Sitting Before or Sitting Under

"Son of man, your people talk about you in their houses and whisper about you at the doors. They say to each other, 'Come on, let's go hear the prophet tell us what the LORD is saying!' So my people come pretending to be sincere and sit before you. They listen to your words, but they have no intention of doing what you say...You are very entertaining to them, like someone who sings love songs with a beautiful voice or plays fine music on an instrument. They hear what you say, but they don't act on it!" Ezekiel 33:30-32

The prophet Ezekiel is faithfully delivering God's message to the exiles in Babylon. They come before him and pretend to listen, but their hearts are set on personal gain. His teachings go in one ear and out the other, hearing but not heeding God's commands. After leaving the prophet's presence the people go out and promptly disobey the words they professed they loved to hear.

Sadly, church sanctuaries are filled weekly with people "sitting before" a message from the Lord, attending with no intention of doing what it says. A posture of passivity fills their hearts and minds. Matthew Henry writes, "How many are there in the midst of our assemblies, where the gospel is preached, that do not sit under the Word, but sit by! It is to them as a tale that is told them, not as a message that is sent them; they are willing that we should preach before them, but not that we should preach to them." 

When Sunday gatherings become a social club there is great danger. The transition can often go undetected as fellowship and fun should be part of the Christian community, but it cannot be the primary purpose. One of the ways to determine your own personal view, is what motivates you to go to church? Are you most eager to see friends? Does the coffee in the lobby kick-start your morning? Is it the 60-90minutes of free childcare that excites you weekly? There is a troubling trend in many churches that indicate that the majority of people attend for multiple reason, but one of the least is to actually hear from God. The message of Jesus Christ can become the minor part instead of the most important. This is the sad condition of greater Christianity today. How can I say this? Look around. If all across the world the people who walk through church doors were truly listening to Biblical exposition of His Word, the impact of Christ at work in hearts would be altering homes, families, relationships, communities, global events etc... Could the difference be that we are sitting before rather than sitting under God's Word?

At the close of a sermon do we give time for what we have just heard to penetrate deeply? How quick are we to indulge in some casual conversation after the final "Amen"? Do our words reflect the response of one who has longingly sat "under" the revelation of God's Word or impatiently sat "before", completely missing the miraculous? Holy words are falling around us, but not within us. We cannot be satisfied with less when God wants to give us so much more. Sitting before makes us an observer. Sitting under makes us participants.

Where are we positioning ourselves? It is not so much in our favouite pew, sandwiched between our best friends, but a spirit's posturing. Are we truly coming to be fed by the Lord? Will the truths we hear change our hearts? What Word has God revealed to us that requires action today? Do not be caught just "sitting before." Do something!

"If you will actively engage yourself in every message you hear or read, you will never hear or read another ineffective message." (Beth Moore)