Equipping People to Grow in Faith
Getting more than a foot of snow overnight, we’re reminded of how having the right equipment like a plow or a snow blower or a good shovel can make a difference. No matter what a person does for work or for a hobby, there is often specific equipment that’s needed to do your job or to pursue your passion.
No video this week, sorry! But you can listen:[powerpress]
For example, if one is passionate about cooking like Iron Chef Alex Gaurnaschelli, there are knives, pans, pots, and all kinds of kitchen related equipment. If you’re a speed skater like Apolo Ohno, you need special skates and an aerodynamic uniform. If you’re an astronaut like Dr. Mae C. Jemison, the first African American woman in space – you definitely want to be wearing a space suit that lets you breath oxygen.
If you’re an artist, illustrator, author, and film director like Hayao Miyazaki, there are special pencils and paper and other materials you use to create. If you’re poet like Langston Hughes, you used a typewriter, other poets write long hand or on a computer. If photography is your thing then you use a special camera, especially if you’re Margaret Bourke-White, the first American female war photojournalist and photographer for Life Magazine.
If you like to snowboard like Gold Medal winning Swiss Snow boarder Patrizia Kummer, you need the right board, helmet and gear. Of course, if you’re going to play football like Tom Brady, you need be equipped to play and win. No matter what a person does for work or for a hobby, there is often specific equipment that’s needed to do your job or to pursue your passion. You need to be properly equipped to be successful.
Usually there’s more to any activity than we realize. When you listen to someone who is really passionate and knowledgeable about a subject, you often realize, “Wow, I had no idea that so much went into doing that.” For example, something like fishing seems pretty simple, but there’s more to being equipped to fish successfully than you might think. I asked Ben Gregson to share a little bit about what goes into being equipped to fish:
“Fishing is really all about the equipment. That’s because it is really hard to catch a fish with your bare hands. Throughout the centuries people have developed thousands of different devices to catch fish…examples of most of these devices can be found someplace in my barn. I’ve been fishing in Cape Cod Bay as long as I can remember. I started with a hand line catching minnows and crabs off the jetty at Point of Rocks with my Grandpa. Things have gotten more complicated since then. For example, this past Summer I led a small group of fishermen with varying skills on a pre-dawn striped bass fishing trip on the Brewster Flats at low tide. This trip required the following: Knowledge of Striped Bass migration: Like many of our friends, the fish aren’t here all year round. June is usually best. September is good too.
Knowledge of Striped Bass feeding habits: Striped Bass are night feeders, so the earlier you can go, the better. Some people even fish the flats at night, which can be fun.
Knowledge of tides: Moving water means the natural bait is getting churned up – Stripers like that. Some spots are good on an outgoing tide – different spots on an incoming tide.
Bait: The right bait is important. If a bait has the nickname “Striper Candy” it means it’s probably good. Sea worms and sand eels are Snickers and Milky Ways.
Bait Bucket: So you have something to carry the bait in and something to sit on while waiting.
Hooks: The bait needs to be on a hook and the hook needs to be sharp. Circle hooks are best because they tend to hook the fish in the lip not the gut.
Lures: Purists “poo poo” bait and fish only with lures. Ultra-purists “poo poo” lures and fish only with thousands of dollars’ worth fly fishing gear, including hand-tied flies and custom bamboo fly rods. It’s good to have a few lures along in case you run out of bait. The ones that work are in my tackle bag, the ones that don’t are hanging on the wall.
Sinkers: The bait needs to go where the fish are, sinkers help with that.
Line: There is a huge group of engineers developing new high tech fishing line. Twenty-pound test monofilament usually works best.
Rod and Reel: Another huge group of engineers is developing rods and reels. My friend has a $1,000 spinning reel. Our group used a collection of rods and reels I’ve acquired over the years. Some handed down to me by fishermen of old.
Other equipment: All sorts of items have traveled out to the flats with me including: a tape measure to make sure the fish is the required 28 inches in length; a fish-stretcher in case it isn’t; a knife/multi-tool; pliers; spare hooks/swivels/sinkers; wire leaders in case we end up fishing for Bluefish; a compass in case of fog at night; flashlight; cell phone/camera; appropriate clothing, polarized sunglasses and a granola bar. That’s some of the equipping you need if you’re walking out on the flats to go fishing. If you’re going out in a kayak or small boat you’ll need tons more. With proper equipping, you are more likely to catch a fish, and you may even be wildly successful and catch two.”
Thank you, Ben for illustrating the point that in order to successfully engage in any number of activities it’s necessary to be properly equipped; that’s also true for being equipped to grow in our faith.
Listen to Colossian 2:6-7, “6 As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, continue to live your lives in him, 7 rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.”
These two verses sum up Paul’s letter to the Colossians. Since you’ve received and recognized Christ as Lord, do all you can to continue to equip yourself to grow in your faith so it’s solid. Christ is the beginning point of our faith, and growing our relationship with him is the key to living as his followers. Let’s look at the key phrases and images Paul uses.
As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, “received” = once for all.[1] This represents making the decision to follow Jesus and to follow him as Lord. This was a significant statement in the first century when the Roman emperor demanded worship as Lord. If we’ve received Christ as Lord we’re declaring we’re with Jesus, that his values, his teaching are what shape our life and our beliefs and not any emperor or political leader. If the emperor or politician’s values or beliefs are contrary to those of Jesus, if they’re not remotely close, for example, to what Jesus teaches in the Sermon on the Mount, then we go with Jesus and not with anyone else. Many people don’t realize today that for a Christian to say, Jesus is Lord was a power packed political statement that in the first century sometimes had severe consequences. To Paul, nothing was more important than his relationship with Jesus and it was something he was willing to risk losing everything for as he states in Philippians 3:8, “More than that, I regard everything as loss because of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things, and I regard them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ.”
Having received Christ Jesus the Lord, what are we to do? Paul says we’re to Continue to live your lives in him. That means our relationship with Jesus is something that’s always there; it’s simply part of our life like a relationship with a family member who lives under the same roof whose thoughts and feelings are a part of our decision making. Jesus says in John 14:21, 23, “They who have my commandments and keep them are those who love me; and those who love me will be loved by my Father, and I will love them and reveal myself to them…Those who love me will keep my word, and my Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them.”
Rooted and Built up in him, rooted = vitality, is in the past tense in Greek, and refers to conversion. Christ is the soil in which we are to put down our roots and grow. A tree can be cut down to the stump and it can still send out new shoots and live because the vitality and stability come from the roots. Sometimes we can feel that way in life; like we’ve been cut to the core and we wonder if we have anything left. As long as our roots are still in Christ we have hope. Isaiah refers to a shoot that will emerge from the stump of Jesse which we believe is Jesus. Even when all seems lost, nothing is impossible with God. We need deep roots in Jesus to have a vital spiritual life. Remember the extent of our branches will never exceed the depth of our roots.
“being builded up” (in the present tense in Greek), reflects a progressive increase, the placing of one layer upon another like rocks layered on top of each other in a rock wall. Christ is the foundation on which we’re to continue to build our lives. The New Testament uses this image of building ourselves up and that we’re God’s building several times. Acts 20:32, “And now I commend you to God and to the message of his grace, a message that is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all who are sanctified.”
Jude 20-21, “But you, beloved, build yourselves up on your most holy faith; pray in the Holy Spirit; keep yourselves in the love of God; look forward to the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life.”
1 Corinthians 3:9, “For we are God’s servants, working together; you are God’s field, God’s building.”
Here’s an interesting point, Paul says we’re to be “built up in him,” rather than upon Him, as might be expected. In this and in the Ephesian epistle, Christ is represented as the sphere within which the building goes on. The whole up building of the Church proceeds within Christ’s personality, life, and power. It’s like a snow globe, in which you can see whatever is displayed inside it; we are in Christ like the contents of a snow globe are contained within the glass.
Established or Strengthened in the faith, confirmed, made solid, firm as we were taught. Colossians 1:23, “Provided that you continue securely established and steadfast in the faith, without shifting from the hope promised by the gospel.” Paul is trying to help us have a strong solid faith. If you exercise a muscle it gets stronger and the same is true of our faith – the more we exercise it the stronger it will get.
Just as you were taught, “Finally, brothers and sisters, we ask and urge you in the Lord Jesus that, as you learned from us how you ought to live and to please God (as, in fact, you are doing), you should do so more and more.” 1 Thessalonians 4:1
Abounding in thanksgiving – advancing to fuller maturity (compare Col 2:2) in the faith, “with thanksgiving” to God as the gracious Author of this whole blessing. Thanksgiving is a key part of Colossians, see 1:12; 3:16-17, 4:2. Those of us building on the tradition we’ve received and been taught have surplus of blessings for which to give thanks. “Believing in Jesus and discipleship to Jesus are part of the same action.” — Richard Foster
In Ephesians 6:13-17, Paul describes the equipment we want to put on in order to grow in our faith. And we have to put it on; no one else can do it for us. “Therefore take up the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to withstand on that evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. 14 Stand therefore, and fasten the belt of truth around your waist, and put on the breastplate of righteousness. 15 As shoes for your feet put on whatever will make you ready to proclaim the gospel of peace. 16 With all of these, take the shield of faith, with which you will be able to quench all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”
If we’re going to “continue to live our lives in Chris, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving,” we will need to put on the proper equipment as Paul says.
The belt of truth – Jesus said I am the way, the truth, and the life. Don’t be deceived.
The breastplate of righteousness – our living should reflect the Lord we worship wand serve
Whatever will make you ready to proclaim the gospel of peace – the Gospel of Jesus Christ is a Gospel of peace and those who claim Christ’s name are to be people of peace not of violence, anger, or fear.
The shield of faith – faith is a strong defense in the most difficult battles of life
The helmet of salvation – knowing we’re saved by Jesus gives us hope and courage.
The sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. All the previous pieces of “equipment” that we put on are for defense. The only offensive “weapon” we have is the Word of God. And that word tells us to “continue to live our lives in Christ, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving,”
Paul is basically saying, become what you are. Having received Christ Jesus as Lord – there’s a new situation in progress – the implication of that Lordship needs to be lived out by us. Continue, rooted, built up, established/strengthened, as you were and are taught, with thanksgiving. The necessary equipment and resources for Christian living have been given to us and we live our lives not out of fear of punishment or hope of reward, but rather out of our relationship with Christ, which we have thanks to God’s grace.
Questions for Discussion or Reflection
- Is there any activity that you do for work or for fun that requires equipment in order to do it well or safely (for example, fishing gear, a musical instrument, different colors of paint and brushes, etc.?) What is it?
- Can you recall the time when you “received Christ Jesus the Lord?” Reflect on or share with your group – where were you? What were the circumstances? If you have not yet received Christ Jesus the Lord, what do you know about him so far? How would you describe who Jesus is to you?
- Why is it important to “continue to live our lives” once we have received him as Lord?
- Paul uses three different images to describe living our lives in Christ: rooted, built up, and established or strengthened. What difference does it make if a tree or plant has a deep, strong root system or not? What are some things you can do to build up your relationship with Christ to make your faith stronger and more solid?
- As he so often does, Paul encourages us to have an attitude toward God and life that is “abounding in thanksgiving.” Why is this perspective so characteristic of the Christian life? Why are we to be a thankful people?