Disciples and Disciple-making (7)
Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted. Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. Galatians 6.1, 2
Being and making disciples is a community discipline. God, Who is perfect Community, has made us for community, for He has made us to be like Him. We see this, Aelred of Rievaulx (1109-1167) explained, in the creation: “Not only is God self-sufficient; He is Himself the sufficiency of all created things, granting some mere existence, granting others sentience, and granting still others knowledge, while Himself remaining the cause of all existing things, the life of all sentient things, and the knowledge of all knowledgeable things.”
We look to God to understand creation, and we look to creation to learn about God. He teaches us, through the things He has made, that there is a proper place and function for all creatures. Aelred: “And so God Himself, as the Highest Nature, established all natures, put all things in their proper place, separately distributed all things to their proper times.”
For us, as for “all His creatures”, He has ordained that we should live and work in community with one another. Aelred concludes: “But because His eternal reason demanded it, He wished all His creatures to be joined together in peace, and for community to exist between them. And thus all his creatures are allotted a certain vestige of unity from Him who is supremely and purely one.”Friendships between disciples of Jesus Christ bear witness to the oneness of God and His purpose for all of creation—that all creation should be reconciled to God through Jesus Christ (2 Cor. 5.17-21). Thus, true spiritual friendships witness to the reality of God; to the dependence of all creation His purposes, Presence, and will; and to the true joy and shalom which can be found in union with Him alone.
Think how such friendships, actively encouraged and pursued, might transform a local church and its presence in the community. When all who worship together are working to be disciples and make disciples, a community of peace and unity will shine like the Body of Christ in their community.
Disciples are sons of the Father
This week’s discipleship conversation with Dr. Mike McQueen focuses on our being called as sons of the heavenly Father. Knowing Him is thus crucial to being a disciple of the Lord.
Resources for Shepherds
Time to brush-up on your Chaucer? His Clerk, or Scholar, is my favorite character, and in a few words I’m happy to tell you why. Hopefully we’re all a bit like him: “And gladly wolde he lerne and gladly teche.”
Our current Read Moore series offers readings from my book, The King’s Heart: The Kingdom of God and Civil Government. Text and audio excerpts appear daily. On Wednesday we begin a new series as I’ll be reading excerpts from The Church Captive.
It’s time to stop allowing the lie of secularism to cow Christians into silence, especially those very vocal advocates for the scientific worldview. They’ve been feeding us a lie, as Peter Harrison explains in a recent issue of Aeon. Read a summary and get a link to his essay here.
From the Celtic Revival
Last Thursday’s Crosfigell teaching letter developed around a quote from Columbanus (d. 615):
…we Christians are conquered in this spiritual warfare, first by our carnal vices and proud way of life, and then by the weakness of our wavering faith, whose feebleness is the reason for our being surrounded unawares by our enemies in triple ranks, who have been given to punish our luxurious ease.
– Columbanus, Letter to Pope Boniface, Irish, 7th century[1]
Ouch! That must have smarted then. And perhaps it smarts today as well? Read the article that follows from this quote by clicking here. To receive Crosfigell in your email box every Tuesday and Thursday at 11:00 am, use the subscription button to update your subscriptions (scroll to the bottom of the home page).
Want to learn more about Columbanus? Our devotional history of this great Irish saint gives you 30 days of meditations from his earliest days to his last, sourcing his first biographer and his own writings. You can download a free copy for your e-reader by clicking here for Columbanus: A Devotional History.
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.
[1] Walker, p. 45.
