Defended Against God Matthew 11

John the Baptist came to prepare the way for Jesus, so it is hardly surprising that some of John’s disciples went on to follow Jesus (see John 1:35-42). Neither is it surprising that some of those who rejected John also rejected Jesus, although they used different reasons (see Matthew 11:16-19). John, out in the desert, living on locusts and wild honey, was said to have a demon; Jesus, who ate and drank, was called a glutton and a drunkard. It strikes me that these people were never going to hear the message of either John or Jesus, because they were too defended against it; defended against the God they presumably aimed to worship. So we would be wise to ponder on how we ourselves are defended against Jesus, and in what ways we refuse to hear what God is saying to us. It is not a question of whether but how; only by looking at our defence mechanisms can we bring God more truly into the centre of our lives.

So, how do you defend yourself? A good point to start can be to look at the ways you defend yourself against others, as often the way we relate to other people is also the way we relate to God. The same defence mechanisms may well be in place. It might also be something to talk over with a pastor or Spiritual Director – as to what, whether and how much. We cannot expect an instant change, and indeed for most of us it might be a case of becoming aware of how our defences work, rather than dismantling them altogether. It can help us to pause and think: am I truly listening to what God is saying to me right now? Are my defences preventing me from hearing God? God may be speaking to us as individuals, but also as churches: in what ways is your church defended against God?

It can be difficult to navigate this. We can be convinced that we are truly hearing God, while completely missing the message; we can know we are preaching the word of God, while only saying what we want others to hear. Those people who rejected John the Baptist and Jesus may well have thought that they were keeping God’s message pure by doing so. We can say that we must keep true to the message of the Bible, and so we should; but how do we interpret the Bible, and are our defences affecting this?  It may seem that this is an impossible task, but I think we can start with a small step. Becoming aware of our own defence mechanisms, and how these might work against God, is a start.

By defending ourselves against God, we ensure that our lives are not based on God; we keep our faith in part of our lives, rather than it becoming central to all of it. In doing so, we limit the action of God not only in our lives but also in the lives of those around us. The same is true of our churches. We can become those who lay heavy burdens on others, rather than fitting people with the yoke of Christ; we can crush people beneath the expectations of religion, rather than introducing them to Christ, who will give them rest. (see Matthew 11:28-30). Our defences can be part of that burden which Christ longs to take from us. The image of God as an angry God who wants to condemn people to hell is a common one, but rather at odds with the Christ who is gentle and lowly in heart, who comes to serve and give his life for us. How do we reflect the gentle Christ to those around us? Do our churches reflect Jesus, who came not to be served but to serve? (see Mark 10:45). These are issues to be considered when reflecting on what God might be saying to us specifically, either as individuals or as a church, but, more importantly, I think it affects how we become Christian, how our entire lives reflect the God whom we claim to follow. They are issues to come back to and reflect upon regularly; maybe issues to discuss with your church, but issues that are important for our entire lives. We can look at our defences, and how we keep God out, as a preliminary for becoming closer and more faith full to God; or we can ignore them, and keep our faith separate, and realise, after many wasted years, how much it has shrunk and become less. It is never too early to explore this, but it is never too late either. God rejoices more in one sinner who repents than in 99 who do not need to repent (see Luke 15), although it is entirely possible that the 99 who do not need to repent are those who are successfully defended against God, and it is their repentance which is most needed.