Today’s brief newsletter touches on a few insights from a recent sermon.
Doing What You’re Supposed to Do
At many Christian colleges, including the one I attended, students are expected to have some type of Christian service assignment. The undergirding theory seems to be that service is inherent to the Christian life. Therefore, the curriculum intends not only to form students intellectually, but also in their practices. Many schools even have “community service” or “community engagement” as part of their mission statement. It only makes sense that this would be instantiated into the requirements for obtaining a degree.
Our options were somewhat diverse during my college years: participating in an English club for non-native English speakers, visiting a nursing home, conducting backyard Bible clubs for local elementary students, visiting a rescue mission, etc. Generally, these ministries were performed weekly, and attendance/participation was tracked by the school. In other words, you could fail Christian service. (Now that’s some double entendre!)
Say what you want about “requiring” obedience to a biblical principle. We do this in all kinds of ways, whether in family life, the church, or in the context of other relationships and organizations. I see no reason why an academic institution requiring something of this nature is especially inauthentic. No doubt there are better and worse ways to structure such a requirement. But the bare expectation that someone would have a weekly assigned ministry/service in the community seems to be precisely the type of exercise all students in all higher education institutions would benefit from.
Where to Begin?
My message yesterday was on the topic of service. This is the third spiritual discipline I’ve covered in the “Back to Basics” series: Dig Deep (Study), Draw Near (Seek), Step Up (Serve), and Speak Up (Speak). Roughly, these correspond to the need for Bible intake, prayer, service, and evangelism.
Topical preaching, however understood, is something I often find difficult. One reason is because I vacillate between the pull of one passage which deals with a topic (in this case, service), and MANY passages which address it. You feel compelled to say a word about them all, as unrealistic and unhelpful as that may be.
For today’s newsletter, I simply wanted to highlight a series of verses that I think are especially useful on the topic. I wonder if one of them especially resonates with readers. Or, perhaps you can offer a different one that you have found helpful. Here are mine, in no particular order:
“And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need.” (Acts 2:45)
“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” (Eph. 2:10)
“As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace.” (1 Peter 4:10)
“Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit…To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.” (1 Cor. 12:4, 7)
“You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you.” (John 13:13-15)
“The saying is trustworthy, and I want you to insist on these things, so that those who have believed in God may be careful to devote themselves to good works.” (Titus 3:8).
“And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works.” (Heb. 10:24)
Which resonates with you? Or is there one you think bears special attention that’s not listed here?
Where I Landed
I did make some sort of mention of each of the verses above. However, the heart of my message revolved around Galatians 5-6. Despite how theologically substantive the Epistle to the Galatians is, it’s striking how practical and pointed the final two chapters are. Some of the most memorable verses in Scripture are found there:
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.” (5:22-23)
“Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.” (6:2)
“Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap.” (6:7)
These practical claims and admonitions are situated upon a foundation of straight talk about the true purposes of the Mosaic law, justification by faith, and the dangers of requiring circumcision. Recognize that in order to get to the crucial truths about Christian service, good works, and obedience, the apostle Paul had to testify to his own story and past errors (chs. 1-2), but also develop a line of reasoning about how people become righteous and free in Christ (chs. 3-4).
Not only do the verses above deal with Christian service somehow, they sit alongside other verses which are equally explicit, if not more so:
“For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.” (5:13)
“So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.” (6:10)
Dear readers, the “what” (service) matters a great deal. But the “why” and the “how” matter just as much. Justification by faith and the glory of Christ are the “why,” and love is the big “how” Galatians provides
Follow-Up:
In Newsletter #101 I mentioned the present controversy in the Roman Catholic Church over a recent Declaration issued by their Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (and approved by Pope Francis himself) which provides for the blessing of same sex unions and people in other “irregular situations.” Well, I’ve gone further down the rabbithole on this. Predictably, it’s complicated, though problematic nonetheless. Here are the responses from just a few Catholic theologians and scholars:
“Contextual” Theology and Fiducia Supplicans | George Weigel | First Things
More on this and its relevance to us Protestant evangelicals soon!
What I’m Reading or Rereading:
Matthew Barrett, The Reformation as Renewal: Retrieving the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church.
Jim Davis and Michael Graham, The Great Dechurching: Who’s Leaving, Why They Are Going, and What Will it Take to Bring Them Back?
Donald Whitney, Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life.
Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice.
Quote of the Week:
We’re always working in the dark with wild problems. An informed decision presumes knowing how the decision will change us or our circumstances, and huge swaths of that dataset are simply unavailable on the front end. The unknowns outweigh the knowns. And what we do know often proves irrelevant once we’re on the other side of the decision. Just ask anyone ten years after their wedding or having a child.
My wife and I have five children, two biological from my first marriage and three adopted. Our youngest was born at just twenty-seven weeks; the first time I met her, she was barely two pounds. There’s no calculus for knowing how holding a human that tiny will affect you.
Ignorance plagues our decisions because our experience following the decision is what begins flicking the light switches. How will moving, starting a business, worshipping, volunteering, adopting a micro preemie affect you? The discovery is in the doing, not the premeditating.
Joel Miller, “How Do You Make a Big Decision?”
Common Grace Wisdom (CGW): On the Legacy of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas
Clarence Thomas has been a prominent figure in the public eye since his appearance before the Senate Judiciary Committee in October of 1991. Those explosive hearings launched a 30-plus-year tenure of service on the Supreme Court. Thomas has ruled on every major legal question one can imagine. Love him or hate him (or somewhere in-between), his legacy is consequential and serious.
I enjoyed this recent virtual event in which three legal scholars and one economist/social scientist discuss his legacy. Check it out—if you’re into that kind of thing!
Parting Shot
I’ll be meeting today and tomorrow with our church body’s state Executive Committee to plan the 2024 Missouri State Association. I enjoy serving with this fine group of men. Pray for us, if you think about it.