David Bahn – Reflections

Light from the Word and through the lens

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In 1968 Jerry Snell opened a door in the hallway outside our first hour chemistry class. He invited me into what I discovered was a darkroom. Soon I was on the school newspaper and annual staff as a photographer. Later I learned that Jerry was a Lutheran who was planning to become a pastor. A few years later I was not only a Lutheran, but I was heading off to seminary to become a Lutheran pastor, too. Jerry followed a year later and served as a pastor in Missouri until his untimely heart attack and death. I thank God for Jerry and enjoy photography still today – not to mention rejoicing in having served as a Lutheran pastor in congregations in Utah, Colorado, Arkansas and Texas. I’ve retired now and serve part time as a Congregational Support Specialist for the Texas District of the LCMS. I also provide coaching and leadership training through various PLI cohorts and with individual congregations and organizations. David Bahn is a follower of Jesus Christ, husband to Diane, father and grandfather. He is an avid amateur photographer. His photo website is “Flowers by God Photos by David” He also publishes a devotional blog DavidBahn-Reflections.com. He and Diane live in Cypress Texas and enjoy visiting their grandchildren who live in the United States and Germany. He graduated from Concordia Theological Seminary in 1979, and earned a Doctor of Ministry degree from Fuller Theological Seminary in 1991. Diane, his wife, is now retired from PLI (PLIleadership.org). They have offered presentations on Marriage and Ministry Partnership, Leadership, Changing Your Congregation’s Culture, and Missional Living. They look are working with PLI International training pastors and wives of the ELVD Diocese of the Lutheran Church of Tanzania. David’s personal mission statement is “Leading people to realize Jesus’ calling and plans for their lives.”

And yet there is a promise

Matthew 10:34-42 (ESV)

[Jesus says,] “Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. 35 For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. 36 And a person’s enemies will be those of his own household. 37 Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. 38 And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 39 Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.

40 “Whoever receives you receives me, and whoever receives me receives him who sent me. 41 The one who receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and the one who receives a righteous person because he is a righteous person will receive a righteous person’s reward. 42 And whoever gives one of these little ones even a cup of cold water because he is a disciple, truly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward.”

"Steeple of Immanuel Lutheran Church, Tilsit, MO" © 2010 David Bahn
“Steeple of Immanuel Lutheran Church, Tilsit, MO” © 2010 David Bahn

These words of Jesus in Matthew 10 are some of his so-called “hard sayings”. He seems to challenge us at every turn. Lose life. A sword, not peace. Love Jesus more than son or daughter. We may even wonder whether we really ought to do these things. How much more difficult are they actually to do!

But Jesus’ challenges are not for the sake of putting us off, nor are they mere rhetorical devices. Jesus is quite serious about what it means to be his disciple. That’s because he is quite serious about providing a way for us to live under his reign in our hearts.

My uncle served with General George Patton in WWII. He told us once about the day Patton told the men to cross a river. They were stymied and couldn’t figure out how to do it. Patton, according to my uncle, jumped in the river, swam across and proceeded to yell at his men from the other side to get over there. (He didn’t go into detail about the language Patton used!)

Patton learned that from Jesus if he studied Jesus’ life at all. Jesus will not ask us to go anywhere he is not willing to go, or anywhere he has not already gone. He literally did give up his life for the sake of the Gospel. He did stand in the midst of the fiercest battle ever waged: righteousness against evil, God against Satan, life versus death. And Jesus won the victory.

Jesus’ promises are all the more real because he did step into the fray for us. He has won an eternal victory. When he calls us to follow him, we can do so knowing that there are rewards (even for giving a cup of water to a child!) and promises that have been secured by his victory over sin, Satan, and death. Hard words? Indeed. And yet there is a promise.

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