Summary: Truth for man is only found in God and His Word. God’s Word, the Bible, is our truest guide and one resource we should reach for in every decision, challenge, and temptation. A man should receive this truth before his own intuitions, emotions, & opinions.

Well, here we are, attribute number 5 – Receptive to Truth. As we look at each one of these 9 attributes of a man of God, I said that each one of them is going to drive us closer to becoming the men that God wants us to be. Nothing will do that more than becoming more receptive to truth in our life. So each time – I promised that I was going to read a verse around something that Jesus did, and commanded us to do at the same time – the first verse

I want to look at today is John. Chapter 7, verse 16. It reads, “So Jesus answered them, ‘My teaching is not mine, but Him who sent me.'” What we see here is that Jesus is teaching what he hears from God. In other words, Jesus is receptive to truth. In fact, he communicates it from God. He is a carrier of the message of God. And then later on in John 14, verse 6, here’s what he said. “Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.'”

Here we discover that through Jesus, we discover the truth. And thus, we become receptive. Not only to him but to God. For he has the way and the truth and the life, and he is the method through which we discover the truth. Therefore, here is my definition of attribute 5 – a man is receptive to truth.

Corruption in this world is evidence that we struggle to live in and to know the truth. Truth for a man is only found in God and his words. God’s Word – the Bible, is our truest guide and one resource we should reach for in every decision, challenge, and temptation. A man receives this truth, even before his own intuitions, opinions, and emotions. In addition, he is willing to admit when he is wrong when confronted by the truth. He does this by being sensitive to the spirit.

Guys, for just a moment, I want you to think of someone that you know who is not receptive to the truth. Now this isn’t you, because you’re perfectly receptive – right? You’re perfectly receptive to truth. So I want you to think of somebody else, okay? And whoever this is, think about why they’re not receptive to the truth that is in the Word of God.

Now there actually are good reasons for why people are not receptive. They are both – there are both internal factors and external factors to us. For example, a good internal factor would be something like their emotions cloud their ability to see the truth. Or maybe they are change averse? Or they are resistant to rules that look constricting and appear counter-intuitive to them? Or maybe they don’t want to admit their faults? Or maybe they get a callous heart issue? Or maybe there’s been a misunderstanding along the way? Or they have a lot of historical baggage, right?

All these are real factors for people not being receptive to the truth. But there are also these external factors, right? That comes from other people, right? So things like – maybe it’s a persons’ approach that keeps a person from becoming receptive to truth. Or maybe it’s criticism from well-meaning people? Or maybe it’s hypocrisy that keeps people from the truth.

Whatever it may be, there are good reasons – whether internal or external – to why we don’t receive the truth. But we have to move this a little bit personally, right? We have to move it toward us. Because there are certain issues or triggers that also keep us from becoming receptive. All kinds of things to be quite honest. And they’re internal and external to us.

Maybe it’s an unresolved conflict, right? Each and every one of us had a conflict in our life, where in that moment of conflict we are not receptive to truth. Maybe it’s our own defensiveness that makes us un-receptive to the truth? Maybe it’s a lack of a meaningful relationship, right? An understanding that keeps us receptive to truth. Maybe it’s procrastination that keeps us receptive to the truth? Or control? Or the fact that we know better, or the fact that we discredit the other person who’s actually sharing it? Or maybe it’s that we simply just cannot forgive ourselves, therefore we are unreceptive to the truth.

All these little triggers and issues are so powerful and potent, to keep us from discovering the real truth. Well, you know what? Jesus cares that we know his truth. This is good news. He cares deeply. He wants us to hear it, and to heed it, to listen and to obey it. And in Luke 8, verses 4 through 8 – he gives us a beautiful illustration on how this works. So here are the words of Jesus.

“And when a great crowd was gathering, and people from town to town came to him – he said in a parable,” a story he made up. “‘A sower went out to sow his seed. And as he sowed, some fell along the path and was trampled underfoot. And the birds of the air devoured it. And some fell on the rock as it grew up. It withered away because it had no moisture. And some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up with it and choked it. And some fell on the good soil and grew and yielded 100 fold.’ And he said these things, and then called out, ‘He who has ears to hear let him hear.'”

Wow, what a great story by Jesus. What a powerful illustration. Clearly here in the story, we probably know oh too well – you hear about 4 different types of soil. 3 that produce nothing, 1 that produces everything. The proportions here are ridiculous. 100 fold versus nothing. What you have though, is a sewer – who represents God. Seed, that represents the truth. And soil, that represents our heart and it’s receptivity toward the truth that comes from God. Very simple, powerful illustration.

Jesus closes it off with, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.” And I believe what Jesus wants us to hear, is to hear with our heart. To become receptive to the truth, that he so generously gives to all the earth – regardless of whether it’s wasted, he shares it generously with all the earth, with all the soils. And then the personal questions become, “Which type of soil are you? Which type of receptivity to truth are you?”

Now I am always quick to categorize myself in one of these areas. But I have come to the conclusion that we aren’t just one type of soil, we are many types of soil all at the same time. Sometimes very receptive to the truth at certain points. And other times, unreceptive to the truth at different points.

Now while I want to throw myself in only 1 category, the truth is – is that we are many categories, because there’s plenty of places in my life where I feel I am very receptive to truth. And yet there are other places where I am very unreceptive to the truth. Where I represent hard, rocky or a thorny ground.

Now if we really begin to look at these verses this way, and discover that we can be all types of soil at all times – as a follower of Christ, we then discover the next task is to till and to soften the soil. To till and soften the soil of our own heart, so that we can become more receptive so that we can produce greater results. Because on the other side are incredible results.

So today – in 6 simple points, I want to guide you through a process of becoming more receptive. I’m just going to stretch the farming metaphor a little further. Pulling from the greater context of the gospel and Jesus’ teaching – through 6 simple ways that we can become more receptive, and we can till the soil of our heart.

1 – Welcome self-examination.

Guys, if we’re going to become more receptive, we’ve got to welcome self-examination in our life. As God’s man, we need to do this at regular intervals in our life. Failure to do this is evidence that we’re often too proud or too fearful to look inward -because of what we might find, and thus need to address. You know how we initiate this? We initiate this by examining the soil of our heart, relative to the current challenge we are facing. So here’s a little question for you. With step 1, what challenges are you currently facing? Just – challenge you to think about that. What challenges are you currently facing? Consider it, think about it. Do a little self-examination in your life.

2 – Determine your density.

I bet your wife would like to know that you’re dense, right? Determine your density. Second. We should really determine the density of our soil of the heart. This is just considering how hard or soft our heart is, in the respective area of challenge. To some degree, this is really just determining how stubborn or calloused we are. But in a positive sense, it’s also determining how soft or open we are as well. So real quickly in your mind, regarding the challenge that you’re currently facing – I want you on a density scale of 1 to 10, 1 hard, 10 soft – consider how receptive you are to truth in the current challenge you’re facing. Just consider it. 1 to 10, how hard – 1, hard – or 10, soft are you in this area of challenge, alright?

3 – Dig out unreceptive motives.

Dig out the unreceptive motives. The third step is – we must be willing to till the soil a little bit, and dig into the real motives behind our unreceptive attitudes. You know what this might require? It might require some painful raking, digging, probing, spading – and maybe some rock removal in our life? So guys, where are you unreceptive in the challenge that you’re currently facing? Just consider why. Why are you unreceptive?

4 – We then must pursue God’s truth.

Now, this is where it gets a little hard because we’re going to open up God’s word. But in the 4th step, we must seek God’s truth and own it. Casting aside all other thoughts, opinions, emotions, distractions – and counsel from others that compete with God’s truth. This is what I think we fail to do the most. Is to really discover in God’s word, what God says that we should do in this particular situation. So the question is – what does God’s truth say about your issue? What does it say?

5 – Expand your understanding.

This is where it gets fun, alright? Expand your understanding. Listening and submitting to lies means that we’re living in deception. Repetitive self-deception leads to callousness. Which inhibits our receptivity to truth. But when we listen and submit to the truth, we expand our understanding about everything that is truthful – the man of God – and indwelled by the spirit is empowered as Jesus says, “To see and to understand God himself.” So here’s your question. What is God revealing through this challenge about who he is to you? I think this is one of the greatest questions to ask yourself in any challenge. Is – what is God revealing through this challenge about who he is to you? Because God is teaching you something through every challenge.

6 – Live in the joy of God’s produce.

Live in the joy of God’s produce. The produce at the end of the story here is not the primary focus. It is an outcome. And since God provides the outcome, we can continue to focus on renewing the mind, to ensure that our soil is always receptive. We give ongoing attention to the soil, knowing that the produce is God’s – because it’s his truth. It’s his, not ours. Here we must be ever attentive to the motives, so as not to become callous, hard or unreceptive again. Now here’s the key question to continue to live in receptivity. To have a soft heart. Where are you likely to slip into old patterns after you start experiencing a little success? Where are you likely to tip into old patterns after experiencing some success?

Guys, I think these 6 steps and 6 questions could be some of the most profound questions to till the soil of your heart and help you to dig deeper so that God will produce incredible, incredible results in your life 100 fold, that’s crazy kind of produce. That’s crazy talk.