In today's lesson, Jesus gives us four more parables back-to-back. These parables are not random stories listed one after another. Jesus is using today's parables as specific illustrations to make His spiritual truth clear. Last week, Jesus gave His disciples their marching orders with The Parable of the Soils. He was preparing them to preach. Today, we see our responsibility in the parables. We are to listen. The kind of listening Jesus expects of us is a "hyper-hearing." It's a listening that leads to joyful obedience.