Our Greatest Challenge

This was written 11-27-1996 (19 years ago!) before the internet blog was common, for a church newsletter.  It does (to me) seem dated, yet it still has some valid points.  I would probably write it quite differently today, but to keep it in it's setting, time, place, and writers style, I will not change it, but I may add comments in red.

It seems apparent that something has gone wrong. Why do people feel nothing when they see others violently die in a television news show? How is it that we can have horrible vengeful thoughts against the one who cuts us off in heavy traffic? To what extent will perversion of the law need to go? Why does the world seem to be in a great moral and Spiritual spiral downward heading who knows where? I have for a long time known that the answer is to be found within the Bible, but it is truly difficult to find the answer until we can really understand the problem which underlies the crash our society is experiencing.

When we as Christians feel at a loss to explain these things among ourselves, it can be difficult to explain them to others. In our effort to explain them to others we can easily bypass the most important foundations for the answers to these questions people are looking for.

We say there is sin in the world. We say the world is full of sinners. Granted. ...but we also say the world is not our home. We cry out in anger that if only we could get a Christian in office (you fill in the political place) we would not see such horrible societal shames. We say that the problems of the world are due to the lack of Christian involvement.

What is not always apparent to us as Christians is these answers are actually hurting the situation. Not only are they insincere, they are filled with all kinds of other messages. Such as the world is not our home so I don’t care. Or, if we could get a Christian in office then things would be better since Christians don’t sin. Or worse yet, if we could get a Christian in office we could get rid of (you fill in the blank) and establish credibility in America. It is as if to say all non-Christians are beasts! Of course, I am not advocating any form of perfectionism here, just positing the ideas which some seem to implicitly embrace.

One of the strongest examples of this poor attitude is in some recent T.V. commercials. The goal of it is to persuade those people on the side of a womans choice that abortion is wrong. What happens during these ads I do not know. One scene of each of these ads shows a poor aborted baby. This is a shame to Christians everywhere!

Christians, who purport to value life, and the dignity of life, and who use this value as a tenant of their belief against abortion, have abandoned this tenant when they show ads such as these. Any ordinary person who has died is given a proper respectful place of display in a casket, open or closed, prior to burial. If the deceased one had died in a horrible disfiguring accident the casket would be closed. This is due to the value all people place on human life. How can we justify our attitude with ads such as these? This is both convicting to me, but I also see the validity to the display now.  We only need to look at Emmet Till to find a modern parallel. I think I have changed my position on the matter - but I am not certain - for the points I raised are still valid.  The issue is not that human dignity is not sacred, but that the crimes ought not be 'swept under the rug' for decency sake.  As long as there is a reverence for the life taken, since this one not only deserves dignity, but also justice, showing the crime, by presenting the results, may be reasonable.

There is the response that we have up to this time given to the world when they ask rightly, "Why is the world in such a mess as it is?". As a Christian I have been grieved by the answers given by such groups as "The Christian Coalition", or "The COalition of Politically Active Christians (COPAC)". It seems as though something dreadful has happened. Have we actually bought into the idea that society can be changed by changing the laws? It seems so, since these organizations would cease to exist without some form of donation. What about the Biblical truth that renewal comes from a change in the heart!? (see II Corinthians 5:17-18 & Romans 12:1-2). Haven’t we turned the equation around. If we think that the heart will change if the laws are different we are kidding ourselves. Changing the laws in Washington will not affect those who desire to have an abortion! I do not believe that we as Christians are showing true humility in the answers we have been giving. Have we forgotten God’s sovereignty? Do we no longer believe God is really in control?  Now, while I agree with all of this, I do not mean to say that we should not be seeking to end abortion legally - but that the reasons we are doing so, are frequently to invalidate the gospel!

We are not to judge non-Christians. God has already condemned them for their sin as he did you and I. We ought to pray for them, care for them, love them, so that they are no longer our enemies. Moreover we should witness to them of our God and Savior Jesus the Messiah who is in control (if we really believe that...) and Who desires them to accept the sacrifice He paid for the payment of their sins by dying on the cross.

When we stoop to such a level as we have been, we trade jab for jab with our opponents in a boxing match we will loose. If we who are Christians jump down to their level, we deny the sovereignty of God by saying "God is not doing anything (or enough), so I guess I’ll have to go to work to help Him!", and "God’s obviously impotent, so I’ll have to pitch-hit for Him!"

How can this be!? Our battle should be placed before the Lord. Who are we, as puny people, to dare speak to God this way. Our actions have been screaming this and more.

In Corinth, Paul had a situation where a Christian brother was having an affair with his stepmother and boasting about it. Even the gentiles were in shame over such a sin. Is it any wonder our evangelistic efforts are ineffective? May we seek to do good in a right way and not just so the end is justified - lest our efforts to do good be invalidated.   

Our Greatest Loss

This was written 11-23-1996 (19 years ago!) before the internet blog was common for a church newsletter.  It does (to me) seem dated, yet it still has some valid points.  I would probably write it quite differently today, but to keep it in it's setting, time, place, and writers style, I will not change it, but I may add comments in red.

There have been many things upon my heart to write recently. It is my hope that this short essay elicits some very deep thoughts. We have, as a society, given in to the sound bite to such a degree that I don’t think we think deeply enough. It is not as though we are shallowminded, but rather we tend to get flabby minded because we do not exercise our deep thinking skills enough.
The title of this essay is Our greatest loss. As a society we have truly lost something invaluable. Some might say that we never had it, but I believe that we all have it to varying degrees and some of us have surrendered more of it than others. What is it that we have lost?

What we have lost is of a cost too great to be paid. Although in theory some might try to regain it by working hard. Let me try to explain. This which we have lost has left us each with an emptiness where it once was. So we try to fill the hole or cover the hole so as to appear whole and be whole in and of ourselves. Since what we have lost is so difficult to replace we spend inordinate amounts of time and money to find the perfect fit, something to hide our great loss. What is worse, we lose more and more of it on a regular basis for varying reasons. In sort of a desperation we begin to point to other people and their loss to redirect the attention of people away from what has now become our shame.

Confused yet!! It really should be apparent, yet because of our attempts to hide our loss, it may not be. I am referring to the loss of our innocence. Not only as a people, or nation, but as individuals. It is innocence which we seek to find, as we diligently look to fill the place it once resided within our hearts. And this was in Adam.
As a participant observer I have seen this search take many forms, in others as well as myself. One might long for the "good ol’ days" however they are defined for him. Another might immerse herself in a search of her roots. Some might try to redefine innocence as something far less so, thereby finding consolation in that they have not lost so much. Personally, I have felt a strong desire to live in a small town like where I grew up.

No matter how hard we try, innocence is not going to be found. Except by the guilt that takes it’s place naturally. Which brings us to the difficult part of this essay. Earlier I mentioned all of us having some degree of innocence. This means that we all have varying degrees of guilt as well. Some of you will not agree.

Guilt implies some law to exist in order that it may be broken. Some of you may disagree that any law exists, but many laws exist, some with great permanency. For instance, take the law of gravity. It exists as surely as you can walk on the earth, for without it you couldn’t! The laws of nature are not laws that one can take or leave. We are all subject to them. A man cannot give birth to a baby. If you really believe you can pick and choose what laws to obey, why do we all look both ways before we cross the street? Because it’s either the bus or me! (credit the example to Dr. Ravi Zacharias)

To whom or what do we therefore have this guilt? Or are the laws we live by just random chance, as in the theory of evolution. If so, we are truly in a hopeless position and might just as well eat, drink, and party, for who knows what comes next?

Scary thought, and dismal too, isn’t it? Many of us live in just this paradox. We live in such a broken up, sound bite world. We tend to have our whole life in tiny compartments. Thereby the guilt we feel in one area need not affect our whole life. Who are we kidding?! We are whole people who are guilty though our whole being. It is important to remember that though we have varying degrees of guilt, any bit of guilt at all results in that we are now guilty. Perhaps not so guilty as another, but indeed guilty. We may not even feel the guilt, but we do feel the loss of innocence. If there really is a law out there which we have broken, the penalty must be paid, so that we can get on with life. What kind of life is it to hide guilt all day long? Or to hide our loss?

To whom or what do we therefore have this guilt? To the lawmaker, most obviously. God did create the world, and the rules which govern it. Therefore it is to Him that we need to pay the penalty. Recall my earlier statement - what we have lost is of a cost too great to be paid. Our guilt has too high a price tag for us to pay. If not surely we would have determined the price. Consider some of the great religions of the world, Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Shintoism. They each had some price to free people from their guilt. Some sort of sacrifice usually, although in various forms. Either a personal sacrifice of lifestyle, or an actual sacrificial offering given to a priest to be offered up to God. Yet none of these things is satisfactory to a God who is all powerful and perfect. Even our best sacrificial efforts to pay for our guilt are unacceptable. Why should this be so? Why can’t God just accept our offerings and restore our innocence? It is much like a young boy who has disobeyed his father. The boy can make all kinds of attempts to satisfy his father but he must realize that his father doesn’t want any of that.

God is ready to forgive you, free you of your guilt, and restore your innocence. Are you ready to quit trying to earn your right to be heard by God? Isn’t it enough to know he desires only that you recognize Him as God, and He has already set up a rule for restoration? For God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not die but have eternal life. God did not send his Son into the world to be its judge, but to be its Savior.

Please, if you have not settled accounts with God, do so today! Tommorrow has never been promised. Speak to Pastor John or Dave or one of the Deacons about this essay.These men were the Pastors and deacons of Forest Glen Baptist Church, Chicago IL  If you live out of the Forest Glen area speak to the Pastor of the church local to you. Why gamble on tommorrow living a semi-satisfying existence? I would not have worded this last sentence like this today.  My revision might look like this, "Why gamble on God's grace - you do not know if you have tomorrow!" 

If Christ provides only a part of our salvation, leaving us to provide the rest, then we are still hopeless under the load of sin. - J. Gresham Machen

This is what my mother struggled with 2 months before she succumbed. She said to me, "I just don't know if I have done enough for Him." I then illustrated to her again how that Christ died for her sins BEFORE she had yet to commit even one of them! "Which of them" I asked, "did He not die for? Surely you do not think that He died for only those sins you committed until you believed?" She left uncertain that night. I can only hope her trust was in the Lord Alone! My mother passed April 18th, 2004.

The Calling of Christ

(This message was preached 11/18/15 at Heritage Baptist Church http://www.sermonaudio.com/sermoninfo.asp?SID=1119151234296 )

THESIS: to illustrate the call of the Lord upon believers and the appropriate response to said call.

This evening we’ll be considering the next 7 verses in Mark Chapter 1.  Please turn there, vs. 14-20, “Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.

Now as he walked by the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew his brother casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers. And Jesus said unto them, Come ye after me, and I will make you to become fishers of men. And straightway they forsook their nets, and followed him. And when he had gone a little farther thence, he saw James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, who also were in the ship mending their nets. And straightway he called them: and they left their father Zebedee in the ship with the hired servants, and went after him.” (Mark 1:14-20)

Introduction

This is the 4^th time I am speaking to you from Mark, and I’d like to remind you of the essential themes of each message.  The First message, on verses 1 – 8, were on John the Baptist and his preparing a people for the Christ. Next we considered verse 9 – 11, the baptism of Christ. Last month we looked at verses 12 – 13, the temptation of Christ. 

Are you seeing a pattern develop?  Today’s message is on The Call of Christ.  You see, while the various gospel accounts each have their own individual theme, together the overarching theme is Christ, the Messiah has come!

And as we are looking at Mark once again, I’d like to ask if there are any of our young people who can tell me what is the theme of Mark, or the key verse.

The revealing of the servant of the Lord.

“For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.” (Mark 10:45)

Verses 14-15 we read of the arrival of Christ, immediately after his baptism and temptation.  Recall that Galilee was some 90 miles north Judea and of the city of Jerusalem.  Here it is that Christ officially begins his ministry.   Towns such as Cana, Capernaum, Nain, Bethsaida, and Nazareth are found there, as well as the Sea of Galilee.  This sea has had a number of names over the years.  The Sea of Gennesaret, the Sea of Galilee, and the Sea of Tiberius.  Mark simply calls it the Sea of Galilee. 

To give you an idea of the size of the sea, compared to a nearby lake, Geneva Lake in Wisconsin.  This lake is 8 square miles in surface area.  The Sea of Galilee is by contrast 64 Square miles. 

It is in this area Christ begins to preach much the same message as John.  And after John is essentially off the scene.  Christ calls out Repent and believe the gospel!  The time is come!

Body of Message

Mark simply tells us that He saw Simon and Andrew casting their net into the sea.  What we don’t read here is that it was Christ who asked them to do so! 

In Luke 5:1-11 we read of the same account from Luke’s point of view.  It is a familiar account.  Please follow along as I read.

And it came to pass, that, as the people pressed upon him to hear the word of God, he stood by the lake of Gennesaret, And saw two ships standing by the lake: but the fishermen were gone out of them, and were washing their nets. And he entered into one of the ships, which was Simon's, and prayed him that he would thrust out a little from the land. And he sat down, and taught the people out of the ship.

Now when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught. And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net. And when they had this done, they inclosed a great multitude of fishes: and their net brake.

And they beckoned unto their partners, which were in the other ship, that they should come and help them. And they came, and filled both the ships, so that they began to sink. When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord. For he was astonished, and all that were with him, at the draught of the fishes which they had taken: And so was also James, and John, the sons of Zebedee, which were partners with Simon. And Jesus said unto Simon, Fear not; from henceforth thou shalt catch men. And when they had brought their ships to land, they forsook all, and followed him. (Luke 5:1-11)

So here we have Christ using Peter’s boat as a platform to teach the people (v. 3). I want you to notice the response of Peter – He explains to Christ that the fish aren’t cooperating!  We have toiled all night and taken nothing. Nevertheless, at thy word, I will let down the net.   

And after the amazing catch we see Peter’s confession in verse 8, Depart from me Lord, for I am a sinful man.  Our Lord’s response is a compassionate one, as seen in the phrase Fear not!

So as we go along I have to ask, why are the two accounts different?  Again we are forced to address this question!  One reason, I suspect, is that Mark is, as he gathered his material from Peter, only reflecting Peter’s recollections.  In addition, Mark himself may be helping Peter save face in not recording the confession, “I am a sinful man”

Does it matter that Marks account is less complete than that of Luke’s?  I bring this up because we live in a day when the foundations are being destroyed, and our foundation is the Word of God!

While I was a student at Bible school, I was taught the synoptic ‘problem’ and it’s ‘solution’ – a figmentary document called ‘Q’.  Never mind that no such document has ever been found or even referenced historically.  Yet here at a supposedly conservative school was this liberal theory being taught!

Yet apart from this false theory, we do have to address the question of Mark’s apparent incompleteness.  As believers in the inerrancy of Scripture, that it is without error, and its infallibility, that it is unfailing, we therefore look to this Book as the complete Word of God.

Does the book of Mark stand apart from the Scripture as God’s Word?  There may be a sense in which it does. Yet such times are long past.  Marks account stands as part of a completed Canon. We look at the whole of the Bible as Scripture and though any given unit is a complete unit, the Bible itself is only completed if all the individual books are a part.  Mark does NOT stand alone.  We must allow Scripture to inform us on Scripture.  One of my very favorite study tools is the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. It is an extensive list of cross-references on each and every verse in the Bible.  Get a copy if you don’t have it!

So we are right to consider Luke’s account as we exposit Mark.  Indeed we would be wrong not to do so! Let us now go on to the theological matters of the call of the Lord upon our lives.  In verse 20 of our text we see what the Lord did was to call the men.  Therefore let’s do a short word study.

A.  Review of the textual examples the word call

a.    The call to life (effectual call) John 11:43, Lazarus, come forth!

This is that first or primary call which one hears and which results in our salvation.  Our brother has been preaching on this very passage for a number of weeks so I won’t dig too deeply here.  We were dead in sins and trespasses and hearing the call, are made alive in Christ.  When Christ calls a man – he is bound to come.  It has been said down through the ages, that if Jesus in calling Lazarus to come forth had only said, “Come forth!” all the dead would have arisen. 

b.   Calls in Genesis

                                                            i.      Gen. 17:5, This is the renaming of Abram (exalted father) to Abraham (father of a multitude). The application of the term reflects here a recognition of a change in relationship.  Abram is not the high father any longer, but God having exalted him even higher – by making him a father of many nations, changes his name to show him that which was, but was not yet.

                                                        ii.      21:12, “for in Isaac shall thy seed be called.” This is using the word call as a reference to a position. Rebecca was being tormented over her son Isaac, by Hagar.  This long awaited son, born to an elderly couple would be to great Joy and not trouble. Hagar’s son would NOT have the position.

                                                     iii.      32:27-28 (also 35:10) Jacob (supplanter) is renamed Israel (Contended with God) after the wrestling with God.

 

c.    NT Examples of a change in relationship or identity

                                                            i.      Rom. 1:1, 6, 7; 8:28 “called to be an apostle”, “the called of Jesus Christ”, “called to be saints”

                                                        ii.      I Cor. 1:1, 2, 24 “called to be an apostle”, “called to be saints”, “But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.”

                                                     iii.      Jude 1 “Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to them that are sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ, and called.”

                                                      iv.      Rev. 17:14b “they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.”

 

d.   Examples of a change in purpose

                                                            i.      I Thes. 4:7 “For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness.”

                                                        ii.      II Thes. 1:11a “Wherefore also we pray always for you, that our God would count you worthy of this calling”

                                                     iii.      II Tim. 1:9a “Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling”

I went through that long list to establish something.  There are many, many, more verses we could look up in order to be exhaustive in the matter.  But I believe I have selected enough to establish the following point.

The idea of the call brings with it a measure of identity.  It brings with it a measure of relationship.  And it brings a responsibility to the table.  When Christ calls you to follow Him, it is no light matter.  Your identity is utterly changed!  You are not who you once were!  And what you do now, in light of this new creation you have become is a reflection of that change.  Not only is it a reflection of the change, what you do, how you live, who you befriend, how you speak – all of these things, and many more, reflect upon the One who called you.  There is that aspect of relationship. 

There was once a time, when you did not concern yourself with what you did and how you did it, unless it bugged you personally.  Now however, you want to live so that He who has called you to new life sees that new life within!  You want to show Him his calling was NOT in vain! 

For those of you who are married, you have a new calling, now that you are bonded to another.  Indeed, if you were the female you even had your name changed!  This is that same idea.  So when we think of Christ calling Peter to be a fisher of men – this was no small matter either to Christ, or to Peter!  The very purpose of Peter’s existence had been modified!  And such is this with you, Christian! 

You received a call from Christ.  You now have a new relationship, identity, and purpose.  You have been called in a holy calling to live holy lives because you reflect a Holy God!

Now this calling does not come without responsibilities – and such responsibilities sometimes are that which undo us.  Please turn to Luke 9:57-62.

B.  Challenges to the call (Luke 9:57-62)

And it came to pass, that, as they went in the way, a certain man said unto him, Lord, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest. And Jesus said unto him, Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.

And he said unto another, Follow me. But he said, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father. Jesus said unto him, Let the dead bury their dead: but go thou and preach the kingdom of God.

And another also said, Lord, I will follow thee; but let me first go bid them farewell, which are at home at my house. And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God. (Luke 9:57-62)

This is where we find this new relationship, this new identity and purpose most difficult.  We think to ourselves, how can I put my hand to the plow and NEVER look back?!  That’s not possible.  And what about sin? Isn’t it the fact that I am constantly disqualifying myself?

We should shudder at times reading such passages.  Yet we should not live in a craven fear that we will not make it!  We should remember that we are to examine ourselves to see if we are in the faith. (2 Cor. 13:5)  So how do we answer Christ, when He sees us as not being fit for the kingdom?

Well, as this is a message on the call of Peter, Andrew, James and John, let’s look at how one man did.  Consider Peter – that first among the apostles.  Yet this man, who said he’d never deny the Lord did so, and even abandoned Him in His hour of need.  Even before Peter denied Him, he fell asleep when he should have been praying.  The Lords commentary is revealing though.  Matthew 26:41, “Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” He knows our weakness, that we are only dust.  Nevertheless, though Peter could not stay awake 1 hour, though he fled, Christ did not turn from him.  He pursued Peter.  This call was not a new relationship for Peter only.  When Christ calls a man, it is the fact that there is an evident love He has for the man.  A love so deep that He was willing to die to get the man.  So while it is the fact that we are to put our hand to the plow and not turn back, when we do, we ought not to lose heart.  “Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.” (1 Pet. 5:7) Remember that verse? – Peter wrote it!

C.  Challenge to the congregation (appeal)

Let’s review what we’ve looked at this evening.  Christ calls his first disciples and they left everything, and followed Him.  No small sacrifice was asked, the boats, the nets, the business relationships – all was left behind. That’s what He is asking of us!

Have you left it all behind?  Or is there some small closet where you have held out.  What about keeping you hand on the plow?  Have you let it slip? 

Or how about those new idols you’ve taken up.  Sure you say – I have a great testimony – left it all for Christ.  But that was years ago!  What worldly ways have you returned to?  What small idolatry has taken root?

This call is a relationship change.  That means work.  Think about your best friend.  It could be a spouse, but it might by a close friend.  Ask yourself – are you growing in that friendship?  You should be!  Such is the natural course of life. 

What have you invested in that friendship to keep it living?  Went out for coffee? Wrote an e-mail? Went for a walk just to be with them?  How about the relationship with the Lord who saved you for a holy calling out of the sin and filth you once lived in?  Are you cultivating a vital friendship with Him?

Do you read His Word regularly?  Do you think on it – pondering His character, or pondering what He would have you to do in light of given circumstances?

How often do we really live in the light of Christ?  I really wish I had some interesting stories to illustrate the point of this probing questions, but I suspect, many of the stories are already written. Read your Bible!  Hebrews 11 is often the first place we look, and perhaps rightly – but don’t forget to ponder the lives of Joseph, David, Daniel and others! 

Look to the biographies of saints of old.  Often we can be so completely challenged and encouraged to read of the struggles they worked through as they answered this call of Christ in their lives! 

We’ve been blessed this year to have a number of our young people follow the Lord in the waters of baptism.  Think about it – there was a great celebration.  What about it – Are you continuing on?  The marriage begins after the honeymoon is over!  Don’t let the amazement that He called you grow cold! Cultivate it!  Read, pray, act in accordance with holiness, since that’s your new life! 

Now, while the majority of this message was directed to the Christian, what about you who haven’t yet come to Christ.  You’ve been thinking about it.  What’s holding you back?  Some of you young people may be for the 1^st time thinking about what Jesus did for you.  Are you ready?  Has He called You?!

Amen.

Who are the Brethren of the LORD?

"Then His mother and brothers came to Him, and could not approach Him because of the crowd.  And it was told Him by some, who said, “Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside, desiring to see You.” But He answered and said to them, “My mother and My brothers are these who hear the word of God and do it.” Luke 8:19-21
"And He stretched out His hand toward His disciples and said, “Here are My mother and My brothers!  For whoever does the will of My Father in heaven is My brother and sister and mother.” Matthew 12:49-50

Notice how this event is recorded slightly differently by each apostle.  This is how the Spirit takes hold of the Apostles Matthew & Luke, both having seen the same event, yet recording those details in slightly different order or emphasis.  In Luke it is the hearing of the Word and the doing of it which are significant.  In Matthew it is the doing of the will of the Father.

Yet...

Since both teachings derive from apostles and from the same account, we may make additional conclusions about the account.  We may state that it is the hearing and doing of the Word of God which is the will of the Father.  And secondly it is those who demonstrate the will of the Father in hearing and doing what they read and study in the Scriptures which identify them as brethren of the Lord.

Oh how rich are the Scriptures if we would only submit ourselves to them!

Do you Hear what I hear? The Word is calling to you!

“Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God.  Those by the wayside are the ones who hear; then the devil comes and takes away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved.  But the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, who believe for a while and in time of temptation fall away.  Now the ones that fell among thorns are those who, when they have heard, go out and are choked with cares, riches, and pleasures of life, and bring no fruit to maturity.  But the ones that fell on the good ground are those who, having heard the word with a noble and good heart, keep it and bear fruit with patience. (Luke 8:11-15)

The explanation of the parable has always applied primarily in reference to evangelism.  I still believe that, however, I cannot help but to see a secondary application which is directed toward believers.

Are there not times in your life when the Word pricks you to the heart? And do you not at times, hide from it in busyness of life or let it be choked aside by the cares of this world?

Verse 15 is very interesting also, "But the ones that fell on the good ground are those who, having heard the word with a noble and good heart, keep it and bear fruit with patience." (NKJV)

All kinds of questions arise, such as how did they come to have an 'honest and good heart'?  The Holman Christian Study Bible (HCSB) translates as follows, "But the seed in the good ground—these are the ones who, having heard the word with an honest and good heart, hold on to it and by enduring, bear fruit."

If they did not ask, they would not know the meaning of the parable (vs. 9).  This still resonates in my heart.  It instructs us that we will not know the mysteries of the Kingdom if we do not ourselves ask in prayer for the illuminating light of the Spirit.  Also, if we would know anything, it must be by the study of the Word!  It takes work.  We must apply ourselves to it if we hope to be instructed. 

When the disciples asked Christ, He did not evade their question, or give them more than they could grasp.  He told them first, why He speaks in parables, and then plainly explained the matter.  Today we have the matter openly revealed in the Word, (vs. 11-15) and for this reason we are often negligent to study and ask the Spirit's enlightenment of the passage. 

The HCSB's rendering of verse 15 is quite revealing.  We bear fruit, by enduring.  'Having heard the Word' hearkens (no pun intended!) back to verse 8 where we read 'he who has ears to hear'.

There is a great emphasis upon the hearing of the Word.  Four times in 5 verses (11-15) we read of a hearing of the Word referenced.  I am reminded of the great passage in Romans 10, especially verse 17, "So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God."

Some things we learn from this parable -

·        The Word must be heard.  In order for a man to be affected by it, in some way he must be given over to it, either by reading and study, or by preaching and study.  It must be planted.

·        Not every party who hears will let it do its good work.  (This does not invalidate the Word.  Isaiah 55:11, “So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.” God is at all times sovereign.)  Some will be robbed of it by Satan, some will let other matters of the world choke it out, and some will not water it.  All of these matters could be rectified if the party hearing would have faith and pray for help.  Mark 9:24 records a prayer of just the sort needed, "Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!”" All people - believers as well,  need to pray as this man at times.  For we all do fade as a leaf - but God is the strength of our heart!

·        Finally we see that by patient endurance we shall bear fruit.  By patient endurance is our faith shown to be real by the outside world.  We are told in verse 15 that having heard the Word, we keep it.  What does this mean except that in the Word there are matters of responsibility which we need to hold on to.  Having heard the Word, we are now held accountable to that Word to obedience.  And it is this which shows a noble and good heart - given by the very Word, is now the heart within. 

Do you think good of God?  Let us strive to hear the word regularly, pray for help from the Spirit regularly, keep the commandments faithfully, repent when we fail, and by enduring in this way, bear fruit for the Kingdom of God!

Hiding the Truth?!

And when a great multitude had gathered, and they had come to Him from every city, He spoke by a parable:  5 “A sower went out to sow his seed. And as he sowed, some fell by the wayside; and it was trampled down, and the birds of the air devoured it.  6 Some fell on rock; and as soon as it sprang up, it withered away because it lacked moisture. 7 And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up with it and choked it.  8 But others fell on good ground, sprang up, and yielded a crop a hundredfold.” When He had said these things He cried, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear!”

9 Then His disciples asked Him, saying, “What does this parable mean?”

10 And He said, “To you it has been given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God, but to the rest it is given in parables, that ‘Seeing they may not see, And hearing they may not understand.’  (Luke 8:4-10)

I think this is the 1^st time in Luke a parable has been recorded. The fact of parables leads us to ask questions of our Lord.  Why hide the truth from some? How is that fair?  Verse 10 plainly states, "And He said, “To you it has been given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God, but to the rest it is given in parables, that ‘Seeing they may not see, And hearing they may not understand.’"

This is the explanation given by our Lord to his disciples as to why he speaks in parables.  Compare this with Isa 6:9-10 where we read of Isaiah's commissioning.  Is it really the case that Christ is seeking to hide the truth of God that men might not see, hear, and 'be converted'?!

Matthew 7:6 contains a parallel concept which we shall consider at this point. "Do not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you in pieces."

In a sense we can see where this leads. When Christ shrouds the truth in parables he is not seeking to bar the truth from any who come to Him.  Those who are really truly interested will seek to work through the matter. 

Dogs and swine, as pictured here, are not interested to work hard to know the real meaning of a passage - for the truth is not their goal.  Their interest is solely to twist and malign the Lord of glory.  They know not their souls condition, and think themselves well because of their unbelief.  In a very real sense, what parables do is to divide the sheep from the goats.

We read in Matthew 18:1-6 of the little child who comes to Christ.  The verses of note are 3 - 4, "Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.”

Here is a good opportunity to pose a question - Why are you seeking to understand the Scripture? What is your motive? This is what gets at the heart of the matter. 

We read that in vs. 9 the disciples asked Christ what it meant.  Why did they do this?  Because they were disciples!  They were bound and determined to know the truth!  The very definition of a disciple is one who is a learner.  A student MUST be willing to accept the precepts the Teacher is presenting.  What kept the others from coming?  Nothing but pride or laziness.  They have not because they ask not. We read in Matthew 7:7, “Ask and it shall be given you, seek and ye shall find.” 

What a privilege all men have today!  When this parable was first given, those outside were not given the key to understand (vs. 11 - 15).  But we today have the whole matter disclosed before us! All may read and understand if only they would!

Are you still troubled that anyone would apparently be barred from the door?  Earlier I referenced the humility of a little child as a requirement to understand.  Yet those Jews of old were stubborn, and they were filled with pride.  They would not come and stand with the disciples to learn the truth of the matter and this of their own accord.  No one has barred them from coming - Especially not the Lord.  He is simply showing them their prideful condition, in forcing them to humble themselves in order to know. We have the blessing right before us, but such requires us to be ready to learn from the master. 

 

Our responsibility is to humble ourselves - give up our own understanding of matters and accept what he states.  Sometimes this means we simply take the explanation given. Sometimes we need to be humble enough to ask Him (vs. 9).