FCA.org - Herman Edwards is the first-year head coach of the New York Jets. In his playing career at right cornerback with the Philadelphia Eagles he started all 135 games he appeared in, and kept up his amazing record of having never missed a practice at any level of football. Edwards began his NFL coaching career with the Kansas City Chiefs, and in 1996 Tony Dungy hired him to coach the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ defensive backs.

At a recent roast in his honor fellow teammates and friends attempted to accurately portray Edwards as both an outstanding athlete and a godly influential Christian. His tributes include the recognition that he is a man of great character and commitment, hard work, honesty, consistency, humility, and excellence. One of Edwards’ favorite lines is “Autograph your performance.” It is a motto he uses to encourage others, and one he lives by.

Edwards admits that it is tough being a Christian man, but he accepts the testing of his faith and ridicule for it. He says that it builds a firm foundation on what he stands for – and what he stands for is Jesus Christ, his Lord and Savior.

Lesson

Principle: Two ears, one mouth

Platform: Mark 4:24-25, "Consider carefully what you hear," he continued. "With the measure you use, it will be measured to you--and even more. Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him."

Process:

One of the reasons why NY Jets head coach Herman Edwards is highly skilled and respected in his field is because he is interested in learning. In fact Randy Logan, former teammate and now FCA part-time urban director in Philadelphia, says of Edwards, “He presented himself as one who was interested to learn. He was more ears than mouth. Herman was a humble person, but loud in his performance on the field.”

You might say that Edwards is a disciple of football because the word disciple means learner. What Edwards learned about the game followed him right onto the field. This is key in Edwards’ spiritual walk as well.

In Mark chapter 4 Jesus is talking to His twelve disciples and the others who were around Him. They were having trouble understanding the parable Jesus had just spoken. Jesus explained the meaning of the parable and then gave them strong instruction and warning in verses 24-25. The first part, “Consider carefully what you hear” is instruction for them to heed what He is saying. It’s the same as when your coach says, “Listen up!” Coach is not telling you this just so you’ll hear his/her voice. He or she expects you to heed what you hear.

ASK – What does it mean to “heed” what you hear? (Synonyms of heed include follow, obey, abide by, practice, be alert to).

ASK – What must you do to heed Christ’s words and become His disciple rather than just another person in the crowd hearing His words? (You join His team through trusting Him for the forgiveness of your sins, read His play book, do what He tells you, trust His judgment, understand that He knows how to get the victory, put on the uniform He issues, etc.)

Or else…

The second part of v. 24-25 is Jesus’ warning. After outlining why some hearers become fruitful followers and others do not, Jesus warns His listeners that if they do not respond (heed) in obedience to the Word He has spoken they will not be given further Truth, and will eventually lose what they initially understood. READ Mark 4:13-20 aloud now.

ASK – What does the seed represent? (The Word of God, Truth) What does the ground represent? (The fertility of one’s heart, a willingness to obey, what kind of hearer they have chosen to be).

So, Jesus has just told His listeners what it takes to be a disciple/learner – hear the word, accept it, and bring forth the fruit of change as evidence of their relationship with Him. READ Matthew 3:8 aloud now.

Taking turns, READ Proverbs 11:30; Isaiah 32:17; Jeremiah 17:7-8; John 15:5, 8;Galatians 5:22-23; Ephesians 5:8-10; Philippians 1:9-11; Colossians 1:10-12; Hebrews 13:15-16; and James 3:17-18.

ASK – What kind of fruit should you produce? What can your Huddle do to help one another be “good soil” that hears the Word, admits its truthfulness, and becomes fruitful for Christ?

Close in prayer for one another to be true disciples/learners of Jesus Christ, heeding His instructions and warnings. Autograph your performance with His signature daily!

Personalize: Begin this exercise by asking God to open your heart and mind to Him. Think about the four types of ground Jesus spoke of. List how each of them got that way. Do you recognize anything in your life that resembles what Jesus described? Here is an example:

The dry ground became a hardened pathway by being trampled on constantly, probably in use as a main thoroughfare for any and everybody. A path is what the vast majority of people travel on, paving the way for the crowd. People-pleasers and crowd followers can not accept the Word of God because their concern is for the approval of others and never risking being different. Notice that Satan is the one who snatches the seed sown in them. People-pleasing is a deceptive trap straight from the pit of hell!

You continue from here and go to God in prayer as you recognize areas that may have kept you from having good soil. Rejoice in His forgiveness and restoration!

READ Luke 10:38-42. Consider carefully (heed) Mary’s response to Jesus and His reaction.