Tag Archives: good

Witnesses of God

Throughout the New Testament there is a consistent theme about how the message of God is both seen and heard.  Using a parable to illustrate his point, Jesus explained how the soil of the heart is what determines a person’s ability to recognise, receive and, essentially, understand the message of God.  In his explanation, he referred to a prophecy from the prophet Isaiah which declared that there would be a group of people who would have eyes but not see and have ears but not hear.

The authors of the Gospels mention this prophecy from Isaiah in their interpretation of why Jesus did the things he did (Jn 12.40) and Jesus himself referred to the prophecy (Mt 13.1-4; Lk 7.22) to explain his ministry.  For this reason, the prophecy from Isaiah deserves closer investigation.

Isaiah chapter 6 describes what is referred to as Isaiah’s call to be a prophet to the people of Israel.  The very first instruction the Lord gave to Isaiah was to tell the people:

“Be ever hearing, but never understanding; be ever seeing, but never perceiving.’  Make the heart of this people callous; and their ears dull, and blind their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed.” (Is 6.9-10).

We talked about possible interpretations and implications for such a prophetic declaration in a recent discussion (see post).  The purpose of such a declaration was not so God would keep people from coming to him, rather it was an acknowledgement that their refusal to believe would lead to a further hardening of their hearts.  But this prophecy was not creating, forming or announcing a permanent state of being for those it described.

The ministry of Isaiah spanned a number of years and, as he faithfully declared the message of God to the people, his message changed.  Toward the end of his life he began to prophecy of God’s coming Servant who would be a “light for the Gentiles, to open eyes that are blind, to free captives from prison and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness” (Is 42.7).  This was substantial because it not only spoke about opening the eyes of the blind – thereby promising that the symptoms of a hard heart would be reversed through the ministry of God’s servant – but it also spoke of God’s message being made available to those outside the nation of Israel.  The remainder of chapter 42, concentrates on God’s restoration of his people.  In particular, 42.18-25, make clear that God wants to open the eyes and ears of those who have closed them.

In chapter 43, after instructing the Servant to “lead out those who have eyes but are blind and have ears but can’t hear” (43.8), God says something that will (hopefully) sound familiar.  “You are my witnesses and my servant whom I have chosen, so that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he” (43.10).

Did you hear it?!  This is the phrase Jesus used in John 10.38 when he said, “Even if you don’t believe me, believe the miracles so you may learn and understand that I am one with the father [ie. I am he].”  Jesus was declaring the prophetic statement about himself in hopes those who had eyes to see would actually see it – even if they hadn’t heard it.

But, equally substantial, and exciting to me, is that Isaiah introduced the description of how we go through a process of understanding.   Namely, that we come to know (learn) from a posture of belief which enables us to understand who he is.

These two passages are the only Scripture references I have found in which this phrase is used.  The significance of this singular reference is that Jesus fully intended his statement to be directly linked to Isaiah’s prophetic declaration – it was not a casual reference.

Biblical scholars, when they translate and interpret the Scriptures use a principle they call the Law of First Mention.  Basically, this means when a word or phrase is used for the first time, the meaning or intent of that word is largely defined by the context of its first use.  All subsequent uses of the word or phrase are reliant upon the meaning derived by the initial use.  The repeated uses will often add depth or enhance the original meaning, but they will not fundamentally change the meaning from the first mention.

Based on this law of first mention, the process of believing so we learn and understand derives a significant meaning and purpose from the context of the Isaiah passage.

Within the context of Isaiah, we learn that although God had allowed people’s hearts to become hard so they had eyes but could not see and ears but could not hear, his intention was to send his witnesses who would lead these people out of the condition of their own making.  In doing so, the witnesses, as well as the people, will all grow in belief, learning and understanding of who God is.

This will be the focus of our next discussion.

Struggles of a Secret Believer

As I read through the Scriptures I’m fascinated with the way different people responded to Jesus.  The poor and uneducated seemed to swarm around Jesus, following him from place to place and hanging on every word he spoke.  But the educated and, in particular, the religious leaders always seemed to be on the defensive or, even worse, on the offensive against Jesus.

It may be tempting to apply our 21st century awareness onto the historical and religious context of Jesus’ time and presume we understand the thoughts and motives of those people.  But, how often do we sincerely put ourselves into the shoes of those who were there?

For example, Scripture tells us there were some among the religious who believed Jesus but they were afraid to make that known publicly (Jn 12.42).  They were, in effect, ‘Secret Believers’.  One of the religious leaders, Nicodemus, seemed to be drawn to Jesus and went under the cover of night to meet with Jesus.

What was happening in the hearts of these educated and trained people?   What did they hear in Jesus’ words that was different from their religious and occupational standards?

These people were among the group of those who strategized ways to trap Jesus and who, ultimately, plotted to kill him.  They were working, socialising and living among some of the hardest-hearted people alive.  Yet, these ‘secret believers’ seemed to demonstrate a sensitivity to the heart of God.  What did they recognise within their hearts that prompted them to acknowledge Jesus in a way that went against the opinion, of their colleagues?

I’m intrigued by these ‘secret believers’.  Their hearts were clearly at odds with the conventional wisdom of their colleagues.  The Gospels articulate some of the things their minds struggled to come to terms with, “… this man comes from Galilee, but we know the Messiah will come from David’s line, and from Bethlehem” (Jn 7.42).  Yet Nicodemus was able to recognise that the signs Jesus performed were evidence that he was from God (John 3.2).

It may be easy for us to lump all the religious leaders into the same category of hard-hearted, arrogant, evil, etc.  But it is clear that some of these people were dealing with the same internal struggles so many of us have.

For example, how do I respond when I recognise that my heart clearly hears a truth – even when that truth is contrary to what I understand in my mind?  Adding to the challenge, how do I respond when doing so carries significant social or reputational risk?

At one point the temple guards had been sent to arrest Jesus but when they didn’t bring him in, their explanation to the chief priests was to say, “No one has ever spoken the way this man does” (Jn 7.45).  The guards heard something from Jesus and their hearts were affected to the degree they couldn’t bring themselves to obey the order they’d been given.  The Pharisees snapped back at them, “Have any of us or the rulers believed in him?  No! This mob knows nothing of the Law…” (Jn 7.49).

It is significant that Nicodemus spoke up at this point.  Perhaps their jibe that no one of their training or social standing were foolish enough to believe Jesus felt a bit like a slap in his face.  He needed to speak up, to challenge them; but he knew that a direct approach would only cause another angry outburst.  So, he challenged them on the basis of their own reasoning (Jn 7.51).  From this point forward, I think it is safe to say, Nicodemus was watched quite closely by most of the other Pharisees.

The next time we see Nicodemus, he, along with another ‘secret believer’, were using their financial means to provide for Jesus’ burial (Jn 19.38ff).  Both men held positions of significance within society.  Though, they kept their belief in Jesus secret while he was alive; at his death, these were the only men mentioned to carry out the most emotionally challenging of tasks.  Their beliefs were no longer secret.  These men were now firmly counted among the followers of Jesus.

While it is never easy, or fair, to judge what may have been happening in the hearts of others.  Investigating what we know of their circumstances can provide insight that may help inform the decisions we face.   Looking into the situation these ‘secret believers’ found themselves in, brings me back to the central point of our recent discussions.  Learning to give careful consideration to HOW we listen requires that we learn to recognise what our heart is hearing and that we learn to respond to that prompting.   Becoming better acquainted with WHO is speaking into our hearts increases our confidence of recognising HIS words which increases our courage to respond to what we hear – even if our peers do not understand.

Words: Dad & Daughter’s Declarations

Recently I’ve been thinking a lot about the power of words.   I don’t mean the ‘mind-over-matter’ way of self-talk.  I’ve been thinking about how the words spoken by Jesus and revealed by Holy Spirit are filled with life (see posts).  When we align ourselves with the truths of God and verbalise what he has already declared, the life-giving substance within the idea is released through the spoken word.

The below video has been trending lately and I really like it.  The benefit of this routine is, I think, more than just an inspirational habit.  The Dad is teaching his daughter how to stand in Truth, which will create foundations upon which she can stand when she’ll have to battle against lies as she gets older.  If she continues in these truths, she can provide a source of strength for others to learn how to stand in the life-giving promises of who God has created them to be.

 

Family in the Kingdom

Many of us have a perception of God that is quite different from who he actually is. Even though I grew up in a churched culture the way I thought about God was not the way I now understand He has revealed himself through Scripture.

Society has carved out an image of God in which he is perceived as harsh, vindictive, self-centred and angry.  Ironically, though, the society which has created that image also exhibits the habits and lifestyle patterns of a spiritually fatherless generation.

God has always been about family.  From the outset his intention was that mankind would be fruitful and multiply – and maintain their relationship with him. After mankind turned away (Gen 3) God did not give up.  His promise to Abraham was to, through him, establish a nation and that meant Abraham having an heir (Gen 12.2-3; 15.4).  Throughout Old Testament history, God spoke of ‘his people’ (Ex 19.4-6) his dwelling with them (1 Chron 22.10), caring for those without families (Ps 67.5-6) and his desire for his people to bless all nations (Is 61.1-11).

The most clear example we have of God is through the life of Jesus who was the perfect representation of God (Hb 1.3) and all who saw or heard Jesus had seen the Father (Jn 5.19,14.9).

Jesus spoke of God as Father (Jn 15.1, 9; Mk 1.36).  He explained that we become a child of God (Mt 6.32, 7.11) through the relationship we have with him (Mt 28.20; Jn 16.13).  Jesus also spoke of the house that God the Father is preparing for us (Jn 14.2).  The New Testament authors reinforced the concept of family (1 Tim 3.5) and the household of God (1 Pt 4.17).

Come, Hear, Do (part 3)

The man who heard Jesus’ words but did not put them into practice had not come to him. Compare this to the man who came to Jesus, heard Jesus’ words and put them into practice; he is like the man who dug a foundation for his house.

This man knew he was building something valuable, and he understood the importance of building correctly.  The process of digging is difficult, messy, and time consuming – but worth the effort.

In a construction project the ground works are a vital part of the job.  But it is also the messiest, dirtiest part of building.  This can be frustrating because the works can go on for a while with, seemingly, no visible sign that anything is actually being accomplished.  Pipes and cables must be trenched for services to the site. The ground must be levelled. But before any of that can be done the site must first be cleared of any obstruction.

Coming to Jesus for his instruction can sometimes be a little bit like the effort of digging the foundation.  In our process of coming to him, we sometimes realise there are obstacles in the way – obstacles we’ve put there or allowed to grow.  Sometimes we uncover things about ourselves we weren’t aware of before. It can sometimes be messy.

Coming to Jesus can be time-consuming.  Sometimes Jesus doesn’t “answer” when we want him to or when we think he should.  Sometimes, we seek Jesus because we want to hear his words on a matter but he appears to be silent.  In those seasons, rather than jump to false conclusions, we must continue to seek him so we learn to hear is heart, not just his words.

Sometimes it is the process of seeking Jesus that helps me realise just how much I need to come to him.  It is in the seeking that I learn the depth of my longing, the necessity of the burden, the scale of my desire.  It is in the seeking that I learn how important it is for the soil of my heart to be cleared from obstructions so when I do hear the words spoken by Jesus, they can be planted in good soil.

Come, Hear, Do (part 2)

Jesus continued the lesson with a story about someone who builds his house on the ground, not digging and setting a proper foundation.  The correlation is that this person hears Jesus’ words but doesn’t put them into practice.

Why would someone who hears the words of Jesus choose not to put them into practice?  What is going on in the heart or mind of someone who would decide that the teachings of Jesus are not worth attempting to integrate into their life?

Could it be that the person simply has no regard for the teaching of Jesus?  Is it possible that they don’t have respect or honour for Jesus?  Could there be an issue of pride or the inability to receive instruction?

Maybe it could be any combination of these, but notice what Jesus pointed out.  The one who builds his house on the ground did not actually come to Jesus.  So, this person has missed out on step 1 (anyone who comes to me) and step 3 (put my words into practice).

This makes what Jesus says all the more interesting.  If the person didn’t come to Jesus how did he hear the words of Jesus?  Did he hear the words through a 3rd party? Did he hear the words because he happen to pass by?

It’s impossible to know – after all, this is only a parable.  But by saying this Jesus seems to indicate that those who come to him (seek him) will be more inclined to put into practice the teachings they hear from him.

Let’s think about this for a minute.  We do not usually seek something or someone unless we recognise a need for what that person has to offer.  If we seek out a doctor– we’ve recognised a need.  If we seek out an architect – we’ve recognised a need.  If we seek out a friend or loved one – we’ve recognised a need, albeit a different type of need.  Seeking Jesus is what we do when we’ve recognised we have a need.

Why would anyone seek, if they don’t recognise they have a need?   At the same time, if someone doesn’t seek, it is likely they are unaware of their need.  So, the person who builds their house on the ground does so because he is completely unaware that there is a better way.

I’ve heard this story talked about in church for many years and it’s almost always spoken of with more than a hint of judgment about the one who built the house on the ground.  As a child I was even taught a song about this story and the man who built his house upon the ‘sand’ was immortalised in the song as being ‘foolish’.

Perhaps, I’ve been too quick to judge the man. Perhaps this man is simply an allegorical version of so many of my friends who, for whatever reason, have not come to Jesus and are unaware of the wisdom, freedom and life of his words.  Do I judge them?  No, I have compassion for them.  I look for ways to introduce them to this great teacher called Jesus.  I look for ways to help them realise that he is the one who can meet their need.

Jesus & God in Healing (part 2)

Back to those inconsistencies I grew up with. I remember thinking that somehow Jesus & God had different roles to play. I could read the Bible and see what Jesus did, but somehow that was separate from what God did.

When someone we knew was diagnosed with a disease or suffered a debilitating condition, I remember hearing older people say things like, “that’s the way life goes” or “God works in mysterious ways” or “I don’t understand it now, but there’s a reason for the sickness”. I did not grow up in a belief system that held out hope and faith that God is good and doesn’t want people to be sick. As a result, the belief system that developed in me was more the opposite: that God intentionally gives people diseases or, if he’s not giving them directly, he’s not able or willing to change the condition.

So much of Jesus’ life and activity was spent healing those who were sick, lame, blind or deaf. The gospels give several summary statements about Jesus ministry and how he healed the multitudes (Mt 4.23f, 9.35; Lk 6.18). He healed because he had compassion (Mk 1.40-42 ), he healed to demonstrate he had authority to forgive sin (Lk 5.18-25), he healed to release people from the bondage of sickness (Lk 13.11-13 ;Jn 5.6), he healed simply because people requested it (Mt 9.19; Mk 10.51), he healed to demonstrate the present reality of his Kingdom (Mt 8.5-13, 12.28; Lk 6.22-23) and Jesus healed because he and Father are one and the same (Jn 14.11).

I was always happy with the first few reasons – because this was Jesus and healing is just a part of what he did. But I remember the first time I heard the idea that God is good and doesn’t want people to be sick – I recall getting defensive, even argumentative. I could agree that God is good but I didn’t know what to do with the idea he doesn’t want people sick. Hadn’t I learned all along that people get sick, suffer with disease and people in the church simply put it down to God’s purposes? Wasn’t it commonly understood that all things happen for a purpose and if someone gets a diagnosis it will work out for their good?

These are the conclusion I had come to. But I was now being presented with a conflicting idea and the more I investigated Jesus’ life and what the Bible reveals, I realised that my conclusions were very far away from what I was discovering in the Bible.

It all boiled down to this question: If Jesus healed the sick, how could God be the one making people sick? Jesus said that one of the reasons for healing was to reveal the nature and heart of God (Jn 10.38), then how could God be the one who is making people sick? If Jesus is the exact representation of God (Hb 1.3) then it doesn’t make sense that Jesus would go around healing if God is the one making people sick.

If Jesus only did what he saw the Father do and only said what he heard the Father say (Jn 5.19), then that meant Jesus ‘saw’ that the heart of God was to heal the sick. Jesus even said on a few occasions that he healed so people would know God sent him (Jn 11.42). Never once did Jesus tell someone that he wouldn’t be able to heal them because the particular condition had been given to them by the Father. Jesus and God are not playing out a ‘good-cop, bad-cop’ routine. They are completely united and in total agreement. They are genuinely good.

Jesus & God in Healing (part 1)

Another image of God that I picked up somewhere along the way is the idea that people get sick either because God gives it to them or, at the very least, he allows it in order for them to learn something to make them better people. But, if the author of Hebrews is correct, Jesus is the perfect representation of God and no matter how hard I looked, I simply could not find anywhere in the life of Jesus where he told people that the sickness they had would make them better people. Again, I see the opposite.

Jesus actually healed everyone who asked him for healing. Everyone who asked. Not once did Jesus tell somebody that the disease they were suffering with was sent to them by God in order to build their character, help them be a better person, teach them patience, bring their family closer or to die with dignity. Yet, for so much of my life, I’ve heard Christians give reasons like these to explain why people get sick.

When we talk about healing from a Christian perspective I think its essential that we talk about it from the example and teaching of Jesus. Too often healing is discussed from our point of view – and that isn’t always the most biblical. It is important that we stop to consider from where we form our beliefs. Where do your beliefs about healing come from? Have you arrived at those beliefs through studying the Scriptures? Or are your beliefs about healing arrived at through your personal experience?

I’m not saying I have all the answers. In no way do I have it all figured out. But I am sure about one thing: Jesus healed everyone who came to him requesting healing – he even went to heal people who didn’t ask him for healing! Not once did Jesus turn someone away. Never did he tell someone to get their act together before he would heal them. Never did he tell someone to get used to the disease because it was the ‘cross they were to carry’ or that it would make them a better person. His only response to disease and physical ailments was to get rid of them by healing the person who was sick.

Jesus and God (Part 2)

The more I learn about Jesus and his relationship with God I am surprised that I ever had an idea that they were so different.

Jesus was with God in the very beginning and through him all things were created. But Jesus was humble enough to willingly set aside his divinity in order to be born as a man. In his human-ness he was able to live and identify all the aspects of the human condition, yet he remained without sin. How was he able to live without sinning? He maintained a relationship with God. As a young man he grew in wisdom and stature and in favour with both people and with God.

Jesus matured into manhood living a life of perfect relationship with God. His relationship with God was so close that he repeatedly told people “If you have seen me you have seen the Father” and ” I and the Father are one”. But this didn’t just come from Jesus. On three different occasions God spoke in a voice that others could hear, telling people that he was proud of his son, Jesus (Mt 3.17, 17.5; Jn 12.28).

Jesus wanted so much to retain his relationship with God that he would often spend long blocks of time away from other people so he could pray and spend time alone with his Father. Through that close-knit bond between them, Jesus knew the heart of God and wanted only to please him. He said that his ‘food’ is to do the will of the one who sent him (Jn 4.34). As a result God honoured Jesus and “was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him” (Col 1.19; 2.9).

So, when we talk about Jesus being the exact representation of God, it is because Jesus – as a man – was more interested in living to please God than to please himself. His desire to please God and to mirror the heart of God to people, meant that he only did what he saw the Father do, and said what he heard the Father say (Jn 5.19). This perfect obedience in a relationship of love is what made it possible for him to exactly (link to post) and precisely reflect and represent the heart, nature and character of God.

Jesus and God (Part 1)

I grew up in a church culture. My parents took me to church but we weren’t a radical family by any standards. The extent of our Christian experience was on developing biblical values and morals. Like many people, even though I went to church and ‘Sunday School’ somewhere along the line I learned to believe that Jesus and God were two different people with two different roles. God, was the bearded old man with a cranky demeanour, impatiently putting up with people and flinging lightning bolts to zap anyone who stepped out of line. But Jesus was the nice guy who seemed to care about people.

I can’t remember ever being told anything like the above, but somehow, in child-like perceptions I developed that understanding between Jesus and God.

Possibly the most important step in my understanding of the relationship between Jesus and God I discovered in Hebrews 1:3 which says, “…Jesus is the exact representation of God.” Another   translation replaces the word exact with perfect. Jesus is the perfect representation of God.

…exact….perfect… these words indicate a precise completeness; a sameness; more than a mirror image or a carbon copy – but actually the same in essence and personhood.

Understood in this way, this means that when I look at the person of Jesus I’m actually seeing an exact representation of the person of God. Jesus’ life gives me an insight and perspective on the very character and nature of God. So, the recurring image I have in my head of God as a Zeus-like old man with a lightning rod ready to zap people for doing something wrong – where did that come from? I certainly don’t see that represented in the life of Jesus. In fact, I see the opposite.

Jesus had time for people – all people, and he seemed to be genuinely liked by the crowds. The non-religious wanted to hang out with him. In fact, he was accused of spending too much time with those deemed less-than-suitable but Jesus ignored those religious rules & traditions. He demonstrated compassion and he healed the sick and oppressed. He lived a humble life modelling what he taught and invited people to follow him in his Kingdom lifestyle.

The representation of God exemplified in the life of Jesus is not the characterisation of God I grew up with. When it becomes clear that my thoughts about God are different to what the Bible reveals, I have a choice to make: do I continue on with this incorrect assumption about the nature and character of God or do I study what the Scriptures teach about God in order to change my understanding of who God is?