Responding to Jesus – Part 4: “Respond with Openness”

     It is becoming more clear to me what many mean by having an open mind. What many really mean, is that I must have an open mind accepting their way of viewing the world which is in fact closed to my way of seeing the world. They are asking me to open my mind to their close mindedness. I believe two possible reasons people close themselves off to new ways of thinking are past hurts and disappointments.

     We close off whole segments of society with one bad experience. With every disappointment and hurt, we close off more and more of the world. In fact, many Christians are part of the church because they believe that it is a way to be protected from the wider world. The opposite is also true. Many refuse to be a part of the church because they have been hurt or disappointed by the church. We can get away with this for a while but in time our lives become lonely and small. This loneliness keeps us from experiencing all that our Creator created us to be and experience.

     In Matthew chapter 11 we experience Jesus opening His life to others as an example ti His disciples and He ministers. They too have been called to minister as sheep among wolves and here Jesus teaching them and us how to do that without closing ourselves off to the very ones we are trying to serve. With the example, Jesus gives us we are challenged to respond to Jesus by further opening your life.  
     Beginning in verses 1-19 we see Jesus opening His life to the questions of John the Baptist.

What they heard and saw was the fulfillment of prophecy and Jesus uses this to answer Johns question. This is opposite of what many people do today when question. The typical response is to get defensive and close off who we really are. John the Baptist knew Jesus well, but his life experience was leading him to question his own faith. With that in mind, Jesus said blessed are those who are not offended at Him. The opposite of offended at Him, would be exhibiting trust under delay and disappointment. James 1:12 helps us understand that very point. “12 Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.”

     Continuing in the Matthew 11 we notice that Jesus opened his life up by speaking of accountability and His own grief in v.20-24. This is an often misunderstood passage. Jesus is not casting away those who have failed to repent, but He is holding them accountable for their response to seeing His miracles. To denounce literally means “to cast into one’s teeth”. Today one might say, placing truth right in their face. Jesus also expresses His grief. Woe is an expression of grief, not an expression of condemnation as so often thought. Here we can conclude that those who have seen and heard much are accountable for what they have seen and heard. When this does not take place Jesus expresses His grief over the coming judgment of those who refuse to repent. May we never forget that Jesus finds no joy in judgment.

     We also see Jesus opening Himself to the Father by expressing thanks in verses 25-26. I find it truly amazing that Jesus offers thanks to God in the midst of expressing grief concerning others. Those who think that they are wise in and of themselves, will not be given the truth of God until too humble themselves. Following Jesus example here does not come easy to me and I am very challenged with this in some key areas of my life. May I learn the importance of having a heart open to being thankful.

     Finishing up this pass through Matthew chapter 11 we see Jesus opened Himself after being rejected by His own people by inviting all who are tired and heavily burden to come to Him. V. 27-30. In the previous chapter, Jesus sent His disciple only to the lost Jews. He now has opened to all who are tired and burdened. The More Jesus is rejected, the more He opens Himself to others.  

     If Christian has mistreated us we tighten our circle and distrust the church and those who call themselves Christian. If a person from a specific geographic location harms us we reject all people of that region. Same thing goes with economic, political, or racial issues. With every disappointment, we shrink our circles. However, Jesus would have us widen our circle with every disappointment. We are to keep listening and watching even in the face of rejection, delayed fulfillment, and hardships of any kind. The challenge for us, both individually and corporately as a church is to draw a wider circle.  The following quote sums up this message well. “When the world looks upon a people called the church, who are experiencing various levels of uncertainty, fears, and dislocation and yet are able to release with joy all that has happened in the past to receive a new thing that God wants to do.” – Scott Daniels, Embracing Exile  

Questions for reflection:

1. What causes you to close off to others?

2. Is there an area of your life that you have closed off to God. 

3. How can you draw a wider circle? 

4. How can our church widen its circle?

5. Can our circle we too wide? 

6. In this text, what is most fascinating to you about Jesus? Why?