THE STORY OF JESUS: Mark 4:9-12
“Otherwise they might turn and be forgiven!” (Mark 4:12; quoting Isaiah 6:9-10)
Why does Jesus want to hide His message in simple stories?
He is quoting from Isaiah 6, when God calls Isaiah to be His messenger.
But Isaiah’s message was a warning to a stubborn and rebellious people.
They pretended to be religious, but their hearts were far from God.
They claimed to be wise, but they lived foolishly.
It’s not that God’s truth is inaccessible to them, but their stubborn souls won’t pay attention.
In Jesus’ day, the simple people were drawn to Jesus’ simple message.
Not that they understood it, but their hearts were open to it, and to Him.
Not the religious leaders, they were to proud and closed to God’s heart, they could not hear.
Or rather, they would not hear, they refused to pay attention.
As I said yesterday, the Lord is speaking to us all the time, in so many ways.
But have we become so wise, we cannot hear God anymore?
Our proud hearts and minds need to be humbled before we can turn and be forgiven.
It’s not that He doesn’t want to forgive them, but He knows they can’t be, until they repent.
The Lord is probably speaking to you about something:
— your attachment to things
— the way you handle your money
— your attitude towards certain people
— your half-hearted commitment to Him
— the secret sin you know about, but are not dealing with
— your critical spirit
— your unforgiving spirit
But He is speaking to you in parables, life lessons, examples from others.
God wants to forgive and help you, but he can’t, until your repent…
Until you soften your heart and open your mind, and hunger and thirst for His mercy and help.
If that happens, you will “turn and be forgiven!”
What do you sense the Lord saying to you?
PRAYER
Lord, where am I being stubborn, where am I being rebellious? Open my eyes and my ears to see and hear You, and to respond with repentance, trust and humble commitment to You.
Jesus follower
trying to find His way
Observations/Application
Ears.
Ears are for hearing and upon hearing, doing.
There are two groups of people here – both were present and heard the parables but only one group desired more and asked for the meaning of the parables. They had open ears and an open heart and wanted to know more. The second group were bystanders listening to the ‘stories’ and went their own way.
To hear means to do.
How am I doing His Word this day in my daily living? In my relationships in the family? Among people? In my finances? In my entertainment? In my spiritual life?
Am I listening to the Voice saying, ‘This is the Way. Walk in it.’
Lead me daily Lord by Your Spirit so that do walk in Your Way with open ears and an open heart with willing feet and hands that do Your will.
Open, Lord, my inward ear,
And bid my heart rejoice;
Bid my quiet spirit hear
Thy comfortable voice;
Never in the whirlwind found,
Or where earthquakes rock the place,
Still and silent is the sound,
The whisper of thy grace.
From the world of sin, and noise,
And hurry I withdraw;
For the small and inward voice
I wait with humble awe;
Silent am I now and still,
Dare not in thy presence move;
To my waiting soul reveal
The secret of thy love.
Thou didst undertake for me,
For me to death wast sold;
Wisdom in a mystery
Of bleeding love unfold;
Teach the lesson of thy cross,
Let me die, with thee to reign;
All things let me count but loss,
So I may thee regain.
Show me, as my soul can bear,
The depth of inbred sin;
All the unbelief declare,
The pride that lurks within;
Take me, whom thyself hast bought,
Bring into captivity
Every high aspiring thought
That would not stoop to thee.
Lord, my time is in thy hand,
My soul to thee convert;
Thou canst make me understand,
Though I am slow of heart;
Thine in whom I live and move,
Thine the work, the praise is thine;
Thou art wisdom, power, and love,
And all thou art is mine.