Accepting the Message I. Introduction A. Romans 10:17: faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ B. We would love if the communication process were easy: the message is spoken in its pure simplicity, it is properly understood, and then heeded and obeyed C. Yet we know that such is not the case! 1. There are many ways in which the communication of the message can be corrupted by the speaker, proclaimer, or preacher; at other times we can investigate how this might happen 2. There are also many ways in which the communication of the message is hindered or rendered moot by the one who is receiving the message: the respondent D. The whole point of preaching the Gospel is for those who hear it to heed what is preached and live by faith in God (Romans 1:16-17) E. Therefore, we do well to explore what it requires to heed the message of God in Christ! 1. There is a whole process by which a message is accepted 2. Many levels, many forces at work! F. Let us consider how a message is to be heeded through acceptance! II. Stages of Acceptance A. For the purposes of our discussion let us assume that the Gospel preacher has done his job: the message has been appropriately understood based on Scripture, has been encoded in such a way as to be comprehensible to the hearer in the hearer's context, and the least amount of distortion has taken place on the speaker's end B. How will a hearer respond to the message of God? We can see even in Scriptural examples various levels of acceptance of the message based on all sorts of factors C. Stage 1: Acceptance of Basic Communication: Message Decoded 1. Since for our purposes we are assuming that the speaker has done his job to communicate the message, the first stage is to accept that the speaker has actually said those words and that their basic meaning has been understood 2. At this stage the legitimacy of the message or even its speaker is not necessarily granted; it just means that the people have understood what has been said 3. Example: Jeremiah 26:1-10. The people have understood that Jeremiah has prophesied that Jerusalem will become a desolation like Shiloh 4. Did they believe that such would happen, or that Jeremiah had the right to say it? No; they wanted him to have him executing for saying such a thing in the name of YHWH (Jeremiah 26:8-9)! 5. A person who stays at this stage does not accept the credibility or authority of the speaker or God in His Word from which the speaker has derived his message; this lack of acceptance could exist for all sorts of reasons, from believing in another worldview or belief system to refusing to want to see that his or her behavior is wrong, etc.; Jesus would consider them as the road soil (Matthew 13:3-4, 18-19) 6. Jeremiah 43:1-4: there are times when the legitimacy of the authority may be granted yet a belief that the speaker is not accurately representing the will of the authority; such is between the first two stages D. Stage 2: Acceptance of Consistency Between Message and Authority 1. The next level of acceptance is the recognition of consistency between what the speaker says and the basis upon which he said it; for our purposes, the recognition that the speaker has accurately reflected the Word of God 2. At this stage the actual truth of the message may not yet be granted; it is a recognition that the message is true if one accepts the legitimacy of God and His Word 3. Example: Jeremiah 38:14-24. Zedekiah is willing to seek counsel from Jeremiah, a demonstration of some belief that Jeremiah might just be accurately speaking the word of YHWH; he demonstrates understanding of the message Jeremiah communicates (see his concern in Jeremiah 38:19) yet ultimately does not heed the advice and suffers the consequences (Jeremiah 39:4-7) 4. At this stage there remains something holding a person back from accepting the message as fully legitimate: it may be quite uncomfortable, it may demand change, it may not fit with the worldview of the person at all, and so it is left unheeded E. Stage 3: Acceptance of Message and Authority as Abstract Truth 1. The next level of acceptance is granting the condition of stage 2: the Word of God is truth, the message is truth, and thus the message is accepted as truth 2. Yet at this stage that truth is only recognized in the abstract; it is not yet applied in any way 3. Example: John 8:30, James 2:19 4. In these examples, the Jews and the demons believe; they accept the truth that Jesus is the Son of God; the demons shudder yet do not become obedient, and the Jews will seek to stone Jesus when His claims become more and more uncomfortable (John 8:59) 5. This is the stage that must first be reached by anyone who would be saved but no one can be saved if they stay here; those who stay here have some other concern or situation holding them back from taking the abstract truth and making appropriate application; they are as the thorny soil (Matthew 13:7, 22) F. Stage 4: Acceptance of Message and Authority as Truth Relevant to Others 1. At this level of acceptance there is a recognition that there is application of the message to life 2. Nevertheless, that application is not first directed at oneself; instead, we can see how others need to be doing that 3. Example: the Pharisees of Matthew 23:1-12, the Jews of Romans 2:1-5, 17-24 4. In both cases there is agreement of the existence and authority of God, the importance of the Law, and how others need to do it, but for whatever reason the lesson is not self-directed or internalized 5. This is a "hypocritical" stage, generally inhabited by those attempting to cover up weakness with professed maturity but without the substance thereof (e.g. James 1:22-25) 6. It can exist on an individual or collective level: focusing on other people's problems can often be a way to deflect from one's own; there's always willingness to show others where they fall short but precious little desire to be convicted of our own failings (Matthew 7:1-4) G. Stage 5: Acceptance of Message and Authority as Truth Relevant to Us 1. The final stage of acceptance and ultimate goal of all Gospel preaching is for the listener to recognize the truth of the message in Christ and to find ways to apply it to themselves and their own lives 2. Example: Acts 2:37. The 3,000 on the day of Pentecost heard Peter's preaching, understood it, accepted it as truth, and wanted to know what they were supposed to do about it, and did what they were told (Acts 2:39-47) 3. Such is the good soil of Matthew 13:8, 23 4. Another great example is John 6:66-69: Peter and the eleven recognized that Jesus had the words of eternal life as the Holy One of God and thus would follow Him even though he found Jesus' message difficult and demanding! 5. Such people appreciate the preaching of the Gospel and seek to find ways to take the message of God and actuate it in their lives! H. Accepting the message proves to be a bit more complicated than we would like! 1. Some people are firmly in stage 1; some people are firmly in stage 5 2. Yet most people vacillate among stages based upon the aspect and substance of the message 3. If they generally agree with the sentiment they are more likely to accept it; the more challenging and discomfiting the message the more resistance will take place I. What goes into the process of accepting the Gospel? III. Accepting the Gospel A. As we can see, the goal of proclaiming the Gospel is to persuade people to accept its message as true, authoritative, and something upon which they need to act and repent (Romans 1:16, 2 Timothy 4:2-4) B. In order to do so we do well to consider many of the factors that go into whether a person proves willing to accept the Gospel as true, authoritative, and applicable! C. Legitimacy of Speaker 1. The speaker looms large in the process of accepting the message 2. After all, they are the ones right in front of the listener, and they are the medium through which the message is communicated! 3. If the speaker has little to no legitimacy in the sight of the hearer, then the hearer will have little reason to listen to his message and to accept it! 4. The speaker, therefore, must have credibility and legitimacy in proclaiming the message 5. They must study the message and convey it accurately (2 Timothy 2:15) 6. They must gain a hearing, the right to speak the Gospel because interest has been generated (e.g. Acts 2:12, 3:9-11, 8:30, 13:15, 17:19-20) 7. Their lives must be consistent with the message they proclaim: who wants to accept the message of someone who is not themselves seeking to really practice it (Romans 2:23-24)?! D. Legitimacy of Authority Behind the Speaker 1. Even if the hearer thinks well of the speaker, if the hearer does not accept the legitimacy and authority of the God regarding whom we speak, they will not accept the message! 2. Acceptance that God exists, that He has communicated with us in His creation, through Christ, and in Scripture, must exist as a foundation for any conversation about spiritual things (Isaiah 45:18-19, Romans 1:18-20, 2 Timothy 3:14-16, Hebrews 1:1-3) 3. As the conversation continues agreement must be made on our sin problem, that since we have been corrupted in mind, feeling, and action, we must trust in what God has said and not in ourselves, that we can understand the revelation of God and accomplish it together, and an understanding of how God communicates and how God's communication is authoritative (Romans 8:18-23, 1 Corinthians 1:10) 4. If insufficient agreement on authority is reached, at some point there will be a refusal to hear and movement toward rejection, relativism, or ecumenism to get beyond the discomfort of the more controversial and counter-cultural aspects of the Gospel! 5. Without accepting the authority of God in Christ, that He calls the shots and we do not, it is very difficult to get beyond stage 3 of acceptance (Matthew 28:18)! E. Visceral Reactions and Inclinations 1. Throughout the hearing process there are all sorts of reactions to what is being heard and inclinations toward or against its acceptance 2. Humans are not automatons; they feel as well as think! 3. God made us with feeling, and they can be harnessed to glorify Him (Genesis 1:26-28)! 4. When the message is proclaimed, rarely are we entirely indifferent; we start feeling inclined toward it as true and right, inclined against it because of its consequences even if we have a feeling it may be accurate, or inclined against it as false and wrong 5. Acts 2:37 vs. Acts 7:54: two visceral reactions to the message, two different outcomes! 6. Perhaps this is also the spiritual battlefield between the Spirit and the forces of evil, seeking to turn the hearts of people toward or away from the Lord (Acts 16:14, 26:18, 2 Corinthians 11:14) 7. If the visceral reactions and inclinations regarding the message all trend negatively, the likelihood of accepting it is little! F. Willingness of Application 1. One of the hardest challenges involves whether the listener is willing to consider the message in light of their personal condition and circumstances 2. James 1:22-25 is in Scripture for good reason: the Gospel exposes the ugliness of our reality, and it takes much intestinal fortitude to still prove willing to look as opposed to turning away and avoid application! 3. The hearer must have or develop the disposition to consider what is being said and to see where it can be applied in their lives even when it makes them uncomfortable or exposes their sin; that's what the Word of God does (Hebrews 4:12) 4. We certainly have the ability to attempt to deflect or deny its application, yet such leads to a hardening against the influence of God in His Word that too often leads to rebellion and apostasy (1 Timothy 4:1-3; cf. Israel in the days of the prophets) 5. A continual challenge as we grow in Christ: we must always be willing to hear the Word of God and allow it to correct and rebuke us lest we become conceited and fall away (2 Timothy 4:1-6)! G. All of these apply equally to the believer as to the unbeliever; we must always seek to maintain an open heart and mind toward the Lord, submit to His authority, and accept His message in our lives! IV. Conclusion A. We have seen that much goes into the acceptance of the Gospel message! B. To accept the Gospel requires us to confess the legitimacy of its authority, be open to its critique, and prove willing to repent of all ways inconsistent with its message C. This is a continual process that does not end at conversion; we must continually be on guard against becoming hardened against the proclamation of the Gospel D. Let us accept God's revelation for what it is by His authority, conform our lives to its message, and exhort others to do the same! E. Invitation/songbook Scripture, Meditation, and Application 1: So belief cometh of hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ (Romans 10:17). Faith comes by hearing, but hearing does not automatically lead to faith (Romans 10:16). The Gospel must be heard and accepted for it to lead to salvation. Let us heed and accept the Gospel message! 2: For if any one is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a mirror: for he beholdeth himself, and goeth away, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was (James 1:23-24). It's easy to hear the message and leave it in the abstract or apply it to other people. Yet God calls us to hear the message and see ourselves in it. Let us not be merely a hearer, but do that which we hear in Christ! 3: For the time will come when they will not endure the sound doctrine; but, having itching ears, will heap to themselves teachers after their own lusts; and will turn away their ears from the truth, and turn aside unto fables (2 Timothy 4:3-4). Even believers can become hardened to God's message over time if they are not careful. It is easy to want to rest and no longer have one's thoughts and feelings exposed by the Gospel and listen to those who make us feel better about ourselves. Let us always be on guard against dullness of heart toward God in Christ and His Word! 4: For the word of God is living, and active, and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing even to the dividing of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and quick to discern the thoughts and intents of the heart (Hebrews 4:12). The Word of God is sufficient for its purpose in convicting the heart of sinner and believer alike. That conviction can only lead to faith if we prove willing to listen and accept the Word of God for what it is and repent. Let us continually strive to be conformed to the image of God in Christ!