Cowper on Paul on Preaching (17)
For “who has known the mind of the LORD that he may instruct Him?” But we have the mind of Christ. 1 Corinthians 2.16
For Paul, to live was Christ (Phil. 1.21; Gal. 2.20). Thus, to minister the Word of Christ involved thinking Christ’s thoughts after him, using the mind of Christ to minister the Word of Christ to the people of Christ for the sake of the Kingdom of Christ.
All our thinking as we prepare to preach, teach, or otherwise live for Christ and His flock must build on this footprint.
We know that Paul often contemplated the risen Christ with powerful effects (2 Cor. 4.6, 16-18; Col. 3.1-3). He understood the fulfillment of his calling from the Lord to be in Jesus Christ (Phil. 3.14); thus, he must have pondered and prayed long concerning how he might engage the Lord and His power for every aspect of his life and ministry (cf. Eph. 1.15-23). He longed for himself and those to whom he ministered to be transformed into the very image of Jesus Christ (2 Cor. 3.12-18); thus, he must have thought long and hard about how to make sure, as much as was possible, that his words were as the very words of Christ Himself.
We do not know how much Paul understood of the earthly ministry of Christ, but it seems clear he searched the available Scriptures to understand as much as he could about the Lord Jesus and His ways and thoughts. Again, as with submitting to the Spirit of Christ, seeking the mind of Christ must have been a permanent and continuous part of Paul’s preparing to minister the Word of Christ. We can perhaps imagine Paul, as he prepared to preach or teach, or even to write, seeing himself at the very side of the Lord Jesus, diligently seeking the mind of the King of kings (cf. Eph. 2.6; Col. 3.1-3).
Submit to the Spirit. Seek the mind of Christ. Our preparation for ministering the Word must begin here.
Resources for being and making disciples
Pastor to Pastor Podcast: In this week’s conversation with Pastor Jesse Slusher, we talk about the keys to persevering in ministry. Pastoral ministry is hard work. It’s especially hard when you persevere at it in one church for nearly a generation, as Jesse has. Jesse offers important insights and suggestions for staying the course in the calling to be a shepherd of God’s flock.
Other columns of interest: This week: In our ReVision column we are considering the spiritual dimension of “Everyday Christianity”. Our Read Moore podcast begins a new series from The Disciplined Life. Our Crosfigell teaching letter concludes our study of spiritual poetry of the Celtic Revival. The InVerse Theology podcast features part 4 of our series on drift and disunity in the Christian movement. And in our daily Scriptorium column we begin a new study on Colossians. Click here to see all the other columns and writers available to you.
The Ailbe Bookstore: We are currently holding a clearance sale on select volumes in The Ailbe Bookstore. Everything must go, and we’re offering all our selections for the cost of shipping only.
Resources for Shepherds: This fall The Fellowship of Ailbe will offer six growth opportunities for men of the church:
The Lewis Group—T. M. Moore and Charlie Hammett:
Surprised by Joy
The Edwards Group—T. M. Moore and Dick Wilder:
“The Christian Pilgrim”
“The Preciousness of Time”
“A Divine and Supernatural Light”
Distinguishing Marks of a Work of the Spirit of God
Praying with the Psalms (continued)—T. M. Moore and David Timbie
David Timbie and T. M. Moore, Praying with the Psalms
The Writers’ Group (continued)—T. M. Moore:
Corey Latta, C. S. Lewis and the Art of Writing
The Men’s Study—T. M. Moore:
T. M. Moore, Strong Souls: The Inside-Out Secret of the Christian Life
Christian Classics for Discipleship—T. M. Moore
J. Gresham Machen, Christianity and Liberalism
The complete schedule and a registration form is available at our website. Or if you prefer, send me an email at [email protected], and I’ll send the schedule to you.
From the Celtic Revival
Spiritual Poetry of the Celtic Revival: The Mind of Christ
Shame on my thoughts, how they stray from me!
During the Psalms, they wander on a path that is not right; they run, they distract…
One moment they follow the ways of loveliness, and the next the ways of riotous shame…
Swiftly they leap in one bound from earth to heaven…
O beloved Christ…may the grace of the sevenfold Spirit come to keep them in check!
Rule this heart of mine, O swift God of the elements, that You may be my love, and I may do Your will!
– Anonymous, “On the Flightiness of Thought”, Irish, 8th-9th centuryFor though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ…
– 2 Corinthians 10.3-5
We identify with that anonymous scribe; we, too, tend to be fairly undisciplined in our minds.
It’s understandable, though. The thought life can be like a dodge ball game, where we’re the only person on our side of the line, and the world is arrayed against us, lobbing and hurling all manner of opinions, notions, ideas, things to do, and fleeting images against our brains.
Our poet describes the reality with which we are all familiar: We don’t control our thoughts; rather, too often, they control us. Paul gives us a choice: Either we take our thoughts captive for Christ, or our thought life will make us captives of the spirit and culture of the times in which we live. Either we learn to live in the then and there, here and now, or our here and now will never be anything other than routines, distractions, and disappointments.
Your mind is not your own (1 Cor. 6.19), but you are the steward of its focus, contents, and operations. Where will you set your mind, and to what ends will you devote it today?
You can read this installment in our series on Celtic spiritual poetry by clicking here.
Subscribe to Crosfigell and join us every Tuesday and Thursday for insights and teaching from the Celtic Revival. Scroll to the bottom of the home page, www.ailbe.org to sign up.
Resources from the Celtic Revival: Columbanus
The great saints of the Celtic Revival (ca. 430-800) call us to keep our focus on Jesus. Our book, Be Thou My Vision, provides insights and encouragement on seeing Jesus daily. Order your free copy by clicking here.
T. M. Moore
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Except as indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
