Listen Church

Have you ever been given an order from someone who had absolutely no authority over you? I’m sure you have. People are naturally controlling. We all are. But when someone reaches past their boundaries and tells you what to do, who has no reasonable or justifiable authority over you, it sends a charge across you. Sadly, some have been so groomed to obey this that they will give-in in a moment’s notice. Others will just sit and stare back at them. And truth be told, some will even shove back. Scripture is clear how to handle such a person in Matthew 5. It isn’t what you think, to be sure. Jesus seeks us to be contrary to this world, including but not limited to, how we deal with bullies. People seek to paw you; to handle you. This will naturally make you ‘react’. Sadly, we react inappropriately way too much of the time. Over time our humanity begins to resist any and all authoritative instruction, especially corrective. 

My friends, it’s a set up! Our flesh does not want to listen, especially to anything corrective. Add to that, Satan is going to work hard at putting those over-stepping people in your face. It is definitely a set up. No doubt you have felt the tension within. No doubt you have felt the desire to push back or desert those who do this to you. But remember it’s a definite set up. Satan desires to destroy you, because he hates God. Satan is a liar, he’s subtile, he’s got a bag of tricks that work. Why? Simply put, to set us up to not hear from God. We are so groomed to push back and ignore the corrective lean-in. We are also prone to pride from within. Jesus told the entire church of Ephesus, via their pastor in Revelation 2.7— “He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.”

Ears that can hear. Let’s take a moment and think of the implications of that thought. First, it implies that someone can have ears that do not hear. This is a person who has ‘deafness’ or is ‘hearing impaired’. In other words they are incapable in some way, for some reason. When Jesus repeats a line, you ought to pay attention to it. For instance, when Jesus said “verily, verily” that was for focused attention. Imagine if you would, Jesus has to say something seven times? Seven times in two chapters Jesus tells seven churches the exact same thing— “He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches…” I think we need to pay close attention to this. 

This lesson closes out our series of lessons titled: “Change Now” focusing on the seven churches of Asia. We have looked at these from a reverse position, taking each one separately in an opposite order. This is on purpose. When you mention these churches and their diagnosis’, it seems people today dismiss it as some other church somewhere else; when it isn’t that way at all. All scripture is given by God and for all churches, even today, to know what His will is for us, now (2 Timothy 3.16). 

When each and every church is told to have ears to hear… it makes me think that this must be a problem. It also makes me wonder if this is a problem of the ages, or just in our age? Let’s see. In Matthew 11.15 Jesus said a similar statement while answering John’s disciples— “He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.” These are pre-church followers asking the Savior in front of first-church members (apostles). Jesus’ response is similar in an almost exact way. The only difference is the introduction of the Spirit used in Revelation chapters 2 and 3. In Mark 4.9 and Luke 8.8 we read— “And he said unto them, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.” (Mark 4.9); “And other fell on good ground, and sprang up, and bare fruit an hundredfold. And when he had said these things, he cried, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.” (Luke 8.8). Jesus is clearly telling His own church and those listening nearby the same thing He has said before. Do we have the ears to hear what Jesus is saying? As mentioned earlier, this is a person who has ‘deafness’ or is ‘hearing impaired’. Each of the audiences we have read thus far are believers. In all 9 of them it was His church(es). 

Can we be hearing impaired? Apparently so. Can we as a church be in such a condition that we cannot hear what He is saying? Apparently so. I want to hear Him. I want to know what He wants and when He wants it. I’m sure you do as well. The reality is simple—we have a natural tendency towards deafness to what the Spirit is saying actively to Jesus’ churches. We have impairments that inhibit us from listening. 

In Romans 11.8 we read— “(According as it is written, God hath given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear;) unto this day.” The context of the chapter is speaking of Remnant Israel. The application is given within the chapter, but for the purposes of this article, we must conclude that the deep sleep they were under can also be caused by God. It is a reality of scripture that God will agree with your decision to reject what He is saying. No other place is this more apparent than in Romans 1. He will eventually— “gave them up… gave them up… gave them over.” (Romans 1.24, 26, 28). At some point you just simply cannot hear anymore. This is a most sad reality. We have to pay attention to this often repeated warning from Jesus. 

They heard at some point or they wouldn’t be His followers. The churches heard at some point or they wouldn’t be His churches. The 7 declarations in Revelation are clearly there to signify that the very things being delivered in writing (Word of God) is in fact what the Spirit is “saying”. The Word of God is inspired of Him and is His very words (2 Timothy 3.16). Therefore we should have the spiritual ears to hear what He is saying, every time He is saying it. 

Think on James 1.22, where it says— “But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.” Ears to hear means that you have listened—to the point of acting on what was heard. Hearing and not doing is self deceiving. Jesus also said this much earlier in Matthew 7.24-27 when He explains His teachings are not just to be heard, but obeyed. And there we have it! Churches who have heard at some point in the past have grown deaf to the Spirit’s voice, His word, and His commands. They no longer work in the heart beat of the Savior, and now listen to the thousands of voices cluttering their minds. Their ears are no longer tuned to the Lord. They can hear a truth, critique it, and walk off unchanged. There is a lack of doing. There is a lack of launching. Hebrews tells us— “For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat.” (Hebrews 5.12). They knew but didn’t act on it, now they have to be taught again. Or as Proverbs 29.1 states— “He, that being often reproved hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy.” There is a very real danger of exposure to the Word of God without obedience. 

If you have an ear, may the Lord help us all to obey the warnings of Revelation 2.7,11,17,29; 3.6,13,22— “He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches…”

He is for sure talking, but are we a listening and obeying church?