In his book The Tender Commandments, Ron Mehl tells the story of a father and a son…
Once there was a wealthy man who, along with his son, shared a passion for collecting art. They would travel the world together adding only the finest pieces to their collection. Priceless works by Picasso, Van Gogh, Monet and many others hung on the walls of their family estate.
The father, who had lost his wife many years earlier, looked on with satisfaction as his only son became an experienced and skillful art collector in his own right. The bond between father and son was strong, their relationship close.
One year war engulfed the nation and the son enlisted to serve his country.
After training he shipped out to the front with his company. He had only been there a few short weeks when his father received a telegram to say his son was missing in action.
The father waited, fearing the worst. Within days his fears were realized.
It was confirmed that his son had died while rescuing a wounded mate.
The father was beside himself with grief. Christmas was coming but what was there left to celebrate. His wife and only son were gone so there did not seem much point.
Early on Christmas morning the old man heard a knock at the door and slowly lifted himself from his chair to see who it might be. As he walked down the long wide corridor of his mansion, the masterpieces hanging on the walls seemed to mock him. Beauty and riches are meaningless if you don’t have someone to share them with.
Opening his front door the old man was surprised to see a young man dressed in uniform with a large package in his hand. The soldier introduced himself saying…
“I was a friend of your son. As a matter of fact, I was the one he was rescuing when he died. May I come in for a few moments. I have something I would like to show you.”
As the two began to talk the soldier told how the man’s son had spoken so much about art and the joy of collecting masterpieces alongside his father.
“I’m something of an artist myself”, the soldier said a bit shyly, “And well, I want you to have this.”
As the old man unwrapped the package, the brown paper gave way to reveal a portrait of the man’s son, who had been killed. No one would consider the painting a masterpiece, but it did capture the young man’s expression.
Tears welled in the old man’s eyes. The soldier painter sat still, not saying a word. He simply made room for the old man’s grief.
After a few moments the father managed to compose himself long enough to say, “Thank you, I will hang the picture above the mantlepiece.”
Later that same day, when the soldier had left, the old man removed a Monet to make room for the portrait of his hero son in pride of place over the mantlepiece. Then he spent the rest of the day just looking at it, remembering his boy as he was.
During the days and weeks that followed, the man realized that even though his son was no longer with him, the boy’s life would live on because of those he had saved. His son had rescued dozens of fellow soldiers before being cut down himself.
The portrait of his son became the old man’s most prized possession. He told his neighbours it was the greatest gift he had ever received.
A few years past before the old man became ill and died. With the famous collector’s passing, the art world eagerly anticipated a great auction. According to the collector’s will, all of the works would be auctioned on Christmas day, the day he had received his greatest gift.
Christmas soon arrived and art dealers from around the world gathered to bid on some of the world’s most spectacular paintings. The excitement was palpable. What would be put up for sale first? A Picasso perhaps or maybe a Van Gogh…
But the auction did not begin how people expected. The auction began with a painting that was not on any museum’s list. It was the simple portrait of a young soldier, the collector’s son.
The auctioneer began, “Who will open with a bid of a hundred dollars?”
The room was uncomfortably silent. Finally, after what seemed like an age, a gruff voice could be heard from the back of the room, “Who cares about that painting? It’s just a portrait of the old codger’s son”. Other voices could be heard grunting their agreement. “Let’s forget about it and move on to the good stuff.”
“No” the auctioneer replied, “we have to sell this one first. Now, who will receive the son?”
Eventually, a neighbour of the old man spoke up. “Will you take fifty dollars for it. I knew the boy, so I’d like to have it.”
“I have fifty dollars”, called the auctioneer, “Will anyone go higher?”
After more silence, the auctioneer said, “Going once, going twice, sold for $50!”
The gavel fell and cheers filled the room. Someone called out, “Finally, now we can get on with it”
But at that moment, the auctioneer looked up at the audience and announced the auction was over. Stunned disbelief blanketed the room.
Someone spoke up, “What do you mean it’s over?” I didn’t fly halfway round the world for a picture of the old guy’s son. What about all these other paintings? There’s millions of dollars’ worth of art here. I demand an explanation!”
In a quiet, clearvoice the auctioneer replied, “It’s very simple… according to the will of the father, whoever receives the son, gets it all.”
In some ways, Jesus is like the son in this story. Jesus is loved by God the Father, so much so that whoever receives Jesus by faith, inherits the kingdom of heaven.
Of course, Jesus does not go to the highest bidder. Jesus freely offers himself to everyone who will make room to receive him.
However, the gift of God’s son is not usually offered in the way we might expect. Jesus was born into poverty and laid in a feeding trough. I don’t think anyone anticipated that. Even more shockingly, Jesus suffered and died on a cross, giving his life to save ours. No one expected a crucified Messiah.
We do not receive Jesus in strength or by our own resources. We receive Jesus in weakness, on our knees, with nothing to offer but an honest confession of our need.
Those who receive Jesus, will (eventually) inherit it all, for Jesus embodies the kingdom of God.
In Matthew 5, Jesus talks about what it looks like to receive him…
3 Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4 Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. 5 Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. 6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. 7 Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. 8 Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. 9 Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. 10 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Will we make room to receive Jesus, even when he comes to us in ways we are not expecting?
Let us pray…
Father God, we thank you for your love and generosity. Help us to recognize the opportunities you give for receiving Jesus. May we be open to accept your grace, your truth, your mercy, your Spirit. Amen.
I have here in my hand an apple. (Don’t worry, this is not going to be a sermon about forbidden fruit.) If I were to plant the seeds of this apple and nurture them, it could take several years before the seeds produced more apples to eat.
The theme of this morning’s Christmas day service is joy. Joy is the fruit of hope. Or, to put it another way, if joy is the apple, hope is the tree. If you want joy, then cultivate the seeds of hope, and be prepared to wait. We can put our hope in many different things, but for our joy to be secure, our hope must be true.
Jesus is the way, the truth and the life. When our hope is in Jesus, our joy is secure. The account of Jesus’ birth is peppered with joy. This morning’s message touches on some of the joy found in Luke’s birth narrative.
Elizabeth’s joy:
We begin with Elizabeth and Mary. When Mary learned from the angel that she would become pregnant with Jesus, by the Holy Spirit, she went to visit her relative Elizabeth who was pregnant with John the Baptist.
Mary entered Zechariah’s home and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. In a loud voice she exclaimed: “Blessed are you among women and blessed is the child you will bear. But why am I so favoured that the mother of my Lord should come to me? As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy…”
What was the cause of Elizabeth’s joy? Two things: the presence of the Holy Spirit and the anticipation of Jesus’ arrival. The Holy Spirit confirmed Elizabeth’s hope to be true, and this produced joy, from the inside out.
Now it needs to be acknowledged that for many years Elizabeth’s life was not characterised by joy. Zechariah and Elizabeth suffered a great deal of disappointment in not being able to have children. Their hope of starting a family died. But the Lord in his mercy resurrected new hope.
In verses 57 and 58 we read: When it was time for Elizabeth to have a baby, she gave birth to a son. Her neighbours and relatives heard that the Lord had shown her great mercy and they shared her joy.
Joy was a long time coming for Elizabeth, but it was worth the wait.
When our hope is in Jesus, our joy is secure.
The shepherds’ joy:
Joy is for sharing. In Luke 2, an angel from heaven shares the joy of Jesus’ birth with some shepherds in the fields saying: “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Saviour has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord…
What we notice here is that divine joy is not just for a select few. The joy of Jesus’ birth is for all people. There is more than enough salvation for everyone. That is very good news.
After the angels left, the shepherds went and found Jesus, wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger. When they had seen him, they shared the joy by praising God and spreading the word about Christ the Lord.
Now it needs to be acknowledged that life was not easy for these shepherds. They were poor, working around the clock in all sorts of weather, not able to participate in the normal rhythms of community life. They were looked down on with suspicion by many. Misunderstood.
So it was a joyful surprise for these shepherds to be among the first to hear about the birth of the Messiah. It meant they were seen by God and trusted by him. Included. Accepted. When our hope is in Jesus, our joy is secure.
Mary’s joy:
We have compared joy to the fruit of a tree. We might also compare joy to the keel of a yacht. The keel is that part we do not see because it is underwater. The keel keeps the yacht upright, especially in high winds. Without the keel, the yacht would be prone to capsizing.
In the same way a keel lends stability to a boat, so too joy (born from a deep and true hope) lends stability to our soul, especially in the storms of life.
The joy surrounding Jesus’ birth acted as a keel for Mary’s soul. In Luke 2, we read how Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.
Joy often overflows in praise of God and sharing good news with others, but for those with a more contemplative soul, joy finds sanctuary in the heart and mind. As we ponder what God is doing in Christ, our joy deepens (like the keel of a yacht) lending stability when the circumstances of our lives get a bit rough.
It needs to be acknowledged the first Christmas was far from ideal. Israel was oppressed by the Romans. The people suffered under a heavy yoke both politically and spiritually. Not a great environment for raising children.
And yet, in spite of this, hope was growing and joy was budding.
Conclusion:
We are not oppressed in the same way people were in the first century.
But many of us feel weary and weighed down in other (unseen) ways. Christmas is not always a happy time. The expectation that it should be happy only heightens our disappointment when it is not.
Perhaps you identify with Elizabeth. For you, joy is a long time coming. Hang in there. A bruised reed he will not break and a smouldering wick he will not snuff out. When our hope is in Jesus, our joy is secure.
Perhaps you identify with the shepherds. You know what it is to be left out in the cold, not trusted, misunderstood. God judges fairly. He sees you.
He gets you. When our hope is in Jesus, our joy is secure.
Perhaps you identify with Mary. Young and vulnerable, with something precious to lose. Ponder the Lord’s faithfulness. Treasure the joy he brings.
It will be a keel for your soul.
When our hope is in Jesus, our joy is secure. Where is your hope placed?
May the awareness of God’s goodness sustain our hope and fill us with joy.
Grace and peace be yours this Christmas and New Year. Amen.
Max Lucado once wrote: A person who wants to lead the orchestra must turn his back on the crowd.
The conductor does not follow the crowd; they follow the music. They cannot afford to worry about what others think; they must stay focused on leading the orchestra, helping all the different musicians to play their part in harmony.
Over the past two or three months we have been considering the spiritual gifts Paul mentions in Corinthians and Romans. Gifts like prophecy, teaching, helps, tongues, marriage, singleness, wisdom, knowledge and so on. Today we conclude our series on spiritual gifts by taking a closer look at the gifts of administration and leadership.
If we think of the church like an orchestra, then those with the gifts of administration and leadership are like the conductor of the orchestra, helping the various members of the church to use their gifts in harmony with each other. Let us begin then with the gift of administration. From First Corinthians 12 we read…
27 Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. 28 And God has placed in the church first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, also those having gifts of healing, those able to help others, those with gifts of administration, and those speaking in different kinds of tongues.
May the Spirit of Jesus illuminate God’s word for us.
Most of you would remember the TV show MASH. MASH stands for Mobile Army Surgical Hospital. MASH was a dramatic comedy set in the Korean war of the 1950’s. One of the lead characters in MASH was Corporal Radar O’Reilly.
Corporal O’Reilly got the nickname ‘Radar’ because he always sensed when the choppers were coming with wounded before anyone else did. Radar was not an officer or a doctor. He was the hospital’s administrator. He filled out forms and basically kept the organisation running smoothly.
We could say Radar was the ‘under the radar’ leader of the MASH unit. He was like the conductor of the orchestra except he wasn’t seen up front. Without Corporal O’Reilly the MASH unit would not be able to function. It was a running gag that a Corporal (and not a Colonel) was actually running the place.
In Corinthians 12, Paul talks about the church being like a body with many different parts. Each person in the church is a part of the body of Christ and just as each part of a body has a special function, so too each believer has a special gift. We need each other to be different or else the church will not function as it should.
One part of the body Paul mentions is those with the gifts of administration. We might not think of administration as that spectacular but, in any organisation, it is essential to have people who can organise things.
The alternative would be chaos.
A church without administrators would be like an orchestra without a conductor. It would be like a MASH unit without a Corporal O’Reilly, or an aircraft without a pilot.
In fact, the Greek word translated as administration, in verse 28, literally means the work of a ship’s pilot. The ship’s pilot is the one who steers the ship through rocks and shoals to safe harbour. [1] Modern Greek uses the same word for an aircraft pilot. [2]
The work of an administrator then is the work of steering the church in the right direction, keeping it on course, avoiding dangers, recognising the changing weather and adjusting accordingly.
Bible commentator, David Prior, observes (and I paraphrase here)…
The pilot / administrator knows the capabilities of their craft and crew.
They know who to call on at which moment. They do not panic nor relax their vigilance. They are focused on the goal of reaching journey’s end safe and sound.
The gift of administration carries the idea of giving guidance. The guidance may be for an individual or for the church as a whole.
Joseph, the son of Jacob (in Genesis) was a gifted administrator. Joseph rose to the position of chief steward in Potiphar’s house. After being falsely accused by Potiphar’s wife, Joseph was sent to prison where he was put in charge of the other prisoners due to his administrative skills.
Then, after being released from prison, Joseph gave guidance to Pharoah (king of Egypt) and Pharoah put Joseph in charge of the administration of Egypt’s entire economy. Joseph, a man with a God given gift for administration, piloted Egypt through a severe famine, saving millions of lives from starvation.
It is interesting that Jesus chose at least one tax collector (Matthew – aka Levi) among his disciples. Tax collectors are administrators. They are good at keeping records. Matthew’s gift with admin bore fruit in his recording of Jesus’ teaching, giving us the gospel of Matthew.
The infamous gangster Al Capone was, in the end, caught and put away by an accountant, someone good at administration. Through a meticulous investigation, forensic accountant Frank Wilson uncovered evidence of tax evasion and, in October 1931, Al Capone was convicted of tax fraud (through Frank Wilson’s guidance).
There is a lot of administration in running a church these days, way more than when I started. Much of the administration is driven by keeping up with statutory compliance. There are quite a few people in this church who provide guidance by assisting with administration behind the scenes.
We have the deacons board of course, but also the finance team and the health & safety committee, as well as Brodie, in the church office. Pastoral staff have a significant administrative element to their work too. Administrators provide information that is helpful in guiding our decisions.
Let me say thank you to the administrators among us. We need your skill and attention to help steer the church and keep us off the rocks. It is not glamourous work, but it is necessary for the right functioning of the body.
Let me also say, administration is no less ‘spiritual’ than some of the more dramatic (or supernatural) gifts. The same Spirit who empowers the prophet also empowers the administrator.
We come across an example of good administration in the early church in Acts chapter 6. From verse 1 we read…
In those days when the number of disciples was increasing, the Hellenistic Jewsamong them complained against the Hebraic Jews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food. 2 So the Twelve gathered all the disciples together and said, “It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables. 3 Brothers and sisters, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them 4 and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word.” 5 This proposal pleased the whole group. They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit; also Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas from Antioch, a convert to Judaism. 6 They presented these men to the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them. 7 So the word of God spread. The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly, and a large number of priests became obedient to the faith.
Three things we note here. Firstly, the apostles did not try to do everything themselves. They recognised their gift was not administering food to widows, so they delegated this responsibility to others who did have the gift.
Secondly, the apostles empowered the congregation to choose their own administrators. And the congregation chose mostly Hellenistic Jews. That is, Greek speaking Jews. Jews who were born and raised outside of the land of Israel. Because these administrators were Hellenistic Jews, they had a better understanding of the needs of the Hellenistic widows who were missing out.
Thirdly, the apostles commissioned the seven administrators by laying hands on them and praying for them. In doing this the apostles were demonstrating that administration is spiritual. It is a function carried out with the help of the Holy Spirit.
As a consequence of this wise administrative move, the apostles were released to preach the gospel and the church continued to grow.
Leadership:
Closely related to the gift of administration (or giving guidance) is the gift of leadership. In Romans 12, verse 8, Paul writes…
8 If [your gift] is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.
The Greek word translated as lead (in verse 8) is proistēmi. It literally means ‘to stand before’ and thus to influence others. That is, to cause them to follow a recommended course of action. [3] To lead, in other words.
Leadership is more than administration. A leader doesn’t just provide guidance. A leader embodies the guidance. They stand before others. They go first, modelling by their actions the way people are to follow.
Seth Godin puts it this way…
‘The secret of leadership is simple: Do what you believe in. Paint a picture of the future. Go there. People will follow.’
There is quite a bit in this pithy statement. Firstly, a leader doeswhat they believe in. This implies authenticity. The leader is not faking it. Nor are they just talking about an idea. They are deeply committed to what they believe in.
They live their beliefs.
Painting a picture of the future is about giving people hope. Someone once said, ‘leaders are dealers in hope’. If you are asking people to change, then they need to believe the change will be worth it. They need to be convinced the future will be better for having made the change.
Going there, is about being the change you want to see in the world. Leadership involves influencing people by what you do. Deeds speak louder than words. Leadership means showing as well as telling.
To be convincing then, a leader needs to be authentic, they need to offer hope and they need to lead by example. Ultimately though, what makes a person a leader, is people who will follow. Without followers one cannot really call themselves a leader.
Being the first one to do something, taking the lead, requires a certain courage. The courage to turn your back on the crowd, to risk rejection and humiliation, to do things differently, to cut a new path for others to follow.
One of the greatest leaders of all time was king David, king of Israel. Before he took the throne, while he was still a callow youth, David showed Israel the leadership they needed at that time.
David acted on his belief that the God of Israel was stronger than the enemy. David painted a picture of the future by defeating Goliath with a stone and a slingshot. David was a dealer in hope. He had the courage of his convictions.
He led by example, and people followed him.
But one even greater than David has come. His name is Jesus. Jesus cut a new path; he redefined leadership in terms of service to others. Jesus did not come to conquer Israel’s political enemies. Rather, Jesus conquered humanity’s spiritual enemies by going to the cross. Jesus overcame sin and death.
Jesus is our leader. He suffered rejection and humiliation, betrayal and loneliness. But God vindicated Jesus by raising him to eternal life on the third day. Jesus’ resurrection paints a picture of what the future looks like for those who follow him in faith.
Now the examples of David slaying Goliath and Jesus conquering sin and death may feel a bit out of reach for us. They might also give the false impression that leadership is an occasional, isolated act of heroism.
Leadership does require courage and going where others have not been before, but the day-to-day reality of church leadership is less dramatic than that.
Returning to Romans 12. Paul says that those who lead should do so diligently.
The definition of diligence is ‘careful and persistent work or effort’.
David learned how to use a sling through diligent practice as a shepherd defending his sheep. Likewise, Jesus went to the cross after 33 years of careful and persistent obedience to God the Father.
Leadership requires the energy to give our best every day and in every situation for the wellbeing of the community. If you are in the habit of serving diligently by giving your best in the routine small things, then when a trial by fire comes you will be better equipped to deal with it.
One of my favourite jobs when I was younger was splitting firewood. It is incredibly satisfying to bring an axe down on a willow ring and feel the wood come apart. Not so satisfying when you get a knotty piece though.
The trick with splitting wood is not holding the axe handle too tight or too loose. If you hold the axe too loose, it will fly out of your hands. But if you hold it too tight, you will get blisters faster and you will feel the shock through your arms more sharply. You have to hold the axe handle with just the right amount of tension.
Diligence is about holding the handle of leadership just right, not too loose, not too tight. If you are a bit slack in your approach to leadership, you risk losing a handle on what you are doing. Likewise, if you are too up-tight (too white knuckle obsessive in your approach) then you risk burning out and making everybody else’s life a misery.
The Pharisees were hyper diligent in their observance of the law of Moses and it got in the way of people loving God and loving their neighbour. We need to keep the main thing the main thing. Diligence is a fine balance.
One of the things that sets Christian leaders apart is that we are followers first.
The ancient Greek philosopher, Solon, is credited with saying…
‘He who has learned how to obey will know how to command.’
Before we can lead anyone in the Christian faith, we must first learn to obey Jesus. Our authority to lead others comes from our obedience to Christ. Christian leaders are disciples of Jesus first. Indeed, if we take on the mantle of leadership, we don’t stop being disciples. We continue to take our lead from Jesus himself.
When we look at the leaders of the early church, they were actually following the Spirit of Jesus, not their own inclinations.
In Acts chapter 10, the apostle Peter received a vision from heaven with a sheet containing all sorts of unclean animals. Then he hears a voice telling him to eat the animals.
At first Peter was shocked and appalled, saying ‘I have never eaten anything impure or unclean’. And the voice spoke again saying, ‘Do not call anything impure that God has made clean’.
Long story short, the Lord wanted Peter to take the gospel to the Gentiles and to the Roman Centurion, Cornelius, in particular. More than that, the Lord wanted Peter to lead the way in showing the mainly Jewish Christian church that it was time to welcome Gentiles (non-Jews) into the fold.
This might not seem like a big deal to us, but it was huge for Peter and others at the time. Peter was being asked to turn his back on the crowd and on Jewish tradition. But Peter found the courage to obey Jesus, to follow the Lord’s lead, and now the Christian church is made of people of all nations.
The other thing we note about Christian leadership is that it is usually plural.
In the New Testament, Christian leaders don’t normally stand alone. They stand together and make decisions together.
The famous baseball player Babe Ruth once said: ‘The way a team plays as a whole determines its success. You may have the greatest bunch of individual stars in the world, but if they don’t play together, the club won’t be worth a dime.’
In Acts 15 we read how some Jewish Christians were insisting that Gentiles who wanted to become Christians must be circumcised and required to obey the Law of Moses. Then in verse 6 we read how the apostles and elders met to consider the question.
Peter did not try to handle this on his own. He got the other church leaders together to discuss the issue and together they found a way forward.
Conclusion:
This morning we have been talking about the spiritual gifts of administration and leadership. These gifts are no less spiritual for being down to earth and practical. Maybe you have one of these gifts. Maybe God has gifted you in some other way.
Charles Schultz (of Charlie Brown fame) once wrote: ‘Life is like a ten-speed bicycle. Most of us have gears we never use.’
God doesn’t just give us one gift. He is generous. He normally gives a number of gifts. What gifts has God given you? How are you using these gifts?
Let us pray…
Gracious God, thank you for the gifts you have given your people. Help us to understand how you have equipped us and where you want us to serve. Glorify yourself through our strengths and our weaknesses we pray, in Jesus’ name. Amen.
Questions for discussion or reflection:
What stands out for you in reading this Scripture and/or in listening to the sermon? Why do you think this stood out to you?
What does Paul mean by the gift of administration, in 1 Corinthians 12:28? What does a good administrator do for an organisation? Is this your gift?
Discuss / reflect on Seth Godin’s comment: ‘The secret of leadership is simple: Do what you believe in. Paint a picture of the future. Go there. People will follow.’ By this definition, who has had a significant leadership role in your life?
What qualities or characteristics does a leader need to possess to be convincing?
What does it look like to lead with diligence? Why is diligence important in leadership?
What are some of the distinctives of Christian leadership?
What gifts has God given you? How are you using these gifts?
[1] Refer William Barclay’s commentary on 1 Corinthians, page 129.
[2] Refer David Prior’s commentary on 1 Corinthians, page 221.
[3] Refer Marva Dawn’s book, ‘Truly the Community’, page 131.
We have had no shortage of rain lately but (according to the Wellington City Council) we could be in for a dry summer. Careful watering will be needed.
They reckon the best time to water your plants is in the morning. The soil is coolest then and the water has the best chance of seeping down to the roots.
They also say it is best to water your plants at the level of the soil, rather than pouring water all over the leaves. It’s the roots that take the water in not the leaves. Baptising the tree tends to waste the water.
When watering your plants take it slow, be gentle. You don’t want to knock the plant around or blast the soil away and expose the roots.
Of course, you don’t just water once and walk away. Watering is something we do on repeat. New plants generally need more frequent watering early on.
Watering then needs to be timely, focused, gentle and repeated.
Today we continue our series on spiritual gifts, this week focusing on the gifts of teaching and encouraging, in Romans 12. If we think of our faith as a plant, then teaching and encouraging are like watering the tree of our faith.
As a general rule, teaching and encouraging need to be timely, focused, gentle and repeated. To remind you of the context, let me read a few verses from Romans 12, starting at verse 6…
6 We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with yourfaith; 7 if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; 8 if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.
May the Spirit of Jesus illuminate God’s word for us.
Teaching:
I invite you to take a moment now to think back to when you were at school. Some of you may need more time than others. Who was your best teacher? Who was the teacher who really got you and helped you more than any other?
I was fortunate to have many good teachers when I was at school. One in particular was Mrs Smith. She was my teacher in standard 1, the equivalent of year 3. I could not read or write. Had no clue with words or with numbers either for that matter. But I enjoyed eating my lunch.
Mrs Smith could see that and knew what I needed. For a whole year she gave me individual coaching and special homework. The extra work required some effort from me and I probably complained to my parents quite a bit at the time, but Mrs Smith taught me how to read and write.
Her teaching was timely. Had Mrs Smith not intervened when she did, I would have fallen further and further behind and my life may have taken a very different path.
Mrs Smith’s teaching was focused on what I needed. She taught me basic sight words and this gave me confidence to learn more. There was a lot of repetition. Pretty much every morning before school, day in, day out Mrs Smith introduced new words and reinforced what we had learned. Mrs Smith was firm but gentle in her approach.
There was no stick but there was a carrot. At the end of year prizegiving I was awarded the most improved student. This was an acknowledgement of my work and a reflection of Mrs Smith’s skill as a teacher.
We are talking about the gift of teaching. What then does the apostle Paul mean by teaching? Is it the same as a modern schoolteacher or is it different?
Well, the Greek word used in the Bible for teaching covers a wide spectrum of roles and functions. It could mean someone who teaches children to read and write but, in the context of Romans 12, it probably refers more specifically to those who teach others about Jesus and the Bible.
At its heart, teaching in a church context, is about communicating truth, the truth of what we believe about God and Jesus. If prophecy is the revelation of new truth from God, then teaching is conveying old truth from God.
Teachers were vitally important in the early church. The Christians of the first century had the Hebrew Bible, what we know as the Old Testament, but they did not have the New Testament compiled in a book like we do.
People couldn’t just go to their bookshelf, pull out the gospel of Matthew, Mark, Luke or John and read for themselves about Jesus. Early Christians were reliant on teachers to recount the historical events of Jesus’ death and resurrection and explain the meaning of this for them.
Teachers in the early church had a huge responsibility. Without people to accurately pass on Jesus’ teachings, the core message of God’s grace in Christ would be diluted or lost altogether.
These days we do have a New Testament and stacks of books we can pick up and read anytime. However, it has been 2000 years since the events described in the New Testament and, without good Bible teachers to explain the meaning, much of the Bible is lost in translation, misunderstood and misapplied.
Someone who is good at maths once calculated that for every one degree you are off course, you will end up being 1 mile off course after traveling 60 miles.
For example, if you are flying from Wellington to Auckland and the plane is 1 degree off course you might end up in Indonesia or run out of fuel and crash into the Pacific Ocean.
Teachers are like navigators. Just as a ship or a plane needs the navigator to keep the craft on course, so too the church needs teachers to keep it on course.
The church’s teachers these days are not limited to people who offer sound Biblical preaching but extend to anyone who faithfully passes on the truths of the Christian faith. This might include, for example, Sunday school teachers, Bible study leaders, youth group leaders and parents.
Parents play an important role in watering the faith of their children. Parents might do this by reading Bible stories to their kids and praying with them so their children can see and hear how prayer is done. Children probably learn most from the model their parents give them.
In some ways teaching is like an iceberg. The presentation people see or hear from the teacher is just the tip of the iceberg. The bigger part of the work of teaching is the preparation. The preparation lies beneath the surface and is not usually seen.
Preparation is one of the key differences between prophecy and teaching.
A prophet may stand up in church on a Sunday and spontaneously speak the words given them by the Spirit.
A teacher, on the other hand, does not normally give an extemporaneous talk. Rather, they do their homework ahead of time. They carefully prepare their sermon through prayer, reading, research, reflection, and writing. The teacher is aiming to water the roots gently.
If you have a formal teaching role, whether in the pulpit or Kids’ Church or as a Bible study leader or a parent, then you cannot expect to pass on the truth of the gospel unless you have done the hard yards in learning the truth yourself.
Studying the Scriptures is not merely an intellectual exercise. Yes, it does involve using your brain, but the Bible asks more of you than that. The Scriptures contain the word of God. The Scriptures interpret us. They make claims on us, test us, discipline us, and ultimately put us to work.
Every believer has a responsibility to learn what they can about the Christian faith. We need to love God with our mind as well as our heart and soul.
We never know when a teaching moment might present itself. Maybe when you are sitting beside someone on the train or tucking the kids in at night or lying in a hospital bed. If someone asked, why are you a Christian, what would you say?
Some people have a special gift in teaching others. They understand their subject matter, they can see things from the perspective of the learner, and they know how to bridge the gap in understanding.
More than this, a good teacher possesses the patience to gently water the roots in a timely way, over and over again until the truth is firmly established.
Jesus prioritised teaching in his ministry. After healing people, the Lord often instructed the person he had healed to tell no one. For Jesus, the miracles were not the main thing. In fact, the miracles risked becoming a side show which distracted people from the main thing. The main thing being Jesus’ teaching about the kingdom of God.
In Matthew 11 Jesus says: 28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
A yoke is a piece of equipment worn over the shoulders to make it easier to carry a load. Yokes could be worn by animals for pulling a plough or they could be worn by people for carrying water say.
In this little parable the yoke represents teaching. The Jews of Jesus’ day were weary and burdened by the yoke of the Pharisees’ teaching. The Pharisees insisted upon a whole lot of extra rules.
By contrast, Jesus’ yoke is easy and his burden is light. The word translated as easy means fitting, as in not rubbing or chaffing. Part of Jesus’ work as a carpenter may have involved making and shaping wooden yokes so they fitted easily over the animal’s shoulders, without causing injury to the animal.
To take Jesus’ yoke upon ourselves is to listen and learn from his teaching. Jesus’ teaching shows us how to love God and our neighbour in a way that fits who God made us to be.
Encouragement:
Closely related to the gift of teaching is the gift of encouragement. Now, when we hear the word ‘encouragement’, we tend to think of someone who says kind and affirming words to make another person feel better about themselves or their situation. Things like…
“That was really good. You are doing so well. Keep it up. You will get there.”
And while this is partly what Paul means by encouragement, the Biblical understanding of encouragement is broader than that.
The Greek word translated in verse 8 as encouragement is ‘parakaleo’. Para means beside or near and kaleo means to call. So parakaleo is literally ‘to call beside’. To be an encourager in this Biblical sense then is to come alongside another person and speak good words to them, words that build up and strengthen them.
Parakaleo has a range of meanings and is variously translated into English with words like encourage, exhort, urge, comfort and entreat. No one word in English does parakaleo justice, but in the context of Romans 12, Paul probably means those with the gift of encouraging Christians to live out the truth of the gospel.
Those with the gift of teaching give people an understanding of the truth of the gospel and those with the gift of encouraging come alongside to give people the courage to obey Jesus’ teaching in the gospel.
For example, the teacher might explain the way of Christ is to love our enemies and bless those who curse us. That is wonderful teaching but very difficult to put into action, especially by yourself. The encourager is the one who comes alongside you and by their presence and gentle words actually helps you to love your enemies.
John Stott comments that encouragement can be exercised from the pulpit when the preacher gives an inspiring talk, but more often it is used behind the scenes as the gift of counselling or in offering friendship to the lonely or giving fresh courage to those who have lost heart. [1]
Jesus sent his disciples out two by two so they would not be alone, so they could encourage one another.
Part of the role of a spiritual director is to help people hear what God is saying and encourage them to do what God is asking. (Incidentally, Kim is embarking on spiritual director training. She is looking for someone to encourage. So, if you want some help in your spiritual journey, talk to Kim.)
Like watering, encouragement needs to be timely, focused, gentle and repeated. Those with the gift of encouragement don’t carelessly pour a deluge of words over you. No. They listen first. They don’t assume. They seek to understand and they show empathy. Then they focus the water of their words on the roots. They gently speak to your heart the refreshment you need to hear. They believe in you, giving you confidence and hope.
In Luke 5, we read how Jesus encouraged Peter. When Jesus was calling his first disciples, Peter fell at Jesus’ knees and said: “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!” And Jesus replied, “Don’t be afraid; from now on you will fish for people.” 11 So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him.
Jesus gave Peter the courage and the comfort to become his disciple.
If teaching is about communicating truth, then encouraging is about giving hope. The teacher says, this is the way of God, and the encourager says but you don’t have walk it alone. I am here to walk it with you.
One of the most winsome souls we come across in the Bible is a man named Barnabas. Actually, his real name was Joseph, but he was given the nickname of Barnabas which means ‘son of encouragement’. In the book of Acts chapter 11 we learn how the church in Jerusalem sent Barnabas to the believers in Antioch. From verse 23 we read…
23 When he [Barnabas] arrived and saw what the grace of God had done, he was glad and encouraged them all to remain true to the Lord with all their hearts. 24 He was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith, and a great number of people were brought to the Lord.
Iron in your blood is essential for carrying oxygen and producing energy. Without sufficient iron your physical strength and immunity is weakened.
The right encouragement at the right time is like an iron infusion, it boosts your energy and strengthens your immunity. Barnabas’ encouragement was like an iron infusion for the church in Antioch.
Barnabas came alongside the believers and watered their roots by speaking good words to them, words that brought refreshment and strength. Barnabas’ presence reassured the believers in Antioch they were not alone and gave them courage to share their faith.
But wait, there’s more. From verse 25 of Acts 11 we continue…
25 Then Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, 26 and when he found him, he brought him to Antioch. So for a whole year Barnabas and Saul met with the church and taught great numbers of people.
The apostle Paul was first known as Saul of Tarsus. Before his conversion, Saul persecuted Christians. After his conversion, Saul repented and changed his ways. He became one of the church’s greatest missionaries.
I imagine though it was not easy for Saul in those early days after his conversion. Many Christians had suffered because of Saul and people still viewed him with suspicion. I expect it was quite isolating for Saul at times.
Verse 25 tells us Barnabas went out of his way to look for Saul. Barnabas sensed somehow that Saul needed some comfort and companionship. Barnabas brought Saul to Antioch and encouraged him to teach.
One wonders what might have happened to Saul / Paul had Barnabas not found him and encouraged him in his calling for the Lord. Barnabas put Saul on a good path in God’s purpose.
Conclusion:
Teaching and encouraging (like watering plants) needs to be timely, focused, gentle and repeated.
Two questions to ponder…
How are you watering your faith? And..
What opportunities has God given you to water other people’s faith?
(Who can you be a Barnabas to?)
May the Spirit of Jesus continue to fill each one of us and all of us together. Amen.
Questions for discussion or reflection:
What stands out for you in reading this Scripture and/or in listening to the sermon? Why do you think this stood out to you?
Who was your best teacher and why?
What does Paul mean by the gift of teaching? Why is good teaching important in the church? In what ways can someone be a teacher?
If someone asked why you are a Christian, what would you say?
How is the gift of encouragement different from the gift of teaching? How do these two gifts complement each other?
Why do teaching and encouragement need to be timely, focused, gentle and repeated?
How are you watering your faith? What opportunities has God given you to water other people’s faith? (Who can you be a Barnabas to?)
[1] Refer John Stott’s commentary on Romans, page 328.
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