Phil Cox Recent Columns |
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Revelation is a gift from God10th January 2020 When Jesus first told the Parable of the Sower, He concluded by saying: Matthew 13v9 Which means "Anybody who has any spiritual discernment whatsoever, grasp this one; this is important." But when the disciples, Jesus's closest friends, heard this parable they almost immediately asked him what it meant (Luke 8v9). They didn't understand it. Also: Matthew 13v10 Perhaps they were frustrated that Jesus didn't speak plainly enough for them to understand, let alone the people in the crowd. Matthew 13v11 Jesus would explain the parable to His disciples, but not to everybody. If you're a Christian, then the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of revelation, lives in you. How privileged you are! The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you. Not earnt by you, not rewarded to you, but given to you. The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven is a free gift from God to His elect people. Feel privileged; Jesus wants to share the deep secrets of the kingdom of God with you. Then Jesus said this. Many people don't like it, but since Jesus said it, it's good: Matthew 13v12 The day of judgement will come, and those of us who have saving faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and in His redeeming blood - because such understanding has been given to us - will be given more. And we've already been given so much! We're forgiven our sins, justified by faith, filled with the Holy Spirit, built into His church, adopted as His children, guaranteed eternal life. He gives us peace, love and joy, because we have a grain of faith in Him and in His redeeming sacrifice. To those who have received that gift of faith, infinitely more will ultimately be given, and a great deal, more than we imagined possible, has been already been given. But for those don't have that faith, even what they have will be taken away. Earth is the nearest thing to hell that a Christian will ever experience, and it's the nearest thing to heaven that a non-Christian will ever experience. If you have been given insight into the meaning of the cross of Christ and the love of God, then you will be given everything as His Heirs, His children. If you haven't, you will lose everything. This stuff is eternally important. Matthew 13v13 Have you ever sat down for a cup of coffee with a family member, or a good friend, or a work colleague, who doesn't know Jesus? You might have got onto the subject of what Christianity is really about, why you go to church, what you really believe and why you believe it. Have you explained your faith to them as patiently and as clearly as you can, and seen their eyes glaze over? Though seeing, they don't see. Though hearing, they don't hear or understand. The gift of understanding is given to some and not to others. I don't understand why that is, but I know it's true. I know because I speak to some people about Jesus and they give their lives to Him in faith and repentance. They're born again, and live a radically different life on earth and infinite life in heaven. I tell other people, and they don't respond with any kind of faith, understanding or even desire. They hear the words but they don't understand. Many of them don't even want to understand. Sometimes you tell them the good news of Jesus and they want to argue with you. Why do they argue? Often it's because they don't want to understand. What a precious gift you've been given. Firstly, you've been given the desire to know the truth, the desire to know God, the desire to understand, the desire for forgiveness. This desire is a gift from God. Pity those who don't have that desire. Pray for them. It may not be too late for some of them to change their minds. In my own life, I remember a time when I didn't want to know God, and I remember a time, shortly after, when I desperately wanted to know Him. God had given me the desire. I hadn't made myself want Him; He just caused me to want Him. Blessed are those who have a little for they will be given much. Matthew 13v14 As we look around our country at the moment, there are millions of people just like that. At one time I was one of them. Perhaps you were. How great is the mercy of God! Matthew 13v16-17 May we never lose the sense of awe, wonder and gratitude that you and I are included among God's people, citizens of God's kingdom, part of God's purposes. You and I are blessed. The hunger for truth, and the revelation of truth, are free gifts from God. You and I are no more special than anybody else. Living around us are thousands of people who haven't been given this gift. How blessed we are! And how responsible we are to pray for others that they might be given this wonderful gift. If you're born again, you have everything. If you're not, ultimately you will have nothing. May we never lose our gratitude and our urgent desire to share with others. But you will never win anyone for Jesus by the force of your personality, or your intellect, or even your persistence. No-one was ever nagged into the kingdom of God. It's the word of God - the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven - the revelation of Who He truly is - dwelling in you, that touches them. |