Acts 17:21 "For all the Athenians and foreigners who were there spent their time in nothing else but either to tell or to hear some new thing."
These guys loved new things! Talking about them, hearing about them, just so long as it was fresh and revelatory. Now at first, it seemed like Paul was making some serious headway. They were all interested in what he had to say and why not, it was NEW! The problem was that the only thing open was their heads but not their hearts. Tickle my intellect, but don't prick my heart. More information, but please no transformation. They even wanted Paul to come back tomorrow and tell them more! Wow, an open door! Every evangelist wants to hear that, let’s make a series! I hope they are recording this, there is a real market for it.
There was only one little problem. Only a few accepted the message "However, some men joined them and believed", so few in fact that he even goes on to name most of them. Few were saved because few were interested in truth that changes, but instead in “knowledge that puffs up”.
Much of the American Church is right here. We have amassed so many teachings, books, CDs, series, sermons and hot new revelations right off the presses, but what we lack most is transformation. We must move past what makes our head happy and into what makes our hearts sad. Sad? But all the latest "Christian" books say how happy I can be. I speak of sorrow, yes the “sorrow that leads unto repentance”.
Information without transformation is decimation. If we go down this road, it’s just a matter of time until our heads explode. You have seen that happen every time a well known minister is caught up in scandal. It is always sad, they had the information, but never allowed the transformation. It all stayed in their head, never penetrated the heart.
People often quote Isaiah 55:11 “My word… shall not return unto Me void…” as if to say that just hearing it automatically means the hearer has changed (It makes us feel better about the lack of results). The first problem is that often times the “words” spoken were never God’s Word, just ear tickling speeches eloquently delivered to impress and wow the hearer. The second problem in the Word not returning void assumes it has returned. Clearly in the Parable of the Sower in Matthew 13 the seed sown is the Word of God. Some people’s soil is too shallow or rocky. Others have too many cares (thorns) and in either case the Word does not establish roots and thrive. Not everyone that heard the Word responded, only those who were good soil. Matt. 13:23 says, “But he who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.”
When we respond to God’s Word, it will return to Him with a great harvest. Is God’s Word bringing transformation in your life or are you just amassing information and gaining a false assurance of spiritual growth? Do you live what you know?
We are all a work in process, but the key is to be in process. I encourage and challenge you to pursue Jesus and His Word in a way that will change your life.
When we live what we know, the world will want to know Who we are living for. God and His future children are waiting for us to live what we know.
These guys loved new things! Talking about them, hearing about them, just so long as it was fresh and revelatory. Now at first, it seemed like Paul was making some serious headway. They were all interested in what he had to say and why not, it was NEW! The problem was that the only thing open was their heads but not their hearts. Tickle my intellect, but don't prick my heart. More information, but please no transformation. They even wanted Paul to come back tomorrow and tell them more! Wow, an open door! Every evangelist wants to hear that, let’s make a series! I hope they are recording this, there is a real market for it.
There was only one little problem. Only a few accepted the message "However, some men joined them and believed", so few in fact that he even goes on to name most of them. Few were saved because few were interested in truth that changes, but instead in “knowledge that puffs up”.
Much of the American Church is right here. We have amassed so many teachings, books, CDs, series, sermons and hot new revelations right off the presses, but what we lack most is transformation. We must move past what makes our head happy and into what makes our hearts sad. Sad? But all the latest "Christian" books say how happy I can be. I speak of sorrow, yes the “sorrow that leads unto repentance”.
Information without transformation is decimation. If we go down this road, it’s just a matter of time until our heads explode. You have seen that happen every time a well known minister is caught up in scandal. It is always sad, they had the information, but never allowed the transformation. It all stayed in their head, never penetrated the heart.
People often quote Isaiah 55:11 “My word… shall not return unto Me void…” as if to say that just hearing it automatically means the hearer has changed (It makes us feel better about the lack of results). The first problem is that often times the “words” spoken were never God’s Word, just ear tickling speeches eloquently delivered to impress and wow the hearer. The second problem in the Word not returning void assumes it has returned. Clearly in the Parable of the Sower in Matthew 13 the seed sown is the Word of God. Some people’s soil is too shallow or rocky. Others have too many cares (thorns) and in either case the Word does not establish roots and thrive. Not everyone that heard the Word responded, only those who were good soil. Matt. 13:23 says, “But he who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.”
When we respond to God’s Word, it will return to Him with a great harvest. Is God’s Word bringing transformation in your life or are you just amassing information and gaining a false assurance of spiritual growth? Do you live what you know?
We are all a work in process, but the key is to be in process. I encourage and challenge you to pursue Jesus and His Word in a way that will change your life.
When we live what we know, the world will want to know Who we are living for. God and His future children are waiting for us to live what we know.
good stuff man...preach on preacha
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