Beyond Head Knowledge

Last week we looked at the difference between behaviour control and transformation. And we ended with this idea that transformation happens as we spend time with Jesus - getting to know Him rather than just knowing about Him.

But what does that actually mean? What does it look like to truly experience Jesus, not just know about Him?

That's what we’re going to look at today. And at the end of this episode, I'm going to lead us through a practice that might help you experience Jesus in a new way.

But first, let me tell you about my word for the year.

The Word

Last year my friends and I each did the word for the year thing and shared it with each other. And we’re doing the same this year. I thought mine was going to be action. Or more specifically the phrase ‘bias towards action’ because I can get stuck in planning and research loops and spend so much time thinking about the thing that I never actually do it.

Maybe you’re the same. Like prayer for example. I can spend ages learning about prayer, instead of just doing it.

But as I’ve prayerfully considered my word for the year, I’ve changed it to ‘experience’. That’s actually what I want this year. To experience things that lead me to grow in experience too. Does that make sense?

You may remember a few episodes back I mentioned how my spiritual director had suggested that there’s a middle ground between knowing (head knowledge) and believing (heart knowledge) which is experiencing.

You may think that was what inspired my word for the year. But no, I’ve only just remembered that connection! Thank the Lord that He remembers and has been pulling all this together behind the scenes.

So experience is my word and experience within my faith is a big part of it. Now that may have sent alarm bells ringing in some of your heads, especially if you’re from a church tradition that is quite anti-experience, or if you’ve been hurt by a church tradition that promotes experience above all else.

But let’s not throw the baby out with the bath water. Experience is meant to be a part of our walk with Jesus. In fact, it’s one of the main roles of the Holy Spirit.

Head vs Experiential Knowledge

I don’t want my walk with Jesus to be simply head knowledge. I want to know in my bones, I want the very way I live, act and react, to be saturated in an experiential knowledge of Jesus. Wired the way I am, it’s too easy for me to fall back on head knowledge, and simply know about Jesus rather than actually knowing him, so this experiential side will take a lot of intentionality.

Here’s how I think things are different between someone with a head knowledge of Jesus and someone who knows Jesus.

• Head knowledge: I get some news, good or bad, I consider it from a faith-filled point of view, I decide to react accordingly.

• Experiential knowledge: I get some news, good or bad, and I immediately react in a faith-filled way.

You might notice that I could have written the same thing about behaviour control and transformation. That’s because I think transformation and experience go hand in hand.

I would rather not have to tell my heart what to think, do, feel, based on my head knowledge. I’d rather have a transformed heart that naturally responds in faith. 

That’s what I’m moving towards. I’ll never get there this side of Heaven, but I’m open to getting as close as I can to that reality: that my heart would be so transformed by spending time with and experiencing Jesus that my thoughts, actions and responses flow from that faith-filled place.

The Holy Spirit’s Role

Tyler Staton writes about experience in his brilliant book on the Holy Spirit, The Familiar Stranger. 

He writes:

The ministry of the Holy Spirit is entirely about translating the teachings and promises of Jesus in a way that forms us at the deepest level…The Holy Spirit is the conduit of spiritual experience.

The Holy Spirit doesn't just give us information about Jesus. He gives us experience of Jesus and the truth of His Word.

He helps us to not just know that God is good, but to feel His goodness. To not just believe we're loved, but to actually experience that love. To not just understand forgiveness theologically, but to know in the depths of our being the freedom of forgiveness. 

This is what it means to know Jesus. 

Let’s Practice

So for the rest of this episode, I want to do something a bit different.

I'm going to lead you through an ancient practice called Lectio Divina - which just means "divine reading". It's a way of reading Scripture that's less about gathering information and more about actually encountering Jesus. Or what we might call, experiencing Him.

You don't need anything special. Just find a quiet space - I’m trusting you to not try and do this while driving or when you should be concentrating! Maybe pause this episode, grab your Bible or pull it up on your phone, and when you're ready, press play again. We're going to be in John 15, verses 1-5, NIV.

Ready? Let's give it a go.

Lectio Divina

The first step is simply to read. But we're going to read slowly, and we’re going to listen for God’s voice to sense what He might want you to experience or hear through this passage. This isn’t about attempting to theologically understand everything. This isn’t a study, we’re slowing down and listening. There will be times of silence, I haven’t gone anywhere, don’t worry.

I'm going to read John 15:1-5 to you. Listen and pay attention to any words or phrases that stand out to you or provoke a response in you.

John 15:1-5 (NIV)

I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.

And now we’ll read it a second time, pay attention to the word or phrase that stood out and ask God what he might want to say to you through the parts that move you. You might want to consider in what part of your life in particular God is wanting you to experience His truth. I’ll leave some extra time after this read through for you to listen.

John 15:1-5 (NIV)

I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.

Now we’ll read it a third time. This is your opportunity to respond in whichever way the Spirit leads you, maybe it’s to receive the encouragement God has for you or to step into the invitation he has extended.

John 15:1-5 (NIV)

I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.

As we read the passage for a fourth and final time, we’re invited to rest in the truth of God. To accept however our time with Him has looked, and to not overanalyse whether we did this practice right or wrong. Just let the truth of God calm you.

John 15:1-5 (NIV)

I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.

You may want to spend more time in this moment, so feel free to pause the podcast. And when you’re ready, we can move to prayer.

Prayer

There’s no question to end this week, but I would love to pray for you.

Hopefully that was a chance for you to experience the word of God. Not just reading about Jesus but encountering Him through the text.

If not, and it all felt a bit odd, that’s okay too. These ways of meeting with Jesus are called practices and they take just that, practice. God sees the intention of your heart to draw near to Him, and He promises in James 4 that as we draw near to Him he draws near to us. 

So don’t worry or overanalyse, take the experience for what it was, and don’t be hesitant to come back and try it another time, or with different scripture as you read at home.

Over time, as you position yourself to experience Jesus, in all kinds of different ways, your heart will be transformed.

That’s the promise found in Scripture.

Before I pray, here’s the message version of the promise of transformation found in 2 Corinthians 3.

2 Corinthians 3:16-18 (MSG)

Whenever, though, they turn to face God as Moses did, God removes the veil and there they are—face-to-face! They suddenly recognise that God is a living, personal presence, not a piece of chiseled stone. And when God is personally present, a living Spirit, that old, constricting legislation is recognised as obsolete. We’re free of it! All of us! Nothing between us and God, our faces shining with the brightness of his face. And so we are transfigured much like the Messiah, our lives gradually becoming brighter and more beautiful as God enters our lives and we become like him.

That's what I want this year. And I pray it for you too.

Lord thank you for removing the veil so we can meet with you face to face. Thank you for the promise of transformation, the promise that you complete the work you start, and the promise that you will be with us through it all. I pray for this dear listener, that they would know the indwelling person, presence and power of your Holy Spirit. Bless them today. In Jesus name, amen.