Master’s Apprentices in God’s Workshop
Preface
In the teaching below, references to “fatherhood-sonship” must be read as non-gendered (cf. “There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” Gal 3:28). Importantly, this has zero to do with contemporary ideology, but because in the glorified humanity of Christ the realities of parenting and childhood are radically transformed in a glorious manner whose dimensions of which are yet to be fully revealed (1 John 3:1-3).
Introduction
In the middle of last night, that is early on the 1/1/26, I was prayerfully meditating on a proposal that we morph the emerging Fathering Foundation (https://cross-connect.net.au/fatherly-discernment/) so that it becomes a training and development venture. This proposal, originally advanced for economic reasons, and so was completely uninteresting to me. Until I began to pray further into it. “And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate/reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.” (2 Cor 3:18, the key word here is metamorphosis/μεταμορφούμεθα). Gradually some details emerged to be acted on which were biblically and theologically significant about the transformations of younger men and women into the image of Christ. Whilst they are first of all applicable to the Church in Perth, given the reality that the whole global ecclesia is a heavenly reality (Gal 4:26) with Jesus at the centre (Matt 18:20; Rev 5:6), this teaching is applicable in every place.
The Biblical Foundation
Bible focussed believers justly love Eph 2:8-9, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast.”, but in their excitant tend to bypass verse 10. “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” (Eph 2:10). Only after the creation of humanity that God’s Word shifted from “God saw that it was good” (Gen 1:4, 10, 12, 18, 21, 25) to “God saw all that he had made, and it was very good”. (1:31). Only after the completion of the saving history of Jesus, from Incarnation to sitting “at the right hand of power” (Mark 14:62), can it be said “we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus”. This testifies to an all-surpassing glorious new creation (cf. 2 Cor 5:17; Col 3:10) The image and likeness of Jesus are formed through the regenerating gift of the Holy Spirit and the actively indwelling Word (John 3:3ff; Acts 2:38; 1 Pet 1:3, 23). Paul’s emphasis in Eph 2:10 on “to do good works” may surprise old school Evangelicals, but it is a consistent with his later letters (1 Tim 2:10; 3:1; 6:17-19; 2 Tim 3:16-17; Tit 2:7-8; 3:8). There is a great need for visible “good works” Matt 5:16) in a cynical secular society such as the Australian workplace. Every believer in the marketplace called by the Lord to be in their particular vocation (1 Cor 7:20) will possess a sense of holy presence imparting joyous purpose beyond their workmates (Col 3:23-24; Ps 100:2). Where job satisfaction is rare in “the Australian spirit”, the Lord speaking to the people of God today about marketplace discipleship.
The Culmination of Discipleship
The New Testament writings, beyond a local Palestinian-Jewish environment, seem to move from “discipleship” language (Acts 14:22) to the more intimate language of family relationships e.g. brother/sister, household of God. Central to this is the use of sonship, where Paul speaks of Timothy as his “true son in the faith” (1 Tim 1:2 cf. 2 Tim 1:2; 1 Cor 4:17; Phil 4:12) Here we are sensing a depth of bond that exceeds normal discipleship. Pauil’s relationship with Timothy was grounded in the old covenant reality: “As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him; 14 for he knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust.” (Ps 103:13-14) “Know then in your heart that as a man disciplines his son, so the Lord your God disciplines you.” (Deut 8:5) but goes on to be centred in Jesus. The only reference in the New Testament I have been able to locate to Jesus as a disciple of the Father is in a passage that accentuates his holy sonship. “Although he was a son, he learned obedience (https://cross-connect.net.au/the-disciplines-of-the-father-1-the-pattern-of-god/) through what he suffered. 9 And being made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him”. That is, Jesus was the perfect disciple because he was the complete S/son. This radicalises the relationship between masters and apprentices (cf. Eph 6:5-9)
Master’s and Apprentices
Local born Aussies, plus younger generations, are culturally anti-hierarchical. Therefore, when my old mentor Geoff Bingham launched his monthly Masters Classes teaching series I was confused. Until I realised (Ps 73:17) that the Master in question was Jesus leading in the way he had been led by the Father in the power of the Spirit. In speaking of Master’s and Apprentices we are NOT referring to experts and novices but men and women on the same journey of being taught by the Father in the power of the Spirit of Christ. The only, non-essential, difference is that some have been led longer than others and accumulated greater wisdom (James 3:1-18). Whereas in the secular world of venture capitalists and artistic celebrities the motivation is monetary success (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shark_Tank), our “Masters” will be those humbled by God as Christ was (Phil 2:5-13)
The Workshop
The palette of the Saviour’s working is without limit. “he is Lord of all” (Acts 10:36). Firstly, the world in which he spent most of his human life as an ordinary workman (Luke 3:23; Matt 13:55), secondly it is the realm of the Word-Spirit, the so-called “two hands of God” (Irenaeus), finally it is the Church (Eph 4:7-16). Everything that the Father has taught his “Masters” in Christ for the sake of their apprentices/sons is fully impartible. “But you have been anointed by the Holy One, and you all have knowledge… the anointing you received from him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about all things and as that anointing is real, not counterfeit—just as it has taught you, remain in him.” (1 John 2:20, 27) In other words, everything in the “workshop” is relational/organic.
Conclusion
When John teaches, “Dear friends, I am not writing you a new command but an old one, which you have had since the beginning. This old command is the message you have heard. 8 Yet I am writing you a new command; its truth is seen in him and in you, because the darkness is passing and the true light is already shining.” (1 John 2:7-8) he points to a revival of love-based discipline in the Church for Christ-centred growth. This is the atmosphere in which the Master’s Apprentices in God’s Workshop must operate for the healing and maturing of the Church. Since “God is love” (1 John 4:8) there are no actual alternatives!