THE SCHOOL OF THE SPIRIT

Glenn on Discipleship

All followers of Jesus are in "the school of the Holy Spirit"... and we never graduate in this life. In fact I don't know for certain (and this of course is only a guess on my part) that we'll "graduate" in the total sense when we're in the literal kingdom of God after this life on earth ends.

Whether that's true or not, what we do know is Jesus spoke a lot about the Holy Spirit and it's amazing to me that in much teaching about Him and His work in the believer that so little is taught about the Spirit in terms of our daily interaction with Him.

Nobody can become nor be a Christian without His touch, His moving. No one can become a genuine follower and certainly not an authentic disciple of Jesus Christ except the Spirit draw but beyond that, truly teach, instruct, correct, guide, comfort and lead that person into a -walk- with the Father and the Son.

People who listen to much of what I say will know that discipleship is absolutely core to my life and perhaps my deepest concern for the church, that is, larger church as well as local church (no matter the stream, denomination or style of that gathering we call "church").

While I don't believe there is any one True Way of doing church, it's clear nobody -becomes- part of the church except they are both converted and as a consequence, begin growing and spiritually maturing due to the indwelling and continual interaction by the Holy Spirit in their life.

A good friend recently gave me a book that in part underscored what I have long known in a huge and essential way: we MUST HEAR God the Holy Spirit when He speaks to us.

I'm fond of recalling Jesus' words: "My sheep hear My voice and I know them... and they follow Me". Likewise I often quote the Gospel of Mark where the man asked Jesus what the most important commandment of all was. "Jesus answered, The greatest is, 'Hear, Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one: you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.' This is the first commandment. The second is like this, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these."(Mk. 12.29-31)

Mark emphasizes what the other Gospel writers did not... "Hear". The first word in loving God, in fact in doing the will of God in terms of relationship to both God and people is -hear-. And who should get The First Place in terms of our listtening?

I submit to you that we MUST HEAR GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT. He is The Counselor, The Comforter, the One Who brings back to our memory "whatever Jesus commanded us". How can anyone become a maturing disciple of Jesus who doesn't pay attention to what God is saying to her/him? How can we have such contact and intimacy with the Lord unless we open our ears, that is, our minds, hearts, souls, spirits to the Spirit of God? Jesus calls Him the Spirit of Truth. How important is truth to you and me? How essential is it to "Hear Oh Israel"? What happens over and over when we neglect to listen and in love, obey Him?

We all have stories about going to school. Many of us were pretty lousy students and a lot of that had to do with being so self-absorbed that listening to our teachers was anything but the norm.

Until I came to follow Jesus halfway through my last year of high school I paid very little attention to what my teachers were actually teaching. I was there because I had to be there by law (and because my parents wouldn't let me skip). It sure wasn't my choice. My choices in that time were all about how I felt, what I wanted, how much attention I could get from my friends, what certain of my friends thought of me. My focus was on having fun, not getting and interacting with truth, with solid information about life and growing up. I was intent on pleasure in all forms except the pleasure of knowing and relationship with God and the people of God. Therefore, music, drugs, booze, sex and any sort of fun I could have was all I cared about. Listening to teachers, studying, doing homework, meaningful interaction in class that had anything to do with the lesson wasn't even close to my personal planet.

Halfway through that year I came to know and began to follow Jesus. Things changed because God was changing me. My attitude towards any person in authority, my self-centered character, my ability to pay attention and even my desire to study God as well as other matters having to do with life all began to change for the good. God was bringing an idiot into His family and in His mercy began to help me use my ears, not just my mouth.

I found myself studying the Bible each day, right in school. In fact I'd sit in study hall and at lunch hour away from all my partying buddies and the loose girls I'd focused on... and prayed, read and really began to soak up the Word of God, not only as a mental exercise but really and truly to begin learning and growing spiritually for myself. I had nearly killed myself from living totally for myself and now I knew the only real hope I had was to fully discover the God Who not only made and then saved me but was calling me to grow up and move out of the arrogant, insecure, kindergarten where I'd been crawling around for years without Him.

Change was the Doctor's order and I knew absolutely no other way to change and grow but by daily prayer, study of His Word, and closer fellowship with His people. Whatever the cost was, it was far less than hell as well as the continuing cesspool I'd been lying in for the past several years.

You might not have such a story, but I can assure you that unless you're God, you need to learn- and learning is all about listening, listening intently to God Himself, studying and seeking Him and His view (which is truth, not merely a perspective on things).

I asked my parents for two high school graduation gifts: a cross for my neck and a Bible for my heart. I forget who bought which but those were my graduation presents. That particular cross is long gone and that Bible got stolen when I had it in a leather book pouch I'd made... someone probably liked the pouch or thought there was dope in it or something as I'd left it in a van with the window open.

But the point is that the Holy Spirit began to speak to me via the Word of God, as I spent time in prayer and also as I really began to listen to believers who had followed Jesus far longer and apparently much closer that I had. And this is not only how I grew, got healed, recognized the fruit of the Spirit (Gal. chapter 5) and gifts of the Spirit (1 Cor. 12 and 14, Romans 12) but also got delivered from the addictions that had strangled me for years. I even learned what to look for in terms of true friendship with people, learned to forgive my parents and how to ask forgiveness and really face my own sins and slackness with the hope and power to change that only God can bring to us.

In short, if I had not learned to HEAR the Holy Spirit speak via God's Word, prayer and through my more mature brothers and sisters in Christ I'd have missed so much I can't imagine what would have happened. Well, actually I can! I'd have fallen away from Jesus... or just as bad, I'd have figured "Hey, I'm saved! I might be a jerk, base my friendships on myself, pleasure and sin, but that's o.k. because Jesus died for me so it's cool, I'm going to heaven... what else matters?!"

That's like saying "Hey, I'm married, who cares if I sleep with someone other than my spouse?"

There is One God. To hear and in love for Him, obey is what a growing disciple is all about. It's not rocket science but it's something that we absolutely must deal with or we'll find both ourselves and those we influence deeper in slop than in God's love, spiritual health and the true life of God which Jesus died and rose to bring us into!

There are days I don't like the lesson. There are days I'd rather skip class... but the Holy Spirit is speaking. If we'll show up and take careful notes, applying what He's intent on teaching us, we'll not only walk in a new and authentic life with God, we'll have a life to share with others who are still stumbling around in the dark.

Posted 05/20/08