March 30, 2008
SoulTalk
Think Story: A Tale of Two Kingdoms: The Pressure Is Off
SoulTalk9.mp3
Pastor Wade Burleson
Emmanuel Baptist Church
Enid OK

James 1:19 (ESV)

19. Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger.

We really do not know each other very well. So many of our stories are never told; so many of our secrets are never shared; so many of our struggles are never heard. Yet, we must be careful. Larry Crabb, author of SoulTalk says "Nothing destroys community more effectively than an intimacy addict trying to turn every encounter into a soul-to-soul conversation. Give me mindless fun any day over contrived SoulTalk, which isn't SoulTalk at all." When SoulTalk does occur we think beneath (to see the real battle in putting secondary things first; making life work rather than enjoying God no matter the circumstances), think vision (to see the person we love hte way he/she could be when knowing and enjoying God comes first), and think passion (to focus on Christ within our own souls as He alone energizes us). But how do we verbally engage the person we love? We come now to the fourth level -- think story. Think story in order to listen carefully.

1. A SoulTalker listens with transcendent curiosity.
   "Know this, my beloved brothers, let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger" (James 1:19). The Message translation puts it this way: "Lead with your ears, follow up with your tongue, and let anger straggle along in the rear." Christians assume that James simply wants us to be good listeners, but there is more. Troubles come (v.10-18), and when they do, people will feel the urge to do all they can to restore the good times, to relieve the pain -- but stop moving toward Him. "Come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest," Matthew 11:28. When one tells his story, we must tune our ears to listen to the music that is being played. Hell's music is that which drives us to religion's dance floor to get life to work out. Heaven's music is that which drives us to the dance floor of intimacy with God Himself.
2. A SoulTalker discerns which kingdom is moving.
   Read through the gospels and look at each recorded conversation between Jesus and someone else to see how he spoke. When Jesus discerned movement toward God, he followed up with words of life. When he heard the influence of fleshly thinking (or religion; concern for life working out), he always spoke very clearly against it.
   Example 1: John 11:32, 33: Mary said, "Master, if only you had been here, my brother would not have died." Have you ever wondered why Jesus "groaned with anger"? They desired more what He could give than they did Him. That's the music of hell.
   Example 2: Matthew 9;27-29: Two blind men cried, "Mercy, Son of David. Mercy!" Jesus kept walking. He didn't stop to show compassion or empathy. They pursued. They followed him home. Jesus then, in essence, said, Do you really believe (in Me)?
3. A SoulTalker speaks to the need of the moment.
   Most of us wish to feel a certain way, experience life a certain way; have life go well. People want to minimize pain. Make life good. Fix what is wrong. Get things right. A SoulTalker will offer another way. "God knows what He is doing. Abandon in your life to Him. Trust His love regardless of what you see around you. Trust in Him!" Here is the good news. When you lead a person toward God -- the pressure is off you.