Spiritual Fathers

Over my life I’ve had a couple “spiritual fathers,” like Pastor Rick talked about Sunday. I don’t expect to have any more, because I think that at some point a child has to grow up and hopefully begin “parenting” the next generation… but I like to think about the contribution these people made to my walk with the Lord.

They were godly people, filled with a kind of persistent love that kept modeling the same things over and over, as though they were trying to teach me a new language, repeating the phrase over and over until the new sounds were uttered with the proper pronunciation and inflection, and then stored in my enlarging vocabulary.

They were particularly strong in areas I was weak, which is, I think, why God made them my spiritual fathers. They modeled exactly what I needed to see – what I wished I was like but didn’t see how that could happen. They made their lives and their hearts like “open books,” as Paul did with the church at Corinth, so I could see love and faith and hope lived-out in the ordinary days.

And God gave them authority in my life, like the apostle Paul had with the Corinthian church. They could speak His words into my life that other people couldn’t - I wouldn’t have paid much attention. But when these “fathers” talked, I listened (most of the time). Thankfully, God gave me persistent fathers, who kept at it until I finally got it.

They also had pretty good insight into what was making me tick and what was keeping me from ticking. The Holy Spirit had a lot to do with that, I’m sure. I soon learned that because generally they were right and I needed what they had to say, I couldn’t just shut them out even when I wanted to. At least not for long.

Have you had any spiritual fathers in your life? Even though it’s not quite Father’s Day, these special people are to be celebrated! Even just with a “thank-you” to God for giving them to you. If they’re still around, still “fathering,” you could let them know how much they’re appreciated.

And if they’re not, maybe you could express to God your own willingness to be molded into a spiritual father (or mother or brother or sister) to help somebody in their Christian walk. That sort of an appointment has to come from God, but I’m thinking that there’s probably a shortage of people who can be trusted to say, “Follow me as I follow Christ.”

So if you’ve got the courage, go for it.

Dying to Self

Richard Wurmbrand was a Romanian Jew who became a godly Lutheran pastor. Richard was imprisoned and severely tortured for his faith under communism (he later came to America and founded Voice of the Martyrs). In a sermon delivered to Americans after gaining his freedom, this speaker of 14 different languages made this astute observation:

“You have been brought up with the English language. We who have learned English being grown-up men, we wonder very much about how you write words. In English you write the word “you” with a small y. The word “he” with a small h. The word “she” with a very small s… But “I” – capital letter - “I” is something very, very important…

“Jesus tells us whosoever wishes to come after Me should cease to write “I” with a capital letter. Whosoever wishes to come after me should deny himself. His brother, his fellow man should come first. God should come first, and he somewhere in the rear. ‘Whosoever wishes to come after me should deny himself.’ Not be anymore; ‘not I live, but Christ lives in me.’”

Pastor Rick stressed Sunday the need of “being delivered from the power of the self.” Of dying to the capital “I.” We don’t need to be afraid that this is some kind of self-annihilation. We’re only following Christ’s steps to the cross, only dying to what is harmful and ugly and (could we truly see it) absolutely repulsive.

You may wonder, “But what happens to me if I die to self?” The apostle Paul explains: “You died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then will you also appear with him in glory” (Col. 3:3-4 NIV).

When self dies, we become alive in Christ. Our real life is out of this world. It can’t be reached by the fingers of evil or the ravages of time. It’s the safest it’s ever been, anchored in One Who will never change and never die. It’s a life we’ll only fully comprehend when Christ appears and we enter His glory. Forever.

A more-than-fair exchange for that capital “I.”

The Presence of the Author

English literature has not been my youngest son’s favorite subject. It seems overkill, he says, to analyze every word or phrase in an effort to figure out what the author was trying to say, what literary devices he used to say it, and why it was important to him or her to do so.

Aaaarrrgh!, he fumes… Could the author really have had all that in mind when he created the simple poem? How could the literary critics know for sure? They’re making grand theories and intense discussions and long homework assignments out of a few lines of verse!

I’m thinking his response would be different if only Robert Frost himself could have strolled into the classroom on a frosty February morning, brushed back his white hair, and launched into a description of the writing of “Stopping By the Woods on a Snowy Evening.” If only the reclusive Emily Dickinson could have stepped shyly out of her shell and into a Fort LeBoeuf Lit class to divulge the reason she wrote “Because I Could Not Stop for Death.” If only E. E. Cummings could himself convey the spirit in which he penned (without punctuation, of course) “in Just-spring when the world is mudluscious”…

The presence of the author would have made all the difference. Their explanations would have taken the guesswork out of interpretation. Their personalities and passions would have injected vitality into study. Their descriptions of themselves and the settings would have made the meanings vivid. And, to my son’s satisfaction, it would all have been real – not the best guesses of those many times removed from the actual writings.

Same with our study of the Bible, as Paul said in Corinthians 3. For only the Spirit of God knows why God wrote what He did in His Word. He’s the only qualified, the only authorized Interpreter.

So whether we’re listening to the most anointed teachers or sitting alone with the Word, there’s one Presence Who takes the guesswork out, puts the vitality in, removes the veil of skepticism, and reveals why God wrote the Word, what He was feeling when He wrote it, and what He was and wasn’t trying to say. There’s one Presence Who makes every word real: the Spirit of God.

And there’s no “if-only” here. The Spirit can step into our classroom. He can sit down with us and tutor us One-on-one. He can speak directly from the heart of God through the pages of the Bible to make what was once a seemingly pointless “assignment” into … a favorite subject. His presence will make all the difference.

The Unity of Silence

”Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.”

Peacemakers are in great demand and short supply in this world – and no wonder! Few of us feel qualified to address the United Nations or tag along with Condaleeza Rice to the Middle East or stand between warring tribes in Kenya.

They’re in great demand and short supply in the church, too. But again, how many of us are qualified to reconcile Wesleyan Arminianism with Calvinism or bring people together on worship styles? In theological (and cultural) disagreements, who of us understands where everybody’s coming from or what God’s viewpoint is or how the various aspects of truth can be reconciled?

But there’s good news. When Jesus said, “Blessed are the peacemakers,” He wasn’t just talking about those seated at round-table discussions or laboring over theological treatises or bringing quarreling hardliners to a compromise. He was talking about something I can do – and you can, too. It’s amazingly simple (although not necessarily easy). The apostle Paul tells us how.

Paul became an expert at peacemaking – he had to deal with the haggling and factions among his churches. He was non-negotiable on the basics – salvation through Christ alone, the authority of the Scriptures, bottom-line things we just covered in a sermon series here at FAC. But for those championing side issues, things not essential for salvation and discipleship, Paul had some easy-to-follow advice that any of us can follow:

“Whatever you believe about these things, keep between yourself and God” (Rom. 14:22 NIV).

Well, that can put a blight on an argument! And Paul meant it. He kept pounding his point home in Romans 14 and 1 Corinthians 8:

“If God has accepted that person, don’t reject him because of disputable matters.”
“Do not destroy the work of God by haggling the nonessentials.”
“Accept the believer, without passing judgment on the side issues.”
“Even if you know what’s right, be careful. Knowledge puffs up (see how self-righteous you feel), but love builds up. Don’t let your knowledge destroy another. Do the loving thing, even if it means inconvenience to you.”

Why? Because God is the only qualified Judge. “Who are you to judge someone else’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls. And he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand” (Romans 14:4 NIV).

Something to think about when we take a deep breath to defend our favorite doctrinal position. Or worship preferences. Or one of a thousand other second causes. It’s a perfect time to keep the command of Scriptures and to keep the unity of the Spirit, by keeping what we believe between ourselves and God.

Are You Living Like a Tramp?

Want to arrange a four-day holiday stay in one of London’s swankiest areas – for under $500? Well, you missed your chance by about 7 years.

In 2001, Kamstra Travel firm offered just such an opportunity, and titled it, ”Live Like a Tramp in London.” Participants would each be given a sleeping bag and their choice of either a musical instrument or a sketch pad and pencil. Then they would be dropped off to fend for themselves in some of the most desirable zip codes of London. There, themoviechannel.com reported, “they will have to try and earn a crust. Failure to do so means they must beg, steal or borrow their way to a meal each day.” Only on the last night would they be taken to a good hotel for a decent meal and a good night’s sleep.

Needless to say, the scheme was not met with approval from London police, who warned of the dangers involved and threatened arrest. Nor was it welcomed by London’s homeless charities, who felt that the “holiday” trivialized the plight of homeless people.

Whether Kamstra actually pulled this all off is unclear. Spiritually speaking, however, it is clear that many of us “live like a tramp” in the best zip code of God’s Kingdom. For as Pastor Rick reminded us Sunday, believers have already been seated with Christ in heavenly places: “God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus” (Eph. 2:6 NIV).

Yet we often sit there like beggars trying to earn a crust. We shiver in fear. We clutch our meager possessions. We worry about tomorrow, Surely our behavior trivializes what Christ bought for us with His blood.

Does that mean life is never difficult or dangerous? No, Christians still walk on terra firma like everyone else. We have real dilemmas and experience real dangers from a real enemy. But God has promised to protect and care for us while we “set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory” (Col. 3:1-4 NIV).

We can choose to live like a tramp in the kingdom - running from the Law, groveling for daily sustenance, fearful of what lurks in the darkness - but the scheme does not meet with God’s approval. It’s spiritually dangerous, a horrible advertisement for the Kingdom, and a mockery of the Cross.

He’d far rather we’d hand in our sketch pads and tin horns, and enjoy our position in Christ as we sit in the heavenly realms with Him.