Wherever Jesus went, people flocked to hear what He had to say.  Indoors, no house was big enough to accommodate all the people who wanted to hear Jesus and so much of His ministry was in the countryside or by the water.  The Master left the crowded home where He had taught about the difference between the Holy Spirit and evil spirits (Matthew 12:22-50), and went to the shore of Lake Galilee with His disciples.  As they went, the people followed; and as the news spread, a large crowd gathered to hear Him.
 
In Israel, it was the custom for religious teachers to sit down to teach (Matthew 5:1; Luke 4:20; John 8:2), but Jesus was soon surrounded by so many people that He could neither be seen nor heard.  So, He got into a boat and had it moored out a little way from the beach.  He sat down in the boat and began to teach them many things.  The water was an acoustic reflective surface; everybody could hear what He was saying and there was plenty of room for more people to listen to God's Word.
 
They came because Jesus’ reputation and character drew them to Him.  They wanted to experience being with Him and hear whatever He had to say. Their tradition respected the Teacher; and while He sat, they would stand for hours listening to God's wisdom.  It was no imposition on their busy lives but an intense privilege to hear the Word of God.
 
Do we have the same attitude to God's Word?  Are we hungry and thirsty to hear from God?  Do we expect Him to reveal important and essential truths?  Is it worth our while to stop what we are doing in order to listen to Him (Luke 10:38-42)?  It is a huge privilege to hear the voice of God as He continues to speak through the Scriptures.  Let us come to hear Jesus; not because we are forced through some religious obligation but because our souls are hungry and cannot be satisfied without His Word.  Our choices demonstrate our values.  Choose to invest in your relationship with God today by making the time to hear Him.