DOWN IN IT

DOWN IN IT:

“I discipline my body and bring it under strict control, not merely having preached to others, that I myself will not be disqualified.” -1 Cor 9:27

Have you ever witnessed a baptism by immersion where the baptizer (the one doing the baptism) stands outside the water and simply gives the baptizee (the one being baptized) instructions?

The scene opens with young Lucy standing solo in the church baptistry / pool. The Rev. Preacher Bill (RPB), dressed in his Sunday’s finest, stands outside the baptistry with a mic and Bible at the front of the congregation:

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RPB: (awkwardly gesturing) “Okay Lucy, now umm, drop down under the water while you hold your nose darlin.”

Lucy: (under her breath) “Ummm, okay I guess.” (Lucy submerges alone)

RPB: (shouting) “Lucy! I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit! Buried with Christ in baptism and raised…”

RPB: (obviously frazzled) “RAISED!” (Lucy still holding her breath underwater)

RPB: “Lucy! I said RAISED already!”

Lucy: “GASP!” (Lucy finally emerges with a bellowing gasp after the pastor kicks the baptistry repeatedly)

RPB: “Ahhem.” (cheese smile painted on the backdrop of a bright red face - trying to shake off the embarrassment of the moment)

RPB: “Raised… to walk in newness of life!”

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The scene concludes with Lucy’s emergence from the baptistry followed by uncomfortably sporadic congregational applause; partly celebrating Lucy’s “baptism” (?) but primarily that of relief since CPR and emergency services were not required… this time.

“I discipline my body and bring it under strict control, not merely having preached to others, that I myself will not be disqualified.” -1 Cor 9:27

I’ve written extensively in previous blog posts (The Servant’s Heart, and Up for Her)  regarding the flawed paradigms we adhere to within our church cultures. The most damaging of these is our conception of leadership. Jesus pointed out that our modus operandi was not to be patterned after anyone, or anything, but Him.

Paul emphasized this point in Romans 12:2 stating, “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Only then will you be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will.”

In 1 Peter 5:2-3 we read, “Shepherd God’s flock entrusted to you… not exercising lordship over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock.” English translations have correctly rendered the Greek τύποι (type, pattern, model) as “being examples.”

The truly great “leaders” of history are never exclusively or primarily leaders at all. The driving personalities who set out to accomplish, succeed, win, and conquer invariably leave a wake of financial, physical, or emotional destruction in their path. These “bull in a china shop” personalities invariably wield and leverage emotions like wrecking balls. Their relentless drive blinds them to the subtle textures and delightful nuances of relational transactions, which the Bible, thus Jesus the Eternal Word, dubbed: עָבַד (awbad in Hebrew), or διακονέω (diakoneó in Greek) - service.

“...that I myself will not be disqualified.”

Paul, the second greatest Christian missionary ever (after Jesus)... the man who planted numerous churches, who endured countless hardships, hunger, beatings, shipwrecks, prison, murderous plots… the man appointed by Jesus Christ as His instrument of salvation to the Gentiles… this Paul was concerned that he might get caught up in tasks, caught up in the hype, caught up in the drive, and caught up in numerical growth. This Paul said, “I discipline my body and bring it under strict control, not merely having preached to others, that I myself will not be disqualified.”

Jesus Great Commission to His followers is for us to first recall what we have been brought through by His gracious and merciful hand. Next, He instructs us not to “make” anything, but to simply “disciple,” actively and obediently engaging in the activity of worshipful discipleship. This activity of discipleship looks like the symbol of water baptism - complete and full immersion in the name of the Father (authority), the name of the Son (obedience), and the name of the Holy Spirit (power and presence). It looks like the symbol of baptism because we can’t honestly engage in discipleship from outside the baptistry. Nope, instead we have to get down in it. And after we have gotten down in it - the joyful service of discipleship is “not exercising lordship over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock.”

Paul was a hugely successful missionary NOT because he was primarily driven by zeal, numbers, conversions, baptisms, or salary. Instead, Paul was motivated by Christ’s compassion and love for people, i.e. God’s mission to be a blessing to all the families, tribes, and nations on earth. Paul conveyed this modus operandi in writing:

Though I am free and belong to no one, I have made myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. To Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law), so as to win those not having the law. To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some.

The great leaders of Christian faith have never been leaders at all. Instead, they have always been the very thing which God appointed us to be for one another since the very beginning (Gen 2:15): “The Lord God took the man and dedicated him in the garden of Eden to serve her and watch over her.” This has always been, and will always be, our highest form of gloriously obedient worship to God; to pattern our lives after Jesus in humble submission and joyful servitude poured out for humanity.

That’s who God created us to be - in their image and likeness. That’s what God created us for. That’s what God commissioned the nation of Israel to be/do (Exodus 19:6). That’s exactly what Jesus did through His advent, death, resurrection. That’s what Jesus continues to do from His heavenly throne and sending of the Holy Spirit. That’s what God has done in calling and commissioning every redeemed Believer to lay down their life daily and to pick up their cross and follow. That’s what Paul did. That’s what Peter did. Just like Jesus - they got down in it.

What about you? Are you relentlessly driving toward a goal that is unknown to Jesus and grossly disconnected from deeply personal relationships with the flock He has entrusted you with? Are you standing outside the baptistry like Rev. Preacher Bill - shouting commands from a place of comfort and safety? Are you preaching a great message, but leave yourself disqualified? Or are you like our Example, our Model, our High Priest, and Savior who literally stepped down in it - giving up His rights and life in doing so?

There’s only one kind of real Christian. The kind that follows in the footsteps of Jesus. There’s the kind that’s disqualified and the kind who gets down in it.

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Blessings,

-Kevin M. Kelley

aMostUnlikelyDisicple.com