Learners Listen (Mark 3:16-19)

You can check out my first sermon in our “Identities and Rhythms” series from last Sunday. You can catch the audio and video here.

Getting the equation right is important. Now I always did fairly well at math, but I didn’t enjoy it much at all. I much preferred the readin’ and writin’ over the ‘rithmetic. Last week, little Sibu was telling me, right before the Gathering here, just how much he hated math. And I responded, “Tell me about it. Me, too, man.” And his mom Brooke glared and said, “You’re not helping me, Kevin.” I, of course, tried to recover. I said something like, “But Sibu, it’s really important. I use it all the time.” But the damage had been done.

I was being truthful, though. I do often find myself using that math I didn’t like. And sometimes even equations. I don’t get too sophisticated - that’s for sure. But I often find myself trying to figure out what x equals, and getting it wrong means messing things up. Now this isn’t really math per se, but there’s nothing quite as critical as understanding and living out an equation I’m going to show you now. You can pick up a new 2 x 4. You can create a new file on Photoshop. But you have one life. And you don’t want to get it wrong.

I’m actually going to start with the wrong equation first. Here’s the way we typically think and go about our lives: how I live leads to who I am. Who I am leads to what God does. And what God does in response shows who He is. In that equation, our identity depends on our conduct. Our identity we build determines God’s response. But that’s the opposite of what we believe as Christians.

Today, I want to show you a better way. Here’s the proper, biblical equation. Who God is and what God has done lead to who we are and how we then live. Rather than trying to prove ourselves to the Lord, and somehow earn His love, we live out of that love. We see our new identity - as His beloved children - and that shapes how we live - our rhythms. You see, the equation makes all the difference.

Now today we’re launching into a new mini-series entitled, “Identities and Rhythms.” Normally, we preach verse by verse through books here in Karis. We’ll get back to Matthew soon. I promise. And we’ll be in there literally for years. But I always spend some time each fall, talking about our church vision. And for this series, we’re going to focus on the second half of that equation - who we are and how we live. But, as it’s our first week, I want to make sure we all understand the first part of it, as well.

Take who God is. In Karis, we commonly talk about what we call the “Four Gs.” God is great. God is glorious. God is gracious. God is good. When we say “God is great,” we’re saying that He’s completely in control. When we say He’s glorious, we mean that He’s the weightiest being in the universe. When we say He’s gracious, we’re talking about Him welcoming sinners like us to sit at His table. When we say He’s good, we’re saying that He’s completely satisfying. This is who our God is.

Take what God has done. Here’s the amazing news. Even though we’re sinful, and don’t deserve to be in the presence of a God like that, the Lord made a way. He sent His Son, Jesus, to earth. To live a perfect life that we could never live. To die in our place on the cross for our sins. And to be raised from the dead on our behalf, as well. As we turn from looking at what we do and turn toward His work for us - as we trust in that - we’re made right with God again.

And here’s the reality - those 4 Gs - they’re all ours, if we’re believers, in Jesus. We’re brought into His family. We’re children of God. Therefore, God is great. So we don’t have to control things anymore. God is glorious. So we don’t have to fear others. God is gracious. So we no longer have to prove ourselves. God is good. So we don’t have to go elsewhere. This is who God is. This is what He’s done in the gospel.

Now I’ve already said, when we become believers, we’re made sons of daughters of God. But out of that core identity, there are six identities that we like to talk about in Karis. And we’ll look at the first one this morning together - along with a corresponding rhythm.

Our Identity: Learners

But first, let’s go back to Mark chapter 3. Here we see Jesus calling His disciples. Look at verse 13 again: “And he went up on the mountain and called to him those whom he desired, and they came to him.” Christ gathers this critical group of men. Look what it says about them. He “called” them “to Him” verse 13 says. He is the one who takes the initiative. And “they came to Him,” it explains. They respond.

Now those twelve who are called, who come, are not particularly sharp. One of the main things we observe, in the gospels, is the dullness of the disciples. And they’re also not particularly godly. We’re going to see Peter’s sin time and time again as we walk through Matthew. And he ends up being the leader. None of them is that smart. None of them is perfect.

Again, there are twelve, verse 16 tells us. And that number is symbolic. There were twelve tribes in the old covenant people of God. Right? These twelve men will be the founders of the new covenant people of God. They’ll go out on a mission and launch the church. These guys. Imperfect to the core. Prone to be at each others’ throats. And look what else verse 13 says: He “called to him those whom He desired.”

He desires these ragamuffins. More like rage-amuffins. He wants them. He calls them. And they respond. And then everything changes. They then are defined by their relationship with Jesus.

Karis, we’re also given a new identity. The term that is used here in verse 14 is actually “apostles.” They’re the “sent ones.” The capital-A apostles. The church is founded upon them - on their teachings, their writings. In a sense, that’s also us. We’re also sent. But we’re small-a apostles. But these men here are most commonly known as His disciples. And that term definitely also applies to us. Even though we’re nothing special. And are broken sinners, as well.

Pastor Jeremy Treat did a study of all the words used to refer to followers of Christ in the New Testament. And this is what he found. Only three times they’re referred to as Christians. Fifteen times they’re called believers. And a whopping 253 times, Christ-followers are called disciples. That is our fundamental identity, also. We have been called to Him. If we believe. We have come to Him. If we trust in Him. All because He desired us. How awesome is that! We’re His disciples.

But what does that term even mean? Well, at its most basic level, a disciple is a learner. A student. Who learns who God is. And what God has done. Who devotes his or her life to going deeper and deeper into those truths. Here is how we put it in Karis.

We are learners of Jesus who take responsibility for our own development and the development of others.

This is who we are. Learners. But hear this: we’re not just talking about our heads. But our hearts and our hands, too. We’re committing to learn all about God and His gospel - and all its implications for our lives - as disciples. Not just to trust those truths. But to obey them, as well. Jeff Vanderstelt puts it this way: “That is what discipleship is all about. It is the ongoing process of submitting all of life to Jesus, and seeing him saturate your entire life and world with his presence and power.” That’s what we’re learning in, growing in, Karis.

But we’re also not just thinking about us. We do take responsibility for our own development - of course in dependence upon the Holy Spirit. But we also think about the health and growth of those around us. We don’t just walk around thinking about our needs. But what does my brother need? What could help my sister? As we’ll see in this series, we’re called to community. We’re made a part of a family. And we begin to care about how those around us come to learn.

And we also learn from them. We need each other to teach us the ways of Christ. We need each others’ strengths and gifts. Weaknesses and even sins. As we learn to bear with one another, we truly walk in the path of Christ who humbled Himself to save.

But all of this is so hard for us. And especially today. And I think there are two main reasons. And I’ll call them arrogance and prejudice. Take arrogance first. There’s so much pressure to have all the right answers today. People are praised for their pompous hot takes online. They get “likes” for putting others in their place. Nuance and understanding and respect and gentleness aren’t appreciated; they’re mocked. Humility has always been seen as lame. Today, arrogance is celebrated.

Last week, Aaron preached on Psalm 19. Some time ago, I saw professor and author Esau McCauley quote verse 12. It reads, “Who can discern his errors? Declare me innocent from hidden faults.” He applied it to Christians resisting the idea that we have hidden biases, sins that we don’t even realize. How could we ever think that we can fully understand our hearts? Are we greater than David? How could we be so proud? Are we goin to let the world show us how to learn? Shouldn’t we model humility?   

We’re called to be learners. To look like Jesus, the gentle and lowly One. But here’s the irony. We may resist humbling ourselves - and submitting to learning. But we’re learning all the time - even when we don’t realize it. We’re not as independent and competent as we think we are. We’re being shaped by - and conformed to - the world. Hear Mike Cosper:

“...we automatically assume that what people want is a matter of their own free will. We like to think of ourselves as autonomous actors in the world. We think our desires are innate; they’re ours, and what we want is something that has developed freely and independently.

But our desires don’t appear out of nowhere, innate to our hearts. Rather, they’re formed by innumerable explicit and implicit influences that range from our family system to our education to media to politics. When God tells us that we’re clay, it’s not just a happy image that promises that he - the Potter - has the power to shape us. It means that we are moldable, and something is always forming and shaping us. Our culture tells stories that shape what we think is good and what might make us happy, and our hearts conform to those stories.” (Mike Cosper)

Did you hear that? “Something is always forming and shaping us.” No matter how arrogant and defiant we may sound, we’re being discipled. We are. Always. By something. By someone.

Take prejudice. Today, we’re divided into tribes. We gather into camps. And we hurl stones at one another. We can even see this in the church. We unfriend people who don’t agree with us. We cancel those who make us upset. We can walk away from friendships we’ve had for years - if they challenge that video we post on social media. It’s hard to learn from people that you avoid. And hate. We can’t respect, much less tolerate one another.

But back to those original disciples. They were sinners. And even natural enemies. Hear author Rich Villodas:

"Mathew worked for the government; Simon hated the government. Matthew was a tax collector; Simon was a tax protester. Matthew collected revenue for the Romans; Simon was a rebel against the Romans. Matthew was wealthy; Simon was working class. Matthew made a living taking advantage of people like Simon; Simon made a living trying to kill people like Matthew. Despite all these differences, somehow Matthew and Simon were able to remain connected. But it cost them something. Matthew had to stop taking advantage of people like Simon; Simon had to embrace a different vision of revolution. This is the essence of the new family Jesus was creating.” (Rich Villodas)

If Matthew the tax guy and Simon the Revolutionary would have been in the same church today, they wouldn’t have talked to one another, much less followed Jesus around together. But we’re meant to learn from one another. And help those around us grow. David Platt reminds us: “This is the beauty of making disciples. When we take responsibility for helping others grow in Christ, it automatically takes our own relationship with Christ to a new level.”

Life-long learning together should be our expectation. If you’ve been around awhile, you’ve seen this graphic more than once. But we try to put it up as a reminder a couple of times a year - the crosschart. Look at it with me. You see the timeline of our lives from left to right. There is a point when God rescues us, and then the learning happens. The top axis refers to our comprehension of God’s holiness. The bottom one points to our understanding of our sinfulness. Our understanding of both of those things is small at the beginning. But as we move along in life, and grow in His grace, the gap in our understanding actually gets wider. We understand more about how holy He is. We come to grips with just how sinful we are. Instead of getting to a point where we think we have everything figured out, the opposite happens. We learn just how little we know. But there’s actually joy in that. The wider the gap grows, the more it can be filled up with the cross, the gospel of Jesus. And we can take more and more joy in Him.

Karis, if we’re followers of Jesus, then that means we’re disciples. We’re learners. We should be humble. Not quickly offended. Not easily provoked. We should be hungry to learn. With open hearts. Learning from our Lord Jesus. And from His people. Even those with different experiences, backgrounds, convictions, and opinions than us. This is our identity. We’re learners.   

Our Rhythm: Listening

Let’s move on to our second point. And go back to the text again. Verse 13 speaks of Jesus calling His disciples. Verses 14 and 15 gets into why He called them.

Mark 3:14 And he appointed twelve (whom he also named apostles) so that they might be with him and he might send them out to preach

Mark 3:15 and have authority to cast out demons.

Why do we see? First, “so that they might be with him.” Here’s what disciples did back then. They latched themselves to a Rabbi. And they followed Him around, watching and learning. This is what Jesus did with those twelve. He opened His life to them. He allowed them in. He gave them His time.

Notice what’s next. Why, second, did He call these disciples? So that “he might send them out to preach and have authority to cast out demons.” He calls them so that they might be trained by Him. Right? That’s the point of discipleship. Not that people just soak up the teacher - and stay beside Him forever. But that people would be raised up and sent out. Here to share the gospel in word. And show its power in deeds.

You see, this learning has a purpose. As John Starke puts it, “Disciples are not merely learners but fruit-bearing disciple-makers; they multiply themselves.” These twelve are given a new purpose - to get their lives in step with the beat of Jesus.

And we’ve been given this rhythm by Him, as well. As Aaron taught us so well last week, our God graciously reveals Himself - in His creation, through His word, and most of all, through Jesus Himself. And the Lord wants us to hear it and respond to it. The point of His revelation is our response. But to respond to it, we have to hear it in the first place.

Jesus has called us. He desires us. We have come. And He wants us to be with Him. Have you thought about that? How amazing that is? Jesus wants to be with you - and me. And He wants to train us, to teach us His ways, that He can send us and use us - in building His kingdom.

He’s given us a rhythm - that fits with our identity as learners - that of listening. Here’s how we say this in Karis, again:

We listen to our Lord, allowing Him to also speak His gospel to us through others.

This is meant to characterize all of our Christian lives. Listening to God. And primarily in His word, in our Bibles. And listening for His gospel. For who He is. And what He’s done for us. And again, for all its implications in our lives. And we don’t just seek to hear it, we seek to put it into practice, to obey it. To submit to His Lordship in every area of our lives. To be trained for ministry. That we’d bear fruit. That’s what disciples do. They listen.

But notice we’re not just listening to Him. We’re allowing Him to speak to us through others. Yes, though leaders that He’s placed over us. But through our brothers and sisters in the body of Christ. Again, those twelve launched Christ’s church. We’re brought into a community. Into a family. And we’re to help each other. And to listen to those around us and learn.

Now sometimes, we’ll think, “I’ve heard that before.” But what we need so often are reminders. Or maybe to grasp how a truth applies to our lives. One of my mentors, Chip Stam, who now is with Jesus, used to say, “The Christian should be easily edified.” That’s built up. If we’re learners and listeners, with our Bibles open and God’s people nearby, we’ll never lack food for our souls. God will often surprise us.

Now we’re hindered again, by our arrogance and intolerance, but I think there are a couple of other things that make it hard for us to listen. First, distraction. So many images and messages fly at us today. And they’re relentless. Notifications on our phone hinder our conversations. They interrupt us as we read God’s word. And not only do those keep us from hearing God. They broadcast the ways and values of this world. Hear Mark Sayers:

“In the networked world, even the most committed believer will consume only a fraction of the information and input from their church compared to what they consume via podcasts, YouTube, and Netflix. The digital network is now our primary formational environment. It shapes our opinions, values, and worldview. Today, the average churchgoer will Google a problem before they approach their pastor. The digital network is the primary shaper of their theological, political, and cultural worldview. David Kinsman and Mark Matlock warn that ‘screens disciple.’” (Mark Sayers)

We’re being distracted. But we’re also again being discipled. What’s so wild is that algorithms on our devices also keep feeding us the same content that confirms our biases and reinforces our arrogance and prejudice. How scary is that! It’s no wonder that these days feel so messed up.

But here’s another thing that keeps us from listening. Busyness. We run from work to the gym. Drop the kids off for sports. Run into the store while they’re there. And then run back and pick them up again. Maybe grab a meal on the way home. And eat it while we scroll on our phones. Every spare minute is filled up with something. We’re just so busy. There is very little space and time to listen to Jesus - in His word, among His people. We got places to go. Things to do. But we’re killing our souls.

We have to make space and allot time to just be with Jesus and to be taught in His ways. We have to recapture things like solitude. Where we get by ourselves and turn off the noise. And like Sabbath where we stop and rest and worship and rejuvenate ourselves. We have to prioritize gathering and worshipping with God’s people again. That is, if we want to listen to Him and have our lives filled with true blessing.

We also have to prioritize what’s important. Have you heard of the “wisdom pyramid” by Bret McCracken? He’s written a book by the same name. Check it out. What has to be our foundation? The Bible. This, he says, is our daily bread. What’s next, on top of that? The local Church. That offers embodied rhythms and worship, and wise people in our physical place. But also, we learn from our Church tradition. Time-tested theology and wise people in Christian history.

What’s on top of that? Nature and beauty. Nature - general revelation - as Aaron talked about last week. We have to get outside and hear Him preach of His glory, a preaching without words. And beauty. The glory we see in nature. But also that we create as bearers of His image. We make and enjoy good art. We walk around attentive, observing, looking for glory.

Above, McCracken says we should prioritize books. Old ones more than new ones. The great ones that people have gleaned from for ages. And he recommends a broad array - fiction, non-fiction, theology, history, poetry, and prose. Only on top of that, does he list the internet, watching out that we’re not ruled by algorithms and robots. Focusing on trusted sources. Prioritizing content recommended by people we trust. And at the top, with little value at all, he places social media. Used sparingly only. Realizing that too much of it is harmful.

Now what do you think? I think this is a wise guide in prioritizing the voices that come into our life. If we don’t wrestle with this, it will make it very hard for us to hear God’s voice - in His word and through His people right beside us. And we won’t grow and become the people He wants us to be.

Church, this is our rhythm - listening. It’s how we live. We’re characterized not just by open hearts - wanting to learn - but open ears - ready to listen.

Learners and Listening

Friends, back to that original equation. Because of who God is. Because of what He’s done in the gospel. We’re learners. That’s our identity. And if we’re to be learners, we have to listen. That becomes a critical rhythm. We don’t listen and learn to know enough or do enough to somehow get God to save us and welcome us to His throne. We do all of that as a response. So because of His love that He’s showed us in Christ, let’s do all we can to listen and learn and come to love our Father more and more.

I want to close with seven probing questions that may help you as you try to apply what I’ve said today.

First, are you characterized by a humility and hunger - toward God and others - that fits with being a learner? In what ways do you need to repent and grow? How are you maybe being consumed and shaped by the spirit of our age?

Second, are you open to listen and learn from those around you - especially those different from you? Do you prioritize doing whatever you can to gather and learn with God’s people?

Third, do you recognize your responsibility to learn and grow, as well as to help those around you? What needs to change for that to happen?

Fourth, how can you make space and time in your life to listen to the Lord? What do you need to shut out and give up? Do you take a regular Sabbath? Do you regularly experience solitude?

Fifth, what sources are you listening to and learning from? How does your life stack up with that pyramid? Are you building on the right foundation? Are you listening to the right voices? What might need to change?

Sixth, are you learning and listening with gospel mission in mind? How are you putting into practice what you’ve heard and learned? Are you open to Jesus training and sending you?

Seventh, are you rejoicing in the truth that Jesus has called you and desires you? That He wants to be with you? Or are you trying to believe and obey as a way to earn His love? That can’t be our motivation for learning and listening.

Karis, we’re learners. We must listen. Join us next week as we explore another identity and rhythm.