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.”

Good Company and Important Appointments

John 15:12-17

This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. These things I command you, so that you will love one another.

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Two easily overlooked Old Testament allusions are found in these few words of Jesus. The first is in the word friends. Jesus calls his disciples friends. From the standpoint of friendship alone this is important. But consider that only Abraham, and Moses (and he only by implication) are called friends of God in the Old Testament. Imagine being put into the same category of the father of the Jewish nation, and the hero of the exodus from Egypt! That’s just what Jesus did when he called them his friends.
The twelve apostles went on to take their place in the story of God as the foundation of the New Testament church. We read about their lives and are shaped by their writings and teachings even today.
The other allusion is to the appointment of Abraham (Gn 17:5; cp. Rm 4:17), the ordination of Levites (Nm 8:10), and Moses’ commissioning of Joshua (Nm 27:18). These guys are being set aside for some important work. Being linked with Abraham is a major honor. But it also implies a focus of work and a specific task. They are not just hanging out together with Jesus. He has a calling for them to take a role in the shaping of the New Testament Church.
We may quickly dismiss any claim to be on the same level as the twelve (we’re not called to establish the church or shape her witness). We must not, however, ignore Jesus’ call to bear fruit, dismiss Jesus’ identification of us as his friends, or lose sight of Jesus’ purposes in calling us to faith. We are in good company with all who follow Jesus and have important appointments to keep.

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