apostles? No. They had to ask. It had to be repeated. It had to be explained to them over and over again. In Mark 10 verse 1, the Bible says our Lord came there and he taught them again. In other words, he taught them the same truth over again. Let me tell you something, folks. It takes time for things to sink into our brains. And it takes repetition. The more you hear, the more you understand. And I've had people tell me over and over, I got more out of that message the second time I heard it than the first time. Or I got more the third time than the first time. Of course. You see, it's easy for anybody to comprehend 2 plus 2 equals 4, except those who believe in common core, of course. It's easy for anybody to understand 2 plus 2 equals 4. But that's just a mere intellectual fact. But when you begin dealing with the word of God, it requires spiritual discernment. And it takes time to develop spiritual discernment. So do not consider yourself stupid or dumb just because you don't understand something the very first time that you hear it. If I were to try to explain to you the difference between trichotomy and dichotomy, or if I were to try to explain to you some apologetic principles, or if I were to say, tomorrow we're going to be discussing supralapsarianism and infralapsarianism, and you look around and say, what is that? Well, they're theological doctrines. But the point I'm trying to make is I didn't understand some of those things the first time I heard them either. I couldn't even pronounce the words. So don't consider yourself dumb or stupid. Just ask the Lord for discernment. Ask him for the truth. The second application is this. We may not understand everything or even most Bible truths. But we should be thankful for what we do understand. We're thankful we at least understand some basic truths. And thirdly, we must not read our Bibles just to be reading them. And we must not study our Bibles just to be studying them. but we should read them and study them in seeking understanding and application of them to our lives and to our circumstances. If there is no understanding, the truth will slip away from us. Hebrews 2 and verse 1 says this, Therefore, we ought to give the more earnest heed to these things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip. Spiritual truth will escape and slip away from us far more quickly than any other truth. And like all truth, we must fight to make it ours. We must fight to keep it. One of my favorite verses is found in Proverbs 23 and verse 23 and it just simply says this, buy the truth and sell it not. truth costs. And once you get it, once you understand it, once you apply it, it's kind of like a piece of gold or a glock. You don't ever want to get rid of it. Buy the truth and sell it not. Help us, Father, to understand the very importance and necessity of understanding, and we seek Thee for understanding Teach us and build us up in the most holy faith. In thy name we pray. Amen.