The Logic of Kingdom Discipleship: The Religious Heart That Is Indifferent to the Lord

There are factors, unseen, that make the "success" of the Word (the seed) a reality. It is not that the Word is of little to no value because people reject it, but what we must consider is the fact that there are many realities that factor into how the Word is received and its attending effects on a heart.

We are not commanded to know these realities, however. We are simply commanded to sow the seed knowing that it will work its intended - its God designed - purpose for those who hear it. The parable tells us about four types of hearts (people) we will encounter as we seek to spread the glory of God's kingdom by the gospel. The first type of heart Jesus speaks of is the heart along the path. Jesus tells us significant things about this heart to know and understand its response to the word. He says of this heart that:

• he heard the word (v19a).

• the birds came and devoured it (v4)

• did not understand the word (19b)

• the evil one comes and snatches what has been sown (19c)

The picture Jesus paints is one in which the word, though scattered, does not penetrate; it remains on the surface. Since it remains on the surface it is eaten as quickly by birds as it was sown. This picture, as I see it, demonstrates a heart that is indifferent to the Word of God. He hears it but makes the choice not to understand it. He sits in church and Bible study weekly, but his indifference to the word is that he will not ponder it to give it any application in his life. Church attendance and being morally good, are sufficient.

Jesus teaches us that this heart - this person - is met by the enemy quickly and easily whatever he has heard in the word is snatched away. His heart, though present, is indifferent to the truth of God and, therefore, has no softness about it towards God, holiness and or Jesus. As quickly as he hears the word the devil, through the man's own indifference, easily removes the truth of the word from his life and heart. Note, however, that the devil can only do this because the man's heart is indifferent.

The devil cannot affect our heart. he can only use what we give his space and power to use. This person is not an evil person. They may be the most respected in the church. They may may be perfect in their attendance, giving, participation in ministries. They would not be people of whom we would conclude to be rejectors of God. Neither were the Pharisees. They were the model of what religious duty was to be. None were like them, yet, when the Word of the kingdom landed on their hearts, they rejected it, meaning, the devil snatched what they left open to be snatched by indifference.

We must consider this reality lest, in our efforts to share the gospel with people, we are discouraged by their indifference. We must also consider this since, in theses last days, the lord is vetting the visible church and showing who are truly His. Some people that we know, love and respect, will fall away from the faith and leave Jesus. They will remain in the local church, but their heart will be indifferent and, as a result their lives will decay into gross and evident sin. This will either be a sinfulness within their life or a sinfulness of accepting teaching and practices that are contrary to the gospel.

Indifference is something that we must all guard against. I have written before that each of these hearts reflects seasons within our own lives. It is possible for each of use to be indifferent to the Word of God - a word that makes us uncomfortable or one that calls us to a greater consecration. We will hear it on Sunday but easily dismiss it because of its demanding realities.

But indifference is cultivated. You do not become indifferent overnight. We become indifferent to the Word of God when its only space in our lives is one day a week. You cannot love what you are not exposed to often. You will become indifferent to the Word of the kingdom when and because, you are only exposed to the word of your flesh. These two do not only disagree, but they also cancel out the other. Not that the Word can ever be canceled, but Paul teaches us that the flesh wages war against the Spirit to keep us from obeying (See Galatians 5:16-18).

Know that there are people in the church who are indifferent to God. We know this is true about the world, so Jesus is not telling us about those who know nothing of God. He is telling the disciples that this is what they will encounter among the so-called religious folks. The truth is that all of us, at one point in our lives, were this person. if we are not careful, not only will people like this discourage us, but, worse, we will become this kind of person.

The writer of Hebrews provides an at warning to the church regarding this tendency of the soul to drift (Hebrews 2:1). But what does "drifting" look like? He describes this drift in clear ways in chapter 5 and this passage will be the final word here:

11 About this we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of

hearing. 12 For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you

again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food,13 for everyone

who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child.14 But solid food

is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to

distinguish good from evil.