Slain in the Spirit

By Andrew Cannon

I wonder what you'll say when I'm gone. I wonder what my life amounts to now as I breathe your air. In the grand scheme of things, did my short years matter? Did I waste them trying to gain for myself by my own ambition? Was I too critical to have made a difference? Did I ever really grow into maturity as measured by the stature of Christ? Did my life bring unity or division? Did I spend too much time fighting my brothers and sisters? Was I adding to the noise when the community was divided?

Here, from the undertaker's carriage, I question the purpose of it all. For the first time, my eyes are opened.

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Slain in the Spirit is the result of a series of sermons through the book of Ephesians at Green Acres Baptist Church in Warner Robins, GA–reformatted to read like a book with more expository and doctrinal comments than the sermons had. To sum up the book in one sentence–God chose us unconditionally, so we choose one another unconditionally.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu.com
• Release date: Nov 28, 2023
• ISBN: 9781304862471

Book preview

Contents

Here Lies Andrew Paul Cannon

The Motive

Dry Bones

The True Memorare

Simple Faith

Kind Intentions

Meaning

Purposeful Marriage

The Purposeful Home

Don’t Look Up

Climbing Out of the Box

Here Lies Andrew Paul Cannon

… beloved father, friend, and pastor. His hobbies include writing, woodworking, and spending time with family. Here is a list of all the work he did for the Lord…

I wonder what you’ll say about me when I have fallen asleep.

As I write this, I am the age at which Jesus gave His life according to some (though I think it was more likely around the age of 37). I spent much of my 33 years focused on producing as much as I could. With a popular blog and the production of 2-3 books each year, I believed I affected the world for the kingdom of God. 30,000 annual readers visited my words and people bought them enough for me to continue publishing. I studied and studied and found great value in my knowledge. I always had something to do and no time to give up. Now, I pray that no one remembers what silly things I put on paper in my ignorance—but it was the American way. Jesus lived a much more obscure life than I did. Imagine that, God in the flesh never publishing a single document or achieving any notoriety at all until His fourth decade on the earth bodily. Yet, we think we are like Christ when we are recognized for doing more before we have understood the world.

I remember my prayers while in the university. God, please bless the work of my hands. Please make me a success. Please build up my ministry. I’m ready for the masses. I’m ready to advance Your kingdom. There is nothing wrong with zeal. Understand what I was asking God for, personal success. He gave it to a degree, enough for me to get a taste of slight fame as Christians all over the world began inviting me to speak to their congregations via Zoom and answer the difficult questions they had. I was even able to start a non-profit to train native church planters using technology so that we could do something better than send foreign missionaries into places that already had Christians. God gave me a taste of what I wanted…

Then He killed me.

As the dirt piled upon my sarcophagus, I heard the words of Christ in rhythm with the sounds of the shovels and clunks against the undertaker’s hand-hewn box, I served you by dying, and you claim to serve me by advancing yourself? Woe to me. Of course God had to put me down. I was challenging Him. I used Him, and my life looked nothing like His as I claimed to build His kingdom on the earth. How can anyone build the king’s kingdom if he is not like the king in doing so?

I have always had an entrepreneurial spirit. I think it can be healthy. I think the walk has more to do with our motivations than it does the outward action. While we only see what is on the outside, God sees our hearts. Mine was not well.

From my own coffin, I observe the world in motion. I do not say that I observe religion or the church because I believe this problem one of society as a whole—the same society that raised an entitled brat like me. I look at the injustice and disunity. I see the insatiable need to be correct. I see the mistreatment and the hateful reactions as if  returning hate for hate ever accomplished anything good. From my hole in the ground, things seem a little clearer. No one can hear me past the walnut grains. After all this time and energy, doctrine was never that divisive—pride was.

What could possibly be accomplished by killing my pride? Why would God stand against me, and in a moment, put me in the ground? How can I be happy, blessed, content, or find meaning now?

The Motive

In examining any crime scene and trying to determine the identity of a killer, a suspect’s means, motive, and opportunity are evaluated. I already know who killed me. It was God. I could be bitter. I had a lot going for me. By my own ability to logisticize, I was going to build an empire. God took everything from me. The church didn’t work out for what I wanted—but is that really the purpose of the church? Before calling God a murderer, though, it is probably best to consider His motive. We get too caught up sometimes because of our entitlement to life. I find great encouragement and solace in the Scriptures, even from the grave. I find that they usually perfectly inform my experiences in ways I cannot see from the midst of the moment. I think, particularly, of Ephesians—a short letter in the New Testament.

The Apostle, Paul, wrote Ephesians from prison in AD 60-62 to the saints. While the letter certainly made it to Ephesus, it may have simply been written to the saints, because at Ephesus is missing from three important early manuscripts. The tone of Ephesians is more generic than Paul’s other letters. The letter is about conversion, and what makes a true Christian different from worldly people.

Interesting…

In it, Paul juxtaposes the old and new man in Christ. We are no longer what we were. Thus, we behave differently than worldly people—particularly in relationship to one another. This letter is about why Christian unity is possible and achievable. It means much for our world today—where there exists a multitude of people all arguing against one another and analyzing other viewpoints with their agendas to disprove anything they disagree with. Such a way, I think, is a worldly religious dogma that disguises itself as somehow intelligent even though it benefits no one. Scripture offers a different, more edifying way—the way of God.

In Ephesians 1:1-6, Paul names himself as the author of the letter. He claims to be an apostle (or missionary) of Jesus by God’s will and not his own (cf. Acts 9:1ff). He writes to the saints. Remember, who are at Ephesus may not have been in the autographical letter. This letter is for people who are faithful in Christ Jesus. It is for Christians. Paul proclaims grace upon Christians from God and blesses God as the Father of our Lord, Jesus Christ. The Father has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, I think referring to the eternal and everlasting life we receive consequent the cross. God chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world. His choosing did not