No Evidence of forced entry

My wife and I watch our fair share of crime dramas. “The Rookie”, “Chicago PD” and “FBI” to name a few. One time we we’re watching an episode of “Chicago PD” and the detective noticed an electrical wire sticking out of a wall. He grabbed the wire and pulled, and the wire tore the sheetrock diagonally at a forty-five degree angle. I almost spit my drink out laughing. Emily paused the show and turned to me wondering what she had missed.. Being in the construction industry, the route one would install electrical cabling inside the wall is some common knowledge, and its not forty-five degree across a wall. You run the wire vertically against the stud, then overhead in the ceiling over to your junction box or electric panel, but for the dramatic reveal of the body hidden in the wall, they needed a way for the drywall to rip open. They should have asked me for a better solution.

Sometimes they have crossover events where stars from one show will appear in the narrative of another show as two police departments work together on a case. However, one thing they all share is their inability to escape the phrase “No sign of forced entry”. It’s the sign of an expert criminal to leave no evidence of how they entered into the scene of the crime. It’s a sign that the criminal is cunning, sneaky, not so obvious, possibly even someone the victim knew or recognized. A home alarm system is great protection against a burglar, but doesn’t do much good if you have a water leak under your house. It’s great in the event someone is trying to steal your car from the garage, but what about deferred maintenance on the mechanical system. The concerning part is both the robber and leak can do severe damage, but you may not see the leak coming.

The Christian life is characterized by us learning to live our new life in Christ to glorify God, and Satan trying to prevent us from doing that. When you put your faith In Christ, you are signing up for a battle you don’t see happening, and you need to learn what tactics the enemy is going to use to get into your heart and head without any sign of forced entry. In the parable of the sower in Mark 4, Jesus talks about the different ways people respond to the good news of the gospel and the warning in Mark 4:19 is what we are going to focus on today:

And others are the ones on whom seed was sown among the thorns; these are the ones who have heard the word, and the worries of the world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word and it becomes unfruitful. (Mark 4:19)

Lets flesh it out

Jesus is describing here how people with crowded hearts respond to the gospel. Hearts crowded by all the things that don’t matter from an eternal perspective. Our day to day life presents ample opportunity to worry and distract and beg for our attention. Those worries and anxieties lead us to looking for worldly solutions, which often times prompts us to want to make just a little more money to throw at our problems. If only I could make an extra $1000 next year, I could escape from this worry, I could afford to buy a resolution to that problem, I could stop being anxious about x, y, and z. Then those extra funds arrive, and instead of solving our worries they just evolve into more and more covetousness. We don’t solve our problem and eliminate worry, we just have the resources to buy more things to worry about. Notorious B.I.G. knew then what still holds true today, when he penned in his 1997 hit “Mo’ money Mo’ problems”: “Its like the more money we come across, the more problems we see”. It’s the problem that the affluent western church faces today, the same problem the Laodicean church faced in the first century. In Revelation 3:17 Jesus admonishes the church then, and it’s as applicable as ever for the Church in America today: “You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked.”

It’s a vicious cycle that Satan uses. Worry leads to riches, which leads to desire, which leads to worry, which leads to.. But its not like this vicious cycle looks like a gang of marauders sneaking through your yard about to break in. It more closely resembles the “American Dream”. Bigger better faster is not the call of scripture. The key verse that stands in opposition the the response of the listener with the crowded heart, is Titus 2:11-12:

For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously, and godly in the present age (Titus 2:11-12)

God’s grace stands in stark contrast to the empty siren call of culture. Culture tells you to move up, progress, earn it, work hard, work harder, impress, obtain, succeed. Jesus, on the other hand, says “it’s finished.” Culture demands you out-work and out-last to out-do so you can be on top. Jesus says “come to me.. i will give you rest”. Culture says if you become like us, we will accept you. Jesus died for us “while we were yet sinners”. Jesus transforms us, He does the work. He doesn’t ask us to change to be accepted, he accepted us so that we will change.

Let’s look at some key truths of scripture, so that when these lies try to enter in and choke the word of God out of your life, you can fight back.

Worries of the world

Jesus calls us to trust in God, in His love for us. He asks us to flex our faith and reminds us that worrying wont do anything for you.

Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life? (Matthew 6:25-27)

Paul expounds on Jesus’ teaching, with instruction and promise. Take EVERYTHING to God in prayer and this peace will descend on you and set up a military style outpost (thats the greek meaning for the word translated as “guard”) around your heart and mind. This is the type of peace that makes no sense to those who dont have it themselves. The kind of peace that takes a nap on a boat as its almost capsizing in the middle of a storm. The kind of peace that prompts you to burst out in a worship service as you are shackled in your jail cell.

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6-7)

Deceitfulness of riches

Solomon, the wisest, richest, man to ever live had some thoughts on riches. He seems like someone who is well positioned to speak on the topic:

Do not wear yourself out to get rich; do not trust your own cleverness. Cast but a glance at riches, and they are gone, for they will surely sprout wings and fly off to the sky like an eagle. (Proverbs 23:4-5)

Jesus piggy backs on Solomon’s wise words, capturing the relation between where our treasure (desire) is and exposing where our heart is, because they can never be in two difference places:

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.  But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. (Matt 6:19-21)

Paul continues the thought stream here instructing us not to be so focused on the gift, but on the Giver. We have been blessed with all that we have from God, so we ought to freely bless others as well. Be “rich in good works” (Its what God saved you for after all - Ephesians 2:10), in generosity, sharing. He ties this back into Jesus’ comment on the storing up of treasures for the future (in heaven). This is how we “take hold of that which is life indeed”.

Instruct those who are rich in this present world not to be conceited or to fix their hope on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly supplies us with all things to enjoy. Instruct them to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, storing up for themselves the treasure of a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is life indeed (1 Timothy 6:17-19)

The Desires for other things

John exposes what the three pillars are of the “other things” Jesus warns us against. The lust of the flesh, or “if it feels good do it”. The lust of the eyes, or “If you want it, take it”. The boastful pride of life, or “its my own power and resources that are sustaining me”. It’s spitting in the face of God by proclaiming He doesn’t want whats best for you (Romans 8:28), He doesn’t want to bless you (Malachi 3:10), and you don’t need Him to sustain you (Philippians 4:19).

Do not love the world, nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the boastful pride of life is not from the Father, but is from the world. (1 John 2:15-16)

Fleshed out

Jesus warns that the crowded heart will be unfruitful ground for the good news of Him dying to save us from our sins. The gospel is choked when your heart is crowded with the worries of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the desire for other things. We are all prone to experiencing one or all of these heart intruders from time to time, but the Bible is full of truths we can use to fight back; to not allow these lies to enter in without a sign of forced entry. The peace of God is promised to stand guard against these lies. A constant connection with God through prayer and spending more time in His word, than we do in the world, is our heart and mind defense plan. He wants what is best for us, He promises to pour out blessings up on us, and He promises to always give us all we need. The outward appearance of these promises from God being fulfilled in our lives is almost never described as “success” by the world and culture around us, but they are how Christ has called us to experience “that which is life indeed”.