23
May
2010

The Heart of the Church - Unteachable
The Heart of the Church
Written by Pastor Eddie   
Have you ever known anyone that was unteachable?  If you knew me "back in the day" you did!  Like teenagers who have it "all figured out" I was unwilling to allow people to make widsdom and knowledge deposits into my life.  In a word I was Unteachable.




Take a look at 3 John 1:1-12 In this passage you see the Apostle John, writing to his friend Gaius, and he is describing in the letter the condition of the church, more specifically the hearts of those in the church.  

As a pastor it is always amazes to me to know that even in the early church that had been established only for a few years, there were already going through things that we often times go through in the church, divisions and issues arising.  These problems also tell me that the heart of man is continually in need of being examined and almost always in need of changing, however that change can only come about, as we allow the Holy Spirit to lead us.

Now back to Gauis.  As I said, this letter gives us an example of three men and the condition of their heart that will serve as a description or litmus test of the type of attitudes or hearts that we still find in the church of today.

Notice 3 John 1:9 "I have written something to the church, but Diotrephes, who likes to put himself first, does not acknowledge our authority. 10 So if I come, I will bring up what he is doing, talking wicked nonsense against us. And not content with that, he refuses to welcome the brothers, and also stops those who want to and puts them out of the church.  11 Beloved, do not imitate evil but imitate good. Whoever does good is from God; whoever does evil has not seen God".

Just as Jesus and Paul had their detractors, John and Gaius encountered people who worked against the progress of God's kingdom.  The heart of someone who is unteachable will reject the teachings of God’s words, usually out of a selfish ambition, for their own teachings.  They will also refuse to welcome and support any of their brothers and their ministry, as workers in God’s Kingdom, as well.

Instead of Diotrephes, humbly submitting to grow in wisdon and in the knowledge of Jesus Christ, he has become allowed his heart to become hardened and he has become unteachable. 

Now check out Colossians 2:1-5 "For I want you to know how great a struggle I have for you and for those at Laodicea and for all who have not seen me face to face, 2 that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God's mystery, which is Christ, 3 in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. 4 I say this in order that no one may delude you with plausible arguments. 5 For though I am absent in body, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good order and the firmness of your faith in Christ".

Listen, we were created by a great God to be great and to continue to grow until we reach all the riches of full assurance of the understanding and knowledge, of Jesus Christ.  And in order to receive that knowledge and understanding, we have to keep our hearts softened to the leading of the Holy Spirit and wemust remain teachable.

You can’t truly be a disciple of Jesus, with an ynteachable spirit because the word “disciple” means, learner.  A learner is someone who is predisposed to receiving instruction from someone else.

Have you ever wondered why is it that Jesus Himself chose fishermen and tax collectors to be His disciples.  They were not the most learned or gifted men of His time.  I would submit to you that one reason, is that they were teachable.  They were willing to learn.  Gifted people are a dime a dozen, they are everywhere.  It is someone who is teachable that is a rare commodity.

The truth is, that no matter how gifted you are, that giftedness will not do what God has intended it to do, unless you have a teachable spirit.  That teachable spirit that you and I must have, is up to us.  No one can make you teachable.  Teachableness comes from our will; its our decision.  Where do you stand, are you teachable? 

You can here more on this topic by going to our a clicking on the media tab then "Listen to Sermon".  Also, check out the sermon audio series, "The Heart of the Church".
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