In the blanks below write the two most significant statements in today’s reading assignment. Be prepared to discuss why the statements you chose were significant to you.
“You must have a working knowledge of the doctrine of progressive sanctification and must, by God’s grace, be practicing it in your own life.
“Understand that God has called every believer to a ministry of discipleship with those around him.”
Describe your reaction to this statement from the text: Understand that God has called every believer to a ministry of discipleship with those around him.
“conviction that I should be doing more, somehow.”
What people has God placed around you so that you can influence their growth in Christ?
“Randy, Daniel, Erin, Kirsten, Susie, Dana, ?Mom?, ?Dad?”
What does Hebrews 5:11-14 say about those who have been saved long enough to be teachers of others but who are not actively teaching others?
“They should get retrained with some basic instruction.”
What are some excuses you have heard – or may have used yourself – to justify non-involvement in the spiritual lives of others?
“I’m not good at it; I get fumbly and awkward, and sometimes say things wrong; it’s not my spiritual gift; others can do it better.”
What is your attitude toward and involvement in your local church? Does your record of attendance and service demonstrate a commitment to spiritual growth and mutual discipleship?
“I enjoy serving others through church work. I’m only absent when I’m out of town. I serve in the nursery, AWANA, and sanctuary tidying weekly, VBS annually, and odd positions as needed.”
Write Romans 12:1-2 from memory.
“‘Therefore I urge you brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God – this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the patterns of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – His good, pleasing, and perfect will.’ Romans 12:1-2”
Praise – “You are definitive, deliberate, discerning, dominant over all, yet devoted to frail humans.”
Repent – “I’m sorry I allow interruptions in my time with You, Lord.”
Yield – “I will try to surrender all selfish concerns which hold me back – prideful fear of embarrassments and such.”
Dearest Rachel –
It’s interesting to see your response to what looks like a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ question (“Does your record of attendance and service demonstrate a commitment to spiritual growth and mutual discipleship?”); you don’t actually give either a ‘yes’ or a ‘no’ to it. I think you’d like to have been able to say ‘yes,’ and that your record could speak for itself, but you might have had fears that, for all these examples of service, there’s nothing to point to that looks exactly like true discipleship or mentoring of another, as such.
Compounding this are the list of excuses regarding one’s hesitation to involve oneself in other’s spiritual lives. These don’t look so much like excuses you’d heard so much as ones you actually had. And I think the list of things you do (or rather, did) as part of your service within the church was your way of asking “isn’t this enough?”
But of course, for some of these people – particularly your folks – you may have been the only person who could have gotten through to them (although, if Twofeathers is to be believed, to mixed results). Then again, while you ultimately did make whatever effort you could with them (despite whether those were your excuses not to), the final decision as to whether to step forward in faith was theirs; you couldn’t force anyone to come to Jesus on your own. What mattered was your making the effort.
For what it’s worth, you’ve done more in that regard than I have, despite your anxieties. To be sure, I never had to battle with my folks about their spiritual status – if anything, I’m probably the black sheep of the family, when compared to either the generation above or below me. And even beyond that, what circle of friends I’ve fallen into have been as likely to mentor me (even at this stage) than the other way around. But that’s just it; for all that I’ve been fortunate enough to absorb wisdom from others, I haven’t proceeded to dispense it elsewhere as it’s needed – at least, that’s the way it looks.
It’s like if you take a kitchen sponge and fill it with soapy water. Sure, it’ll draw all of it into itself, but if you just set it on the edge of the sink once it’s been filled, and leave it there, two things happen (or rather, one thing happens and another doesn’t). First of all, the dishes aren’t cleaned if you don’t use the sponge (I mean, you can just use your hands and the dishwasher, but then why bother with the sponge in the first place?); but also, over time, the soggy sponge will become truly useless, either by drying into petrification or by its waterlogged condition cultivating fungus and mold. I wonder which one I’m tending toward, even as I observe your own concerns from a quarter-century ago. And after all this time, it’s a wonder I’m not rotten already.
Or are those other little services enough to keep one fresh and useful, even if they don’t directly reach out to those that haven’t heard the Word (or need to hear more of it as they grow)? Is it sufficient to serve in the rear echelons while others, presumably more capable and certainly more willing, man the front lines? I don’t know, honey, any more than you did way back then. And it’s that lack of knowledge and certainty that holds me back sometimes; how do you give answers to people when you don’t know them, either? Or is that just another excuse?
Anyway, I need to get going, honey; I’ve got my assignment to report to within the hour (which I hope serves as a ministry in its own right, but you know full well how it doesn’t always seem as such). Keep an eye on me, and wish me luck, as I’m going to need it.
Letters to Rachel 