Bonhoeffer: Single-Minded Obedience (Ch. 3)

What if Jesus came to you and said, "Leave everything you have and follow me"--including home, family, job, all of it?  Would we?  Could we?

When I was 12 God called me to leave behind dreams and potential in order to serve him.  So, I did not pursue a music career, or an engineering degree, or attempt to play sports in college (not that it would have made any difference).  In some ways, it was easier to give up those potentialities than to think of giving up current realities.  And now, I am faced daily with this thought: Did Christ call me then to live how I am now?  Or are there still things in life that require a daily response of "Here I am.  Send me."

Bonhoeffer has encouraged me to again think on these things with his continued dialog on obedience.  In CH. 3 he hits particularly hard on the excuses that we use to avoid true discipleship and obedience.  His launching point is the sorrow of the Rich Young Ruler in Matthew 19 who could not obediently respond to God's call, and thus lost an opportunity of discipleship.    In his discussion he further explains the relationship of faith and obedience.  "The actual call of Jesus and the response of single-minded obedience have an irrevocable significance.  By means of them Jesus calls people into an actual situation where faith is possible.  For that reason his call is an actual call and he wishes it so to be understood, because he knows that it is only thorugh actual obedience that a man can become liberated to believe."

Thus, the call itself empowers both inward belief and outward actions of faith.  This reasoning leads to a firm conclusion:  We cannot believe without God himself acting on us and in us.

And what is Christ's calling?  FOLLOW ME!  This is the mantra of the disciple.  Follow Jesus.  Wherever he leads.  Whatever he says.  Whenever he speaks.  Obey.

So, how are you doing today in your single-minded obedience, which is faith in action?

James 1

  ⁵If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. ⁶But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. ⁷That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; ⁸he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does.

As a side note, I find myself connecting the book of James to the thoughts of Bonhoeffer.  I wonder what Luther himself would say to Bonhoeffer's Lutheranism, knowing how much Luther liked the book of James.

Super-size my faith

So, the study and discussion on "The Giant Side of Faith" has triggered some good questions and thoughts in worship and in our home study groups. Last night I get thinking about the phrase "Increase my faith." I wondered, "If a mustard seed faith can accomplish great things, then what can a "Giant Faith" produce? A couple of verses came to mind.

Luke 17:5-6 The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!” And the Lord said, “If you had faith like a mustard seed, you would say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and be planted in the sea’; and it would obey you.

Mark 9:23-24: And Jesus said to him, “‘If You can?’ All things are possible to him who believes.” Immediately the boy’s father cried out and said, “I do believe; help my unbelief.”

Also, in our discussion group, we looked at several biblical characters who had giant faith. Elijah, Noah, Abraham, Ruth, Jeremiah. Not all of them received the promise of their faith, although they received spiritual benefit from their trust in God. Which leads me to ask "How do we know our faith is Giant?" And, "How do we know our faith is effective?" I'm still working on these questions.

A great comment about Goliath, David's giant foe, was made: Goliath had a Giant Faith as well, but he was destroyed because he trusted in himself.

Our faith is only as good as the person or thing that we trust in.

Which leads me to the ultimate question: If God is great, mighty, huge (insert your own enormous adjective hear), then how can we develop and grow a faith worthy of our God? The first thing (and only thing) I know to do right now is to pray the scripture: Father, increase my faith! Help my lack of faith!

The Giant Side of Faith: Abraham

We are participating in an associational event this September 21-24--a revival entitled "The Giant Side of Faith." Please be in prayer for DL Lowrie as he leads our services on September 21.

As I contemplate the upcoming service, the goal is revival by emphasizing faith.

So I pose the question, "What does faith look like?" Seems simple enough. How do you draw that picture?

Well, for Abram/Abraham, it seems to look something like this.

1. A blur: When God spoke, Abram moved. Gen. 12:4: Abram went as the Lord said. Lot went with him. Abram not only moved, he lead Lot to moves as well. Faith is motion, in a specific direction, that influences others to follow.

2. a legal document: Put your name on the dotted line, and then follow the agreement. This is faith. Put yourself on the line, then follow through. Gen. 15:5: the covenant set up between God and Abram required both parties to fulfill the agreement. God, however, designed the covenant to be his full responsibility. All Abram must do accept the terms. God will keep the agreement, even if Abram cannot.

3. Open-heart surgery/valve replacement surgery: Yes, it is invasive. But when you have a heart problem, you better do something about it, removing what is bad and replacing it with what is good. This is circumcision. Initially commanded by God as sign of his people (Gen. 17:10. perhaps as a hygienic benefit to them, as well as a symbol of their procreation belonging to God--as a people), it became a symbol in the NT for a heart that is being repaired from the cancers of sin to follow the Spirit in following God. Romans 2:29: But he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that which is of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter; and his praise is not from men, but from God.

4. A Rumbling stomach. Whether from hunger or worry, the moving stomach screams for attention. Gen. 22 reminds us that God provides our needs (a sacrifice for Abraham) and delivers us from our greatest fears (Abraham losing Isaac). Yet, we are also reminded that God ultimately requires a faith that is willing to give up every other meal and hunger for him above all.

Godliness: humility and endurance

As I prepare for Sunday, I read Philippians 2. Wow. "have this mind in you which was also in Christ Jesus." OK. I think "godliness" is aptly described by the phrase, "have this mind" of Christ. I find God, through Christ, acting in humility by 1) letting go of his rights, emptying himself, 2) serving those who should serve him, 3) and dying for those who should die.

So, this is humility: allowing others to have more rights than yourself, being last instead of first, and laying your life down. Sounds like Jesus' teachings from the beginning to the end of his ministry. And He lived it as well.

I am also amazed at God's endurance. James 1 says that endurance works through faith for maturity. However, it is God's endurance for us that saves and completes the work in us. If he did not wait on us, both as servant and Lord, then we would already be dead in our sins. See 2 Peter 3:15. His patience is our salvation!

In the end, his faithfulness to us is predicated on his patient endurance. He keeps his promises in truth and loyalty to his plan. He cannot contradict himself, nor does he trust another. He alone is God and sovereign. And he is worthy of our honesty and integrity.

In the end HE DOES NOT ASK US TO DO ANYTHING HE WOULD NOT DO HIMSELF!!!!

Genesis 6-9: Noah's journey

So, God comes to Noah and says "Build a boat and put a bunch of animals on it." A boat is no problem. Then God says, "I am going to make it rain." And Noah's thinking, "What is rain?" Then Noah winds up on the boat for more than a little bit, while it rains for a month and 10 days. Holy Cow! I can't stand my own kids after 2 straight days of rain. Perhaps someone up in Washington state can better understand this than I can. In the end, God says, "I will save you, but everyone else must die." So I wonder . . .

What is it like to have never seen rain?

Is this story from a flat earth perspective, where God simply opened up the waters above the earth and allowed them to flood all of the earth?

Is there such a thing as "greenhouse" effect? Was this healthy global warminig before we knew of such a thing?

How much fertilizer did that boat produce?

Did Noah want to open the door and let anyone in? Why did God want to start over so bad that he denied access to anyone else?

How much faith did Noah have?!!! Would I be able to follow him even if I didn't know what rain was?