Not long ago a lady, who had attended my home group for several weeks, asked me, "When are we going to go deep and really study the Bible and talk about the deep things of God?"
What does that mean? How do you "go deep?" What are the deep things of God?
After doing this pastor thing for twenty-one years, here's what I think that really means: "Give me something deep, preferably with some Hebrew or Greek language references. Confuse me and speak of things that are extremely difficult to understand so that I can spend all week thinking, researching, contemplating, reading, studying, discussing, and meditating on what you just said. And then I'd like to repeat that process again next week with an even deeper teaching. Because I really don't want to do anything with or about this teaching I just want be deep. If you teach me things that are simple, applicable, and practical then I might have to DO something with this faith of mine. I don't want to DO something I want to BE deep."
Granted, this is my jaded opinion and granted, no one has ever said that to me out loud, but I don't pay attention to your words anyway - I'm watching the way you live. Your actions reveal what you truly believe and you only believe that parts of the Bible that you obey.
So what does it mean to go deep? I believe the deepest thing you can do is to act on what God has already said. Deep is doing, acting, living your faith. Simple acts of obedience often lead to the deepest impact.
I'm not saying you shouldn't study your Bible or do some research. I'm not saying you shouldn't meditate and strive to understand the Scriptures. I am saying your goal should be action not knowledge. Too many of us strain to understand God's concealed will and ignore His revealed will.
Deep is being able to say to Jesus, "I don't understand it all completely, but I will do what you ask anyway." That's following Jesus - that's submission - that's the essence of faith - that's going deep!
Paul told the Galatian church, "As we have opportunities, let us do good to all people, especially those who belong to the family of believers." Which is deeper? To understand all the Greek nuances behind "opportunities" and study the true meaning of "family of believers" or to go do something good for someone? Yesterday my pastoral staff used their morning to chop down some bushes in the yard of an aging couple in our church who are trying to sell their home. With their rakes, chainsaws, brooms, gloves, and sweat they went deep!
Jesus told us all to "Love your neighbor as yourself." For two weeks, I have asked members of our church to be willing to give up their seats in our brand new, cushy, beautiful worship center this week and sit in our old, smelly, dirty auditorium so that our guests can have a seat for our Easter service. No one formed a study group to learn the deep truths of that scripture - 120 people loved their neighbor and gave up their seat for someone they probably don't know. That's going deep!
Deep is not complicated. Practical is not simplistic. Faith without works is dead.
Are you deep?
