I’m a fan of old-time movies. Not that I don’t or can’t appreciate more modern movies, but there is just something special about the old black-n-white films. The classic movie era of the 1940s and 50s produced some of our more enduring stars (Bogart, Hepburn, Grant, Keaton) and classic films (“Citizen Kane,” “Casablanca,” “It’s a Wonderful Life”). In the midst of all these great shows, I am oddly attracted to the musicals of the era (“Holiday Inn,” “Kiss Me Kate,” “Oklahoma”).
While I am generally a fan of musical songs, I really love the storylines. While I appreciate the creativity behind the sets, what I really like are the large ensemble choreographed numbers. The ability of the actors to work together, following elaborate step-patterns, all flowing together to form a much larger image is amazing. Totally lacking in any coordination or ability, I am stunned at what the actors, directors, and choreographers are able to pull off. The whole cast moving together to preform something much larger than the individual parts is as inspiring as it is captivating.
Oddly enough, I suspect that is also why I am intrigued by team sports—the intense choreography necessary to move a team of 11 men down the 100-yard field, or a five-man team to put the ball in the hoop is a picture of comradery, fellowship, and cooperation, that I have an innate yearning for.
What if our church acted like that? What if our faith drove us to “perform” in a similar fashion?
In our text this week, the Apostle Paul directs us to “keep in step with the Spirit” (Galatians 5:25). This puts a tremendous challenge out to us—how are we to know where the Spirit is going? How are we to model our steps after His so we can “keep in step” with Him? Is this a “spiritual” command only, or does it have practical applications? All great questions, but…
Notice that Paul’s command here is directed, not to us as individuals, but to “us.” Obviously, each of us individually must “keep in step” with the Lord and to be out of step with Him would be disastrous. But Paul’s charge is not that we individually will follow the Lord, but that all of us together will keep in step. In other words, this is a call for a big, ensemble number where all of us are moving together to form something truly beautiful—all as we “keep in step” with the Spirit. He is not just leading, but is the Great Choreographer, laying out the pathway we all are to dance.
That kind of faithfulness, that kind of commitment, is sorely lacking in the common depiction of our Christian walk. We talk about moral improvement, service to others, having our attitudes and characters transformed by God’s grace; and we should talk about these things! But we cannot lose sight of the fact that we are in a large-ensemble storyline, one that encompasses the entire people of God. We are supposed to move together in a beautifully designed pattern as we keep in step with our Savior. My part may look a bit different than yours, we may not even understand how all the parts fit together—but we have a Master Choreographer, and our challenge is to “keep in step” with Him.
In preparation for worship this Sunday, read Galatians 5:22-26.
- We have been looking at the Fruit of the Spirit all summer long. Let’s put some context on it. After listing out the Fruit, Paul writes in verse 24 that “those who belong to Christ…” What does it mean to belong to Christ? Why would Paul have phrased it this way? Do you feel like you “belong” to Christ?
- What does it mean to crucify the flesh? First, what are the desires and passions of the flesh? To what do these terms refer? What does crucifying them look like? Obviously a metaphor here, but a metaphor to picture/communicate what?
- Verse 25 starts with an “If.” Is Paul offering a conditional here? A possibility? What does “If we live by the Spirit” mean?
- What does it look like to “keep in step with the Spirit” mean? How do we know what “steps” the Spirit is taking? How do we “keep in step?”
- Notice that the verse is addressed to “we,” a plural pronoun. Most of the time when we think of the Fruit of the Spirit, we are thinking of this in individual terms. How does it expand your understanding to think that Paul is speaking, not to individuals, but to an entire Church body?
By Henry Knapp