Failure to communicate? ∙

Failure to communicate? ∙

“If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.” – Mark 4:23

Mark 4:23-25

 23 “Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand.”

 24 Then he added, “Pay close attention to what you hear. The closer you listen, the more understanding you will be given – and you will receive even more.”

 25 “To those who listen to my teaching, more understanding will be given. But for those who are not listening, even their little understanding will be taken away from them.”

“Can you hear me now?” Paul Marcarelli was the “Test Man” character for Verizon Wireless cell phone commercials from 2002 to 2011. Entertainment Weekly named him one of the most intriguing people of 2002. He appeared in all of his Verizon commercials wearing a gray Verizon jacket and his own horn-rimmed glasses. He repeatedly checked to ensure that the Verizon signal was reaching the desired area and that communication was taking place.

Communication is an art that can be studied and mastered. Communication is the activity of conveying information. Communication requires a sender, a message, and intended recipient/s. The communication process is complete once the receivers have understood the sender’s message.

If the folks you are attempting to communicate with do not get it, you have not communicated!

Regarding Biblical communication, we are primarily engaged in receiving the Father’s communication and passing it on to others.

What is the goal of biblical communication? Biblical communication intends to share the living and active Word of God in a clear and easily understood way. The Father will use His Word to accomplish His purpose.

1 Timothy 1:5 The goal of our instruction is that all believers would be filled with love that issues from a pure heart, a clear conscience, and genuine faith.

Hebrews 5:14 Solid food is for the mature, who, through practice, have their senses trained to discern good and evil.

REFLECT & PRAY

Communicating the remarkable truth that the Father has provided to the world is not only possible for, but required of each child of the King.

Father thank You for communicating Your truth so that even I can understand. Teach me to teach others, as You have taught me.

INSIGHT

How did the Father communicate truth to mankind? The Holy Spirit facilitated the process. Referring to how the Old Testament Scriptures were written, Peter writes:

2 Peter 1:21 no prophecy was ever made by an act of human impulse. No, those prophets were moved by the Holy Spirit, and they spoke from God.

No biblical prophecy was ever produced merely because people wanted to prophesy. The Father gave prophecy in Scripture through men, who “spoke” as they were moved, carried along by the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit was working within the Old Testament prophets. The men spoke the Father’s words, using their own personalities, knowledge, background, vocabulary, and style.

The same Holy Spirit, responsible for the Scriptures’ inspiration and production, is available to each child of the King to empower our communication with others. He empowers us in our study and research, preparation, organization, and often the very words we speak.

There is no one set formula. The Holy Spirit often energizes our careful effort and preparation. Or our insight and wording may be spontaneous and spur-of-the-moment. The Holy Spirit does what is necessary to get the job done.

Most preaching and teaching in the book of Acts was spontaneous and extemporaneous. Usually, there wasn’t time to prepare a message. “It was not the performance of an hour but the preparation of a lifetime.” It was the preachers who were prepared, not the sermons (BBC).

How does spiritual communication take place? By the Filling of the Holy Spirit. The Father enables people. The Holy Spirit empowers, encourages, and energizes. He often supplies the words and nuances of communication.

Matthew 10:19-20 Don’t worry about how to respond or what to say. God will give you the right words at the right time. For it is not you who will be speaking– it will be the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.

This empowerment is frequently called the Filling of the Holy Spirit.

Micah 3:8 I am filled with power – With the Spirit of the LORD

Acts 4: 8 Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “ . . .

Acts 13:9-10 Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, fixed his gaze on him and said . . .

Our part is to seek to be cleansed, empty, and available conduits through which the Holy Spirit can work. Ideally, it should be the outworking of our walk with Him. However, we also pray to be empty of self-ambition and pride. We seek cleansing from known sin. We empty ourselves of ourselves so that we might be filled and empowered. In so doing, we follow the example of Christ.

How did the Father facilitate the communication process? Effective communication is need-driven – person-driven. The Father created needs or circumstances in the lives of individuals. He then supernaturally provided what was needed and applicable to resolve the needs and comfort the people. Knowledge was communicated, and that knowledge was the Father’s answer. The Scriptures are replete with answers from the Father for the needs of our everyday lives.

The Holy Spirit always has one-on-one communication with children of the King who are attuned to His voice. When we teach, He speaks to each person’s heart and mind. We are merely His conduit. For it is not we who speak, but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in us. (Matthew 10:20). This is the promise and the reality of Biblical Communication.

The Father knows the depths of each individual soul. He searches our hearts and knows our ways. He knows exactly how to speak to each person. This is, in part, why Christ was such an effective communicator. His ability was perceived as keen, penetrating insight, wisdom, authority, and bold confidence.

John 2:25 He Himself knew what was in man.

Matthew 7:29 He was teaching them as one having authority, and not as their scribes.

This ability transferred to the apostles who had been with Him.

Acts 4:13 Now, as they observed the confidence of Peter and John and understood that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled and began to recognize them as having been with Jesus.

The same Holy Spirit is with us to empower our teaching and communicate to others.

Understanding Scripture is not an intellectual matter but a spiritual and moral issue. No matter how great the intellect or advanced one’s education, we are inadequate without the Father’s enablement.

1 Corinthians 2:7-8, 14

 7 The wisdom we speak of is the mystery of God – his plan that was previously hidden, even though he made it for our ultimate glory before the world began.

 8 But the rulers of this world have not understood it; if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.

14 But people who aren’t spiritual can’t receive these truths from God’s Spirit. It all sounds foolish to them and they can’t understand it, for only those who are spiritual can understand what the Spirit means.

Matthew 23:23 Do not neglect the more important things.

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© Dr. H 2022