Spiritual Genealogy
Spiritual Genealogy
In the High Priestly Prayer John 17:1-26 Jesus makes a profound statement, not repeated anywhere else: "Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word;"
(Jn. 17:20)
Jesus's words and prayers were given to his disciples on hills, in cities, by lakes and rivers, in cemeteries, gardens, and even by wells. Not just the Apostles, not just his many disciples, but also random people curious about him. Thousands heard his sermons and were impacted by them, thousands more heard him and shrugged their shoulders and went on their way, entertained perhaps, but unmoved.
This prayer in verse 20 was different.
It wasn't for his Apostles
it wasn't for his disciples
it wasn't even for the random crowds he attracted
This prayer was not for anybody that heard him.
This prayer wasn't for 'the world'
or for 'all the lonely people'
or for the teeming masses
This prayer was for those that heard about him from someone else.
One could say it was for the children of Jesus's followers, but not necessarily children after the flesh. This prayer was for children after the word, after Christ's Word.
How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? (Romans 10:14)
The spoken word of God delivered to other people is the means God has ordained for bringing His elect into the Kingdom.
I do not hold to the notion that the Word of God will only be used by the Holy Spirit if delivered by an ordained seminary-trained minister in a black Genevan gown. There are some that do. The Word of God's power is not derived from he who delivers it, the Word defies the delivery mechanism.
We won't go down the clerical and sacerdotal rabbit hole today. Perhaps another time. Today I want you to instead think about is genealogy. Be careful not to run into the error Paul warned about in Titus: "But avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain." (Titus 3:9)
Rather, I want to do a bit of meditation on your spiritual genealogy - who you heard the Gospel from, who delivered to you God's Word, who put you into Jesus' prayer in John 17:20. That person passed on the spiritual seed to you. Think a moment. Who did they hear the Gospel from? Maybe you know, or like me, that person has passed on to Glory and you will never know. But they heard God's Word from somebody. And that somebody heard it from another somebody. And so on, and so on. For two thousand years that Word was passed along person to person, each being the recipient of God's blessing in answer to Christ's prayer for them.
At the origin maybe your genealogy takes you to one of the Apostle's children, or 'one of the Twelve'. Maybe a famous Church Father. Or maybe an illiterate farmer. But one thing you know is that the Word was passed on from FAITHFUL disciple of Christ to what became another FAITHFUL disciple of Christ.
When you read in Acts, you are seeing Christ's prayer being answered in every section. Paul to the Jailer, the Jailer to his Children, maybe the children to their friends, assuming jailer's children had friends. Many more came to know the Lord through the word of his many disciples. Remember Paul noted there were over 500 living witnesses to Christ's resurrection still around (1 Cor 15:1-8). And of course the Apostles proclaimed His words throughout Jerusalem and other regions in Judea and beyond. These folks who heard and received the Gospel were prayed for by the Lord himself JUST LIKE YOU.
Paul spread the words throughout the greater Greco-Roman Empire. And many teachers came from them. Polycarp and others. The Church Fathers, Augustine, on down to St. Patrick even, where my family comes from. They heard Jesus' words, were saved, and told others.
Somehow through the dark medieval times, the Gospel kept going, kept spreading, somehow. In the shadows, among the illiterate, passed on despite an apostate church and apostate ministers. Later it burst into new vibrancy through Martin Luther, Zwingli, Calvin, and Bucer. On into the Continental Churches then to England and Scotland. On and on it went. Sometimes nearly extinguished, sometimes alive and growing. Still there were those who heard His words being passed down, and were saved, and FAITHFULLY passed His Word along.
Then His Words were taken to the New World in wooden ships on the water. More and more it spread. Nations rose and fell. Wars killed millions around the world. Technologies emerged to both heal and to devastate. America emerged as the world's leading country. And the Bachmans and Powers immigrated from Germany and Ireland through Nova Scotia. Along the way one of the Bachman's married a Cherokee woman, whose name we don't know, and took her off the reservation. She had children, my forebears. They continued through farms in Oklahoma, and settled in Arizona before it became a State. None of them knew God, as far as it can be known. Just lost people living. But out there, God's Word was still being spread by the Faithful witnesses.
Then some unknown neighbor or family member told Mr. and Mrs. Mace about the Lord. I don't know where they were, or how old they were. But they were saved by the atoning blood of Christ. And they moved across the street from me. And Mrs Mace asked my mom if she could bring us to her church. This was a little Nazarene Church in the late 1960s. No big deal. No fancy programs. Just Church and Sunday School. Pastor Morford preached every Sunday, and I came and listened and learned to sing hymns. And then I met Jesus and His Words at the annual revival meeting. I don't remember the evangelist's name. My brother and I went. He didn't like it. I went the week. I was saved there. My brother wasn't. He's dead now, without the Lord. I met my wife there in that very church. We were married there by Pastor Hawthorn.
I taught my kids the Bible, and took them to church till they were older. They are not saved ...yet. But God's Word is in them, they can't take it out. Jesus, I am convinced, was praying for them too.
Now fourty years later, I still hear the Lord's Words day and night in reading and in sermons. God is good. Jesus prayed for me over 2000 years ago, and here I am. In His sheepfold, waiting for that glorious day when I too shall see Him as He is. And I tell others about Jesus too. Some of them Jesus prayed for too, and I will see them also in Glory. I hope I will see you there too. Listen to Jesus, don't wait. Come to him and be saved.
And Lord, thank you for faithful Mrs. Mace.