Welcome to this Come to Jesus Daily Devotional as we continue in our Luke, Exploring Who Jesus is series. Today, from Luke 14:34, we reflect on why Jesus finishes this section on discipleship with His often-used phrase, “Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.”
To watch this devotional, select the link below:
‘“Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.”’ (Luke 14:35)
Mammals exhibit various types of hearing, primarily categorised as air conduction and bone conduction. Air conduction occurs when sound waves travel through the air, entering the ear canal and vibrating the eardrum, which stimulates the inner ear. This is the most common method of hearing in mammals. Bone conduction allows vibrations to directly stimulate the inner ear through the skull, bypassing the outer and middle ear. Additionally, some mammals have specialised adaptations, such as echolocation in bats and dolphins. Bats emit high-frequency sounds and interpret the returning echoes to locate prey, while dolphins use clicks and whistles for navigation and communication. Different species hear in different ways and according to God’s design. Likewise, Christians, who have been born again of The Spirit, have the ability to ‘hear’ God and have a heart (will) to respond to Him.
How do we know if The Holy Spirit is working in someone? His work is seen in conviction of sin and desire to know and please God. None of us are perfect - far from it - but none can say “No Lord!” Now, if we do, we will be miserable until we sort things out. Paul writes:
‘For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God.’ (Romans 8:14)
God’s children, those who are born again and in whom The Spirit is working have ‘ears to hear’. Mark Dever writes on regeneration (new birth):
"The spiritual change each person needs is so radical, so near the root of us, that only God can do it. We need God to convert us. Conversion need not be an emotionally heated experience, but it must evidence itself in godly fruit if it is to be what the Bible regards as a true conversion." (Mark Dever)
Earlier in this gospel, Luke tells us of the identity of Jesus’ family, which is marked by listening:
‘He replied, “My mother and brothers are those who hear God’s word and put it into practice.”’ (Luke 8:21)
So, we, if we are a part of Jesus’ family will listen to Him, not to make us Christians, but because we are Christians - those who have experienced the miracle of the life-giving seed of the gospel bearing fruit in our lives.
Let’s pray together
“Holy Spirit, I thank you for imparting new life to me. Help me not to grieve you and I’m sorry when I have. Fill me and lead me into the attitude and obedience that you want from me. I thank you for ears to hear and a heart to respond. Please speak and lead me into deeper discipleship. Amen.”
Community Group Notes
1. Notices
It might be good to begin with notices. Please share from this week’s Church News.
2. Icebreaker
How has God been speaking to you from His Word this week, or maybe from our week of prayer, and how has this helped you?
3. Worship together
Let’s begin our time together by lifting our eyes and hearts to worship our great God. Perhaps you have readings and songs that you would like to use together. Let’s be open to the gifts that the Spirit wants to give in order to encourage one another.
4. Study and pray together
Sunday’s message from Luke 14:25-35, was about the cost of discipleship.
In the previous section of this chapter, we saw how we are all, even least, are invited into the Kingdom and the eternal banquet; this invitation is free, and one enters by receiving Jesus - repenting and believing the gospel. Now, in this section, Jesus challenges all of us who want to enter the Kingdom that we must commit ourselves to radical discipleship - it’s free to enter the Kingdom but it will cost us everything as we give our lives entirely to the King.
Please read Luke 14:25-35 and discuss:
Did God speak to you about anything from Sunday’s message?
Using three analogies - hating family, building a tower and going to war, Jesus teaches about the cost of following Him. What are the various ways that this can be applied in our lives (Use personal examples if you can)?
What does 14:35b, teach about the nature of true (born again) disciples?
SIV - In 14:34-35a, Jesus warns about remaining ‘salty’. What does this mean in regard to SIV? And how can one work at remaining salty?
SIV - How will the application of today’s text lead to having great impact in your community?
SIV - Do we have any stories of how we have ‘Served, Invested, and inVited’ recently?
SIV - Spend some time together talking and praying about who and how you are seeking to bring your community to Jesus.
Let’s pray together: Pray for one another out of our study, and for anything else for which people would like prayer.
Comments