The Catechumen Challenge

One older tool for teaching the truths of Scripture that we like to draw on from time to time at Westview are catechisms. These were a series of questions and answers that were a simple way for people to learn (often through memorization) big truths about God, redemption, and his Word. They are an especially useful tool with children because their brains soak up content like a sponge. And while children may not grasp all that a catechism answer means, they have that truth stored away that they can grow up into.

A question that we will return to and reflect on over the next six weeks is from an early Reformation catechism written in the German city of Heidelberg. It is named—you guessed it—the Heidelberg Catechism. The first question may be familiar from a song that that we sing on Sundays, “What is your only comfort in life and in death?” The answer is, “That I am not my own, but belong—body and soul, in life and in death—to my faithful Savior, Jesus Christ.” But the second question is what we will be returning to over the next six weeks, “What must you know to live and die in the joy of this comfort?”

If you will rest in the joy of the comfort of belonging fully and eternally to Jesus Christ, you need to know something. In fact, the catechism answer highlights three things you need to know. And we’re taking those three things in turn at services over the next six weeks. This evening, at our Memento Mori service, we will reflect on how we need to know “how great my sin and misery are.” On Good Friday, we will meditate on “how I am set free from all my sins and misery.” And we will come to the pinnacle of Resurrection Sunday giving attention to “how I am to thank God for such deliverance.”

To further advance your faith and joy in these weeks, I want to encourage you to take the “Catechumen Challenge.” In the early Church, those new to following Christ were known as “catechumens” (pronounced KAT-uh-kyoo-munz). They would go through a catechism, not as developed as the later catechisms like the Heidelberg, but an extensive time of training and preparation. This would often be leading up to their baptism on Resurrection Sunday. So, in the six weeks leading up to Easter, join others at Westview in devoting yourself in this season to move forward in following Christ in all of life by reading through all four Gospels.

If you are well on your way into a Bible reading plan as part of your normal pursuit of the habits of grace, wonderful. Keep at it. If you have fallen off from your plan or didn’t have one, this is a great opportunity to focus on for six weeks. Set a designated time to read or couple it with another habit you are already doing (like going to the gym or rocking a baby to sleep or at the table after dinner with the family). In about 5-10 minutes a day, you can read through all four Gospels over the next six weeks.

If that is enough of a challenge for you, to be consistent in that Bible reading for six weeks—do it. One step further I would encourage you towards is to take the daily reading and then reflect on these questions for each day:

Or, what is Matthew, Mark, Luke, or John trying to say about who Jesus is? The Spirit did not inspire them to write these Gospels just to record historical facts. They had a purpose to communicate about Jesus. No story, no sermon, no parable was included just because that’s all the author could remember. He had a purpose. He’s telling you something about Jesus.

Maybe a spouse, a child, a roommate, your Discipleship Group? Maybe it’s a coworker or writing a key verse that summarizes that observation about Jesus on a notecard to have in your pocket ready to pass along? It doesn’t have to be long. It sure doesn’t have to be a sermon. It could be as simple as, “I read Luke 6 today. Did you know Jesus is Lord of the Sabbath? What a generous provider that he is the king who provides rest for his people.”

So, you are dwelling on Luke 6. You are thinking of sharing with your parents about the Lord of the Sabbath when you call them in the evening as you normally do. But you take time during lunch to pray that your parents would find their rest in the Lord of the Sabbath who provides and restores, not getting anxiously worked up over what the future holds.

My hope is that this evening you will know afresh how great your sin and misery are. And by being a “catechumen” of sorts over these six weeks of reading, meditating on, sharing, and praying from the four Gospels, your soul will be filled up in awe of Jesus Christ such that come Good Friday, you will know all the more deeply how you are set free from all your sins and misery. And when we come together to declare on Resurrection Sunday, “Christ is risen!” you will rejoice all the more gladly, thanking God for such a deliverance.