Who has believed what we have heard?
And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?
— Isaiah 53:1
A worldview is a conception of what the world is like. All men, whether they want to admit to it or not, have a preconceived idea of what is or isn't possible. This is true of the entire creation, both secular and sacred. Jesus put it succinctly when he stated, "He who is not with me is against me and he who does not gather with me scatters." (Matthew 12:30) There is absolutely no middle or neutral ground!
Let me give you a sacred example. John records that at the time of Jesus' final entry into Jerusalem, there were some Greeks in the city who had come for the Passover and they desired to talk to Jesus.
Who knows what torment Jesus may have been experiencing even four or five days out from the feast in which He knew He would lay down His life. With His understanding of what lay ahead, it may have been difficult for Him to concentrate on anything. It was almost as though He was verbalizing the thoughts he had been meditating on in the days leading up to this point. See John 12:20-26.
Then He cried out, "Now is my soul troubled. And what shall I say? 'Father, save me from this hour?' No, for this purpose I have come to this hour. Father glorify thy name." (John 12:27)
Immediately, "a voice came from heaven,' I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again." (John 12:28)
Now, note the response from the crowd. First the unbelievers, the ones with the worldview that could not conceive of or allow for anything supernatural, said "that it had thundered." (John 12:29) This is a very naturalistic explanation of what occurred and, who knows, perhaps that is actually the way they heard it lest they turn and believe (John 12:40). But, the point is, their presuppositions regarding what was possible would not allow them to even consider the possibility of a supernatural cause.
These people are still with us today in the guise of evolutionary scientists. There is no way the world could have been subjected to a world-wide flood. Any evidence for a flood has to have been a local phenomenon. Despite clear evidence of a worldwide flood, they refuse to acknowledge the Noahic flood and much more.
Then, there was a second group present, those who saw the world in a more sacred framework. although they may not have been genuine believers — at least at that point in time — they were open to supernatural explanations. Their interpretation was that "an angel had spoken to him." (John 12:29)
Let me give you a sacred example. John records that at the time of Jesus' final entry into Jerusalem, there were some Greeks in the city who had come for the Passover and they desired to talk to Jesus.
Who knows what torment Jesus may have been experiencing even four or five days out from the feast in which He knew He would lay down His life. With His understanding of what lay ahead, it may have been difficult for Him to concentrate on anything. It was almost as though He was verbalizing the thoughts he had been meditating on in the days leading up to this point. See John 12:20-26.
Then He cried out, "Now is my soul troubled. And what shall I say? 'Father, save me from this hour?' No, for this purpose I have come to this hour. Father glorify thy name." (John 12:27)
Immediately, "a voice came from heaven,' I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again." (John 12:28)
Now, note the response from the crowd. First the unbelievers, the ones with the worldview that could not conceive of or allow for anything supernatural, said "that it had thundered." (John 12:29) This is a very naturalistic explanation of what occurred and, who knows, perhaps that is actually the way they heard it lest they turn and believe (John 12:40). But, the point is, their presuppositions regarding what was possible would not allow them to even consider the possibility of a supernatural cause.
These people are still with us today in the guise of evolutionary scientists. There is no way the world could have been subjected to a world-wide flood. Any evidence for a flood has to have been a local phenomenon. Despite clear evidence of a worldwide flood, they refuse to acknowledge the Noahic flood and much more.
Then, there was a second group present, those who saw the world in a more sacred framework. although they may not have been genuine believers — at least at that point in time — they were open to supernatural explanations. Their interpretation was that "an angel had spoken to him." (John 12:29)
Jesus eventually was able to slip away from the gathering, knowing they did not believe the signs He had performed nor did they believe in Him. John says, "it was that the word spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled: 'Lord, who has believed our report, and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?'" (John 12:38)
This incident details the fulfillment of our opening verse. This entire incident took place so that the verse from Isaiah might be fulfilled.
Arms have denoted strength throughout history. In recent times, Rosie the Riveter was an icon of the power of America's women in building equipment for war during WWII. The most popular brand of baking soda takes as it's name "Arm and Hammer."
Jesus is the arm (i.e., power) of the Lord quite literally. God reached down into our world using His arm, Jesus, to perform signs and wonders in the demonstration of His power so that we might believe what we have heard. If you have not heard Him, perhaps it is time to consider changing your worldview.
This incident details the fulfillment of our opening verse. This entire incident took place so that the verse from Isaiah might be fulfilled.
Arms have denoted strength throughout history. In recent times, Rosie the Riveter was an icon of the power of America's women in building equipment for war during WWII. The most popular brand of baking soda takes as it's name "Arm and Hammer."
Jesus is the arm (i.e., power) of the Lord quite literally. God reached down into our world using His arm, Jesus, to perform signs and wonders in the demonstration of His power so that we might believe what we have heard. If you have not heard Him, perhaps it is time to consider changing your worldview.
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