“It’s Finals Week! Time to take the test!“
Those words struck terror for me in college and seminary. The pressure was on to go back and try to remember all that had been taught, all that I’d read, and then to articulate it on an exam. As a Religion major, most of my classes were the kind that required an essay of explanation in the old blue book, as opposed to math problems and equations. With every spring came final exam time, when I had to own up to whether or not I really understood the subject.
In 2 Corinthians 13:5-14, the apostle Paul used the words test, examine, pass or fail when he wrote to the Corinthian church about whether or not they were truly becoming the mature and healthy Church—Ekklesia—or not.
5 Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you—unless, of course, you fail the test? 6 And I trust that you will discover that we have not failed the test. 7 Now we pray to God that you will not do anything wrong—not so that people will see that we have stood the test but so that you will do what is right even though we may seem to have failed. 8 For we cannot do anything against the truth, but only for the truth. 9 We are glad whenever we are weak but you are strong; and our prayer is that you may be fully restored. 10 This is why I write these things when I am absent, that when I come I may not have to be harsh in my use of authority—the authority the Lord gave me for building you up, not for tearing you down. (NIV)
This coming Sunday, May 29, I will be giving a test to you all! Most of you might say, “You’re not supposed to give a test to the church about the sermons preached—THAT’S JUST NOT RIGHT! Just preach a sermon and move on!”
Well…essentially Paul challenged the Corinthians to take a test. And so shall we.
Mechanically, here’s the way this is going to work:
- I will have a teaching time in a traditional way much like I do most Sundays.
- I will hand out a document (available online as well) that I will explain in detail during the service.
- We are going to enjoy some food together around the tables.
- I will send you off to work through the test with your small groups, while also challenging you to take the test home for personal review. I will challenge you to not only answer the questions but, MUCH more importantly, to apply the truths of everything we have learned this academic year.
The most important test is NOT the paper test we take at the end of a classroom year, but the test of life. When Paul was finishing the second letter to the Corinthians, he said…
Finally, brothers and sisters, rejoice! Strive for full restoration, encourage one another, be of one mind, live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you. (2 Corinthians 13:11)
Striving for a healthy, productive, fully restored Body of Christ…that’s what we all strive for. And that’s what Sunday’s test is all about.
By the way: I did pass my finals in college (B.A., Baylor 1979) and seminary (M.Div., Southwestern 1984). I received my diplomas, moved the tassels over on the mortarboards, and walked the stage. BUT I am still working on the finals of life just like we all are.
See you Sunday morning, May 29, for Finals Sunday!
