Tuesday, September 15, 2026

“A True Hearer Listens Authentically” (Luke 8:17)

 

EVENING SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 9/15/2026 10:08 PM

My Worship Time                                                   Focus: “A True Hearer Listens Authentically”

Bible Reading & Meditation                                                                       Reference:  Luke 8:17

Message of the verse:  “For nothing is hidden that will not become evident, nor anything secret that will not be known and come to light.”

            I think it best for those who read this SD to start out by quoting from John MacArthur’s commentary as this first paragraph is critical for us to understand.  “Although commentators offer various interpretations of this statement, it seems reasonable to understand it as talking about authenticity; what a person is on the inside.  Because nothing is hidden that will not become evident, or to put in another way, there is nothing secret that will not be known and come to light, the true condition of the heart will eventually be revealed.  Generally speaking, time and truth go hand in hand.  Given enough time the truth comes out for men to see.  It is, of course, never hidden from God.

            “That principle is repeated throughout Scripture.  Jesus gave it again in Matthew 10:26.”

Matthew 10:26

26  "So have no fear of them, for nothing is covered that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known.”

“In the Old Testament David wrote that ‘the righteous God tries the hearts and minds’ (Ps. 7:9).  In Psalm 90:8 Moses said to God, ‘You have placed our iniquities before You, our secret sins in the light of Your presence.’  Solomon closed the book of Ecclesiastes with the sober warning that ‘God will bring every act to judgment, everything which is hidden, whether is goo or evil’ (Eccl. 12:14).  In the New Testament Paul spoke of a ‘day when, according to my gospel, God will judge the secrets of men through Christ Jesus’ (Romans 2:16), and noted that when ‘the Lord comes [He] will both bring to light the things hidden in the darkness and disclose the motives of men’s hearts’ (1 Cor. 4:5).  In His message to the church at Thyatira Jesus said ‘I am He who searches the minds and hearts; and I will give to each one of you according to your deeds’ (Rev. 2:23; cf. Ps. 44:21; Jer. 11:20; 17:10; John 2:24-25; Acts 1:24; Heb. 4:13).”

(Rev. 2:23; cf. Ps. 44:21; Jer. 11:20; 17:10; John 2:24-25; Acts 1:24; Heb. 4:13)

“23  and I will strike her children dead. And all the churches will know that I am he who searches mind and heart, and I will give to each of you according to your works.”

“21  would not God discover this? For he knows the secrets of the heart.”

“20  But, O LORD of hosts, who judges righteously, who tests the heart and the mind, let me see your vengeance upon them, for to you have I committed my cause.”

“10  "I the LORD search the heart and test the mind, to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his deeds."

“24  But Jesus on his part did not entrust himself to them, because he knew all people 25  and needed no one to bear witness about man, for he himself knew what was in man.”

“24  And they prayed and said, "You, Lord, who know the hearts of all, show which one of these two you have chosen.”

13  And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.”

            “Jesus’ words evidently are a warning against hypocrisy, as an examination of the parallel statement in Luke 12:1-2 suggests.”

Luke 12:1-2

“1 ¶  In the meantime, when so many thousands of the people had gathered together that they were trampling one another, he began to say to his disciples first, "Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. 2  Nothing is covered up that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known.”

“In verse 1 the Lord ‘began saying to His disciples first of all, ‘Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.’’  He cautioned His hearers to avoid imitating the Pharisees, who ‘say things and do not do them’ (Matt. 23:3); who ‘outwardly appear righteous to men, but inwardly…are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness’ (v. 28).  He exhorted them not to be like false disciples who call Him ‘Lord, Lord,’ but do not obey Him (Matt. 7:21-22; Luke 6:46; who build their spiritual houses on the sand (Matt. 7:26-27).”

(Matt. 7:21-22)

“21 ¶  "Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22  On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’

( Luke 6:46)

“46  "Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you?”

(Matt. 7:26-27)

26  And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. 27  And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it."

            “All such hypocrisy will eventually be unmasked, because ‘there is nothing covered up that will not be revealed, and hidden   will not be known’ (12:2).  Since that phrase in the context of chapter 12 clearly refers to exposing hypocrisy, it likely has that same meaning in the present passage.  In light of the coming judgment, Jesus  called for self-examination on the part of those who claim to be His disciples.”

9/15/2026 10:46 PM

 

 

 

 

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