|
Dr. Greene - Articles
Hearing The Word Of God
"He who has ears to hear, let him hear."
Mark 4:9
Recently in these brief essays we have been thinking about the Word of God, what it is and what it says. Today we want to turn to the topic of our response to the Word. We encounter the Word in at least three ways: in the Bible, which is the written Word, in Christ, who is the living Word, and in the creation, which was brought into being and is maintained by the Word (Hebrews 1:3). Since the creation provides the entire school curriculum, we will look particularly at the third of these ways.
In Mark 4:1-20 Jesus gives us the parable of the sown seed, which he identifies as the word. The story is given twice, once in a public setting with Jesus speaking from a boat to the crowd on the shore, and a second private one with his disciples who questioned him about the meaning of the parable. In the latter he explains that the story is about the mystery of the kingdom of God, which is his customary was of identifying the gospel, He amplifies the four results of the sowing. The first situation, where the seed falls beside the hard path or road through the field, represents instances where the Evil One takes away the Word and no growth results. The second one, seed sown on rocky ground, represents instances where people respond favorably but superficially to the message, but fall away when faced with difficulty or persecution. The third instance, seed sown among the thorns is also unproductive of grain because the thorns choke it off. In the fourth case, the word is accepted and bears fruit. We are concerned today with the third and fourth instances.
The reason for our concern with the seed sown among thorns is that it deals with the concept of facts, as they are understood today in the western world. All that we know about the creation is contained in what we call the scientific facts. During the last three centuries the Evil One has been successful in planting deeply in the public consciousness the conviction that facts are neutral and do not call on us for any response except our use of them to accomplish our purposes. Lord Bacon, an important British figure in the early days of the Enlightenment, urged scientists to forget about purpose in connection with facts and just seek for causes and effects. Whereas earlier thinkers had supposed that facts all had some meaning or purpose, it now became popular to think of them as fields like economics, education, business and politics, and confined to the private sphere of what is popularly called "religion." Therefore books on science do not say, "We believe", but simply state things as science sees them, whereas books on doctrine commonly say, "We believe."
Today in the West some of the most powerful interest people have are in science, technology, entertainment and consumerism. While modernity has provided a level of affluence and of easy lifestyle unknown in earlier times and for which we thank God, could it be that these interests also are powerful modern idolatries which keep us from responding to the Lord in our consideration of the creation? Is this the modern meaning of "the worries of the world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things" which "enter in and choke the Word, and it becomes unfruitful?"
To answer this question, we need to consider what response God's self revelation in the creation calls on us for. One major response is seen in Job's answer to God in Job 42:5-6. God had just talked to Job for what we call four chapters. He had talked about nothing but the creation. Job's response was "I have heard of Thee by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees Thee; therefore I retract, and I repent in dust and ashes." His repentance must have been accompanied by faith, for he obeyed God in praying for his three friends. Another possible response is a deepened awe for God, which Proverbs 1:7 calls "the fear of the Lord" and identifies with "the beginning) or the chief part) of knowledge. Love to God is another response. Praise and thanks to Him are common in the Old Testament just because godly Hebrews saw the Lord in His creation. And service to God through service to our neighbors is another possible response to the realization that God is talking to us about Himself in the creation.
The relevance of all this to Christian schooling is obvious. It is possible for the school subjects to be presented to students in such a way that they will be led to see the Lord there and to respond to Him in repentance, faith, awe, love, praise, thanks and service. For that to happen, we as teachers and parents must be helped to see Him clearly enough in the creation so that we respond to Him. Then we will see in the Christian school people who fit the fourth class Jesus mentions in his parable, "they who hear the Word and accept it, and bear fruit."
|
|
District Overview
School Board
Foundations
Publications
Essential Questions
Affiliations
Dr. Greene's Web Forum
Dr. Greene's Articles
|
