Tag Archives: Jesus

Testimony of the Witnesses

“You are my witnesses…so that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he.” (Is 43.10).  

Jesus tapped into this passage from Isaiah when he told his followers to be his witness (Acts 1.8) and when he commanded them to teach everyone to obey all he instructed (Mt 28.18-20).  Teaching others to obey includes sharing his goodness and demonstrating his love in such a way their eyes and ears will be opened to see and hear the goodness of God.  But, on a personal level, we will increase in our own belief, learning and understanding of who He is as we declare and demonstrate the nature of God.

Jesus lived as a witness to the heart, character and nature of the Father.  His life was a perfect representation of God (Hb 1.3).  He also said that anyone who looked at him, would see the Father (Jn 14.9).  This is the life we are called to replicate; to live as witnesses of God; to become witnesses of God.

The Hebrew word for witness contains an element of testimony or giving evidence within the definition.  The New Testament Greek word for witness also contains a legal, evidence-based meaning.  So, to be a witness, means to tell the story, to give testimony to the nature and acts of God.  As we testify, we give evidence of his character so others may believe and understand He is God.  In the process, we reaffirm and deepen our own belief – which increases our understanding – and helps us to become more like him.

There are a lot of ways the Church has embarked on this task of witnessing about God.  But, rather than attempting a programme or strategy, being a witness of God is more authentic when we know WHO we believe.  When we know Him, our testimony is an overflow of his love, mercy, goodness and kindness we’ve experienced.  Simply talking about WHAT we believe does not carry the same life-giving power.

Our role as witnesses of God is to represent Him; to reflect Him.  We can only accurately reflect him to the extent we are being transformed into His likeness (1 Cor 3.18).  Therefore, our purpose is to become transformed into His image so He lives through us (Gal 4.19).  At all times being sensitive to Holy Spirit who leads and empowers us for service until we are filled with the whole measure of the fulness of God (Eph 4.13) and, together, display the manifold wisdom of God (Eph 3.10).  Then, as witnesses who prove the wisdom of God (cf Lk 7.35) those who ‘see and hear’ will recognise the life of God through us, respond to it by applying faith and come to believe that He is God.

In the process, we increase in our understanding of WHO He is.

 

 

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.

God’s Heart for People

I loved the summer season when I was growing up.  I loved playing baseball, riding my bike and warm summer evenings.  I loved just being outside.  My first ‘job’ was to cut grass at the local KFC.  They paid me $2 and large soft-drink.  What could be better for a 10-year old budding entrepreneur?!  As I got older my grass-cutting jobs evolved so I became an outdoor handy-man; somewhere between a landscaper and window washer.  I saved the money from these summer jobs and, at the age of 15, I bought a really nice drum set.  At the age of 17 I bought my own pick-up truck (an absolute must for any self-respecting teenage boy in Indiana).

I recall one summer in particular.  I had recently become a Christian and I spent much of my time praying and engaging with God as I walked the lawn-mower up & down the big gardens of my customers.  It was a season in my life when I felt happy, content and at peace. I didn’t understand enough about God’s grace to realise this was what I was experiencing; but things just seemed to ‘click’.  The baseball team had won our division championship and played a state final in the professional stadium (read, all-Ireland final in Croke Park).  The band I played for was getting invitations to play in more events around the city.  And I was being asked to speak to youth groups about my newly realised belief in Jesus.  It was one of those seasons when things just seemed to get better and better.  The more time I spent time with God, the more I grew to know Him.  The more I grew to know Him, the more I was learning His heart and learning His ways.

Starting back into school that autumn, things began to change.  The guys in the band weren’t keen on my new perspective on life.  They didn’t want their musical ambitions restricted by their drummer’s convictions about a lifestyle of purity.  The baseball team’s coaching staff changed and, for reasons still unclear to me, the new coach simply didn’t seem to like me.  I soon felt a growing distance from all who were previously my friends.  As a consequence of my desire to share what had changed in me, the entire student body seemed to conclude the once fun, popular Cope had changed; turned weird; gone ‘religious’.

Teenage years are difficult for anyone and those few months were hard for me.  But through it all I felt God’s grace and protection.  I made new friends, I didn’t waiver in my love for the Lord and I sought ways to share His love with others.

One day in class a note was passed to me.  It was from a girl who sat across the room. I only knew her from a distance and had never really spoken to her before.  She hung around in a different crowd.  She was popular and captain of the Cheerleading squad.  Her note said she had questions about God, she wanted to believe, but was afraid of what it might mean.  She didn’t know who else to talk to.  She didn’t want to be seen talking with me but wanted to know if we could exchange notes so she could ask me questions.  A series of letters back & forth eventually led to her being faced with a decision.

That experience taught me a great deal about God’s heart for people.  No matter who they are, where they come from, what they’ve been taught, or what conclusions they’ve made, God loves them.  In addition, each person, every individual has been created in the image of God and carries a unique expression of God within them that the rest of us need to experience.

My cheerleader friend wanted to follow Jesus.  He was revealing himself to her.  Holy Spirit was tugging at her heart.  But she, at the time, felt she did not want to risk the change she felt would surely come to her lifestyle.  So she chose not to respond to God.

I will always remember those letters, the knowing glances across the school hallway when I was convinced she would become a Christian and, especially, the tears that filled my prayers as I discovered the heart of God for people.

No matter what else happens in the life of a church, God’s heart for people must remain a top priority for all we do.  Jesus came to seek and save all who were lost (Lk 19.10).  He did not come to condemn the world but to save it (Jn 3.17) by destroying the works of the devil (1 Jn 3.8) and making abundant life available to all (Jn 10.10).  By coming into relationship with the Father, we have been commissioned to carry on the mission of Jesus (Jn 20.20, Mt 28.18-20).

Years later I received another letter from my cheerleader friend.  We had gone to different colleges and she went to a lot of trouble to find my address.  She wanted to thank me for being patient with her questions and not giving up on her when she chose not to follow Jesus.  Her life had spiralled downwards during her time in college until she met a group of Christians.  She wrote to say she had become a Christian and could now fully appreciate all I had tried to share with her those years before.  She was now active in campus ministries, sharing her love for God with those around her.

She had discovered God’s heart for her – and his heart for others.

 

Development of Belief

“…even if you do not believe me, believe the evidence of the miracles, that you may learn and understand that the Father is in me, and I am in the Father” (Jn 10.38).

When Jesus made this statement, he was speaking to the religious leaders who, in their opposition to him, refused to consider the possibility that their perspective may not be the only explanation for things.  They had heard what Jesus taught but their hardness of heart meant they were unable to recognise the voice of God or understand His message.  Jesus, in his mercy, did not write them off but gave them another opportunity to hear his voice.  This time, he displayed the reality of his love by actions that were visible.   Through both circumstances, Jesus expected people to be able to recognise the voice of the God and respond by applying faith to what they heard (see post).

Responding in belief initiates a process that enables us to learn more about God’s nature and what life in his Kingdom is like.  As we submit ourselves to getting to know the One we believe, we grow more into His likeness.  One way to illustrate this process of learning is to identify the steps from belief to wisdom.

Belief / Faith

Belief is the foundation, the centre, of this process.  Throughout our discussions, we have spoken of how the Father initiates faith within us through His word.  As we recognise his word, and respond to it, we apply faith which ignites the seed of life carried within his word.

  • Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God (Rom 10.17; Jn 5.24)
  • It is with the heart that we believe (Rom 10.10)

While belief and faith are not the same thing, they are extremely similar.   The two English words share the same Greek root words which are translated differently according to the context.  So, for the purpose of our discussion and this illustration I have combined them.

Obey:  Belief leads to obedience.

Obedience is the standard of one who is in relationship with God.  Jesus demonstrated a life of perfect obedience to the Father (Jn 5.19) and expects the same type of humble obedience from his followers (Mt 28.20).

  • If you love me, you will obey my teaching. (Jn 14.23)
  • Anyone who comes after me must deny himself, take up his cross daily and follow me (Lk 9.23).  

Trust:  Obedience leads to trust.

As we walk in obedience, we learn to trust God.  A lifestyle of obedience in the different areas of our life enables us to trust that God is trustworthy, reliable and faithful.  For example, as we are obedient with our use of money, we learn to trust God as the One from whom all resources come.  Obeying God’s instruction to forgive others as we have been forgiven, we learn to trust God as the One from whom justice and grace come.  In addition, we have opportunity to more fully embrace humility and mercy.

Trusting God does not mean we don’t have questions about what He may ask of us.  Trust is displayed as we maintain a soft-hearted, belief in Him even when we don’t understand why circumstances are the way they are.

On this point, consider two people who questioned what God asked of them through the angel Gabriel.  Mary and Zechariah each asked a question about what the angel announced to them – and the words used in their questions are very similar.  Yet the angel knew that Mary’s question, “How can this be?”, came from a soft-hearted belief that was willing to trust (Lk 1.34,38).  On the other hand, Zechariah’s question, “How can I be sure of this?”, came from an unbelief that had crept into his heart (Lk 1.18,20).

 

Understand:  Trust leads to Understanding.

As we trust God throughout the various circumstances and challenges of life, we learn more about God’s nature which leads us to a deepening understanding of WHO He is.   Often, we want to leap-frog over obedience and trust to get quickly to a place of understanding God.  But that is not how belief and relationship works.

We do not believe because we understand.  We understand because we believe. Understanding comes through a process that is lived alongside the One Whom we believe.  We cannot understand the depths of Who God is unless we have learned obedience and trust.  Any attempts to bypass these areas will only give an incomplete, dichotomised portrayal of God.

I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead I have called you friends, for everything I have learned from my Father I have made known to you (Jn 15.15).

In some church contexts, it may be possible to confuse the effects of a Christian sub-culture with a personal trust and/or understanding of God.  However, we must be careful not to presume that a lifestyle of Christian principles equates to an authentic, personal relationship with God, even if the principles are based on biblical standards.  A relationship with God means we know WHO we believe rather than relying on what we believe.

 

Wisdom:  Understanding leads to Wisdom.

One of the outcomes of a life based on belief is that we will grow into a people who display God’s wisdom (Eph 3.10).  As in the natural realm, wisdom can only be gained through process, experience and a humble willingness to continue learning (Pr 11.2, 13.10).  But the first step toward wisdom is through relationship with God (Ps 111.10).  So, a lifestyle of soft-hearted belief along with an active relationship based on obedience and trust will help us grow into wisdom.

Wisdom is much more than a personal characteristic or some type of achievement acknowledged by others.  Wisdom is a description of Jesus himself, who has become the wisdom of God (1 Cor 1.30).  Since we are on a journey toward becoming like Christ we, too, should expect that we will grow into wisdom which will, in turn, deepen our relationship with God (Eph 1.17).

Do you see the connection with the ever-increasing nature of this?  But, so you don’t think I am aiming for some lofty, out-of-touch philosophy; the wisdom I’m speaking about has a practical impact on those around us (James 3.13-18).  In keeping with the process of soft-hearted belief, the life of wisdom bears witness to the life, message and ministry of Jesus.

 

Believe that you may learn and understand.  Life with God is a consistent process of growth.  As we increase in faith and expand our belief through obedience, trust, understanding to wisdom we learn to say, along with the apostle Paul, “…I know the one whom I have believed” (2 Tim 1.12).

 

 

Wisdom’s Children

Have you ever noticed how Jesus can be talking about something and then, he makes a statement that appears to come completely out of the blue?  Often, this type of statement is a concluding comment after he’s been teaching about something – but, the concluding comment seems to have no relevance to the point he was just making.  Obviously, Jesus understood how to the two seemingly divergent points were connected – even if they appear confusing to us at first glance.  I’ve made a practice of studying these comments because, I really want to learn how to make the connection between points that Jesus made.

At the end of his explanation to the people about John the Baptist, Jesus made one of those concluding comments that for a long time seemed out of place to me.  After speaking about John the Baptist and affirming that the people acknowledged God’s way was right, Jesus finished his teaching with the seemingly unrelated comment, “Wisdom is proven right by all her children” (Lk 7.35).

But, as I look at this chapter in the context of our current discussion, it has become much clearer.

The Greek word used in phrase for ‘proven right’ can also be translated as ‘exhibited as right’, ‘declared as just’.  The intention of the words is that the children of God are able to do more than simply identify or recognise the wisdom of God.  They are able to declare its justice, to prove or exhibit it’s right-ness.  This is similar to the wording used in Rom 12.2, when Paul says the believer who is being transformed by the renewing of their mind, is able to ‘prove’ the perfect will God.  The children of God are able not only to recognise the character of God through his words and his actions; but they are also able to prove, approve, discern his will through the wisdom they have gained through relationship with him.

Wisdom about God, comes through our experiences with God.  Encountering him.  Engaging with him.  Learning his ways so we can know him.  This level of understanding cannot be arrived at through theory or principles.  On the contrary, this understanding is an outcome of a relationship with the One who is believed.  Only in an active, ongoing, relationship are we able to deepen our understanding of God – his character, his nature and his heart.  And this learning for understanding is based on belief in him.

 

Jesus’ seemingly out-of-place statement is actually connecting the effects of John’s ministry with what the angel Gabriel said about John when he announced his upcoming birth.  He said that John will “turn the hearts of the fathers to the children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous, to make ready a people for the Lord” (Lk 1.17).

The statement about turning of the fathers’ hearts to the children points to an effect of earthly, parental relationships, but I also think it refers to the spiritual fathers & mothers who will nurture their spiritual children.  Subsequently, the children of God will display an inherent wisdom that is demonstrated in their righteous priorities, lifestyle, decision-making and pursuit of the Kingdom (cf Eph 3.10).  The result is that those separated from God (the disobedient) will hear and see the wisdom and love of God through those who live in relationship with Him. Through their humble recognition of God’s wisdom, those apart from God will recognise the voice of God (Believe), respond to the invitation to join His family and become (Learn) a people being made ready for the Lord (Understand).

Do you see how this comes full circle?   The children of God naturally display the wisdom and righteousness of God, giving those who do not yet know God an opportunity to encounter Him.  In their humility and hunger for what is right and just, people are able to recognise and respond to the wisdom and love of God.  But this depends on those who are in relationship with Him to be a witness of who God is through what they say and what they do.

 

Believe, Learn, Understand

“…even if you do not believe me, believe the evidence of the miracles, that you may learn and understand that the Father is in me, and I am in the Father” (Jn 10.38).

One of my favourite scenes from a film is from Kevin Costner’s Field of Dreams (watch clip – this will take you to another website).  The premise is that the farmer, Ray, removes acres of corn from his fields to construct a baseball diamond for players who died before they could achieve their baseball dreams.  Each night the diamond fills with these mysterious people who play hours of baseball before disappearing back into the corn when finished.  But not everyone can see the players.  Ray’s brother-in-law can’t see them, he can only see how the loss of the corn is causing the family to lose the farm.  One afternoon when one of the players steps off the field to assist an injured child, the brother-in-law is finally able to ‘see’ the players – and his understanding of reality is instantly changed.

It is striking how the way we view reality shapes the way we think.  Like the brother-in-law in the film, whose perception of reality did not include the possibility that dead baseball players would come back to play a meta-physical game in a redesigned corn-field in the middle of Iowa, we all have expectations of reality that are based on what we believe.

Belief provides the context on which we build our view of reality.  What we believe determines how we think, which determines how we live.  Belief leads to understanding.  Learning more from the One we believe, helps us grow into greater understanding.

I remember the first time I heard someone say that God is good.  I had been a Christian for a long time but the idea that God is good had not yet penetrated through my false perceptions of God as being angry at people – angry at me (see post).  Hearing this statement challenged me to investigate the Scriptures.  What I found there led me to reconsider the conclusions I had come to about God.  I realised that I needed to adjust my beliefs so they would be in line with His nature; rather than being in line my broken perceptions of his nature.  Through making this adjustment, I have grown in a deeper, more complete understanding of God, myself and the world around me.

I also remember when I first came across someone with a genuine prophetic gifting.  I had never experienced a conversation with someone who had such supernatural insight into the secrets of my heart.  Whereas I had been taught this type of spiritual activity was not to be trusted, and therefore, should be avoided; the clarity and accuracy I experienced was undeniable.  I again found myself searching the Scriptures for wisdom as I learned more about how God speaks through his people.

I’ll never forget the first few miraculous healings I witnessed.  Again, I had grown up in a belief system that did not presume God actually wanted people to be well.  For me, sickness and disease were a part of life and we simply had to do our best with what life [fate] brought us.  But when I encountered a church that took seriously the fact that Jesus’ work on the cross was for, in the same measure, our diseases as well as our sin (Ps 103.3) I was, again, challenged to reconsider my perceptions.  When I witnessed a woman who had been paralysed get up out of her wheelchair and run across a stage, I entered a new paradigm that challenged me to re-learn what I believe.   (Read post: This will take you to another blog site).

This is, I think, what Jesus was trying to communicate.  God desires all people to be in relationship with him so he speaks in various ways to communicate his love and desire for relationship.  Outside that relationship people have varying degrees of hard-heartedness, but a willingness to hear, see and respond to the message of God enables our hearts to recognise his voice and respond with belief.  On this foundation of belief we are able to learn more about God’s nature, his character and his ways which, in turn, influences our understanding of who He is, who we are and how life in His Kingdom operates.

Knowing Who we believe, rather than what we believe, helps us settle into a posture of intimacy with the Father in which he provides a peace that goes beyond what we can define with our understanding (Phil 4.7).  In this relationship of trust, Jesus promises that, when we come to him we will learn from him (Mt 11.28-29).  Belief in Jesus compels us, entices us and draws us into deeper experiences with him.

We don’t believe because we understand; we understand because we believe.  Therefore, it is essential that we know WHO it is we believe, rather than simply what we believe.  The more we are with him, the more we learn (Jn 15.15).  The more we learn, the more we understand.

Believe, Learn and Understand.

Speech of Miracles

We have put much of our focus on the Word of God.  How Jesus himself is the Word made flesh, and his words are Spirit and Life which never pass away.  Through our relationship with him, our spirit-self recognises His words and we respond to the substance of God contained in them.  And, as we grow in our ability to recognise the words of God, we learn to identify how our physical bodies react to the tangible nature of God’s spoken word.

Even though God’s words are a powerful, life-creating, substance, his mode of communication isn’t limited to speaking words.  In fact, Jesus described his working of miracles as a form of speech.

When the religious teachers pressed Jesus to tell them plainly if he was the Christ, he responded by saying, “I did tell you, the miracles I do speak for me” (Jn 10.25).  Brilliant!!  I love that response.  In a single statement he reminded them of their heritage as a chosen nation, and their responsibility as teachers of the Law, to listen, hear and obey the words of God.  First, he made clear that he had already answered their question – even if they hadn’t heard him articulate the words.  Second, he placed the working of miracles firmly in the realm of a speech.

Did you catch this?  The working of a miracle is not just a supernatural act; it has a significance deeper than the activity it is performing.  When Jesus healed the paralysed man, the miracle did a number of things: (1) the paralysis was reversed and the man’s body began functioning as it should, (2) the activity of the miracle demonstrated that the kingdom of God was present and able to change physical realities; and (3) the miracle was communication from God.

Miracles, or other activities of God, are not an end in themselves.  While they create a specific result, they are not solely for that purpose.  Miracles reveal; they communicate; they speak; and for those who ‘hear’ their language, they draw us into a deeper understanding of God’s character and nature.

Jesus was trying to explain these principles to the religious leaders.  I have spoken through my teaching, but you did not hear.  I have also spoken through my working of miracles, but you did not hear their message either.  Jesus then went on to repeat what the miracles had already said, namely, that he and the Father are one (Jn 10.30).

The religious leaders, reacting to the audible words spoken by Jesus, made moves to stone him.  In doing so, they revealed that their hearts were too hard to ‘hear’ the truth of God contained within Jesus’ words.  Demonstrating a measure of his grace, Jesus put the focus of his ‘why’ question back onto the miracles; “I have shown you many great miracles, for which one do you stone me?”  By re-directing their attention back to the miracles, Jesus was giving them an opportunity to allow their hearts to ‘hear’ based on what they had ‘seen’.  But, they missed this opening and remained hard-heartedly focused on the words they heard.

In his response, Jesus went on to say something that has captured my attention the last few years.  He said, “…even if you do not believe me [the words I say], believe the evidence of the miracles, that you may learn and understand that the Father is in me, and I am in the Father” (Jn 10.38).   This statement unveils a process that will help us grow into deeper understanding of who we are in relationship with the Father.

Believe, that you may Learn and Understand.

Dilemma of a Hard Heart

With all the discussion about soft hearts, I find myself somewhat troubled.

On one hand, I’m encouraged by what I’m learning about a soft heart.  Especially, as I grow in recognition of the many ways Holy Spirit may speak.  These lessons about a soft heart are comforting and instructional; yet, I remain bothered.  What about those whose hearts have become hardened?  Are they doomed to life with an inability to recognise and respond to God?

I understand that there may be some who have rejected God, His Word and His goodness for so long that their hearts look more like a concrete car park rather than the compacted soil of a foot-path in Jesus’ parable.  But does this mean that God’s Word cannot penetrate the armour of their heart?

In addition, I have experienced enough of life to know that many people have a hard edge to their heart but, deeper down, their hearts are soft.  They are merely putting up defences in attempts to protect themselves.  Many people who have a hardened exterior, have actually been hurt, disappointed or disillusioned and are attempting to keep others, or God, from getting too close for fear of being hurt again.  But, if these people have allowed hardness to build up around their hearts through the continued rebuffing of God’s good news, will He leave them trapped within the cavern of their callouses?

These, and similar examples, are where I sense the dilemma.  How will God’s message of goodness and truth pierce through the outer layers of a heart which have been solidified by someone’s choices?

We know that God is a good Father who desires that all people are in relationship with him (Rom 8.16; 1 Tim 2.4).  We know that the Word of God contains the Life and Essence of God Himself (Jn 6.63).  We know that it is with the heart that one believes (Rom 10.17) and we know that in order for one to believe the message of God’s Word, it must be presented and explained to them (Rom 10.14).  But, if the heart is hard, how is one able to hear and receive the seed of His Word?  If the heart is hard, how is one able to recognise the voice of God apply faith, and respond?

We briefly considered this challenge in an earlier part of our discussion (see post) but at the time we were building on the concept of learning how to listen.  The problem now becomes much more poignant; and Jesus’ explanation of the parable of the soils gives an insight into God’s solution.

Soil of the Heart

I really like studying the parables of Jesus.   Whenever I go back over them I frequently discover new meaning, deeper truths or an application to my circumstances I hadn’t realised previously.  I especially like reading how, after telling a parable, Jesus would explain its meaning to the Twelve.  My favourite explanation is from Matthew 13 when Jesus explains the parable of the soils.

The common denominator for the different individuals referred to in this parable is the condition of the ‘soil’ of their heart.  But another element that stands out to me is the part that understanding plays in the growth of the seed.  If someone hears the message of the kingdom but does not understand it, the seed that was sown is snatched away.  Notice that the soil which represents this situation is along the path.  Any path I’ve ever known is hard, packed-down by footsteps over time.  Not even grass grows in the worn soil of a path.  This provides the perfect imagery for a heart that is hardened over time.  And, in the context of our recent discussions, a hard heart is unlikely to be able recognise the voice of God when he speaks.

This worn, hardened soil of the path is a stark contrast to the good soil of a soft heart.  A location where seeds can be placed and plants can easily grow, is soil that has been cleared of rocks and weeds.  The rough soil at the top has been gently broken up, nourished and watered.  It has been nurtured.  The soft heart is ready to hear the message of the kingdom because it knows how to consider carefully what it hears.  The soft heart is skilled at recognising the voice of God, the words that come from Jesus; and is prepared to respond to his voice in an instant.  The soft heart doesn’t need to deliberate or hesitate; immediate response is its habit.  And, because the soft heart knows that the voice of God is the source of its nourishment, it trusts that the message which is carried by the voice, contains only what will be good for the soil.  With that perspective, obedience to the message is never questioned.

This is, I think, how the heart with good soil is able to hear and understand the word.  The soft heart begins from a premise of belief; and, understanding flows from belief.   In contrast, the harder the soil of our heart, the more difficult it is to operate from a premise of belief.  In that instance, one will find it more difficult to truly understand.

With that in mind, it is very important that we cultivate the soil of our heart; doing our best to maintain a soft heart, guarding ourselves against offense, bitterness, anger and other postures that cause hardness.  It is also important that we develop regular habits and disciplines which help us identify and remove the ‘weeds’ that attempt to take root.  And, it is essential that we learn vulnerability within a Christian community so our brothers and sisters can encourage and assist us in removing the rocks and rubble we inevitably uncover in our journey toward Christ-likeness.

The heart is the seat of belief (Rom 10.17) so maintaining a soft heart is prerequisite to being able to recognise and respond to the voice of God.

Listening & Hearing

In college, I had a lecturer who was known for alerting his students to what was going to be on the test.  At any given point he would interrupt the flow of his lecture and speak with a different tone of voice, effectively catching our attention and drawing us into what he was about to say, and then state, “This will be on the test.”  Then he would pick up his lecture voice and continue on as if nothing unusual had occurred.  It didn’t take long for students to realise the truth of his pronouncements.  It also didn’t take long for some students to allow themselves to drift into a state of semi-consciousness during his class, only to become instantly alert when they heard the shift in his tone.

It’s funny how we can listen without really hearing.  I often find myself wondering what is was like for people to listen to Jesus’ teaching.  I can only imagine sitting on his every word with an expectation, awe and even, quite possibly, a holy fear.  But I’m amazed at how often Jesus said things like, “Listen,…”, “I tell you the truth…”, or “Whoever has an ear let them hear.”  Why did Jesus need to catch people’s attention in this way?  Had the people been so lulled into a state of absent-minded listening that they had forgotten how to listen?  Or, was Jesus, like the college professor, simply trying to ensure that people really did pay particular attention to his next statement?

 

Jesus was a master story-teller.  We can surmise by the crowds that gathered around him, people enjoyed being with him.  Not only would it have been quite refreshing for the common people to hear a Rabbi speak against the hypocrisy of the religious leaders, but they would also have been able to relate to Jesus’ stories that clearly reflected their culture and society.

Imagine, a scene in a busy village market.  Jesus is in conversation with a few people; a few others stop to listen-in, and before long, a crowd gathers.  As Jesus speaks, voices from the crowd laugh or comment in agreement.  Someone is unable to hear what was said so another person repeats it.  Those nearest Jesus are fully engaged in his every word, others further out from him are more curious as to the reason for the crowd. The sounds from the market cause background noise and passers-by create a distraction.  So, in this environment, it is not surprising that Jesus, when wanting to get across the real point of his story, would pause and give notice, “Listen… it is important you hear what I’m about to say”.

Jesus understood the importance of his words.  He knew that his words were Life and Spirit.  But he also realised that people could hear his words without receiving them.  He knew people could have been hearing without listening and listening without hearing.  So, being a master teacher, he changed his tone of voice and alerted them that something important was about to be announced.  He knew that he needed to do everything possible to increase the potential for people to truly hear his message so he would say, “Listen…”; “Incline your ear…” or “Truly I say to you…”.  And then, when he finished speaking he would often state, “Anyone who has an ear, let them hear.”