Winning
the Battle in the Long Humdrum Process
of Life
.
Why is a
distinctive Christian way of
life so vital for families and
communities?
by Bob Tedesco
Introduction
Christianity can be described and discussed in
many different ways: elements, practices,
theology, etc. We can also question: “What
is being saved by the work of Christ?” I would
say LIFE and all that it means: this life and
eternal life. It’s not just a ‘practices’
sort of thing but life and all of its
power, its energy, its creativity and
inspiration...this life and the next.
We can also say Christianity is a way of life.
It looks different from life in the world and
people can well recognize it as different; they
may mock it or persecute it but they’ll
recognize it as different.
Much, indeed most of Christianity is a process.
The process is sometimes started by an event. A
retreat can be the event. Conversion is such an
event. As a parent, I took my children to as
many events as possible; and sure enough, at one
of our university retreats, my son heard the
Lord call him and responded. He has been serving
the Lord ever since in the process of Christian
life and service. Some of my grandchildren’s
lives have been saved by the Lord using the
Sword of the Spirit evangelistic “YES” retreats
for young people.
So, Christianity is a way of life, and, for this
discussion, a way of life made up of events and
PROCESS.
Some Definitions and
Descriptions
Events are somewhat singular; they can be
milestones. We often celebrate events
and remember them: birth, baptism, etc.
Process often has elements of
maintenance: nourishment, hygiene, improvement,
etc. Prayer, sacrifice, tithing are all part of
the ongoing process of the Christian way of
life.
Repentance and starting over are a part of the
process.
The battle is won in the long, boring process
of life. If you are a member of a church
that has two hours of high worship every week:
you raise the roof with praise and singing, the
gospel is proclaimed, all is wonderful...you
still will have one hundred and sixty-six hours
to live the Christian life before you can do it
all again. One eighty-fourth of your weekly life
is in the event; the battle, the perseverance;
the victories are very much in the process. This
is not meant to be a “downer,” but good news:
Christ has saved everyday life... we can have
and experience victory in it!
Scripture often compares the Christian life to a
race.
Hebrews 12:1
–“Therefore, since we are surrounded by so
great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay
aside every weight, and sin which clings so
closely, and let us run with perseverance the
race that is set before us.”
1Corinthians 9:24 –“Do you
not know that in a race all the runners
compete, but only one receives the prize? So
run so that you may obtain it.”
2 Timothy 4:7
–“I have fought the good fight, I have
finished the race, I have kept the faith.”
Life can be scary; life can
be painful; life can be disappointing; but we
must stay focused. We have to: 1) fight the good
fight; 2) run to obtain the prize; and 3) keep
the faith.
Scriptural Examples
Mark 9:2-8 (the
Transfiguration...an event)
After six days
Jesus took with him Peter and James and John,
and led them up a high mountain apart by
themselves; and he was transfigured before
them, and his garments became glistening,
intensely white, as no fuller on earth could
bleach them . And there appeared to them
Elijah with Moses; and they were talking to
Jesus. And Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is
well that we are here; let us make three
booths, one for you and one for Moses and one
for Elijah.” For he did not know what to say,
for they were exceedingly afraid. And a cloud
overshadowed them, and a voice came out of the
cloud, “This is my beloved Son; listen to
him.” And suddenly looking around they no
longer saw anyone with them but Jesus only.
Peter wants to “freeze” the
event and stay there. That’s not how it works.
Jesus leads the three back down the mountaintop.
There’s work to be done and there is victory
in a life that is lived for others.
Process
Luke 10: 38-42
Now as they were
on their way, he entered a village; and a
woman named Martha received him into her
house. And she had a sister called Mary, who
sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to his
teaching. But Martha was distracted with much
serving; and she went to him and said, “Lord,
do you not care that my sister has left me to
serve alone? Tell her then to help me.” But
the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you
are anxious and troubled about many things;
one thing alone is needful. Mary has chosen
the good portion, which shall not be taken
away from her.”
The Martha & Mary story
is a nice example of both process and
event and we’ll discuss it more in the “dangers”
section.
Matthew 13: 1-9
That same day
Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the
sea. And great crowds gathered about him, so
that he got into a boat and sat there; and the
whole crowd stood on the beach. And he told
them many things in parables, saying: “A sower
went out to sow, and as he sowed, some seeds
fell along the path, and the birds came and
devoured them. Other seeds fell on rocky
ground, where they had not much soil, and
immediately they sprang up, since they had no
depth of soil, but when the sun rose they were
scorched; and since they had no root they
withered away. Other seeds fell upon thorns,
and the thorns grew up and choked them. Other
seeds fell on good soil and brought forth
grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some
thirty. He who has ears, let him hear.
Conversion is an event...an
event that can be endangered by the daily life
process (not the Christian way of life
process). This can be seen by observing
each person’s response in the “seeds” story.
A wedding is an event and the
married life and family life is the resulting
process. No amount of grandiosity lavished onto
the wedding event can guarantee the success of
the process. It might even be the case
that excessive spending on the event endangers
the process or might at least reflect a leading
cause of divorce: irresponsible financial
patterns.
The first day of school is a bit of an event
that begins the long, tedious process of
education which is celebrated by
graduation. In this example you have a
process bracketed by two events.
Getting a job is an event. Doing a job
is the resulting process. Sometimes
milestones in the process are celebrated.
You might get a 25 year watch and a free lunch.
Dangers
There is a danger in trying to
turn the Christian life into a series of
charged events (e.g. expecting every
worship service to be an exciting, high energy
launch pad for living the daily life). It can be
a similar danger to expect every teaching to be
an inspired preaching of the Word that stirs the
soul.
There is a corresponding personal danger to
expect every personal prayer time to be a
mountaintop experience. We are just
setting ourselves up for disappointments with
these unrealistic expectations.
Another danger is not realizing that an
event is happening. Martha was so
invested in the process (providing hospitality)
that she didn’t realize that an event was
happening: Jesus wanted to talk. Most of us
would consider it an event if Jesus dropped in
and wanted to talk. Some of us would start
dusting the woodwork or defrost the steaks that
we were saving for just such an event.
The challenging nun...
In 1972, I had a privileged
invitation to speak to a gathering of nuns at a
convent. My assignment was to share what the
Holy Spirit was doing among lay people and
“non-churched” people with the Pentecostal
experience. After thirty or forty minutes of
testimony about “Jesus people,” people being
healed, delivered from evil spirits, speaking in
tongues, prophesying, conversions, and vocations
saved, I opened it up for questions (note: I was
feeling quite satisfied that I had done a nice
job witnessing to this wonderful, outrageous
renewal).
One of the questions put me in my place. A
little old nun questioned: “Do you mean to tell
me that after serving the Lord faithfully for my
entire life, there are lay people and street
people having experiences that I have never
had?” I mumbled something like, “Sister, I know
that it’s strange for a young engineer to be
speaking to a set of nuns about spiritual
things, but stuff is happening!”
I believe that her firm, lifelong dedication to
process may have kept her from seeing that God
is sovereign. He loves street people and lay
people and the undeserving. Are any of us
“deserving?”
University
Christian Outreach winter retreat - North
America 2016
The Lord often speaks to
us through events and by teachings, prophecies,
ministry, prayer times, etc. He wants us to
take Him seriously. Events are meant
to change process: to grow us, improve us, and
challenge us. At a retreat, we should write down
what we’ve heard; these words are called to
bring reforms to our daily life. Review them
Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Get a friend or
pastoral leader to help with accountability to
get them to happen. Reforms are often practiced.
We work them into our process.
We might start by saying, “I’m going to pray ten
minutes more each day.” “I’m going to say
something encouraging to my spouse each day.”
“I’m going to increase my tithe by 1% next
payday.” “I’m going to lead prayers at
mealtimes.” Don’t be the seeds that fell onto
the path and were eaten, those that fell on
rocky ground, or those that fell among the
thorns. Don’t lose what you are given. The
Christian way of life is lived mostly in the
process.
Matthew 7:16-20 (NKJV)
You will know
them by their fruits. Do men gather from thorn
bushes or figs from thistles? Even so, every
good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree
bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad
fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit.
Every tree that does not bear good fruit is
cut down and thrown into the fire. Therefore,
by their fruits you will know them.
Good children come from
families with good process. Great
children usually come from families with great
process: great commitment to Christ and His
kingdom...commitment in the heart, in the
speech, in the actions, at meal times, and at
play times. Your children know you in the
process. Your event face is not mainly
what they know or what they think of you.
1 Kings 19:11-12
And he said, “Go
forth and stand upon the mount before the
Lord.” And behold, the Lord passed by, and a
great and strong wind rent the mountains, and
broke in pieces the rocks before the Lord, but
the Lord was not in the wind; and after the
wind, an earthquake, but the Lord was not in
the earthquake; and after the earthquake, a
fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and
after the fire, a still small voice.
Earthquakes, fires and winds
that can break rocks are events. The still,
small voice is almost as common as a gentle
breeze...he speaks volumes to us in the gentle
breeze of everyday life!
Matthew 7:24-27
“Every one then
who hears these words of mine and does them
will be like a wise man who built his house
upon the rock; and the rain fell, and the
floods came, and the winds blew and beat upon
that house, but it did not fall, because it
had been founded on the rock. And every one
who hears these words of mine and does not do
them will be like a foolish man who built his
house upon the sand; and the rain fell, and
the floods came, and the winds blew and beat
against that house, and it fell; and great was
the fall of it.”
Choose
the Rock! (Event)
Build your house upon Him (Process).
Blessed is the wise man who builds his house
upon the rock!
Bob Tedesco is past President of the North
American Region of the Sword of the Spirit.
He is a founder of the People of
God community in Pittsburgh,
Pennsylvania, USA, and has been one of its
key leaders for the past 40 years.
photo
credits by Nico Angleys
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