Student-Worker-Heir

And he said, “Yes, go, and say to this people, ‘Listen carefully, but do not understand. Watch closely, but learn nothing.’ Harden the hearts of these people. Plug their ears and shut their eyes. That way, they will not see with their eyes, nor hear with their ears, nor understand with their hearts and turn to me for healing.” [Isaiah 6.9-10]

This scripture is a big deal. So big a deal in fact that Jesus' parables had everything to do with it.

His disciples came and asked him, “Why do you use parables when you talk to the people?” He replied, “You are permitted to understand the secrets of the Kingdom of Heaven, but others are not. To those who listen to my teaching, more understanding will be given, and they will have an abundance of knowledge. But for those who are not listening, even what little understanding they have will be taken away from them. That is why I use these parables, For they look, but they don’t really see. They hear, but they don’t really listen or understand. This fulfills the prophecy of Isaiah that says, ‘When you hear what I say, you will not understand. When you see what I do, you will not comprehend. For the hearts of these people are hardened, and their ears cannot hear, and they have closed their eyes—so their eyes cannot see, and their ears cannot hear, and their hearts cannot understand, and they cannot turn to me and let me heal them.’  “But blessed are your eyes, because they see; and your ears, because they hear. I tell you the truth, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, but they didn’t see it. And they longed to hear what you hear, but they didn’t hear it. [Matthew 13.10-17]

The perusal of Jesus' parables for understanding of the Kingdom can best be summed up in Jesus' own words earlier in Matthew:

Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. [Matthew 6.33]

The difference between a miraculous life and a miracle-less life is found in the presence or absence of understanding of the Kingdom of God. These are NOT my words, but the accurate summation of what Jesus said in Matthew 13.10-17 and Matthew 6.33. 

The knowledge of God accompanied by understanding is the lifelong obligation of every believer. Ours is the life of a student-worker-heir. We are commissioned to the lofty works seen in Jesus Himself with the amazing tagline that, in our growth, our works will surpass those of Jesus. Now, of course this does not mean Jesus' work of salvation on our behalf, but His works on earth that heralded His superiority over he natural ways of the earth (His miracles). Jesus' knowledge of the Kingdom is what set Him apart and what He taught would set us apart!

The knowledge spoken of above is precisely what the Apostle Paul spoke of in his second letter the the church at Corinth:

We are human, but we don’t wage war as humans do. We use God’s mighty weapons, not worldly weapons, to knock down the strongholds of human reasoning and to destroy false arguments. We destroy every proud obstacle that keeps people from knowing God. We capture their rebellious thoughts and teach them to obey Christ. [2 Corinthians 10.3-5]

Human reasoning will only resist (as a stronghold) and argue against the knowledge of God (can you say, "hard heart"?). The knowledge of God will always transcend human reasoning because human reasoning is an obstacle to be overcome.

Again, this is why Jesus quoted Isaiah in saying, "For the hearts of these people are hardened, and their ears cannot hear, and they have closed their eyes—so their eyes cannot see, and their ears cannot hear, and their hearts cannot understand, and they cannot turn to me and let me heal them."

That which proves we have rightly and fully comprehended the Kingdom of God is the softening of our hearts manifested in undivided obedience to faith - to deliver the message of the Good News that there is forgiveness of sins for all who repent - while spreading and enjoying miraculous provision and health in so doing. This is the earthly life of Jesus in a nutshell.

It would seem that our "education" in the knowledge of God and His Kingdom is just that, education. By its very nature, it is progressive. In application, that means that the student-worker-heir is progressing into full capacity and therefore, in adolescent stages, may not experience the fullness of his or her role. 

The intent and goal of the student-worker-heir however is indeed to "grow up" into the fullness of the stature of Christ:

Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ. This will continue until we all come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God’s Son that we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ. [Ephesians 4.11-13]

But, just as a horse led to water cannot be forced to drink and be refreshed, so one immersed in the Gospel of Jesus Christ cannot be forced to understand and be empowered. The resistant horse will be thirsty (or worse, die). The resistant soul will be powerless (or worse, ???).

The "hard heart" resists the full knowledge of God and has even stunted the growth of many adolescent believers. There is however provision and healing to be received and distributed by those who continue to grow in their knowledge of God and His Kingdom.

Father, may my heart be found soft and teachable! May I be found a faithful student-worker-heir of Your Kingdom!