The Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin (Berlin State Library) contains one of the most extensive collections of the writings of Dietrich Bonhoeffer. A friend and I were at that library a few months ago. (The picture is of a Bonhoeffer bust that was on display at there.)
The son of a prominent psychiatrist in Berlin, and uncle to the conductor, Christoph von Dohnányi, Dietrich Bonhoeffer (1906–1945) received his doctorate in theology at the age of 21. This German Lutheran pastor was strongly opposed to Nazism all along and was involved in establishing the Confessing Church, an alliance of resisting Christians. The Gestapo banned him, first from preaching, then from teaching, and finally from public speaking altogether. That, however, didn’t cause Bonhoeffer to balk or blink. In fact, he was part of a conspiracy involving several high-ranking military officers keen on overthrowing Hitler. For all his “insurrections”, including rendering aid to Jews in their escape from Germany, Bonhoeffer ended up at the concentration camp at Flossenbürg. There he was hanged by the direct order of Himmler, the ruthless head of the Gestapo, on April 9, 1945, just days before that camp was liberated by the Allied troops.
Few men of this century have understood better the inevitability of suffering than Dietrich Bonhoeffer. Bonhoeffer wrote this memorable line in his book The Cost of Discipleship: “When Christ calls a man, He bids him come … and die!”
In one of the preaching classes I’m teaching this semester, students are required to preach portions of the Gospel of Mark. I found it remarkable how that Gospel echoes the sentiment voiced by Bonhoeffer. “Come … and die,” bids Christ. In fact, all of Mark is a journey that begins at Galilee and ends in Jerusalem. A death march! And Christ calls …
An entire section of Mark, from 2:1 to 3:6 outlines the escalating opposition sure to accompany such a journey of discipleship. This does not promise to be an easy hike for us: the believer is not called in order to experience a painless and pressure-less and thorn-less and trauma-less ride to heaven. We are, instead, asked to be in the will of God, faithful and fearless, in the face of all opposition.
And for the follower, the disciple, of Christ, the requirements are clear.
Mark’s Gospel takes pains to point us to the Savior who modeled this sacrificial life, as He, in servant fashion, paid for our sins.
To our God, therefore, we owe all.
Our all.
And soon thereafter, in Mark, a poor widow gives to God all that she had, while another woman acknowledges the inestimable value of Christ by pouring out her all at Jesus feet (Mark 12:41–44; 14:1–9).
What will we disciples do? When Christ calls a man, a woman, He bids them come … and die!
The son of a prominent psychiatrist in Berlin, and uncle to the conductor, Christoph von Dohnányi, Dietrich Bonhoeffer (1906–1945) received his doctorate in theology at the age of 21. This German Lutheran pastor was strongly opposed to Nazism all along and was involved in establishing the Confessing Church, an alliance of resisting Christians. The Gestapo banned him, first from preaching, then from teaching, and finally from public speaking altogether. That, however, didn’t cause Bonhoeffer to balk or blink. In fact, he was part of a conspiracy involving several high-ranking military officers keen on overthrowing Hitler. For all his “insurrections”, including rendering aid to Jews in their escape from Germany, Bonhoeffer ended up at the concentration camp at Flossenbürg. There he was hanged by the direct order of Himmler, the ruthless head of the Gestapo, on April 9, 1945, just days before that camp was liberated by the Allied troops.
Few men of this century have understood better the inevitability of suffering than Dietrich Bonhoeffer. Bonhoeffer wrote this memorable line in his book The Cost of Discipleship: “When Christ calls a man, He bids him come … and die!”
In one of the preaching classes I’m teaching this semester, students are required to preach portions of the Gospel of Mark. I found it remarkable how that Gospel echoes the sentiment voiced by Bonhoeffer. “Come … and die,” bids Christ. In fact, all of Mark is a journey that begins at Galilee and ends in Jerusalem. A death march! And Christ calls …
“Follow me!”
Mark 1:14
Mark 1:14
An entire section of Mark, from 2:1 to 3:6 outlines the escalating opposition sure to accompany such a journey of discipleship. This does not promise to be an easy hike for us: the believer is not called in order to experience a painless and pressure-less and thorn-less and trauma-less ride to heaven. We are, instead, asked to be in the will of God, faithful and fearless, in the face of all opposition.
“For whoever does
the will of God,
he is My brother
and sister and mother.”
Mark 3:35
the will of God,
he is My brother
and sister and mother.”
Mark 3:35
And for the follower, the disciple, of Christ, the requirements are clear.
“If anyone wishes
to come after Me,
let him deny himself,
and take up his cross,
and follow Me.”
Mark 8:34
to come after Me,
let him deny himself,
and take up his cross,
and follow Me.”
Mark 8:34
Mark’s Gospel takes pains to point us to the Savior who modeled this sacrificial life, as He, in servant fashion, paid for our sins.
“Whoever wishes to
become great among you
shall be your servant ….
For even the Son of Man
did not come to be served,
but to serve, and to
give His life
a ransom for many.”
Mark 10:43, 45
become great among you
shall be your servant ….
For even the Son of Man
did not come to be served,
but to serve, and to
give His life
a ransom for many.”
Mark 10:43, 45
To our God, therefore, we owe all.
“Render to Caesar
the things that are Caesar’s
[that bear his image],
and to God
the things that are God’s
[that bear His image].
Mark 12:17
the things that are Caesar’s
[that bear his image],
and to God
the things that are God’s
[that bear His image].
Mark 12:17
Our all.
“And you shall love
the Lord your God
with all your heart,
and with all your soul,
and with all your mind,
and with all your strength.”
Mark 12:30
the Lord your God
with all your heart,
and with all your soul,
and with all your mind,
and with all your strength.”
Mark 12:30
And soon thereafter, in Mark, a poor widow gives to God all that she had, while another woman acknowledges the inestimable value of Christ by pouring out her all at Jesus feet (Mark 12:41–44; 14:1–9).
What will we disciples do? When Christ calls a man, a woman, He bids them come … and die!
Posts
3 comments:
Abe:
Good stuff. Dietrich is the real thing in an environment full of wanna be talkers. He was real to the bone.
The church needs to be more like DB and willing to take up our crosses and die.
Dave
thank you. very good reminder. the Christian walk is not a "cake walk" with Christ. it is a war zone. But, we could not have a better commander-in-chief!
Thank you for writing this! I have no idea who you are, but in preparing a message, I decided I wanted to use what Bonhoeffer said as an illustration, so I googled it. Upon doing that, your blog came up. I was blessed and encouraged by it. Thank you and keep it up!
Post a Comment