TEACHING

Don Atkin

GROWING UP SONS IN THE MINISTRY

For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. - Hebrews 2:10.

Jesus only does what He sees His Father doing (John 5:19). (That’s what sons do.) He is bringing many sons to glory. We will make a few points by way of introduction.

1. The above statement is purposely written in present tense, because the enthroned King Jesus is still working the works of Him who sent Him (John 9:4), bringing many sons to glory.

2. He is doing this through the committed hearts of guardians and stewards (Galatians 4:1-3).

3. These guardians and stewards are obeying the Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-19).

4. The disciples are sometimes linked to their teachers as sons in our common faith (Titus 1:4).

5. While this relational practice is honorable, we are not so entitled. For One is your Father, He who is in heaven (Matthew 23:9).

6. All believers are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for ministry (Ephesians 2:10).

7. Ministries (guardians and stewards) are given for the equipping (discipling) of the saints for the work of the ministry (Ephesians 4:11-12).

Understanding these foundation points, let us go on.

PARENT-CHILD RELATIONSHIPS

Paul writes to "my beloved children" in I Corinthians 4, identifies Timothy as "a true son in the faith" in I Timothy 1, Titus as "a true son in our common faith" in Titus 1, and also writes to Philemon about "my son Onesimus."

John addresses believers as "my little children" or "little children" nine times in I John! Such tender expressions give light to his fathering heart, which is typical of all true apostles. Paul wrote:

We were gentle among you, just as a nursing mother cherishes her own children. So affectionately longing for you, we were well pleased to impart to you not only the gospel of God, but also our own lives, because you had become dear to us.

You are witnesses, and God also, how devoutly and justly and blamelessly we behaved ourselves among you who believe; as you know how we exhorted, and comforted, and charged every one of you, as a father does his own children, that you would walk worthy of God who calls you into His own kingdom and glory. - I Thessalonians 2:7-12.

Please take time to examine the language, the choice of words, in the above text. Notice both the conduct and attitude of these servant-leaders, and also their willingness to clearly speak the truth in love.

Stewarding God’s heritage (I Peter 5:1-4) in this manner eventually results in secure and confident believers who are motivated to fulfill their destiny within the context of the body of Christ. Kingdom results require kingdom life. The life of Christ (the Anointed One) was flowing through these fathers, urging their charge on in their growth as sons of God.

SHARED RESPONSIBILITY WITHIN A SPHERE

These twelve Jesus sent out and commanded them, saying (Matthew 10:5) . . . and then gave them specific instructions. Before giving them their own sphere, He gave them opportunities to grow, learn, and even be very useful, within His sphere. They were limited by certain boundaries which He had expressly laid down. These boundaries protected the young, emerging apostles while also protecting the integrity of Christ’s ministry within His sphere.

Paul left Timothy in Ephesus when he went on to Macedonia. Timothy had been prepared for such a time. And, Paul continued to guide him through letters (epistles). While Timothy had great latitude to function under the anointing of the Holy Spirit, Paul still continued to guide him with instructions and reminders concerning the work of God.

The closing chapter of Paul’s second letter to Timothy infers that their relationship continued to be deep and abiding. The record of Paul’s meeting in Miletus with the elders from Ephesus indicates that Ephesus remained part of Paul’s sphere (Acts 20).

Titus was left in Crete with both significant responsibility and the appropriate corresponding authority. Paul’s epistle to Titus contains many specific commands and exhortations. This is appropriate when one is functioning under delegated authority within the sphere of another.

I love the choices that Paul made in carrying out his responsibilities within his assigned sphere. It is apparent that Philemon was also part of Paul’s sphere, for he wrote:

Though I might be very bold in Christ to command you what is fitting, yet for love’s sake I rather appeal to you – being such a one as Paul, the aged, and now also a prisoner of Jesus Christ – I appeal to you for my son Onesimus." - Philemon 8-10a.

The more aged we become, the more likely we are to understand that

true spiritual authority is more likely released through appealing,

rather than commanding.

John faithfully recorded letters from Jesus to the messengers (apostles) of the seven churches in Asia. No doubt, Jesus frequently spoke directly to each of these seven servant-leaders. We see Jesus honoring both sphere leadership and the weightiness of matters at hand in this particular situation.

Developing servant-leaders need to have the freedom to hear from God for themselves, and the discipline to remain accountable to the fathers. This balance is to be practiced as part of the process.

In Paul’s second epistle to his sons in the faith in Corinth, he identifies the process for increasing his sphere: Having hope, that as your faith is increased, we shall be greatly enlarged by you in our sphere, to preach the gospel in the regions beyond you (II Corinthians 10:12-18).

It is the heart of the Father, the heart of the Son, and

the heart of true apostolic fathers, to bring many sons to glory.

Kingdom increase will come through the sons!

Jesus left His sphere in the hands of His sons. Paul left his sphere in the hands of his sons. John left his sphere in the hands of his sons.

The sons were prepared for both kingdom responsibility and authority through their relationships with their faithful fathers.