I’ve been reading some church history and I came across a man named Pier Pettignano. Pettignano lived in the thirteenth century.[i] He was an admirer of Saint Francis of Assisi. Pettignano claimed to have had a vision. In his vision was a procession or parade of people. The parade was made of the apostles and other saints and martyrs. At the front of the procession was Mary, the mother of Jesus. All of them were walking carefully and intentionally. With each step they scrutinized the ground so they might step in the footprints of Christ. The way of life which Jesus taught and lived was still visible on the ground as a set of his footprints. And it took effort and intention for the procession to see and try to place their feet in Jesus’ footsteps. (If you’ve ever tried to walk in someone else’s footprints in the snow or in the sand, you get the picture.) But at the end of this great procession came Saint Francis of Assisi, barefoot and brown-robed. He was walking easily and casually. And with each step he landed effortlessly in the footsteps of Jesus.
That story captures a lot about the Christian life. Jesus did leave teachings and his example for us to follow. Those teachings and example are like footprints. Peter puts it this way: because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example that you should follow in his steps (1 Pet. 2:21 TNIV). And his steps are worth following. They lead to a way of life that is unlike any other way of life. When we follow his footsteps in our friendships, families, schools, jobs, and neighborhoods we experience the life we were created to live.
But while there are some among us who, like Assisi in the story, seem to effortlessly follow Jesus’ footsteps, the rest of us have to work hard to follow those steps. We have to walk very carefully and intentionally. With each step we have to scrutinize the ground. It takes great effort and intention for us to place our feet in Jesus’ footsteps. In fact, sometimes we have a hard time just seeing those footsteps. To use a cliché, when we ask “What Would Jesus Do?” or “Where Would Jesus Step?” we often have to say, “I just don’t know.” It’s not that we see Jesus’ footprints and are struggling to get our steps to match his. It’s that we’re not even sure how to walk like Jesus in a particular circumstance.
For example, a few months ago a friend of mine received bad news. The elders of his church were going to fire him. He had led them through a period of numerical and spiritual growth. But, the elders wanted him gone. And my friend has been wondering on his blog and to those close to him: what’s the next step? What does Jesus want me to do? How do I follow Jesus in this situation? Have you ever asked that question? You find yourself in a circumstance where you just don’t know what to do—you’re not sure what to major in at college, what to do about a dating relationship that is souring, what to do about an aging parent, whether to accept a new job offering, how to handle an unproductive employee, or what to do about the struggle you’re having with a high school teacher. You want to walk in the way Jesus would walk in those circumstances. But you can’t even see the footprints to follow.
That’s where this story about Pettignano begins to break down. In his vision, we’re on our own. Sure, we’re surrounded by other people trying to walk in those footsteps. But where’s Jesus? He’s long gone. He walked by centuries ago. All we have are his footprints. Yet as we saw last week, the vision of the Bible is that Jesus is there. Through the Holy Spirit Jesus is present. He’s walking with us. And, as we’ll see this morning, the Holy Spirit does not merely mediate Jesus’ presence so that we experience him walking with us. The Holy Spirit also reveals Jesus’ way so that we are better able to see and follow those footprints.
This is one of the primary ways that Paul talks about the Holy Spirit. Listen to what he writes in Rom. 8:14-16: 14 For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. 15 The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” 16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. We can’t explore the full depth of this passage. But in short, Paul states that the Christian life can be summarized as learning to call God “Father.”[ii] The Christian life is learning to relate to God as our “Father,” and loving and following our “Father.” But the Father does not leave us on our own as we follow Him. He gives us the Spirit. And, according to vs. 14, that Spirit leads us. We are accompanied by the Spirit as we try to follow the Father. And along that journey, the Spirit leads us. The Spirit guides us. R. A. Torrey, commenting on this text, puts it this way: A true Christian life is not one governed by a long set of rules without us, but led by a living and ever-present person within us.[iii]
The Christian life is one in which the Spirit leads us in the right path. We are not left alone to see and try to walk in Jesus’ footsteps. The Spirit leads us on that journey. In what ways does the Spirit lead us? Let’s briefly survey three ways in which the Bible talks about the guidance of the Spirit.
First, the Spirit guides us in knowing God. Listen to Paul’s words in Ephesians 1:17: I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. The Spirit guides us so that we come to know God better. Along this journey, the Spirit helps us a see more clearly the Father we are following.
Second, the Spirit guides us in knowing God’s truth. Here is Paul’s description of the Spirit in 1 Cor. 2:9-13: 9 However, as it is written: “What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived—these things God has prepared for those who love him” — 10 for God has revealed them to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. 11 For who knows a person’s thoughts except that person’s own spirit within? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. 12 We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us. 13 This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual realities with Spirit-taught words. We don’t have time to explore the full meaning of this text. But even on its surface, it reveals remarkable things. Just as our spirit knows our thoughts, so God’s Spirit knows God’s thoughts. And the Spirit teaches us the truth that is God’s mind—truth that will help us on the journey.
Third, the Spirit guides us in prayer to God. Eph. 6:18: 18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. We are commanded to “pray in the Spirit.” What does this mean? One suggestion is that praying in the Spirit means praying in way that allows the Spirit to direct us and guide us so that we pray exactly what is needed in that circumstance.[iv] The Spirit’s guidance in prayer also comes out in Rom. 8:26-27: 26 In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. 27 And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God. Earlier we read how the Spirit knows the mind of God and can teach us truth from God. Here, we read that the Spirit also knows our heart. As a result, even when we aren’t sure what to pray, the Spirit guides that unspoken prayer and communicates directly from our heart to God’s. Now, all of this does not mean the Spirit will guide us to do or say things contrary to Scripture. If there is a spirit leading us to do something contrary to the teachings of Jesus that spirit is not the Holy Spirit.[v]
Nonetheless, the promise is that the Spirit can lead and guide us on this journey. He can guide us in knowing God, knowing God’s truth, and in praying to God. But most importantly, we learn that the Spirit can guide us in Jesus’ way. Here is how Jesus described the Spirit: 25 “All this I have spoken while still with you. 26 But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you ( Jn. 14:25-26 TNIV). While this is a promise made to the apostles, most scholars believe it is nonetheless something that also applies in a limited way to each follower of Jesus. Jesus promises the Spirit will bring to mind the words of Jesus. The Spirit will enable us to remember the teachings of Jesus. When we do not know which direction Jesus’ footprints go, the Spirit can bring to mind Jesus’ words which show the way. Jesus provides more commentary on this in Jn. 16:12-14: 12 “I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. 13But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. 14 He will glorify me because it is from me that he will receive what he will make known to you. Jesus promises that the Spirit will be a conduit from Jesus to us. Jesus will make things known to the Spirit. In turn, the Spirit will make those things known to us.
Thus, one of the fundamental roles of the Spirit is to reveal Jesus’ way more and more clearly. Returning the vision of Pettignano, the Spirit opens our eyes so we can more clearly see the footsteps of Jesus. When we are confused about what direction to go, the Spirit can relay information to us from Jesus. He can bring to mind Jesus’ words that will guide our walk. Not only is Jesus present with us on this walk through his Spirit. But through the Spirit he is also guiding us so that we see and step in his footprints in each particular circumstance of life. I remember the first year I played organized basketball in junior high. I knew that I wanted to be a basketball player. But in a game, there were many circumstances in which I didn’t know how to be a basketball player. This made for humorous situations, like the time I shot at the wrong basket. But my coaches could guide me. Not only were they with me in each game, but they could lead me so that I knew how to be a basketball player in each situation. Similarly, not only is Jesus with us in each situation by his Spirit. By his Spirit he can guide us so that we walk like him in each circumstance.
How do we receive this guidance? I’ll close with three ways the Spirit may guide us so that are more able to walk like Jesus everywhere we go. First, we can hear the Spirit’s guidance through Scripture. Paul calls Scripture the sword of the Spirit (Eph. 6:17). The Spirit can use Scripture to enable us to walk like Jesus. One ancient method of reading Scripture is called Lectio Divina, or “divine reading.” It is a method designed to help us hear what the Spirit may say through Scripture. It consists of four steps:
· First, read a brief passage of Scripture. Read it slowly. Read it several times. As you read, ask yourself, “What strikes me in this passage? What is God saying to me in this text? You are listening for a word or message that seems to touch your heart as you read.
· Second, you reflect. Now that you’ve settled upon a word or phrase or idea from this text that seems significant to you, reflect on it. “Why does this seem important to me? What might God be saying to me through it?”
· Third, respond to God in prayer about what you’ve heard. Thank him for his message to you, his guidance to you.
· Fourth, rest for a moment in the presence of the one who has spoken to you. This method slows us down and creates an intentional way of trying to listen to the Spirit through Scripture.
Second, not only can we hear the Spirit’s guidance through Scripture. We can hear the Spirit’s guidance through circumstances. In Acts 15:28 church leaders reflect on recent circumstances involving a Gentile named Cornelius and conclude the Spirit was teaching them something through those circumstances. Sometimes God may be at work in circumstances, striving to communicate something. The Spirit can help us hear the message. One ancient practice designed to make us more aware of what the Spirit may be saying through circumstances is called Examen. Examen is taking a few moments to examine part of the day. Using a journal we reflect on what took place during the day. We might reflect on questions like these which come from author Adele Calhoun:[vi] 1) For what moment today am I most grateful? For what moment today am I least grateful? 2) When did I give and receive the most love today? When did I give and receive the least love today? 3) What was the most life-giving part of my day? What was the most life-thwarting part of my day? 4) When today did I have the deepest sense of connection with God, others and myself? When today did I have the least sense of connection? 5) Where was I aware of living out of the fruit of the Spirit? Where was there an absence of the fruit of the Spirit? 6) Where did I experience “desolation?” Where did I find “consolation?”.
About two weeks ago I was reflecting on the questions: For what moment yesterday am I most grateful? For what moment yesterday am I least grateful? I thought back through the events of yesterday. The one memory that floated to the surface in a positive way was the two hours my daughter Jordan and I spent together the previous evening. We played a memory game together, bounced on the trampoline together, and then played against each other on a racing video game. That was the moment for which I was most grateful. And as I wrote down my feelings about that, a thought came to mind: I need to do this more often. I realized how busy I had been and how little one-on-one time I had been spending with Jordan and Jacob. And I believe the Spirit was telling me that if I wanted to walk like Jesus I in my family, I need to be more available to my children.
Third, we can receive the Spirit’s guidance not only through Scripture and circumstances, but also through other people. In Acts 21:4 Paul decides he should go to Jerusalem. Friends, however, urge him not to. And Luke writes that this guidance from Paul’s friends was actually coming from the Holy Spirit. Eugene Peterson writes about the time he returned to his home and the church where he preached after being gone for several weeks.[vii] One of his elders met with him upon his return and said Weeds have sprouted in the garden while you were gone. The elder explained that in Peterson’s absence, some had been criticizing Peterson and there was unrest in the congregation. Peterson, angry and frustrated, starting making plans for dealing with the trouble makers. Then a friend talked to him about the matter. Peterson’s friend asked what Peterson was going to do. Peterson explained that he was going to confront those who had talked behind his back and force them to deal with him face to face. And he would rebuild the peace of the congregation. But the friend offered a different perspective: Don’t you think there might be more to your anger than righteous indignation? Don’t you think it could be a symptom of pride that you didn’t know you had? Why don’t you explore the dimensions and ramifications of your anger? And Peterson believes this counsel ultimately came from the Spirit. The Spirit used this friend to help Peterson walk more like Jesus in this circumstance.
I’m going to close with a question. I’d like you to take a moment and consider this question: What has the Spirit been urging me to do? It’s quite likely that in the past few days or weeks, through Scripture, through circumstances in your life, or through other people, the Spirit has been trying to get through to you, to show you how to walk more like Jesus in a particular area of your life. Chances are, you’ve been too busy to hear. So, take a moment to just reflect on this question: What has the Spirit been urging me to do? What is the Spirit showing me about walking more like Jesus?
[vii] Eugene Peterson Working the Angles (Eerdmans, 1987), 152-153.
