Our Spiritual Metamorphosis: Step 2 – Learning
2 Timothy 2:14-26
The time is here! The summer is over and school is back in session! The time for our children’s learning process is back on schedule. Teachers are all geared up to instruct their students in all the skills of mathematics, language usage, social studies and the sciences.
Last week I found a very unusual song online that is presented from the viewpoint of a student about his return to the classroom after a summer of tremendous fun and adventure. This song is to be sung to the tune of “My Bonnie.” It is written by Kenn Nesbitt and entitled “Welcome Back to School.” (Also found in a compilation of his poetry about school life [I’ve Been Burping in the Classroom; Purple Room Publishing; Spokane, WV; 2007]):
“Dear students, the summer has ended.
The school year at last has begun.
But this year is totally different.
We’re going to only have fun.
[Chorus] “Sit back. Relax.
The school year is gonna be fun, so fun.
We’ll play all day.
The school year is gonna be fun.
“We won’t study any mathematics,
And recess will last all day long.
Instead of the Pledge of Allegiance,
We’ll belt out a rock-and-roll song.
“We’ll only play games in the classroom.
You’re welcome to bring in your toys.
It’s okay to run in the hallways.
It’s great if you make lots of noise.
[Chorus]
“Your video games are your homework.
You’ll have to watch lots of T.V.
For field trips we’ll go to the movies
And give away candy for free.
“The lunchroom will only serve chocolate
And triple fudge sundaes supreme.”
Yes, that’s what I heard from my teacher
Before I woke up from my dream.
PRAYER
Preschool; Kindergarten; primary and elementary education; Middle School and Junior High; High School and Technical/Trade School; College and University; and postgraduate work are all the American Way of learning. From 3 – 4 years of age through the teenage years into early adulthood and sometime beyond we strive to learn all that we can to be a success in our vocations. Sometimes we even return to the educational system in our later years of life to brush-up on current trends in business and trade. Continuing Education for the mature and aged are commonplace among our Junior and Community Colleges of today.
Getting a good education is preached to us by our parents beginning at a very early age. Placing us in the “”right” schools is of utmost importance; sometimes leading to great competitiveness between close friends and family members. Receiving accolades for brilliance and educational competence is desired by many a parent for their children; even if it means forgoing all evening activities to get the job done. To see our kids names on the Honor Roll or Dean’s List is self-satisfying and allows us to be proud of not just the child but also ourselves; after all we were the ones that pushed them to excel.
Yet as we look at humanity as a whole we see lives falling apart; marriages being destroyed, relationships broken, homes devastated and families disrupted; even within those individuals who are very well educated. Common sense seems to have “gone out the window” along with the influx of grasping more and more book knowledge. Knowing how to deal respectively with interpersonal relationships has slipped out of our hands; while at the same time we strive to gain more knowledge from worldly theories and philosophies. The spiritual precepts of morals and ethics have been replaced by doubt and fear that is the outcome of the learned lifestyle of secular and humanistic thought.
Education is costly; in more ways than one. As a matter of fact, I would have to agree with the statement made by Derek Bok, the former president of Harvard University: “If you think education is expensive, try ignorance.” I know that sounds a little strange after me kind of spouting off about the shortcomings of our educational process. But I really have nothing against anyone receiving a good education as well as the praise and rewards that accompany one’s academic endeavors.
What Bok and I agree upon is this: If we are so educated that we become so ignorant of our day-to-day relationship with God and others around us, then all our learning has been of no avail. We have gone beyond our dependency upon God and our brothers and sisters of the faith and stepped into the realm of self-indulgence and run the danger of losing wonderful rewards due to self-satisfaction.
Paul tells Timothy, his young apprentice in the ministry of the Gospel: “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” [2Timothy 2:15].
The New King James Version, from which I have just read to you, sort of loses the real emphasis of this passage. The King James does do a little better job in presenting Paul’s intended thoughts. Better yet is the Amplified Bible and its analysis of this passage: “Study and be eager and do your utmost to present yourself to God approved (tested by trial), a workman who has no cause to be ashamed, correctly analyzing and accurately dividing [rightly handling and skillfully teaching] the Word of Truth.”
“Study” is a word we often hear when it comes to education and our learning processes. Why are we to study? As Paul says, its main purpose is to present ourselves as competent followers of the Christ. We study so we can gain all the knowledge of God’s Word so that we will rightly use it in our day-to-day living. This is the foundation of our moral and ethical fiber; here are found the tools and sound materials to build good interpersonal relationships. God’s Word is the common sense we need to structure our spiritual lives upon and to grasp in those moments of frustration and hardship; for there we can find the peace that surpasses all understanding. In God’s Word there is hope, and through hope there is strength for today and determination for tomorrow.
Peter introduces us to the spiritual food that is needed to begin this journey of biblical learning in his first Epistle: “…as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby, if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious” [1 Peter 2:2-3].
In the Epistle to the Hebrews Paul goes on to explain that we cannot remain ignorant of God’s Word and linger in a state of immaturity in our walk with God. He says: “…you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food. For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil” [Hebrews 5:12a-14].
For us to continue our spiritual metamorphosis we have to move beyond our time of conversion and begin to grow. That means we have to learn of God’s ways and the teachings of the Christ and the Apostles. Once you and I have chosen to go forward in our lives in another direction, the way of God and following his will for our lives, then we have to study to show ourselves approved as true followers of God the Father: That is a spiritual growth method, a biblical learning progression, a continuing education in God’s Word.
Just as we are expected to grow physically and to increase in knowledge and under-standing of life’s concepts, we also have to “…grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” [2 Peter 3:18a].
How many of you remember the Rubik’s Cube? Invented in 1974 by Emô Rubik, a Hungarian sculptor and professor of architecture, this pivoting mechanism became the best selling toy of all times for Ideal Toys in 1980. The object to solve the twisting and turning puzzle, as you may remember, was to get all tiles of the same of six colors on a given side of the cube. This of course had to be completed from one of 519 quintillion possible starting situations. It has been conquered by a many a people and the current world record for the shortest time span to solve the puzzle is held by Erik Akkersdijk in 2008. He set a best time of 7.08 seconds at the most recent Czech Open this year [Wikipedia, “Rubik’s Cube”].
Anyway, let me get to the idea I want to share with you about this device and the solving of the puzzle. It is said that to learn how to decipher the cube and to continue to do it quickly, that several factors come into play. It is a learned method. We are told by the free online encyclopedia, Wikipedia [“Learning”] that one has to:
1. Always remember – directions help one solve the patterns of solving the Rubik’s cube.
2. Practicing the move repeatedly and for extended time helps with “muscle memory” and therefore speed.
3. Thinking critically about moves helps find shortcuts, which in turn helps to speed up future attempts.
4. The Rubik’s cube’s six colors help anchor solving it within the head.
5. Occasionally revisiting the cube helps prevent negative learning or loss of skill.
When it comes to the idea of “learning” in this step of our spiritual metamorphosis we have to keep in mind that reading the directions (directives, principles) of God’s Word helps us to solve all those patterns of confusion in life. The continuing to practice what we have learned from God’s Word and to follow its teachings repeatedly for an extended time helps our “spiritual memory” and therefore our ability to overcome more quickly our setbacks of life. Then if we begin to be more critical about our spiritual thought processes we will discover that God always makes a way when there seems to be no way and that he will work in ways we cannot even see.
Also, the Bible’s 68 books help us to secure an anchor in life’s storms that will enable us to learn problem solving in our thoughts through the power of prayer. And we cannot forget the fact that revisiting God’s Word and asking God’s Holy Spirit to show us new directives and principles to live by will lessen our chances to become influenced by negativism or the chance to loose faith in the one that has promised: “I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” [Matthew 28:20b].
But that promise reminds me of one final thought or should I say question: Who is responsible to see that we receive a good Christian Education? Is it the pastor? Is it the Sunday School teachers? Is it the Ministry Team of Discipleship? It is true that each of these is used in the process that is necessary to learn more about God’s Word. But none of these entities is responsible alone.
That leads us to believe it is then therefore the responsibility of the individual. Well that is partly right. Before one can learn he or she has to have a teachable spirit. The person has to be willing to be taught. But beyond that, it is the responsibility of the local body of Christ, you and I to teach, instruct new disciples in the ways of God and the teachings of the Christ. Jesus says to his disciples (of which we are): “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you” [Matthew 28:19-20a].
That’s right you and I, all of us gathered here this morning not only must learn, study to show ourselves “approved” but we also in turn have the responsibility to be the instructors in the education of those who have recently come to know Jesus or those who have recently completely surrendered their lives to God and desire to live according to his will. They, too, then will be able to join with us as the “approved” followers of God.
We are on our C-L-I-M-B to spiritual metamorphosis. We have thus far shared that to begin this process there has to be a change in our way of thinking and living; we have to be converted. Once that has transpired, as we have shared this morning, we have to be willing to be educated, to learn with ways of God through the study of his Word, the Bible.
Next week we will see how these first two steps give birth to the next: Intimacy with God.
Amen and amen.
