Some time ago I was asked to lead closing devotions for a group of newly settled Baptist ministers. Decided to use some of the material from several books on Anabaptist Spirituality to compile a closing act of worship. Haven't used it since but thought it might be interesting or useful for others – if not, nothing lost.
The etching is of Dirk Willems, (Asperen 1569), an Anabaptist condemned to death for his convictions, who escaped across the castle moat, but his pursuer fell through the ice. Willems turned back to help his pursuer, was recaptured, and then burned. The Anabaptist respect for life, reverence for human flourishing and literalist approach to the Sermon on the Mount are hard to capture more faithfully than in such an act of mercy. Out of that tradition that seeks to follow faithfully after Christ in performative discipleship and radical peacemaking, ideas and words like these come – not only prayer, but Word centred aspiration.
The first gift …
is called the Fear of God,
it is the beginning of all
wisdom
which prepares the path to
life for us.
It trembles at the Word of
God
and enters through the narrow
Gate.
It drives out sin and a
godless life,
diligently watches and
protects its house
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom…
guard your heart carefully,
for from it
flow the issues of life.
We are created anew out of
God,
born
of his seed, 1 Pet. 1.23,
made
in his image, Col. 3.10,
renewed
in his knowledge,
become
partaker of his divine nature, Eph. 4.24,
having
new being of the Spirit, John 14.17, 16.13.
In God’s great mercy we have been given new birth into a living hope
through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
and into an inheritance that can never perish
or fade –
kept in heaven for us who through faith
are shielded by God’s power….
Christ is everywhere
represented to us as
humble,
meek, merciful,
just,
holy, wise, spiritual,
long-suffering,
patient, peaceable,
lovely,
obedient, and good,
as
the perfection of all things;
for
in Him thee is an upright nature.
Behold,
this is the image of God,
of
Christ as to the Spirit
which
we have as an example
until
we become like it in nature
and
reveal it by our walk.
To this we were called, because Christ
suffered for us,
leaving
us an example that we should follow in his steps…
He himself bore our sins in his body on the
tree
so
that we might die to sins and live for righteousness…
by his wounds, we have been healed
Just
as one bread is made from many kernels,
And
one drink from many berries,
So
all true Christians
Are
one bread and one drink,
Without
deceit or duplicity,
In
Christ the Lord.
He
nourishes us,
Multiplying
true love and communion.
How good and pleasant it is when we dwell in
unity,
devoted
to one another in love,
honouring one another above ourselves.
Just
as natural bread is made of many grains
Pulverised
by the mill, kneaded with water,
And
baked by the heat of the fire,
So
is the church of Christ made up of true believers,
Broken
in their hearts with the mill of the divine Word,
Baptised
with the waters of the Holy Ghost.
And
with the fire of pure, unfeigned love, made into one body.
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