Learning to Listen and See

I could be a fan of the W-W-J-D movement . . . if they truly taught what Jesus did.

It started with a visit to his social-misfit cousin called John "the Dunker."  Jesus whole life then took a turn for the serious.

You see, most preachers loved the safety of the sanctuary, only John wasn't welcome in the synagogue wearing a camel's hair suit, then ordering honey-topped-grasshoppers when they'd take him to IHOP. He would rather be knee-deep in water, preaching to spectators and skeptics staring at him from the riverbank.

Then came that morning when Jesus and John stood eyeball-to-eyeball: One asked for his adoption baptism, the other claimed being unworthy to do the dipping.

But once both were obedient, a new page in man's history turned. One cousin's ministry would diminish; the other would leap into public view. As soon as his head was lifted from the water, the crowd on the river bank witnessed a dove descending to light on Jesus' shoulder. A voice then  loudly proclaimed the adoptive ceremony of a proud father: "This is my son, worthy of love, in whom I am well pleased."

With the water still dripping off his hair and beard, Jesus of Nazareth felt an irresistible pull that  began the adventure of his destiny. Now, with the Spirit of God residing permanently inside of him, it was time to learn intimacy, in his humanity, to listen and see his Father's heart. It would take solitude, not the raucous racket of society, to learn and listen.

How can I be so sure?

At the end of this wilderness-God-time, the heat and hunger of a forty day fast no doubt had taken it's toll on the physical reserves of Jesus. His first encounter is a verbal tango with his archenemy, Satan.

"Hungry?" the tempter asks, tossing a rock back and forth in his hands. "Shouldn't be a problem for one who thinks he's God's-gift-to-mankind."  Holding the rock under Jesus' nose, "If you are who think you are, just wave your hand, magician. Turn this stone into bread, and eat up, "

The way Jesus silences Satan is the key to what he had learned in the desert Spirit-school. But more importantly, it's an insight to how he would live his life. He grasps the words of Moses from the past: "It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God." (Deuteronomy 8:3)

But there's a twist. Contained is a secret for living and listening Satan and religion wants to keep from you and I. If left undiscovered, we're susceptible to every deception that can spout Bible words at you.

Jesus deliberately did NOT choose logos or the written word of God inscribed on the Torah scrolls of the Law and the Prophets the Jews worshiped and kept hidden in the synagogue. And he wasn't referring to a New Testament record of his life and the letters from his apostles who would come after him.

The word Jesus chose - "by every WORD [rhēma: that which is or has been uttered by the living voice] that proceeds out of the mouth of God." (Matthew 4:4) What a dynamic difference this makes.

Satan didn't argue with it. He was shut down.

Later Jesus would make another statement which continues to defy the Business of Religion. B-O-R has a huge investment in keeping followers enslaved to the rules and regulations. There is no end to their published works which specify performance-based-acceptance. And like the Pharisees of Jesus day, they had taken the Laws of Moses, made commentaries on the Law, as well as commentaries and oral interpretations of the commentaries.

The Business of Religion also keeps it's adherents busy by insisting they being good students of their heroes. Followers are expected to unquestioningly imitate rather than express initiative. The past is idolized and longed for. The future is feared because tradition and "time-tested" techniques will be questioned.

To declare you can go to the Author rather then just study the holy scrolls for daily living was scandalous. In fact, when Jesus outrageously defied the B-O-R by healing a man on their sacred day,  their hatred blinded any happiness they should have had about the man's miracle cure. Authorities challenged the source of Jesus defiance.

Jesus answer was an incredible admission that HE (in his humanity) had the power to do NO miracles. However, when he was obedient to the daily the rhema of the father, the Spirit would do the most amazing things. Answered Jesus, "I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he sees the Father do . . . For the Father loves the Son, and shows him all things that himself does: and he will show him greater works than these, that you may marvel."(John 5:19-20)

Learning to listen and see in the Spirit, then flow in harmony with the Father, has incredible freedom. Jesus knew he was NOT EXPECTED to heal every person and he was NOT PRESSURED by the Father to meet every need. And neither is the Christ-follower today.

This would make be a fan of the W-W-J-D movement . . . if they truly taught what Jesus did.

See the need
Go to the Father
See and Hear what the Father is doing
Move under the power of the Spirit
Watch the results of the Spirit's work

But it certainly won't endear me to the Business of Religion. I'm really not good at marching lock-step anymore.

Business of Religion - Manditory Imitation (Part 4)