Contenders: Institute Part 2

“I can't do it.” “What?” “I can't beat him.” “Apollo?” “Yeah.” “I been out there walkin' around, thinkin'.” “I mean, who am I kiddin'?” “I ain't even in the guy's league.”  “What are we gonna do?” “I don't know.” “You worked so hard.”  “Yeah, that don’t matter.”  'Cause I was nobody before.”  “ Don't say that.” “Ah come on, Adrian, its true. I was nobody. But that don't matter either, you know?” 'Cause I was thinkin', it really don't matter if I lose this fight. It really don't matter if this guy opens my head, either. 'Cause all I wanna do is go the distance. Nobody's ever gone the distance with Creed, and if I can go that distance, you see, and that bell rings and I'm still standin', I'm gonna know for the first time in my life, see, that I weren't just another bum from the neighborhood.”  

    This dialogue full of all its grammatical errors comes from arguable the greatest movie of all time (at least 1976’…just saying), Rocky. This conversation takes place the night before the unlikely event of a bum given the undeserved chance to fight the Champ.
As we look to continue where we left off in our previous lesson Contenders: Institute part 1; we may learn a few character points from the Italian Stallion to get our mind set on instituting Gods word. First to be plain we were all apart from Jesus “bums”, But God through grace has giving us the chance of a lifetime; a chance to get in the ring of life and go the distance. Second we must foster an attitude of a champ, against all odds, and against any punishment we may take along the way. Lastly the hope of a champ never fails; it sees the success of instituting sound and practical principles, and simply does it. Solomon repeatedly said

“ There is nothing new under the sun”, but lucky for us Contenders (champs) institute things from far above the sun" (the Highest Position)

There are three remaining areas of focus we want to draw our attention to in uncovering institute as an approach.

1. Hopeful Planting
2. Healthy Patterns
3. Helpful People

Hopeful planting- In the parable of the sower of seed a lot of attention is given to the four soils (as it should), but the often looked over principle is the sureness of the seed. The truth never compromises, or promises to conform to our soils. Jesus said to the always crafty religious leaders when they tried to twist the truth,

“you are mistaken, not understanding the Scriptures nor the power of God.

We have the promise that the word will transform us, and transformation is our hope (expected end). Transformation also means conformation; conformation to the perfect image of the Son. This transformation/conformation combo comes by instruction. Roman 15:4 states:

        ⁴ For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.

It’s only by hopeful planting that we institute the framework of our expected end.

Healthy Patterns- Have you looked in the mirror lately, like what you see? When you want to transform your physique calling upon the professionals is a sure fire way to find the success you desire. This is not the case for transforming the spiritual woes we often see in the mirror of God’s Holy word. Calling in the professionals (leaders in the Church) is really only the tools and material used to transform us. What we really need is to be connected to the Builder; He is the one who makes sense of all the externals. Notice the teaching of the Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 2:13

^“ which things we also speak, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit,
combining spiritual thoughts with spiritual words.”

Paul is driving home the point that it is our reliance on the Spirit that institutes the teachings laid out throughout scripture. The Holy Spirit by His thoughts and words (often in our leaders) is the Institutor of healthy patterns in the lives of the redeemed. This process isn’t a cookie cutter factory spitting out model Christians. Jesus has sent the Helper to YOU to meet you where you are; The Helper is the One who comes along side us to transform us into the design of the Father.

Helpful People- As the cross draws closer we encounter a dramatic shift in intensity, we also become privy to a lengthy conversation between the Father and Son. In John 17 the heart of Jesus is put on display in His priestly prayer; This prayer closes with a focus on His chosen apostles to bring the sanctifying word to the world. The Transforming power of God’s word is first personal, but by design it germinates and pollenates in the world around those who have received it. If we can make this more practical look at Ephesians 5:25-28

²⁵ Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her,
²⁶ so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word,
²⁷ that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless. ²⁸ So husbands ought also to love their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself;

Just in the family dynamic we can see how the responsibility of transforming others lies in the hands of the sacrifice of one. Contender take on a faith that moves out from within for the sake of all. The Redeemed become helpful people.

   Today is the night before your big fight with the champ. He is scary. He is ready to prove that your worthless and that you in all your weakness can’t even stand in the same ring with him. The fact is this isn’t Rocky. When you step in the ring ready to go the distance it won’t be in your strength or will but in the grace that is sufficient to overcome even death. So stand, swing, slip the jab, and know that even if you take one on the chin you will be standing in the end. On the journey there pick up your sword…it’s the leather one. -Ryan