Jump Start # 341

Hebrews 5:11 “Concerning him we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing.”

  The writer of Hebrews was explaining the similarities between Melchizedek and Jesus Christ. Melchizedek lived during the days of Abraham. He was both a king and priest. He was the king of Salem which later became known as Jerusalem. There was much to say about this.

  The writer could tell that this wouldn’t go over well. It wasn’t that he was not explaining himself—he was inspired by God. It wasn’t that the material was too complicated and difficult to grasp. The problem was the audience, the readers. They had become dull of hearing.

  Two thoughts for us to understand. First, it is important for teachers to know their audience. Understand where your audience is and start where they are at. Jesus always did. I’ve sat through sermons before wondering why the preacher chose that topic for that audience—it just didn’t seem to fit together. Some have the right topic but it is delivered in a much too complicated manner for the audience. When those moments happen, it’s a bomb. If the preacher is sharp, he can tell that the audience isn’t with him. If he is capable, he’ll make adjustments and try to connect  with the audience. If not, he’ll just plow ahead with what was planned. Know your audience. Know where they are spiritually. Know when they are tired. Know when things are on their minds. This is not a fact just for preachers, it is a fact of communication. Moms and Dads do well to understand  this when talking with the kids. Husbands and wives need to get this when talking with each other. It’s communicating. It’s talking and listening. It’s giving and receiving. Both are necessary.

  The other thought there, the most obvious, is that these Hebrew Christians had grown dull of hearing. Dull. That word brings the image of a dull knife that can’t cut. A dull college lecture that you have to sit through. Boring. Long. Tedious. Death. Have you been there? I have. Sometimes it’s the speakers fault. Here in Hebrews, it was the listeners fault. They became dull. It wasn’t a dull message. It was dull  listening. They were bored. They were tired. They didn’t want to hear.

  We must wonder if the Bible has gotten that way to us. Read a murder novel and we can’t put it down. We can stay with the crossword puzzle or sudoko. But a few minutes in the Bible and here comes the yawns. Could it be the way we approach the Bible? Have we started with the idea that it’s hard to understand, it contains long names and far away places and it doesn’t make a lot of sense. That may have a lot to do with it.

  Consider this. Could you tell the story of the Bible in your own words? I don’t mean simply, “Jesus died for our sins.” More than that. Could you sum up each book of the Bible and tell how it all fits together like a giant puzzle? That would help you. How can a person not like the Bible. It has wars, romance, fighting, giants, floods, dead coming to life, fiery chariots and fiery furnaces. It has God. It’s not a novel, nor is it a love letter. It’s the will  of God.

  I actually think dull of hearing is only a symptom of a greater problem, dull with God. It is easy for folks who go to worship services all the time to get to a point where they have heard just about everything about everything. They can explain, detail and remember all kinds of facts. But in all of this, have we lost the “awe” of God. Do we no longer get impressed and amazed at what Jesus has done? Do we fail to see the fascination of the Lord stopping and of all people, talking to little Zaccheus and calling him by name and inviting himself to his house? Do we see little things like Jesus talking to the dead before He raises them?

  It helps to read slowly. Look at the words carefully. Put yourself there. As Jesus reveals a parable, be a Jewish person in the audience and see how you would have reacted. The Bible is like treasure in a field. It’s there. You have to look for it. Do some digging. Spend some time. You’ll find it. Amazing lessons. Great depth. Wonderful things to add to your faith.

  From a preacher’s point of view, nothing is worse than a dull audience. I’d rather preach to four people who were eager and excited than four hundred who sit there and stare off in space. Dull listeners aren’t challenged. Dull listeners rarely change. Dull listeners fill a spot but there is no life in their eyes or heart. Dull listeners are death to preachers.

  Do you find yourself there? What do you plan to do about it? It’s kinda like a marriage. When you are first married, you just love to be married. You do things together. You help each other. You are always thinking of the other. Then time passes. You tend to take each other for granted. The marriage can become stale and boring. Something happens. You snap at each other. One threatens to leave because they are getting nothing out of the relationship. You are rattled to the core. To do nothing is the end of the marriage. You know you can change. You’ve done it before. So you do. You don’t watch TV every night. You go for walks. You talk. You find a way to get the fire back in the marriage. It’s the same with God. It’s the same with God’s word. Get rattled to the core. You can change. You’ve done it before.

  Roger