Why we must listen
Martin Luther, once said, "To see God, we must learn to place our eyes in our ears." Come discover with us what Luther meant, in our first all-church, Dialogue and Discovery meeting. Everyone is welcome – visitors, members and friends – for a time of dialogue dedicated to exploring how we hear God’s voice in Scripture, by His Spirit and through open conversation with His people.
The meeting is on Monday night, May 7th, from 19:30 to 21:30 in the Amstelveen College Auditorium.
Christianity has always has been a faith of hearing. Moses’ words to Israel were, “Hear, O Israel, the LORD our God, the LORD is one.” (Deut 6:4) Paul wrote, “Faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ.” (Rom. 10:17)
What does this mean for us?
Scripture continually links listening to obedience. For example, both the Greek and Hebrew word for “hear” includes obedience in its meaning. The parable of the sower is a good example. The whole parable is about hearing. In the parable, God’s Word is the seed, we are the soil. How we listen and follow what we hear shows what kind of soil we are, and what kind of fruit we will produce.
Jesus taught: If your brother sins against you, go and show him his fault, just between the two of you. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over. But if he will not listen, take one or two others along, so that `every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’ If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, treat him as you would a pagan or a tax collector. (Matt. 18:15-17). Does the word “listen” surprise you? Why didn’t Jesus say, “If your brother repents,” instead? What is it about listening that is so important to living a life of reconciliation?
In Philippians, Paul addresses a problem between two women in the church. We don’t know what the problem is, Paul doesn’t say. Even more, he does not seem to care. What is important to Paul is that the women “agree,” and if they can’t “agree with each other in the Lord” the church is responsible to help them. (Philippians 4:2-3) What does it mean to “agree in the Lord?” What would this look like in practice in our families and friendships?
These are the kind of questions we will be looking at and answering together on Monday night. Come for good, lively interaction and learning as we discover together how to put our “eyes in our ears.”
Dialogue & Discovery: Monday night, June 7th, from 19:30 to 21:30 in the Amstelveen College Auditorium.
Christianity has always has been a faith of hearing. Moses’ words to Israel were, “Hear, O Israel, the LORD our God, the LORD is one.” (Deut 6:4) Paul wrote, “Faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ.” (Rom. 10:17)
What does this mean for us?
Scripture continually links listening to obedience. For example, both the Greek and Hebrew word for “hear” includes obedience in its meaning. The parable of the sower is a good example. The whole parable is about hearing. In the parable, God’s Word is the seed, we are the soil. How we listen and follow what we hear shows what kind of soil we are, and what kind of fruit we will produce.
Jesus taught: If your brother sins against you, go and show him his fault, just between the two of you. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over. But if he will not listen, take one or two others along, so that `every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’ If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, treat him as you would a pagan or a tax collector. (Matt. 18:15-17). Does the word “listen” surprise you? Why didn’t Jesus say, “If your brother repents,” instead? What is it about listening that is so important to living a life of reconciliation?
In Philippians, Paul addresses a problem between two women in the church. We don’t know what the problem is, Paul doesn’t say. Even more, he does not seem to care. What is important to Paul is that the women “agree,” and if they can’t “agree with each other in the Lord” the church is responsible to help them. (Philippians 4:2-3) What does it mean to “agree in the Lord?” What would this look like in practice in our families and friendships?
These are the kind of questions we will be looking at and answering together on Monday night. Come for good, lively interaction and learning as we discover together how to put our “eyes in our ears.”
Dialogue & Discovery: Monday night, June 7th, from 19:30 to 21:30 in the Amstelveen College Auditorium.
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