Scripture:
Date: October 9, 2010
Speaker: Sean Higgins
I’ve been flying the one28 flag for a long time. I never get tired of seeing Colossians 1:28 ripple in the breeze. I love running it up the pole again at every new members’ class and every promotion Sunday. I’ve pulled out every stitch in verses 28 and 29 and sewn it back together again, or so I thought. There is a phrase that I’ve only recently realized I’ve been guilty of skipping over. I’ve been foolish to do so.
Colossians 1:28 Him we proclaim, admonishing every man and teaching every man with all wisdom, that we may present every man complete in Christ.
Just when I thought the paragraph was empty, I took one more whack at the piñata and an entire prepositional phrase came out. We need more than ever the three little words, “in all wisdom” (ἐν πάσῃ σοφίᾳ). Our teaching and admonishing as we proclaim Christ on our way to presenting every person perfect in Christ needs wisdom, all of it we can get as soon as we can get it.
This is a nagging limitation of today’s seminar. If the sessions are good, they are only as good as they point out wisdom. But it cannot make anyone wise. Who goes to a day long seminar to get wisdom? We say, “Give us tips!”
Over the last few months I’ve had opportunities to answer a lot of questions about ministry and small groups and discipleship. I’ve talked with youth pastors and small group leaders at other churches, as well as with our own youth staff, about what to do in various situations, and most often, how to handle people at a myriad of different stages of maturity. People are looking at a lot of greasy windows, they need more wisdom to cut through grime.
For example, should we not answer a fool according to his folly or should we do the exact opposite of that (cf. Proverbs 26:4-5)? We need wisdom .
Wisdom is the first gospel tool for discipleship, even though it really is more like the hand that holds the other tools.
In the Old Testament, wisdom is routinely defined as “skill for living.” σοφίᾳ in Colossians 1:28 is similar (as a New Testament example): “the capacity to understand and function accordingly” (BAGD). Though not exact, it sounds similar to “observe all things I’ve commanded.” We’re making certain kinds of livers, not just learners. It also fits with the goal of spiritual maturity. What makes a person mature? They know what and when to do certain things. They are wise.
If we want to make wise people, presumably we should at least be pursuing wisdom ourselves.
But can we say we want wisdom, I mean, if our desire was measured by how we spend our time and fill our brains? Is all our Christian Facebook-ing making us wise? Is the Christian blogosphere imparting skill for living? Would we even assert that when we walk out of church on any given Sunday after any given sermon that we are more wise? Kinda. Maybe.
So how do we get wisdom?
The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom,
and whatever you get, get insight.
Proverbs 4:7
That’s helpful in a made-you-look sort of way, but not in a now-I-know-what-to-do way. We need something more concrete, more immediate. Of course, wisdom has never been a weekend project.
More rehearsed,
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom,
and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.
Proverbs 9:10 (cf. 1:7)
How exactly does that work? It’s not as if someone comes to me with scrambled eggs, asks for my counsel, and I say, “Hold on a second, let me fear the LORD…okay, go!” Fearing the LORD is an ongoing perspective, a pair of paradigm glasses through which we interpret everything we see. We can’t put fearing the LORD on a to-do list, but we better do it if we want wisdom.
Getting wisdom also comes by paying attention to parents, at least that’s the implication of Proverbs. Why? It isn’t only that God made parents boss of their kids, it’s that they are older, they’ve been at the living thing longer, and are object lesson number one for how to (or not to) live wisely. What do we need to listen for? Whatever they say (Proverbs 5:7, 13; 7:24; 8:32; 13:1; 19:20; 23:22).
The principle extends to other wise people, as we consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their wisdom (cf. Hebrews 13:7).
We can also read the “sacred writings which are able to make you wise for salvation” (2 Timothy 3:15), and the sooner we are acquainted with them, the more time they have to do their work of wise-making. Scripture equips us (the man of God) “for every good work,” for skillful living. Read especially the wisdom literature: Proverbs, Ecclesiastes. They are written “to give prudence to the simple,” and even “the wise hear and increase in learning” (Proverbs 1:4-5). However, it’s not like the gospels or the epistles are bad either.
We can ask God to give us wisdom, both when it’s not so urgent and when it is, “when [we] meet trials of various kinds” (James 1:2). “If any of [us] lacks wisdom, let [us] ask God, who gives generously and to all without reproach” (James 1:5). Even when we ask, He still doesn’t usually write the answer in the sky.
We can also fail. Doing annoying hard stuff is how you grow, get better, and learn what to do. You may be knocked around in the wisdom-getting process, but a disciple-maker may fall out.
I do know that if we want wisdom, we’ve got to want it, desperately, and seek it vigorously (Proverbs 2:1-8). This is not who we are. If we can’t understand something by skimming the headline, or maybe by scanning the bullet points, we skip it. We’re scrap collectors, gathering bits of knowledge nuggets and struggling to keep ahold of them. We are easily distracted, not deep. Then we wonder why our disciples are so thin and flimsy.
We are drawn to wise disciple-makers because their souls have gravity.
The old seminary professors used to speak about a necessary trait for pastoral ministry called gravitas. It refers to a soul that has developed enough spiritual mass to be attractive, like gravity. It makes the soul appear old, but gravitas has nothing to do with age. It has everything to do with wounds that have healed well, failures that have been redeemed, sins that have been forgiven, and thorns that have settled into the flesh. These severe experiences with life expand the soul until it appears larger than the body that contains it. (Barnes, The Pastor As Minor Poet, 49)
I am not claiming to be wise, but I have failed enough to know that I need it. And the more disciples I train the more wisdom I’ll continue to need.
I’d like you to indulge me in an illustration for a minute. I’ve been thinking about this for a few months, and some of you may have heard me reference it in a different context.
Making disciples is an humongous, heavy task. It’s like a gigantic meatball. If you want to successfully lift a mammoth meatball, then you need a multi-prong fork. If you stab with a single prong, the fork won’t stick, it will slide right out, or it will rip apart the meatball. The weight can’t be sustained by a single prong. You need a multi-prong attack.
I get the feeling with many questions concerning discipleship that disciple-makers are looking for “the” approach, “the” question, “the” resource, “the” prayer, “the” single answer. They will never find it. To be successful you’ve got to know how to hit fastballs and curveballs. You’ve also got to know when to get out of the way when the fastball is coming at your head.
Effective, growth effecting discipleship, is not a result of only the sowing, the soil cultivation, the sunning, the fertilizing, the weeding or the watering. Only God gives growth (2 Corinthians ). But should you sow or cover from frost or pick weeds or add lime or turn on the sprinklers? YES!
You need a multi-prong fork to lift a large meatball, with every prong sharp, sturdy, and pointed in the same direction. Which prong did the most work? You might never know. So you need wisdom, all wisdom, and an array of tools.
All of the following are founded on the Sword of the Spirit and also require dependence on the Spirit Himself. As with the observation sticks to beat paragraphs, these are like a Swiss-Army pocketknife of discipleship tools ready for your use in any situation.
There is enough ignorance, deceit, speculation, and ambiguity.
Before the gospel can save it must be believed, and before it can be believed it must be understood. Likewise, truth sanctifies, but it is only understood truth. This is why the first tool of clarity cannot be over overemphasized.
As Paul gave thanks for the work of the gospel among the Colossians (staring in verse 3) he stressed:
Colossians 1:5 the word of the truth, the gospel, 6 which has come to you, as indeed in the whole world it is bearing fruit and growing—as it also does among you, since the day you heard it and understood the grace of God in truth, 7 just as you learned it from Epaphras.
The gospel must be “heard” and “understood”; it is something “learned” and is therefore connected with “truth.” Hearing, understanding, and learning are matters that require clarity for them to materialize. Later in Colossians Epaphras is extolled as a “faithful minister” not because of his ability to reach the Colossians “where they were,” but because of his clear proclamation of the gospel. Undoubtedly that is why Paul knew that he ought to speak about Christ in the clearest possible terms (Colossians 4:2-4).
That is absolutely why the early church was consumed with the apostles’ teaching (Acts 2:42). That’s why the Lord commanded the apostles to “speak to the people all the words (the facts) of this Life” (5:20) and why they were committed to preaching the word of God over performing (good) acts of service (6:2, 4). It was “the word of God” that kept increasing and multiplying (6:7; 12:24) as people received it (8:14; 11:1). Preaching the good news was of highest priority (8:12; 8;35; 10:36; 13:32; 14:15). With the unbelievers in Athens Paul “reasoned with them from the Scriptures, explaining and proving that it was necessary for the Christ to suffer” (17:2-3). With the believers in Ephesus Paul was concerned to proclaim the whole counsel of God (20:27). He was “occupied with the word” (18:5). His ministry partner Apollos was “competent in the Scriptures” (18:24) and “spoke and taught accurately the things concerning Jesus” (18:25), “powerfully refuting the Jews in public, showing by the Scriptures that the Christ was Jesus” (18:28).
Knowing and proclaiming was apparently important in the mission of the early church, both publicly and from house to house (Acts 20:20). That shouldn’t surprise us because we know it is the Word of God which is able to build a person up (20:32).
We are responsible to do more than merely introduce others to Jesus. We urge them to identify with the Triune God in baptism that could cost them their lives. That’s not all. We also train them “to observe all that I have commanded you.” Without clarity that can’t happen. Clarity is a sharper tool than contextualization for disciple-making. Yes, we should speak the truth in love, but we won’t go wrong by being clear.
The second implement of disciple-making is common sense. Paul instructed the Colossians to:
Colossians 4:5 Conduct yourselves wisely toward outsiders, making the best use of the time. 6 Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.
First of all, “outsiders” are outside the church not outside our culture. Second, contrary to the emerging contextualization clamor, postmodern people are not outside our culture. American Christians have no need to “contextualize” the gospel for American unbelievers because we haven’t entered an unfamiliar context. Yes, foreign missionaries study culture and customs. But we are not foreigners! We know the language. We live under the same government. We are familiar with the same social customs and ways of communication. And so while we can never proclaim the gospel outside a particular context, we are not on the outside looking in.
So it makes sense to speak English to English speakers, and Spanish to Spanish speakers, etc. We are wise to follow the regular rules of grammar and sentence structure. It is suitable to talk to a student about the gospel before or after the test, not during it. And it is logical to take your shoes off in a home where that is customary in order to avoid offending the host. An awareness and appreciation for where we are and who we are talking to is appropriate.
Purposefully engaging in conversation with unbelievers is imperative for every follower of Christ. And these encounters should be marked by our wise conduct. But prudence and discernment is not equal to contextualization; it is simply called common sense.
Sometimes you hear the “Paul became all things to all men” argument. But the purpose behind becoming all things to all men was to avoid offense, not to unconditionally embrace all the same things. Paul was sensitive to what concerned people but not saturated with those same things.
For example, does it make sense to abandon claims to objective truth to reach those who don’t believe in objective truth? Are we supposed to embrace atheism to reach God-haters? In no way! We can talk intelligently and soundly with familiar vocabulary, but that is just common sense.
Love is a powerful tool. We are told to employ this third tool even on our enemies (Matthew 5:43-47). Our sympathetic concern for the painfulness of a person’s guilty conscience and their fear of God’s holy wrath is as necessary as it is helpful.
We ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another (Titus 3:3-7). So there is no reason for us to be proud or condescending. Insensitivity and inconsideration is out of place in outreach. So our defense of the faith is always to be with “gentleness and respect” (1 Peter 3:15-16). Our speech toward unbelievers is always to be gracious and seasoned with salt (Colossians 4:6). Soft answers turn away wrath (Proverbs 15:1) and often are powerful enough to break bones (Proverbs 25:15). But considerate and caring disciple-making is not contextualization.
There is no reason to judge those who look and act differently than us, neither is there reason to look and act differently to reach those same people. We can love them and have compassion for them, we don’t have to become them.
This tool is usually hidden on the bottom shelf of the back corner in the Home Disciple store. Maybe unrivaled in teaching effectiveness is not talking, or, asking a question and letting the other person talk. God the Father asked questions in the OT, Jesus asked His disciples lots of questions. Wise questions dig deeply and draw out.
We (hopefully) already know what we think. We can score 100% on the exam. Congratulations. But we don’t get to take the test for our disciple. Do we if they are ready to answer? Can they explain the Trinity to someone else? How do they think through a problem? If they can’t show good work when they’re with us, do we suppose they’re just going to figure it out later? We can assume that because we’ve told them the answer that they know, or we can ask and find out if they know.
Asking questions (with the right attitude) addresses private concerns softly. Questions can show a measure of deference and gentleness. They are like ringing the doorbell and waiting for the door to be opened rather than barging right in. This is especially wise when addressing authorities, showing respect to those who should know better.
Asking questions keeps us from being fools.
If one gives an answer before he hears,
it is his folly and shame.
Proverbs 18:13
The one who states his case first seems right,
until the other comes and examines him.
Proverbs 18:18
Sure, we’re wise; we know what we’re talking about. But we don’t know everything. Assumptions do not nurture relationship. Besides, in the process of digging to find one thing, we might find three more.
Asking (good questions) provokes other conversation and listening to their answers promotes relationship. Questions invite discussion and keep it from being one-sided. Our people probably get to hear enough of our monologues. Questions let them talk, and usually people like talking about themselves.
There are a pocketful of sample questions you should carry around with you to pull out on any occasion and sling at silence.
Especially with someone you’ve just met: “What is your testimony?” [Does this person need to believe the gospel, be encouraged in the gospel, or encourage me in the gospel?]
With those we see on a regular basis:
And you get to the point where all you really need to ask is: “How is your soul?” We ask how their (physical) health is. We ask how their family is and how their work is going. Why is this so scary?
Specific questions also show that you’re paying attention, and show care for them and their soul (cf. Acts 20:28). Follow-up questions are key, just as parents ask their students again if homework is done.
The fifth tool of disciple-making is prayer. Paul pleaded with the Colossians to supplicate for his work:
Colossians 4:2 [Devote yourselves to prayer - NAS], being watchful in it with thanksgiving. 3 At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison— 4 that I may make it clear, which is how I ought to speak.
Paul regularly talked about open doors (1 Corinthians 16:9; 2 Corinthians 2:12) when it came to the gospel ministry. Apparently these “open doors” were sovereignly appointed opportunities for evangelism where God had prepared the soil to receive the seed (Matthew 13:18-23).
We pray for open doors because God is sovereign in salvation and sanctification. Only He can give new life to dead people (Ephesians 2:4-5), free slaves of sin (Romans 6:17-18), deliver from the domain of darkness, and transfer into the kingdom of the Son of His love (Colossians 1:12-14).
Make no mistake, seasons of great spiritual awakening come from God’s sovereignty, not from our skill. There are not, nor have there ever been “magic bullets” of evangelism, edification, or equipping. The problem is not our inability to tackle “defeater beliefs” but our inability to conquer spiritual deadness. No amount of philosophizing or pre-evangelism can prepare a corpse to receive life. Being born of the Spirit has everything to do with the Spirit (John 3:8).
Supplication trumps contextualization because it depends on God’s sovereign power instead of our superficial competence.
Somewhere along the way we’ve stopped praying for open doors and started picking at the locks . Not only is this fruitless, it is an insubordinate deviation from the Master’s plan of evangelism.
Nothing is a silver bullet with spiritually dead people. Anything, in the hands of a wise man, can be used as a catalyst with spiritually growing people.