Wednesday, October 21, 2015

You Don’t Really Know It Until You Can teach It

"Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age."  Matthew 28:19-20 NASB
From understanding and knowledge we are to become disciples of the kingdom who "do" ... those who live the Word of God day in and out.  The disciple’s major responsibility was to interpret the kingdom of heaven to the world (evangelize) through their life actions.  We might say disciples make disciples.  Those who will not learn will never teach but those who never teach what they know will never truly understand it.  A disciple of Christ is to have an understanding of the kingdom truths and workings from experience. 
"If there is anything hidden from us as disciples today, it is because we are not in a fit state to understand it. As soon as we become fit in spiritual character, the thing is revealed; it is concealed at God's discretion until the life is developed sufficiently." -- Oswald Chambers
Someone has said we often emphasize "learning" at the expense of "living."  We have churches full of literate learners of the Bible and illiterate livers of the Bible in everyday life.  This should never be true of the kingdom disciple, for learning with understanding enhances our living.  
"The good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth what is good; and the evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth what is evil; for his mouth speaks from that which fills his heart. Why do you call Me, 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do what I say?”  Luke 6:45-46
Jesus cuts through the chase with this clear truth about our human nature.  We reveal our character in our actions.  Learning of and living in the kingdom truths and principles should bear witness to what is leading us.  However, we are not perfect in our understanding or in our behavior.  Paul the Apostle stated that the very things he wanted to do (his understanding) were the very things he didn’t (his nature).  It is only as we follow the promptings of the Spirit who draws from the well of our knowledge of God that we truly serve Christ.
As a steward of God’s Word we bring its truth through our learning, living and leading so as to distribute the truth of the kingdom of heaven.  We are to be about giving out God's truth through our words and life actions.   Paul told the Thessalonians that the problem was not with the instructions but the application.  Finally, then, brothers, we ask and urge you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God, just as you are doing, that you do so more and more. For you know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus.  1 Thessalonians 4:1-2 ESV 
Before you go to the next Bible study or conference to learn something additional to our present understanding, maybe we need to answer Jesus question from Matthew 13:51,"Have you understood all these things?" and then answer it with our service.

Scripture to Claim:
But just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not to please man, but to please God who tests our hearts.  1 Thessalonians 2:4 ESV

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