Listening to What God Says

Luke 8:16-21

As the economic situation has continued, we become more and more aware of the efforts to cover and conceal what has been going on in economic and political circles. Knowing their actions will be offensive, they try to cover it with secrecy and darkness. John 3:19-20 describes this. “And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.”

A person who is trying to help others, on the other hand, makes what has been done obvious so others can benefit. He doesn’t try to hide what has been done. As the economic situation makes clear, the truth will eventually come out.

“No man, when he hath lighted a candle, covereth it with a vessel, or putteth it under a bed; but setteth it on a candlestick, that they which enter in may see the light. For nothing is secret, that shall not be made manifest; neither any thing hid, that shall not be known and come abroad.” (Luke 8:16-17)

Mankind has tried to hide sin since Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden but as Hebrews 4: 13 warns, “Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.” David describes the depth of Gods knowledge of our actions in Psalm 139:1-11. “O LORD, thou hast searched me, and known me. Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off. Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways. For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O LORD, thou knowest it altogether. Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it.

Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me. If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me. Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee."

God has complete knowledge of both our actions and our intent. As a result, a good appearance or token effort will not suffice. Only a genuine effort to do what is right is acceptable. It is critical that we learn what God desires.

“Take heed therefore how ye hear: for whosoever hath, to him shall be given; and whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he seemeth to have.” (Luke 18:8)

I John 4 tells us that one way of knowing whether a person is of God is whether they heed his teachings and commands. Matthew 13:12-17 explains that parable made those who thought about what he said clear, but for those who didn’t care, it was easy to just accept the story at face value and never examine the real teaching.

“For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath. Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand. And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive: For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.

But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear. For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.” (Matthew 13:12-17)

Even family relationships pale by comparison with learning and obeying God’s word. Later in Luke 14:26-27 Jesus points out that our most sacred and important human obligations are secondary to our obedience to God. “If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.” Nothing on this earth can be allowed to take precedence according to Luke 14:33. “likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.” Here Jesus uses the presence of his own family to illustrate his meaning.

“Then came to him his mother and his brethren, and could not come at him for the press. And it was told him by certain which said, Thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to see thee. And he answered and said unto them, My mother and my brethren are these which hear the word of God, and do it.” (Luke 8:19-21)

Even the apparent good things such as care for our family and other good works will be lost if not done in obedience to God. Jesus said the person who loved him would have and keep his commands in John 14:21-24. “He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him. Judas saith unto him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world? Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father's which sent me.” It is difficult to do what you don’t know you should do.