Eyes to see and ears to hear…
We have been teaching teens and young adults about having spiritual senses. During a recent bible study, I shared about spiritual insight, discernment, and having “eyes to see.” My primary reference was Matthew 13, where Jesus taught the crowds through parables. After the parable of the sower, the disciples came to him and asked, “Why do you speak to the people in parables?” To which Jesus replied,
“Because the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them."
My question was, why would the Lord give to some and not others? The answer is reasonably simple yet profound. God gives to everyone, and abundantly so. "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son...," For an earthly king, the kingdom is everything. It's his world. And the king's son is the hope and glory of that kingdom. So, how much more did God give when he gave Jesus to us? Jesus is God's ultimate personal gift to mankind. But what we do with that gift will determine our experience with the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven. When Jesus said that "the knowledge of the secrets" was given, he was referring to the revelation of who he is to the people of his kingdom. This is huge! Many attend church for many reasons. Yet if it's not to partake in the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, the gift of Jesus will not be received fully. In other words, Jesus is partly taken and not partaken. When the Lord gives us knowledge of himself, it must be eagerly absorbed and consumed, empowering us for abundant living. His disciples followed him closely, surrounding him with their devotion, serving and partaking not just of his teachings but of the essence of his life. He is our source and sustenance. We know we have life abundantly when we are overflowing with his life and his gifts. And to those who have eyes to see will see beyond the gift to the giver of the gift, and for those who have ears to hear will hear not only the words of God being preached but the voice of God in the Spirit. And those who have the heart to understand will not only understand but also overcome the world and will also inherit all things of the kingdom of God.
Read 1 John 5:4-5; Revelation 21:7
In conclusion, what does this mean for us as believers and followers of our King, Jesus? It means that we are citizens of heaven and ought to be identified with heavenly things and the fruits of the Spirit. It means we are ambassadors under his authority, to represent him and his kingdom. It's not only about following principles and precepts. We have the blessed honor of glorifying the Lord and his kingdom.
I have so much more to share on this, but I will leave you with Paul's prayer in Ephesians, "...that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the confident hope he has given to those he called—his holy people who are his rich and glorious inheritance." Ephesians 1:18
