Acute Observation v23n18

Acute Observation!

V23 n18

For many, when reading this weeks title, they will think of a “pretty picture” in relationship to this physical world we live in. Some may even think of a “pretty” man or a woman. These are the tendencies that the flesh usually brings into play.

Acute: mentally keen; sensitive; discerning.

Those who worship, fellowship or communion with the Father, must do so in Spirit and in truth, His Word is truth. This is the fellowship that the Father seeks. (John 4:23-24). One must be born again to see or to enter the kingdom of God. (John 3:3-8). One must have the Spirit of Christ within them, to have this intimate, personal relationship with the Father. (Rom 8:9). Once one begins to walk in the Spirit, then it is essential that they maintain this walk and relationship with Him. (Col 1:23). Many begin in the Spirit, but just as the Galatians did, they revert to the ways of the flesh. (Gal 3:1-5, 1Cor 3:1-4).

Luke 17:20-21, 20 And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation: 21 Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you. KJV.

[With observation] With scrupulous and attentive looking for it, or with such an appearance as to "attract" observation-- that is, with pomp, majesty, splendor. He did not deny that, according to their views, the time was drawing near; but he denied that his kingdom would come in the "manner" in which they expected. The Messiah would "not" come with pomp like an earthly prince; perhaps not in such a manner as to be "discerned" by the eyes of sagacious and artful people, who were expecting him in a way agreeable to their own feelings. The kingdom of God is "within" people, and it makes its way, not by pomp and noise, but by silence, decency, and order, <1 Cor. 14:40>. (from Barnes' Notes)

The reign of God is "in the heart." It does not come with pomp and splendor, like the reign of temporal kings, merely to control the external "actions" and strike the senses of people with awe, but it reigns in the heart by the law of God; it sets up its dominion over the passions, and brings every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ. (from Barnes' Notes)

1. That the kingdom of the Messiah was to be a spiritual kingdom, and not temporal and external. They asked when it would come. "You know not what you ask," saith Christ; "it may come, and you not be aware of it." For it has not an external show, as other kingdoms have, the advancements and revolutions of which are taken notice of by the nations of the earth, and fill the newspapers; so they expected this kingdom of God would do. "No," saith Christ,

(1.) "It will have a silent entrance, without pomp, without noise; it cometh not with observation," meta paratereseos-- with outward show. They desired to have their curiosity satisfied concerning the time of it, to which Christ does not give them any answer, but will have their mistakes rectified concerning the nature of it: "It is not for you to know the times of this kingdom, these are secret things, which belong not to you; but the great intentions of this kingdom, these are things revealed." When Messiah the Prince comes to set up his kingdom, they shall not say, Lo here, or Lo there, as when a prince goes in progress to visit his territories it is in every body's mouth, he is here, or he is there; for where the king is there is the court. Christ will not come with all this talk; it will not be set up in this or that particular place; nor will the court of that kingdom be here or there; nor will it be here or there as it respects the country men are of, or the place they dwell in, as if that would place them nearer to, or further from, that kingdom. Those who confine Christianity and the church to this place or that party, cry, Lo here, or Lo there, than which nothing is more contrary to the designs of catholic Christianity; so do they who make prosperity and external pomp a mark of the true church.

(2.) "it has a spiritual influence: The kingdom of God is within you." It is not of this world, <Jn. 18:36>. Its glory does not strike men's fancies, but affects their spirits, and its power is over their souls and consciences; from them it receives homage, and not from their bodies only. The kingdom of God will not change men's outward condition, but their hearts and lives. Then it comes when it makes those humble, and serious, and heavenly, that were proud, and vain, and carnal,-- when it weans those from the world that were wedded to the world; and therefore look for the kingdom of God in the revolutions of the heart, not of the civil government. (from Matthew Henry's Commentary)

Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, neither has it entered into the heart of man, the things that God has prepared for them that love Him. It is not visible or observed by the physical eye. It cannot be heard by the physical ear. Nor can it be comprehended by the heart of stone. It is revealed by His Spirit. The natural, physical or carnal man, is not able to receive the deep things of God, for they are foolishness to him. These things can only be revealed by His Spirit, to those who diligently seek Him. (Acute spiritual observation).

John 5:39, Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me. KJV

When one reads the Word, what exactly is it that you are looking for? What is it that you expect to see?

We must search the scriptures for Christ, as the new and living way that leads to this end. These are they, the great and principal witnesses, that testify of me. Note, First, The scriptures, even those of the Old Testament, testify of Christ, and by them God bears witness to him. The Spirit of Christ in the prophets testified beforehand of him <1 Pet. 1:11>, the purposes and promises of God concerning him, and the previous notices of him. The Jews knew very well that the Old Testament testified of the Messiah, and were critical in their remarks upon the passages that looked that way; and yet were careless, and wretchedly overseen, in the application of them. Secondly, Therefore we must search the scriptures, and may hope to find eternal life in that search, because they testify of Christ; for this is life eternal, to know him; see <1 Jn. 5:11>. Christ is the treasure hid in the field of the scriptures, the water in those wells, the milk in those breasts. (from Matthew Henry's Commentary)

Ephesians 1:9, Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in Himself: KJV

Having made known to us the mystery of his will (v. 9), that is, so much of his good-will to men, which had been concealed for a long time, and is still concealed from so great a part of the world: this we owe to Christ, who, having lain in the bosom of the Father from eternity, came to declare his will to the children of men. According to his good pleasure, his secret counsels concerning man's redemption, which he had purposed, or resolved upon, merely in and from himself, and not for any thing in them. In this revelation, and in his making known unto us the mystery of his will, the wisdom and the prudence of God do abundantly shine forth. It is described (v. 13) as the word of truth, and the gospel of our salvation. Every word of it is true. It contains and instructs us in the most weighty and important truths, and it is confirmed and sealed by the very oath of God, whence we should learn to betake ourselves to it in all our searches after divine truth. (from Matthew Henry's Commentary)

Ephesians 3:9, And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ: KJV.

It is by the Spirit of God, that our eyes of understanding is enlightened to the truth of God’s Word, so that which has been hidden, can now be revealed or uncovered, to those that truly seek Him. (Eph 1:18)

What the eye is to the body, the understanding is to the soul; and that as the eye is not light in itself, and can discern nothing but by the means of light shining, not only on the objects to be viewed, but into the eye itself; so the understanding of man can discern no sacred thing of or by itself, but sees by the influence of the Spirit of wisdom and revelation; for without the influence of God's Holy Spirit no man ever became wise unto salvation, no more than a man ever discerned an object (no matter how perfect soever his eye might have been), without the instrumentality of light. (from Adam Clarke Commentary)

Observe, Those who have their eyes opened, and have some understanding in the things of God, have need to be more and more enlightened, and to have their knowledge more clear, and distinct, and experimental. Christians should not think it enough to have warm affections, but they should labour to have clear understandings; they should be ambitious of being knowing Christians, and judicious Christians. (from Matthew Henry's Commentary)

It takes acute observation, or in other words, the ability to discern; to be able to distinguish between the Spirit of truth, and the spirit of error. This can only happen, and be developed by the ability to hear the truth of the Word. The ability to hear and digest the meat of the Word. Yet, few often give much thought to this fact.

2 Corinthians 4:2-4, 2 But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God. 3 But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: 4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. KJV

The god of this world, blinds the minds of them that do not hear and believe all that God’s Word has to say to us.

[Nor handling the word of God deceitfully] Not using the doctrines of the Gospel to serve any secular or carnal purpose; not explaining away their force so as to palliate or excuse sin; not generalizing its precepts so as to excuse many in particular circumstances from obedience, especially in that which most crossed their inclinations. There were deceitful handlers of this kind in Corinth, and there are many of them still in the garb of Christian ministers; persons who disguise that part of their creed which, though they believe it is of God, would make them unpopular, affecting moderation in order to procure a larger audience and more extensive support; not attacking prevalent and popular vices; calling dissipation of mind, relaxation; and worldly and carnal pleasures, innocent amusements, etc. In a word, turning with the tide, and shifting with the wind of popular opinion, prejudice, fashion, etc. (from Adam Clarke Commentary)

[Commending ourselves to every man's conscience] Speaking so that every man's conscience shall bear its testimony that we proclaim the truth of God. This is one characteristic of divine truth: even every man's conscience will acknowledge it, though it speak decidedly against his own practices. (from Adam Clarke Commentary)

Observe,

(1.) Christ's design by his gospel is to make a glorious discovery of God to the minds of men. Thus, as the image of God, he demonstrates the power and wisdom of God, and the grace and mercy of God for their salvation. But,

(2.) The design of the devil is to keep men in ignorance; and, when he cannot keep the light of the gospel out of the world, he makes it his great business to keep it out of the hearts of men. (from Matthew Henry's Commentary)

Most, walk by sight. They go by what they can see with their physical eye. They base decisions off of what they see or observe everyone else doing. They are ruled or governed by that which they see or observe going on around them. Yet, the Word clearly tells us that we are to walk by faith. One is to walk according to the message delivered by the Word of God, Christ, and allow this message to become an actual way of life. Yet, how often is this the case?

Gal 4:9-10, But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage? Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years. (KJV)

What is it that you are observing this day?

That you may know Him,

In the service of Jesus Christ.

Larry Gazelka