At the end of Paul’s sermon in Acts 13, he has put a fork in the road for the listeners to either receive the teaching or reject it. That begs the question: When the message of truth comes to us, what do we do with it?
I’m not referring to a one-time acceptance of the gospel message that came to us at our conversion. I’m referring to the ministry of the Word that we receive through preaching, teaching and discipleship.
Our responses can be boiled down into 3 general categories…
1) “I’m kind of indifferent. I’m just waiting for Christ to improve my life and I’m hoping he will like me coming to church and give me what I want; or at the very least remove this annoying guilt from my conscience.”
2) “That’s nice and informative. I like learning interesting and new things.”
3) “I’m very needy of Christ’s teachings through which I can die to my flesh and live for his purposes and glory. I know I need my mind renewed in God’s word in order to turn from the sinful thinking and living I am inclined towards.” True faith always leads to this third response in some measure.
We must be careful how we listen beloved. Hearing the truth is an essential piece of growth in Christ, but just hearing with our ears potentially has the same effect as a student just showing up to his or her high school classes. There is no guarantee that anything positive will happen unless great effort is put forth in response to what is being taught.
Listen to the words of Jesus from Mark 4:24…“Take care what you listen to (Pay attention to what you hear (ESV)). By your standard of measure it will be measured to you; and more will be given you besides. 25 For whoever has, to him more shall be given; and whoever does not have, even what he has shall be taken away from him.” (NASB)
May we do this and not scoff at the words of Christ so that we may grow up into salvation or the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ.
How do you listen?
