Rancho Bernardo Community Presbyterian Church

Gal.. 4:1-7, Isaiah 9:2-6

What is the master image for being a follower of Jesus?

I came across the idea of master images in a book titled Leading the Team-Based Church. The author explains that the master image of the Shakespeare play Romeo and Juliet is the picture of Juliet on the balcony and Romeo on the ground gazing up at her. The reason this master image works so well is that it summarizes the central theme of the play. It is a play about two families who are separated and the attempt of the couple to overcome their separation. Thus, the distance of the balcony from the ground symbolizes the entire play.

The master image of Christmas as a Christian holiday is the baby Jesus in the manger. The master image of Hanukkah for Orthodox Jews is the Menorah. Yet there are also secularized versions of these same holidays. Some Jewish children might argue that the master image of Hanukkah should be the dreidel and some church children would say that the master image of Christmas should be Santa Claus.

When it comes to the major world religions, we recognize their master images. Buddha in meditation, the Star of David, the Crescent of Islam, and the Cross of Christ are all master images. So why is the cross the master image for Christianity? Why not the baby in the manger? Is the central event of Christianity the suffering, death and resurrection of Jesus or the arrival of God into human history? (This is one of the major differences between the Western church and the Eastern church. Eastern Orthodox Churches celebrate the arrival of God as a human as the major event of Christianity.)

Moving from the master image for Christianity, what might we consider to be a master image of the believer? In fact, the central conflict between Paul and the legalists of the Galatian churches revolved around the choice of a master image for discipleship. The legalists of the Galatian churches were using the master image that Jesus is a demanding master and each Christian is a slave to Christ. Paul responded with the concern that slavery, while helpful, might not be the best image. While Paul sometimes referred to himself as a slave of Christ, he preferred the image of an heir to an estate. Children who are being prepared to inherit their parents' estate were a better fit for how Paul saw his role in following Jesus. Let's consider the difference between seeing ourselves as slaves serving a master and heirs inheriting the estate.

My point is this: heirs, as long as they are minors, are no better than slaves, though they are the owners of all the property; but they remain under guardians and trustees until the date set by the father. So with us; while we were minors, we were enslaved to the elemental spirits of the world. But when the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, in order to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as children. And because you are children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, 'Abba! Father!' So you are no longer a slave but a child, and if a child then also an heir, through God.

- Gal. 4:1-7

The pilot came on the loud speaker of the plane. "I have some bad news and some good news. The bad news is that our navigator does not know where we are so that we have been flying aimlessly for about an hour. The good news is that we are making very good time!"

Stephen Covey reminds us that if we are climbing a ladder that is on the wrong wall, then every step takes us further from where we should be. It is important in determining the direction of an institution or organization that we have the ladder on the right wall.

Paul's worry about the Galatian churches was that they were making good time, but in the wrong direction. They were nearing the top of the wall, but it was the wrong wall. The legalistic leaders of the churches were teaching blind obedience as the goal of each Christian's life. Slavery was a good image for what the legalists of the day were teaching. They wanted to replace slavery to sin with absolute, blind obedience to Christ. According to Paul, this was the wrong wall. He preferred the image of young children growing up to inherit their parents' estate.

In this season of celebrating the birth of Jesus and the joy of children preparing for Christmas, let's consider the strength of Paul's image of disciples as children growing up to inherit the estate. The issue is not obedience. Children learn obedience as much as slaves.

When I was young, my parents believed in spanking and obedience for small children. I was only spanked a few times, when I was preschool age. My parents made it clear that they expected absolute obedience in some areas. "Don't play in the street" was non-negotiable.

I appreciated this training the summer I finished sixth grade. My sisters and I were playing in the front yard with some neighborhood children. Suddenly, mid-morning, a car came around the corner and a man called out, "You children get inside, Now!" My sisters and I recognized the voice of authority and immediately ran into our house. Two of the neighbor boys stood there and argued with the man. "Mister, you can't tell us what to do. Who do you think you are?" Before the man had time to explain, the rabid dog came around the corner and was on the two boys. I recall the boys having to go to the doctor for the next two weeks and receive painful shots for rabies. My sisters and I were glad we had been taught to obey. I think it is important to teach obedience to young children. For their own protection they must be taught to trust the adults who have their best interests in mind. Obedience, however, cannot solve all the concerns of later life. It is good that as we grow up, we learn to make our own choices. Children become teenagers who challenge authority and question things. Spanking and physical punishments become inappropriate for school-age children. At that point it is important to answer their questions, not simply say, "Because I told you so!" If we want our youth to become responsible adults, then we must be willing to defend our reasons and explain our thinking.

The legalistic leaders of the Galatian churches saw all Christians as remaining dependent and obedient. Thus, the legalists argued that we must not question, simply obey. The Bible says it, I believe it, that settles it. No discussion. No explanation. Just obedience. Slaves serving a master, then, served as their master image. In their day they could just as well have chosen an image of shock troops obeying their general.

Alexander the Great, known for his obedient army, once marched his troops to the foot of a city perched on a high cliff. When Alexander offered terms of peace, the city leaders laughed. They felt their city was impregnable due to its position on the side of the cliff. That night, Alexander ordered his elite soldiers to climb the steep cliff walls. The people in the city watched in horror as one after another attempted the feat of climbing the walls. Soldier after soldier fell to their deaths. The rest, however, continued climbing because Alexander had commanded it.

By the following morning, thirty-six of Alexander's men lay dead at the foot of the cliff, but the rest were at the top. Alexander then sent a second message offering terms of surrender. The city was so amazed at the obedience of those soldiers and their position at the top of the cliff that they surrendered.

In King David's day there was a similar master image for devout people. Some defined their relationship with God as being like a horse that obeys its rider because it has a bit in its mouth and the rider controls the bridle. Using this image of bit and bridle, they felt good about their obedience to God. King David responded in Psalm 32 that we are not to be like a horse controlled through bit and bridle. King David enjoyed God and wanted others to enjoy God as well.

While the legalists saw absolute, blind obedience of the slave as their master image for following Jesus, Paul saw a different goal for each follower of Jesus. Paul's hope was that we would grow up to enjoy the relationship. He contrasted the obedience of a slave with the responsibility of an heir. As young children, both the slave and the heir are taught obedience. However, the future goal is very different. The child who is an heir is expected to grow into the position of running the estate. The temporary obedience of a young heir is replaced by the wisdom of responsibility. Childhood and obedience are not the goals, but simply a step on the journey toward maturity and responsibility. As followers of Jesus, we are to grow up and take responsibility for our own choices.

One of the wonderful aspects of our relationship with Jesus is that he trusts us. Many important aspects of God's kingdom do depend on us. Jesus does not see us simply slaves to be ordered about. Instead he wants to explain his reasons so that we can become like him. The goal is not simply blind obedience. It is companionship and joy.

Paul wanted an image that showed growth so he chose the heir growing into the family inheritance. King David wanted an image that showed joyful obedience. What might be the master image of followers of Jesus expressing their joy in their relationship with Jesus?

How about a popular newer version of the footprints in the sand poem? Many of us are familiar with the traditional poem which describes seeing two set of footprints become only one set of footprints. Then the person learns that it was those times when Christ carried him. Consider a fresh version of that poem.

Imagine that you and the Lord are walking down the beach. While the Lord's footprints are straight ahead and consistent, yours are disorganized. Your footprints zigzag across the beach with turnarounds, circles, departures and returns. As the two of you walk together, your footprints become more stable, less deviant. Soon you are walking confidently parallel to him.

As the dream continues you notice that your own footprints come into line with the Lord's footprints. Soon you are walking directly in his steps. While his footprints are clearly larger, your smaller footprints are in the center of his. Then as time goes along you discover that your footprint size is growing. It eventually becomes the same size as the Lord's so that you can no longer distinguish between his and yours. There are now only one set of footprints. Then something very startling happens. A second set of footprints appears again. They zig zag all over the place. They circle, depart and return again. Then you awaken.

In prayer, you talk to the Lord about this vision. "Lord, I understand the two sets of footprints at the beginning. I was uncertain and wavering. I wandered and returned, but you remained faithful and true." The Lord replies, "Yes. You are correct."

Next you explain the smaller footprints inside the other set of footprints. "Lord, I think that must have been as I was growing into your image, learning to walk in your steps. As the interior footprints grew larger I was becoming more and more like you." "Precisely," says the Lord.

"This is my question, Lord. Did I regress or something? When the footprints went back to two, did I lose touch with you and begin to miss the way? The zigging and zagging seemed worse than when I first walked with you. What happened?"

The Lord smiles and then laughs. "You didn't know?" he says. "That was when we danced."

How about dancing as a master image for our relationship with Jesus?

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

What is your master image for Jesus?

What do you think is the primary responsibility of parenting?

Why do you think God expects obedience?

What are your rights and responsibilities as heirs of God?