No turning back
Commentary
What does it mean to us that we say our lives are in the service of God? Does it mean giving only what we feel like giving, only when we want to give; and being left alone the rest of the time? Is this commitment we have made to our God a momentary or a permanent discipleship? These three passages suggest that once we have committed our lives to the service of God there is no turning back. The service God requires from those who become disciples is nothing less than all we have and all we are. And God requires this service of us now!
Though God requires all, we like to pick and choose what we will give. When I read Paul's list of "works of the flesh," from which followers of Christ are to abstain, I realized that even our abstention can be selective. Some of the folks I know who speak loudest and longest about giving up works of the flesh like fornication, licentiousness and drunkenness are themselves addicted to quarrels and dissensions.
If there is a sin which constantly besets the church it is factionalism and internal strife, in which good church members are constantly "biting and devouring" one another. Yet are these not also works of the flesh, equal to fornication or licentiousness? The way we act in the church would not make one think so. Paul does not put any priority order on the works of the flesh, making some less sinful than others. Yet it is a sign of the difficulty we have in giving ourselves totally to God that we consider some works of the flesh to be worse sins than others. We choose those works of the flesh which we are not as inclined to commit and consider them far worse than the ones we do not seem able to avoid. But God wants more than this.
Just as Elisha learned that being yoked to God meant cutting all ties with his old life, so we are called to turn away from all works of the flesh --particularly those we enjoy, like a good quarrel. But the service of God involves much more than this.
Once we have burned our bridges (or cooked our oxen) behind us, there is no turning back. We must move forward with God as we nurture in our lives the fruits of the spirit. Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control are high expectations for people who live in our kind of world. Yet Jesus makes clear that God does have high expectations of those who would be disciples. The Lukan passage has an interesting twist.
When the Samaritans reject him, Jesus will not let his disciples punish them. He is infinitely forgiving to those who are not yet able to see God's will. On the other hand, Jesus is terribly demanding of those who, having seen, ask to follow him. Once the commitment is made to follow Jesus on the way, he insists that the commitment be complete and immediate. There is no turning back.
OUTLINE I
Sheer silence
1 Kings 19:15-21
A. vv. 15-17. We are all familiar with the experience of Elijah on Mount Horeb when, after wind, earthquake and fire, God came in "sheer silence (19:12)" to say, "What are you doing here Elijah?" Elijah responded that of all the faithful prophets of Israel, he alone was left, and his life was threatened as well. Our passage is God's response to Elijah's complaint. Rather than reassurance that his life will be preserved, or a morale-boosting pep talk, God responds by telling Elijah to get up and get to work.
B. vv. 18-19. At the time when Elijah felt most alone, God spoke of a remnant who had given neither reverence ("have not bowed") nor obedience ("has not kissed") to false gods. Among this remnant God gave Elijah one who was to be his servant and successor. When Elijah threw his mantle over Elisha, he claimed him heart and soul for God.
C. vv. 20-21. What has Elijah done? He has yoked Elisha to the hard service of God just as surely as Elisha had yoked his oxen. His farewell to his father, and this strange sacrificial banquet, bring Elisha's old life to closure. From that time forth he belongs to Elijah and to God.
OUTLINE II
Free in Christ
Galatians 5:1, 13-25
A. vv. 1, 13-14. We are free in Christ Jesus. But being free from slavery does not mean we are free for self-indulgence. Only someone who is truly free can be truly responsible for the welfare of others. A person who thinks they are free, yet refuses to take such responsibility, is still a slave --a slave to self-interest --and far from the freeing love of Christ.
B. vv. 15-18. The freedom of Christ frees us from devouring ourselves. For this is just what we do when we bite and snap at one another, attack and batter one another within the fellowship of the church.
C. vv. 19-21. Why is it easier for good Christian folk to reject works of the flesh like fornication, licentiousness and idolatry than it is to give up practicing equally sinful works of the flesh like anger, quarrels, dissensions and factions?
D. vv. 23-25. The fruits of the spirit are not simply negations of the works of the flesh. It is infinitely easier for most of us to refrain from fornication, drunkenness and carousing than it is to truly practice love, joy, peace, patience and kindness. The fruits of the spirit are active, not passive.
OUTLINE III
Lamb of God
Luke 9:51-62
A. vv. 51-52. Most pilgrims setting out for Jerusalem at the time of passover were going to make a sacrifice and feast on the paschal lamb. Jesus, the Lamb of God, went to become the sacrifice and institute the feast of his body and blood. The choice was his as he set out on the way.
B. vv. 53-55. The Samaritans were hostile to all Jews traveling through their lands on the way to Jerusalem. Yet though they rejected him, Jesus would not let his disciples call down punishment on the Samaritans for their act of rejection. Perhaps he knew that in a few days those closest to him would also reject him, including these very disciples. He also knew that the sacrifice he was about to make was even for those who turned away from him.
C. vv. 56-62. While Jesus seems to have infinite patience with the villagers who turn from him, he has none at all for those who turn from the service of God. "The time has come," he seems to say to those who would be disciples, "follow now or follow never."
Charles Curley is senior pastor of University Presbyterian Church, Rochester Hill, Michigan. He is also the writer for the June 28 Charting The Course column.
Though God requires all, we like to pick and choose what we will give. When I read Paul's list of "works of the flesh," from which followers of Christ are to abstain, I realized that even our abstention can be selective. Some of the folks I know who speak loudest and longest about giving up works of the flesh like fornication, licentiousness and drunkenness are themselves addicted to quarrels and dissensions.
If there is a sin which constantly besets the church it is factionalism and internal strife, in which good church members are constantly "biting and devouring" one another. Yet are these not also works of the flesh, equal to fornication or licentiousness? The way we act in the church would not make one think so. Paul does not put any priority order on the works of the flesh, making some less sinful than others. Yet it is a sign of the difficulty we have in giving ourselves totally to God that we consider some works of the flesh to be worse sins than others. We choose those works of the flesh which we are not as inclined to commit and consider them far worse than the ones we do not seem able to avoid. But God wants more than this.
Just as Elisha learned that being yoked to God meant cutting all ties with his old life, so we are called to turn away from all works of the flesh --particularly those we enjoy, like a good quarrel. But the service of God involves much more than this.
Once we have burned our bridges (or cooked our oxen) behind us, there is no turning back. We must move forward with God as we nurture in our lives the fruits of the spirit. Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control are high expectations for people who live in our kind of world. Yet Jesus makes clear that God does have high expectations of those who would be disciples. The Lukan passage has an interesting twist.
When the Samaritans reject him, Jesus will not let his disciples punish them. He is infinitely forgiving to those who are not yet able to see God's will. On the other hand, Jesus is terribly demanding of those who, having seen, ask to follow him. Once the commitment is made to follow Jesus on the way, he insists that the commitment be complete and immediate. There is no turning back.
OUTLINE I
Sheer silence
1 Kings 19:15-21
A. vv. 15-17. We are all familiar with the experience of Elijah on Mount Horeb when, after wind, earthquake and fire, God came in "sheer silence (19:12)" to say, "What are you doing here Elijah?" Elijah responded that of all the faithful prophets of Israel, he alone was left, and his life was threatened as well. Our passage is God's response to Elijah's complaint. Rather than reassurance that his life will be preserved, or a morale-boosting pep talk, God responds by telling Elijah to get up and get to work.
B. vv. 18-19. At the time when Elijah felt most alone, God spoke of a remnant who had given neither reverence ("have not bowed") nor obedience ("has not kissed") to false gods. Among this remnant God gave Elijah one who was to be his servant and successor. When Elijah threw his mantle over Elisha, he claimed him heart and soul for God.
C. vv. 20-21. What has Elijah done? He has yoked Elisha to the hard service of God just as surely as Elisha had yoked his oxen. His farewell to his father, and this strange sacrificial banquet, bring Elisha's old life to closure. From that time forth he belongs to Elijah and to God.
OUTLINE II
Free in Christ
Galatians 5:1, 13-25
A. vv. 1, 13-14. We are free in Christ Jesus. But being free from slavery does not mean we are free for self-indulgence. Only someone who is truly free can be truly responsible for the welfare of others. A person who thinks they are free, yet refuses to take such responsibility, is still a slave --a slave to self-interest --and far from the freeing love of Christ.
B. vv. 15-18. The freedom of Christ frees us from devouring ourselves. For this is just what we do when we bite and snap at one another, attack and batter one another within the fellowship of the church.
C. vv. 19-21. Why is it easier for good Christian folk to reject works of the flesh like fornication, licentiousness and idolatry than it is to give up practicing equally sinful works of the flesh like anger, quarrels, dissensions and factions?
D. vv. 23-25. The fruits of the spirit are not simply negations of the works of the flesh. It is infinitely easier for most of us to refrain from fornication, drunkenness and carousing than it is to truly practice love, joy, peace, patience and kindness. The fruits of the spirit are active, not passive.
OUTLINE III
Lamb of God
Luke 9:51-62
A. vv. 51-52. Most pilgrims setting out for Jerusalem at the time of passover were going to make a sacrifice and feast on the paschal lamb. Jesus, the Lamb of God, went to become the sacrifice and institute the feast of his body and blood. The choice was his as he set out on the way.
B. vv. 53-55. The Samaritans were hostile to all Jews traveling through their lands on the way to Jerusalem. Yet though they rejected him, Jesus would not let his disciples call down punishment on the Samaritans for their act of rejection. Perhaps he knew that in a few days those closest to him would also reject him, including these very disciples. He also knew that the sacrifice he was about to make was even for those who turned away from him.
C. vv. 56-62. While Jesus seems to have infinite patience with the villagers who turn from him, he has none at all for those who turn from the service of God. "The time has come," he seems to say to those who would be disciples, "follow now or follow never."
Charles Curley is senior pastor of University Presbyterian Church, Rochester Hill, Michigan. He is also the writer for the June 28 Charting The Course column.
