The Logic of Kingdom Discipleship: The Emotional Heart

Cologne reacts differently on different people because of their specific pH levels. Same cologne, but different smell. While we cannot see the pH balance we can note its differences based on the how the skin reacts to it. The same is true with respect to the Word sown into a heart. The scripture makes it clear that we cannot know the heart, fully. I cannot even know my own heart. Yet, the nature of my heart is seen in its reaction to the Word of God.

Jesus is teaching us this truth in Matthew 13 by illustrating the kinds of reactions disciples can expect from men and women when the Word is preached. I wrote about the heart along the path in the last post. Here we will explore the heart that Jesus describes as "rocky ground." Jesus describes this heart as having a immediate and positive, response to the Word. He says, "...it immediately sprang up..."(13:5) and "immediately receives the word with joy" (13:20). This Word gave the hearer joy because it proclaimed the

• cancelled debt of sin (Col.2:14-15)

• transference from darkness to light (Colossians 1:13-14)

• imputed righteousness of Christ (2 Corinthians 5:21)

• security of his soul for all eternity (Ephesians 1:13)

• erasing of his condemnation (Romans 8:1).

This is the gospel and it is good news and this heart, when it hears such a declaration, feels and enjoys the truth of that freedom.

Many people in the church are this way, even ourselves at times. We rejoice in the glorious news that our sins have been cancelled and our eternity with the Lord secured by faith alone in Christ alone, and through grace alone! This is a right and accurate response. Yet, the kingdom involves something from us and it is this something more that shows the real nature of my immediate, joy-filled, response. Jesus says that even though this person immediately received the gospel with joy, the something more highlighted a truer picture of the heart. The truth of this heart is this: he had no depth of soil (v5), "no root in himself" (v21).

Jesus says that this heart "endures for a while, and when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately he falls away" (v21). This man's response to the word, while immediately filled with joy, is now tested by tough times because of the word. The word that gave him joy was now the word that is the root of him difficulties. As a result, as immediately as he received the word he immediately fell away. The joy he once felt was tested and, because he had no root in himself, he turned back.

This is the picture of the heart that acts on emotions. The word felt good at first. It touched deeply every fiber of their emotional life that gave them peace and happiness. The problem with this kind of faith - faith built on emotions and feelings is that it can only survive in climates of life that are sunny, slightly breezy, and comfortable. In this climate, the gospel is beautiful. However, when life for Jesus becomes discomforting or something else tickles our emotional fancies, Jesus is quickly abandoned. Emotional faith always needs all conditions to always be favorable; yet the the gospel - the Word of the King - requires and leads to a cross-life, a life where professed allegiance to Jesus will be tested.

Discipleship, true and genuine discipleship, is emotional, but not driven by emotions. The challenges before the church have always been challenges of joy; testings that prove where our true joy lay. There are times when the Word sown excites us. There are times when we read or leave service filled with the joy of God being for us and nothing standing against us. Then, as soon as we receive this word we are tested. Our response to the testing shows where our heart is before the Lord in those moments. Yes, Jesus is speaking of those we share the gospel with who are outside of the kingdom, but Matthew is also teaching the church about the heart of a genuine disciple.

Emotionalism flows out of the preaching of easy believeism. The preaching and believing is that we just need to trust and believe...that's it. But the truth is that trusting and believing are verbs that, which they connect us to the saving grace of God, they are still verbs that define and describe the life of the one saved. Nurturing our faith in Jesus is how the roots go deeper and the stand of the believer is strengthened. The unfaithful, however, are like those who "join" the church and then leave it as quickly as they joined. They thought that believing in Jesus would solve, not add to, their difficulties.

Fight against the notions of the heart that want an easy life in Jesus by growing in your understanding of the gospel; spending time in the Word. The desire of an easy life in Jesus will keep you at a surface level in Christ and, when the wind blows, you will be easily moved (See Matthew 7:24-27; see also, Psalm 15:1-5, especially verse 5 and Psalm 61:1-2)