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The Apprentice: You're Fired
by Denis Metrustery

 

Listening recently to a sermon, the preacher was reminding his listeners that at the end of Jesus’ earthly ministry, he called his followers to maintain the life of discipleship that had grown as he taught and demonstrated the Kingdom to them.

 

My mind began to wander, and construct its own sermon…

 

You may have watched the TV series “The Apprentice”.  In the UK, the lead is taken by Lord Alan Sugar, and the US version sees Donald Trump sifting a group of hopefuls seeking to be chosen as the new apprentice, with a significant salary and future prospects as they are mentored in business success.  As well as watching the progress of these often over-confident business ‘wannabees’, there are also series featuring celebrities from a number of fields, which can be equally entertaining as we engage with the clash of major egos. 

 

As my mind drifted, I recalled that the Greek word used for disciple (mathetes), can also be correctly rendered as ‘learner’ or ‘pupil’ – or ‘apprentice’. 

 

In the UK series, the one putting contestants through a range of strategic tests, is Lord Alan Sugar, a successful business entrepreneur.  In the Christian life, the One testing our faithfulness is the Lord Jesus Christ.

 

The main difference, I suspect, is that while the TV programme participants almost literally walk over each other and back-stab in order to be recognised and achieve the goal of becoming The Apprentice, Christians are called to be apprentices/disciples from the outset of their relationship with Jesus.

 

While we will be called to the test, ‘success’ or ‘failure’ does not rely on our own strength and abilities, but on Christ’s faithfulness to us.  He will not test us more than we can endure,[1] nor is his disciplining (‘apprenticing’) of us done out of anything then than a Father’s love.[2]

 

At the end of each TV episode, once the winning and losing teams have been declared, some members of the losing team are brought back before Lord Sugar (or Donald Trump) and his advisers in the fictional Board Room.  Here further enquiries produce defences and self-justification until someone who will be leaving the process is identified.  This leads to the climax of each episode, where an accusing finger is pointed at the losing contestant, and the ominous words “You’re fired!” echo around the room.  A potential career in ruins, potential earning power reduced, personal and professional embarrassment.  Some will rise above this setback and continue in an existing successful career, others may wilt at the disgrace, while others refuse to understand this totally illogical rejection of their obvious skills and expertise…

 

It struck me, as I listened to that sermon, that if we are identified as Jesus’ apprentices, then we should NOT be afraid to hear the words “You’re fired”.[3]  In fact, as part of the Christian life and experience we should welcome then.  What do I mean by that? 

 

Well, while the firing of potential apprentices in the TV shows spells disaster and disappointment, Christian apprentices can identify a welcome alternative nuance to the words.

 

When we think of ‘fire’ in Biblical terminology, we will often associate this with the ‘fire of the Holy Spirit’[4] or the fire of cleansing. [5]   Fire is often used in the Biblical narratives to connote the presence and power of God. [6]

 

Thus getting ‘fired’ for the Christian apprentice, is not a route into abandonment or disappointment, but the pathway to victorious living by way of the empowering fire of the Spirit and the sanctifying fire which burns the very character of God into us.

 

In Old Testament times, the sacrifices of Israel were at time consumed by a direct holy fire from God himself [7] manifesting both his reality and acceptance of the offering.  Indeed, the priests were charged with maintaining a perpetual fire on the altar which was not allowed to go out. [8] God’s presence manifested as cloud (daytime) and fire (evening)[9] as the Israelites journeyed with the Tabernacle, providing light, guidance and security.

 

Paul’s letter to the Romans encourages believers to be a ‘living sacrifice’[10] – something which is accepted by God and consumed for his glory.  Nowhere is the presence of God’s Spirit more equated with fire than on the Day of Pentecost when ‘tongues of fire’[11] rested on each of the believers gathered in the Upper Room. 

 

Fire, thus, speaks of God’s presence, power, and purity. 

 

The fire of testing purifies and refines us, in the same way that impurities and flaws are removed from precious metal through extreme heat. [12]

 

In his First Letter to the Corinthians, Paul warns that we should build our lives wisely on the foundation of Christ:

 If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw,  their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work.  If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward.  If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved—even though only as one escaping through the flames. [13]

 

Even God’s fire of judgement will allow the believer a means of escape through Jesus, even though much of what they ‘built’ during their lives may prove not to have eternal value. 

 

Paul’s later warning “Do not quench the Spirit”[14] carries the connotation of a Spirit who burns with God’s power, which could be choked or dampened in the life of a believer or church.

 

Through our covenant with Jesus and our sanctification by the Spirit, our goal is to be Christ-like and “do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”[15]  It is comforting to realise that in Biblical covenants, our gracious God commits himself to undertake the roles of both parties.  Since in Jesus Christ, God the Son becomes fully human as well as being fully divine, he fulfils both the God part and human part of covenant requirements.  As we are grafted into him in our new birth, he “works in [us] to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.”[16]

 

May we engage with the Spirit daily so that his fire burns brightly in us. 

 

It is the Gowans/Larsson musical Spirit, where we find the words of this prayerful song:

 

1.

Burning, burning, brightly burning,

Brightly burning Fire divine,

Satisfy my spirit's yearning.

Fill this empty soul of mine.

 

(Chorus)

Burning, burning, always burning.

Holy Spirit, stay with me;

To your will my will is turning,

What you will I want to be.

 

2.

Burning, burning, deeply burning,

Deeply burning holy Fire,

Now, your perfect plan discerning,

Your design is my desire.

 

3.

Burning, burning, gently burning,

Gently burning Fire within,

From your love my love is learning.

Now I feel your work begin.

 

Revolutionary Salvationists[17] will often describe themselves as being ‘on fire’ for God.

 

So, Apprentices – let’s “get fired!”

 

 



[1] 1 Cor 10:13

[2] Heb 12:6, Prov 3:12

[3] In fact, we are more likely to hear the words “Well done, good and faithful servant!”  -Matt  25:21, cf 2Tim 4:7f

[4] Matt 3:7b  He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire’

[5] Isaiah 6:6f   Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar, With it he touched my mouth and said, "See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for".’

[6] cf Exod 3:2,  Ezek 1:4,, 2 Kings 1:10,12, Judges 13:20

[7] Lev 9:24

[8] Lev 6:13

[9] Num 9:15; 17-23

[10] Rom 12:1

[11] Acts 2:3f

[12] Ps 66:10, Prov 17:3

[13] 1 Cor 3:12-15

[14] 1 Thess 5:19

[15] Eph 2:10

[16] Phil 2:13

[17] Christians of other denominations are also available!

 

  

 

 

   

 

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