Open your heart
“Later, when Jesus was alone with the twelve disciples and with the others who were gathered around, they asked him, ‘What do your stories mean?’ He replied, ‘You are permitted to understand the secret about the Kingdom of God. But I am using these stories to conceal everything about it from outsiders. So that the Scriptures might be fulfilled: ‘They see what I do, but they don’t perceive its meaning. They hear my words, but they don’t understand. So they will not turn from their sins and be forgiven’” – Mark 4:10-12 (NLT).
At first glance, this passage in Mark is very disturbing. It says that Jesus deliberately taught in parables or stories so that the people couldn’t understand. Even worse, it says that if they didn’t understand, they wouldn’t turn from their sins and be forgiven.
What we have to remember is one very important rule of Scriptural interpretation, and that is to let Scripture interpret Scripture. In other words, we must find other Scriptures in the Bible that speak about the same subject as the one we may be presently pondering, to get a fuller picture of what God says about the matter.
In this case, and the case of many of Jesus’ teachings, there are two other gospels that record the story of the soils and the teaching (above) that follows. Luke’s account is found in Luke 8:4-10 and is almost identical to Mark’s account. However, Matthew’s account, found in Matthew 13:1-15, has an additional verse that neither Mark nor Luke record. Matthew’s account adds the following words of Jesus that would be placed between verses 11 and 12 in the text above (Mark’s account). It reads:
“To those who are open to my teaching more understanding will be given, and they will have an abundance of knowledge. But to those who are not listening; even what they have will be taken away from them” – Matthew 13:12 (NLT).
So, Jesus is not saying that he is deliberately concealing the truths about God’s Kingdom from people, nor is he trying to prevent them from understanding so they can repent of their sins and be forgiven. To the contrary, he gives them every chance to gain more understanding.
If someone listening to Jesus demonstrated that they were open to his teaching, he would gladly give them more understanding, just as he did to his apostles by explaining his story to them (see Mark 4:13-20).
The key is having an open heart. This is ever and always that for which God is looking. He searches throughout the earth to find hearts that are completely committed to him, and open to all he has for them. Jesus’ very explanation of the story of the soils will demonstrate this truth for three out of four of those that heard God’s Word as represented in the seed sewn by the farmer, had closed hearts, and so God’s Word did not take root in their hearts.
If we wish to experience God, our hearts must be open to his Word. We cannot read God’s Word selectively, choosing to believe only those parts with which we agree. Nor can we reject the Words of God that would require us to make changes in our lifestyle.
Obeying his command to believe, but refusing baptism; following his guidance about marriage, but not money; listening to his words about holiness, but not forgiveness; complying with his instruction about giving, but not about relationships.
Ananias and Sapphira received God’s word about salvation, but rejected God’s Word about giving money to God’s work. They entered into a plot to give some money to God with deceptive motives, and wound up lying to the apostle Peter about it. God struck them dead (Acts 5:1-11). This married couple did not have open hearts. They each opened their hearts, only a little, but closed them when they did not agree with something God said. The result was disastrous.
If we wish to know God, we must open our hearts wide to his Word, to follow all he has told us. We must humble ourselves before him, and be willing to make our best attempt to comply with what he has said we must do. The Holy Spirit will help us, and all the angels are cheering for us. We can succeed, if we will only open our hearts.
Otherwise, we will see, but not perceive; and hear, but not understand. It all depends on the position of our hearts. Are our hearts open for business, or is the “Closed” sign draped over them?
What is the position of your heart?