Parable of The Old River

John 7:37-38
On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, "Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them."

The river will find its course, I recall Miss Crabtree, my geography teacher, saying.  But it will be influenced by the terrain, by the obstacles in its way.  Yes, it will find its way down to the great sea, as it should, but there will be a few detours along the way. Its course will not be a direct one.

Then I learned about a river’s 'rejuvenation':  When it gets to its wide meandering stage, in its lower course, the river will slow. It looks like the hard work has been done, there's only a little way to go before it joins the sea.  But if later it hits hard rock, a restricting of the course it was seeking to follow, it will return to its narrower, fiercer youth.  It will flow faster, with a stronger current to force its way forward. The
meandering will end, the white-water will return. The river is 'rejuvenated'.

The river will do all it can to get to the great sea, fighting its way to the finish. It will get noisy, and the going will get rough. But the river will reach its intended destination – the sea.

The river is you. The hard rock... you know what that is. It's different for each of us.

God has given you what you need to rejuvenate, to rediscover the fierceness in your faith, you will find a way to the great sea.

By the way, I also recall Miss Crabtree saying that the faster moving turbulent water typically contains a greater concentration of oxygen, which supports greater biodiversity than the slower moving water.  Faster rivers mean more life.

God knows what he’s doing.

The Apprenticeship Is Over

This is a word, which was first shared during our most recent week of prayer, and again at a recent Leadership Training evening, but it’s a word for the church, and so I’m setting it out for the whole church to see.

God has been drawing my attention to the phrase ‘The Apprenticeship is over’.

Those Apprenticed To Him

It started when reading Matthew 5 in The Message.  I’m very used to the gospels referring to Jesus teaching his disciples, getting them prepared for the time when they would be given responsibility to build his church.  It’s what his 3-year ministry was all about.  So when I joined a meet up this year that focused on familiar passages in the gospel of Matthew, I decided to read the gospel in The Message (a contemporary translation of the original biblical text - written by Eugene Peterson), with a view to waking me up to what Jesus was saying rather just letting the familiar language wash over me.

Matthew recounts the sermon on the mount in chapter 5.  The Message starts the account like this:

“When Jesus saw his ministry drawing huge crowds, he climbed a hillside. Those who were apprenticed to him, the committed, climbed with him. Arriving at a quiet place, he sat down and taught his climbing companions. This is what he said:… “

‘Those who were apprenticed to him’.  That phrase took me by surprise.

There is an apprentice in my team at work – an apprentice accountant.  She works on my projects alongside her teammates, spends 1 day a week in study and has a series of exams to complete over the course of her apprenticeship – and one day she’ll qualify as an accountant.  The apprenticeship will then be over, and she will have a permanent role as an accountant in my team or in a similar one.

She’s been with us for under 2 years, but I’ve seen how she’s grown in confidence, in knowledge, gathering experience that makes her a more competent colleague and makes her better able to fulfil her role.  She’s also begun sharing her knowledge with others, taking more initiative, and adding greater value to the projects she’s involved in.  But she’s still the ‘apprentice’ and that defines some of the expectations we have of her and that she has of herself.

New Expectations

In Matthew 28 The Message tells us that Jesus commissions the 12 (his apprentices):

“Go out and train everyone you meet, far and near,…”

The apprenticeship was over.  He had new expectations of his friends, those he had chosen as his apprentices.

This is what I believe God wants to speak to us about as a church - I think he is stirring us to take on a new mindset –

Our apprenticeship is over.  Now is the time
- to expect to coach and train others, as much as be coached and trained.
- to encourage others as much as be encouraged.
- to lead by example as much as look to the example of others.
- to be responsible for others as much as be responsible to God.
- to be a big sister, not just an obedient daughter.
- to be a big brother, not just an obedient son.

I’d encourage you to consider this for yourself.

What new responsibilities does Jesus have for you, given the time you’ve spent apprenticed to him?

Have you been growing in confidence and ability to play a greater role?

Is now the time for that to start.

As a starting point, look around at those who have been apprenticed to Jesus for a shorter period than you; take the opportunity to share your experience, your story of faith – you’ll be surprised how much they appreciate it.

Your apprenticeship is over – it’s time to begin a new role.