The Heart Matters

Star Trek, quite possibly the pre-summer blockbuster of the year, at least record sales indicate as it opened with $75.2 million in weekend ticket sales, has more to offer viewers than breath taking chills and thrills. It offers depth – on a spiritual level.

New Life to an Dying Franchise

Though fans, both old and new, are clamoring about the non-stop action, the special effects, and the snappy dialogue, as well as drooling over the actors and actresses who make up the smoking-hot, young cast, there’s just something about Kirk and Spock that demands attention (and it has nothing to do with how delicious they are in this film). This long awaited “reboot” has wet the appetite of a new generation of potential fans. The town is all abuzz with the talk of Star Trek.

(Warning: contains some small spoilers.)

Why all this talk? What is the huge draw for old and new fans? Why the renewed interest in a franchise that has been dying a slow and painful death for years?

The answer, in a word, is friendship. Although the timeline of the Star Trek universe has been altered through a single cataclysmic event, and what “has been” may now not be, destiny pulls the “original crew” together as Starfleet cadets. In spite of odds against it, these youths begin to form unexpected yet amazing friendships.

The tumultuous friendship between Kirk and Spock stands paramount from them all. Spock and Kirk are at odds before they even meet, as Kirk has cheated during a test simulation which Spock developed and programmed himself. A brash and reckless Kirk continually creates disorder and wrecks havoc in the life of the emotionally repressed (not to mention control freak) Spock. This tension builds throughout the rest of the movie. They are at odds. It seems that they will never build the friendship that existed in the alternate timeline.

This point is amplified in a scene where young Captain Spock strands cadet Kirk on a desolate, icy moon. There Kirk encounters an old Vulcan who just happens to be the original timeline Spock, wisened through time and space.

Old Spock: “Kirk, how did you find me?”

Young Kirk: “Whoa…How did you know my name?”

Old Spock: “I have been and always shall be your friend…”

Herein lies the true climax of the the movie. The audience could have leapt to its feet, for this friendship was what has attracted so many people to Star Trek for generations. It is friendship that will draw and keep a new generation of fans. It was this same friendship that made Star Trek 2: The Wrath of Khan, a fan favorite.

Defining moment of a friendship

Time worn Spock had an agenda when he spoke with this “other” James Kirk. His purpose was not to undo whatever had altered time, but rather to ensure that Kirk and Spock found one another in this universe, not as rivals nor as obstacles to be overcome, but rather as friends. Old Spock knew that they needed one another.

As a Christian, I immediately thought of the Body of Christ. In the Body of Christ we need one another. Each member of the Enterprise crew had been strategically placed. Each cadet had a role to fulfill. Each cadet had duties which had been put forth before them. All that each member of Enterprise needed to do was walk in them. In short, each crew member had a place, a role, and a purpose set before him. Scotty was placed as engineer. Uhura was placed as the communications officer. McCoy, the doctor, as the tormented, walking conscience of the crew.

So too is it with the Body of Christ:

The human body has many parts, but the many parts make up one whole body. So it is with the body of Christ. Some of us are Jews, some are Gentiles,some are slaves, and some are free. But we have all been baptized into one body by one Spirit, and we all share the same Spirit. Yes, the body has many different parts, not just one part.  If the foot says, “I am not a part of the body because I am not a hand,” that does not make it any less a part of the body.  And if the ear says, “I am not part of the body because I am not an eye,” would that make it any less a part of the body? If the whole body were an eye, how would you hear? Or if your whole body were an ear, how would you smell anything?

1Corinthians 12:12-17

As I watched the movie unfold, it was apparent that each member depended on the other members of the Enterprise.  If one member faltered, then there were dire consequences. For instance, if Chekhov had not configured the transporter so that it could lock on moving objects, then Sulu and Kirk would have fallen to their deaths on the surface of Vulcan. I could expound on this matter ad nauseum.

As in the Body of Christ, each member - even a teenager - has a vital role.

In the Body of Christ, each member is placed, knit in love together. The crew of the Enterprise was not yet knit together in love. They had yet to be tested. They were building relationships. Before this diverse group of people could function well together, for the benefit of all, they had to learn how to love one another.

Paul understood this about the local church. He wrote about it in Colossians.

I want them to be encouraged and knit together by strong ties of love. Colossians 2:2

This was especially true of Spock and Kirk. If these two men were to ever grow together, being knit together in love, Kirk had to violate Spock’s rules. Kirk had to penetrate Spock’s hard heart, so that trust could be built. The barriers – the willful walls, had to come tumbling down.

The scene where Kirk moves Spock to violence closely parallels the scene where school-aged Spock beats up the bullies who taunt him about his human mother and traitor father. All of Spock’s rage surfaces, an act which disqualifies him as able to command Enterprise. What is a seeming defeat for Spock and a victory for Kirk is actually a victory for all.

Sometimes friendship needs some conflict

Kirk had the skills and character which made him a more suitable captain than regulation bound Spock, while Spock complemented Kirk, bringing reason and stability to the emotion-driven man.

So the movie ends with the youthful Kirk and Spock learning to appreciate one another. Each member of Enterprise was strategically placed while growing closer in purpose – becoming unified. Though this crew has a lot to learn about each other, the viewer is left with a sense of confidence that they will somehow become the close knit – dare I say even loving – crew found in the alternate timeline. The question of how they become unified in love is all that lies open to ponder.

As for the church, how do we plan to maintain the unity given through the Spirit for “we have all been baptized into one body by one Spirit, and we all share the same Spirit“?

I think that the answer lies in Ephesians 3:16-19. Unity is maintained through dependence on the power of the Spirit.

I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.

Perhaps Spock should have said it this way:

“Love long (wide, high and deep) and prosper.”

Just a thought. Perhaps we as a church have something to learn from this extended, modern parable.

Additional Information

After reading the articles found on Katey’s Corner concerning the four temperaments, I decided to read the books that she recommended. She suggested these books: O. Hallesby’s Temperament and the Christian Faith and LaHaye’s Spirit-Controlled Temperament. Both of these books are no longer in print, but I found gently used copies at Half.com for a reasonable price. I especially enjoyed reading LaHaye’s book as he addresses “how to be filled with the Spirit and to walk with the Spirit.” These topics were weighing heavily on my mind. I had just returned from a retreat where the work of the Holy Spirit and the work of Christ was discussed as pertaining to the growth of the church. It is the work of Christ to grow the church and this is accomplished through Spirit-filled and Spirit-lead Christian workers.  This is some of what LaHaye had to say on the subject:

So what should someone expect who is filled with the Spirit?

Foremost, he should display the traits listed in Galatians 5:22-23:

But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!

Second, he should have a joyful, thanksgiving heart and a submissive spirit as in Ephesians 5:18-21:

Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, and making music to the Lord in your hearts. And give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. And further, submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.

The same results flow out of a Word-filled life as found in Colossians 3:16-18:

Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts. And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father.  Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting for those who belong to the Lord.

Third, the Holy Spirit empowers us to witness (Acts 1:8):

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.

Finally, the Holy Spirit will glorify Christ (John 16:13-14):

When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own but will tell you what he has heard. He will tell you about the future. He will bring me glory by telling you whatever he receives from me.

The Holy Spirit does not glorify Himself, but Christ. LaHaye points out that anytime anyone other than Christ receives the glory you can be certain that is was not accomplished under the power and guidance of the Holy Spirit.

How To Be Filled With The Holy Spirit?

Look back at Ephesians 5:18. Paul uses the imperative form of the Greek verb meaning “to be filled.” We are commanded to be filled with the Holy Spirit; this is not an option for the disciplined Christian. God makes it possible for His children to fulfill his commandments. LaHaye gives us five steps (which he calls “simple”) to be filled with the Holy Spirit.

• Self examination. (Acts 20:28 and 1Corinthians 11:28)

Acts 20:28 So guard yourselves and God’s people. Feed and shepherd God’s flock—his church, purchased with his own blood—over which the Holy Spirit has appointed you as elders.

1Corinthians 11:28 That is why you should examine yourself before eating the bread and drinking the cup.

This examination is not to see how well you measure up to your brothers and sisters in service and character, but rather to determine if the fruit of the Spirit is evident in your life.  If not, that believer needs to seek the source of that – namely what sin is holding him back from bearing fruit.

• Confession of all known sin. (1John 1:9)

But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.

This confession will restore you in a right standing before the Lord and He will fill us as the Spirit fills cleansed vessels.

• Submit yourselves completely to God. (Romans 6:11-13)

So you also should consider yourselves to be dead to the power of sin and alive to God through Christ Jesus. Do not let sin control the way you live; do not give in to sinful desires. Do not let any part of your body become an instrument of evil to serve sin. Instead, give yourselves completely to God, for you were dead, but now you have new life. So use your whole body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God.

To be used by God one must first make himself available. How God uses someone is not determined or dependent upon that person’s abilities. If there is something that you are unwilling to do with your life, then you are holding out on God and this limits the Spirit. Also, resisting the Lord through rebellion is also stifles the filling of the Spirit. At Kadesh-barnea Israel hardened its heart and most were not permitted to enter into the Promised Land or the rest of the Lord. Where do you refuse to serve or to go?

• Ask to be filled with the Holy Spirit (Luke 11:13)

So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him.”

We never need to wait for the filling of the Spirit – all we need to do is ask for His filling.

• Believe that you are filled with the Holy Spirit and Thank Him for His filling! (Romans 14:23 and 1 Thessalonians 5:18)

Romans 14:23 But he who doubts is condemned if he eats, because his eating is not from faith; and whatever is not from faith is sin.

1 Thessalonians 5:18 in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

Believe that you are indeed filled with the Spirit; do not doubt for this is unbelief and unbelief is sin. Do not wait for your feelings to align with what is true. If new believer had to wait for their feelings to align with the fact that they are saved then many or most would never be saved. We need to take Christ at His words in Matthew 25:35.

“Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away.”

Well, that about covers what LaHaye has to say about being filled with the Spirit. Later I will write about “walking in the Spirit.” Then, finally I will interact with this material as it pertains to being used by the Spirit and how the Spirit will grow Christ Church.  Well, that is at least what I shall attempt.

Additional Information