Discerning and Reading the Logos

Have you given much thought to John the Baptist? If you’re like me, I tend to read the story of John the Baptist quickly to get to the meat, the meaningful, the life of Christ.

However, this is to miss something of profound importance. This witness to Christ, this precursor, is essential to recognizing and coming to know Christ. Furthermore, something everyone misses is the role and mission of the resurrected Christ. 

Here’s the Thing: The roles of John the Baptist and the resurrected Christ were the same.

Hearts must be prepared before the sacred can be encountered.

John the Baptist came before the Messiah to ready disciples. The resurrected Jesus appeared to the disciples before the outpouring of the Spirit. This, then, is the first step in learning to recognize the Logos�"to Realize. This means that we must become conscious, wake up, open our eyes and ear, and have softened hearts to see and receive the real of the Logos.

This step is one of preparation, the getting ready by quieting minds. This is to realize that Christ lives in us, through us, and walks beside us. We must realize He is there to see Him.

Peter wasn’t looking for the Christ when he encountered Him. Peter didn’t want to “see” Him. He said, “Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net (Luke 5:5).” Peter toiled to feed his family, toiled to pay Roman taxes, toiled because society does not tolerate slackers. Peter, like us, was wearied by the Machine, the Romans who offered peace and protection if workers kept their mouths shut and did what they were told. To go against Rome, his religious upbringing, and his family values to do something for Someone not real was beyond comprehension.

But Peter did, perhaps out of politeness, but he didn’t really believe anything would come of listening to the Logos. With no faith, neither in Christ nor in himself, he did what Jesus told him and cast his nets. And we know the rest of the story. His catch filled two boats.

What was Peter’s reaction? Joy? Happiness? Relief? No, none of those. It was fear. He fell at the knees of the Logos and said, “Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord (Luke 5:8).”

To stand in the presence of God, to listen to God’s voice, and to act upon the Word spoken does not immediately bring peace and joy. No, it brings fear. Why? We have been seen and known.

Encountering the Logos is a two-way street. Not only do we see and know the Logos, He sees and knows us, knows us down to the core of our soul.

To be seen and known by Christ is to be called to leave all for His sake. To hate all earthly relationships and to let go of all our obligations to follow will bring us to our knees. If we listen, the Logos will say, “Fear not; from henceforth thou shalt catch men (Luke 5:10).”

And if we can overcome our fear, if we have enough faith in God and enough faith in ourselves, we will listen. “And when they had brought their ships to land, they forsook all, and followed him (Luke 5:11, emphasis mine).”

This, then, is the first step in discerning the Logos. We must encounter the real and to realize this is the Christ before us. If we do, we will leave all to follow Him.

Next week, we’ll move on to Step Two�"Familiarize ourselves with the Logos. Here a preview of the steps to be covered in the next few weeks:

1. Realize

2. Familiarize

3. Analyze

4. Summarize

5. Internalize

6. Visualize

7. Dramatize