Opening the Bible in Evangelism

On one occasion in Matthew’s Gospel the disciples ask Jesus a very simple question. They say ‘“Why do you speak to them in parables?”’ (Matthew 13:10). In the context, Jesus is on his way to Jerusalem. The plot against him has thickened considerably as we’re told in Matthew 12:14, ‘the Pharisees went out and conspired against him, how to destroy him’. So the stage has been set. Jesus knew his days were numbered; He was facing mounting hostility; and the disciples question therefore provided him with opportunity to explain the nature of his own ministry and to set appropriate expectations for theirs, should they chose to continue in his footsteps.

His answer is initially somewhat confusing, but what it essentially contains is a great challenge to keep our bible teaching as simple and clear as possible, especially when we are considering the topic of evangelism.

In Irish Church Missions we are committed to making the proclamation and application of the Bible our single greatest priority. We are also committed to maintaining this priority as we believe it not only strengthens existing churches, but also is the most important means for starting new ones as well. In other words we want the Bible to be open in every context of our ministries; whether maturing established disciples or when engaged in making new ones, the Bible is where our confidence lies. If we are therefore to continue in Jesus’ footsteps, and seek to make our Bible teaching as simple and clear as possible, what expectations are appropriate for such a commitment?

Firstly Jesus says that the reason he speaks in such a way so that even a child could understand him, is to confirm some people in their pride.

There may indeed be an element of embarrassment to the disciples question (Matt.13:10). At this stage Jesus should have been building momentum to take Jerusalem by storm. He should have been whipping up the emotions of his listeners and calling them to take up arms. Instead he was teaching about seeds and soils and plants. But as with everything Jesus did, this was well calculated. The reason he spoke so simply was because he was interested in exposing the attitudes of his listeners hearts. He was not interested winning arguments or even sounding intellectually impressive. He wanted people to know clearly where they stood in relation to his eternal kingdom.

He knew for example that some people would consider what he was saying and quickly judge it to be of no earthly significance or importance. He says

‘“This is why I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing, they do not hear, nor do they understand.”’ (Matt 13:13)

Some people would come along to Jesus and listen and watch Him, but he knew, even though they said they understood, in reality they did not. They had judged quickly there was nothing of any great importance to Him and what He stood for. They say they see, but they do not see.

It turns out this is an age old problem. The people in Jesus’ day suffered from the same spiritual blindness and deafness as those in Isaiah’s day. The consequences are placed front and centre’

‘“You will indeed hear but never understand, and you will indeed see but never perceive.”’ (Matt 13:14)

And the consequences are then explained. The reason for such a dark, silent existence is quite simple in the end.

‘“For this people’s heart has grown dull, and with their ears they can barely hear; and their eyes they have closed.”’ (Matt 14:15)

Despite the various and many ways they had known, heard, and even seen God reveal his mighty arm of salvation, they had deliberately chosen not to show any interest. Here is how the logic of our passage works. People say they see, but they do not truly see, for they cannot see, because in truth they do not want to see. You see? Jesus knew that by keeping the truth so simple some people would not want it to be true and so they would shut their eyes to it. The truly frightening thing concerns God’s response. The consequences of such wilful, self- imposed blindness and hardness of heart are terrifying. It turns out that judgement is not simply reserved for the close of the age. Jesus appears to be saying, as it was in Isaiah’s day, so it is in his own (and we might draw the corresponding conclusions for our day too); if people go on continually to refuse God’s truth, they may one day, actually loose God’s truth altogether or at least their capacity to discern it properly.

What does all this have to do with our evangelism? Jesus deliberately keeps it simple, clear, black-and-white even, in order to expose the pride of all our hearts. He does speak of seeds and soils and wheat and weeds but in doing so forces the issues we all want to avoid. These stories also contain difficult and even disturbing subjects like judgement, separation, heaven and hell. He makes them all so unavoidable.

Some people are too sophisticated for such teaching. They prefer a religion that is less defined and does not have so many edges. Others are too important for such childish things. They conclude if everyone else can understand it, then it is too simple and common, and therefore not for them. Still others want escape from reality in their religion. Facing up to such hard truths is not what they are looking for. But this is exactly why Jesus teaches as he does. He was understood by children and yet the high and mighty of his day walked on by. They walked on by until they could take it no more and then they sought to silence him forever.

I fear that we who say we are committed to the Bible in our ministries and even in our evangelism have much yet to learn about all of this. Disclaimer: I am not here advocating for a simplistic and de- contextualised type of preaching and Bible teaching. Even Jesus was using his immediate world around him to engage with his listeners. But I do think we need to be careful here. For all our right and proper attempts to understand the proclivities of our own particular cultures, we also need deep conviction and a determination not to shy away from speaking the truth plainly, simply, even when called for, in black and white terms, all the time with love. And we must expect that when we do, some people will be confirmed in their pride. This might be the only thing that keeps them out of Jesus’ eternal kingdom, but let us ensure we do not add to it by over complicating the matter.

However, if Jesus spoke so simply in order to stir up offence and confirm some people in their pride, he also spoke with great simplicity in order to cause self-examination and produce humility in others. The same truth can produce the exact polar opposite reaction in other hearers. This point is made in the verses at the beginning and end of our passage.

For example, his first answer to the disciples in v.11, underlines the fact that His kingdom is not built like the other kingdoms of this world. They normally use their subjects, exploiting them. Jesus’ kingdom operates differently. Rather than using them, as their king, He has come to serve them. Instead taking from them, or insisting that they earn their place and justify their existence, Jesus says, that the only reason they have any interest, never mind insight, is because it has been given to them.

‘“To you has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given”’ (Matt. 13:11)

Here we see the divine sovereign prerogative sitting side-by-side with wilful human responsibility. Jesus was comfortable teaching both with equal force and holding them together. He does so because His main aim is to eviscerate all vestiges of human pride. If anyone has even a modicum of understanding about the nature of His kingdom it is because this has been ‘given’ to them. The word secret simply draws attention to this. Secret means a mystery beyond human attainment, but that which is beyond natural human understanding, God has now made known.

If you look and truly see, if you listen and actually hear, if you read, understand and accept these simple stories which contain such clear, deep and often devastating truths, and if you truly agree with them, it is because such knowledge is a gift.

Similarly in v.16 He says to the apostles,

‘“But blessed are your eyes for they see, and your ears for they hear. For truly I say to you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, and did see it, and hear what you hear, and did not hear it.”’ (Matt 13:16-17)

In other words it is a privilege based on God’s favour. It is not a right, an entitlement, nor does anyone have a claim on God for such a blessing.

You might say this all seems still so unfair. Why should some be given so much and some not receive anything? You may find it terribly unsettling that Jesus can be so divisive. He does say that the ‘one who has not (been given), even what he has will be taken away’ (Matt. 13:12). But our protests here are based on the bias that we actually deserve something, anything, when it comes to God. However the reality remains that we in fact deserve nothing. God is well within his rights to act exactly as he pleases in giving and taking away. More to the point, Jesus’ concern is not with those who have not received anything. At this point he is not so much concerned with those on the ‘outside’. His main worry here is for those - his disciples - on the inside! And the reason he labours this point is to annihilate even the smallest hint of pride.

It is a gift. It is given. It is a blessing, not something deserved. As such, it has massive implications for the manner and message of our evangelism.

In terms of our manner it is incredibly humbling. The gift of this knowledge means that our place in the kingdom is not based on what any one can do for themselves. This might first sound like incredibly bad news, for we are constantly being told that we are the masters of our own fate, it is all up to us, but membership in Jesus’ kingdom is not based on what you can do for yourself. It is based, from beginning, middle to the end upon God’s undeserved kindness. And what should this produce then in a person’s life who has truly understood this? It produces a humility and at the very same time and profound sense of security. It can produce gratefulness, thankfulness and a sense of deep relief and at the very same moment, confidence, certainty and joy as well. When such character traits begin to grow in any person’s life, their entire manner and disposition is increasingly transformed, not least when they are speaking about Jesus. But it is not just their own personal manner that is transformed, this has a wonderful corporate effect as churches engage in evangelism too.

In terms of our message, it is incredibly liberating. The apostles knew from what Jesus had said that they were never going to be able to strong arm anyone into the kingdom. They could not coerce, argue or manipulate anyone in matters of eternity. Their job was simple. If they were to follow in the footsteps of Jesus they were to sow the seed of God’s word as simply and clearly as they could, and leave the results up to God. This was totally out of their hands. It indeed seems that the message did sink in for them. For what we see in their ministries is quite extraordinary. They were bold without being arrogant. They were committed without being possessive. They could be urgent and patient, diligent and joyful, utterly serious about the message without taking themselves too seriously at all. Why? Because in every way they knew it was not about them. And in every church where this type of teaching is accepted, we can follow in their footsteps. We too can be bold without being arrogant; committed without being competitive; urgent and patient at the same time.

Evangelism is indeed a terrifying activity. The results are well beyond our control. The just God who is full of grace and mercy, and who is slow to anger and quick to love, is actively hardening some and softening others in the same moment. The wise response is to cry out in all humility for our own hearts and the heart’s of our listeners. At the same time we dare not seek to employ anything other than a straightforward, direct, understandable style of speaking that does not confuse the message of the Bible. It alone must shape, control, focus and fill our message. Above all, we must be convinced ourselves that our job is not to impress anyone, but to implore them to find their salvation in Jesus alone.