-
Stoop So Low
During my current study of the Gospel of John, attention has been brought to the situation at the Last Supper where Jesus washes the disciples’ feet.
Being mindful that the author was retelling these stories some 40-50 years after the fact, and that he provides the special privilege of seeing and explaining to us both the practical and the spiritual implications of this and other events to which he testifies.
We’ve undoubtedly heard this event woven into at least one pastoral message at some point. But I’d like to share a couple of details that may have gone a little below the radar.
-
The Briefing
Jesus, the Man
While Jesus was unquestionably “fully human” and “fully God”, we must recognize that being fully human did, in fact, bring significant limitations. While Jesus was clearly connected to God, it was also a requirement of his humanity to be disconnected from God at the same time.
Jesus received his power from the Father, but Jesus admitted that there were things the Father knew that were hidden from the Son:
“But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.”
Mark 13:32 While in human form, Jesus was not the Father, and had the requirement of consulting with God throughout the day, often late at night or early each morning in prayer. His mission was his ministry, to proclaim the Good News, to seek and save the lost, and to train others to lead the church when he was gone.
Luke 4:42-43, Luke 5:31-32 It is this example of prayer
Luke 5:16 and, most importantly, the reason for prayer, that concerns us.We see Jesus’ ministry take him from here to there, but he was not everywhere! We see his human limitations at work. He never transported himself nor his friends to other places, but used his human abilities to conduct his ministry of teaching, serving, training, and healing.
-
Jesus, Rescue Me!
How many times has Jesus called out to me and asked me to climb out of the boat? And how many of those times he asked, did I? But in the times I did, I was amazed at how easily I could do things I didn’t think I could do; things I could only do with Jesus leading. He makes me bold, and gives me the power to do such great things.
But too often, when I stop moving towards Jesus, I am given the opportunity to look around and see the reality of the world around me, and the waves seem so much higher than they did before. One moment I am in awe of His love and power, and I feel invincible and unstoppable because He is there, walking by my side or walking ahead and showing me the way. But just for a moment, I take my eyes off Jesus, and the waves consume me. I sink into what I see as reality, and turn off his power like a switch.
-
Holding On
“Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it.”
Mark 8:34-35 A number years ago, it was easy. Everything I thought I knew had been wrong, and Jesus showed me—gave me—a new way: His way.
It made so much sense, and life seemed simpler then. The kids were young with minimal activities, and I had just discovered God’s awesome power and love.
So I was “all in” in those days. Whatever God asked through his Word or the Church, I didn’t question, regardless of the challenge. I just acted in faith. Some may call that “passion” or “zeal”. Others may have called it naïveté.
But whatever, it was real and powerful, and I was given the strength and confidence to make big changes in my own life, and receive every blessing that came my way, because my life was no longer my own. I had become God-serving, no longer self-serving as I’d once been.
-
The Spirit of Choice
“The acts of the sinful nature are obvious . . .
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.”
Galatians 5:19, 22-23 Have you ever wondered why you never seem to have an abundance of the aforementioned “fruits?” Why do we find that these promised blessings are always just out of reach, while we continue to struggle with that ol’ sinful nature, never quite seeming to grasp all of that wonderful fruit?
They are sometimes referred to as the “gifts” of the Spirit, but, while this is somewhat true
Hebrews 2:4 , that’s not the context of what Paul has written in the text we see above. In the current context, Paul is emphasizing the clear differences of how we “chose” to live when we were slaves to sin, in contrast to the choices available to us now with the Spirit of God as our master. -
The Truth About Independence
Let me start by sharing an observation. And that’s that children seek not independence, but “the freedom to act according to emotion without fear of consequence.”
As adults, given the gifts of increasing responsibility, we know that independence is a great responsibility. As adults, not as children in grown-up bodies, we understand that we have established “the responsibility to act in accordance with the law with fear and consequence.”
Yay Independence! Some days, we’d really rather someone just told us what to do for awhile . . .
Still, it is often difficult to understand that independence is not the requirement to handle all your problems on your own, or answer all the questions by yourself. Being independent does not mean you must act alone.
-
Run Free
“I run in the path of your commands, for you have set my heart free.”
Psalm 119:32 So many demand freedom, but don’t understand its meaning. Freedom means to be at “liberty rather than in confinement or under physical restraint; exemption from external control, interference, regulation; the power to determine action without restraint.” — Dictionary.com
When the founding fathers spoke of freedom, and carved it into parchment, their freedom was from the control, interference and regulation of the throne of England. They were not slaves, but already free men, who wanted to govern their own lives and families. But in their success, they formed a government that now intrudes in the lives of its citizens. But whose fault is that?
All of us. Sin and brokenness. The bastardization of the idea of freedom, and the notion that freedom is really the power or right to live without boundaries or consequences.
-
Blood, Sweat and Tears
“And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.”
Luke 22:44 While this passage is often misquoted or represented as “his sweat became drops of blood…”, as always, we can allow the Word of God to represent himself perfectly. In every translation, it reads “like” or “as” or “as it were” drops of blood..
But while the idea of Jesus actually sweating blood may be compelling to some, it makes no physical sense (it would indicate an extreme medical condition) and detracts from the understanding of what Jesus was going through.
In reading, and studying, John Eldredge’s The Beautiful Outlaw, one can really see Jesus for who he is, the Son of God alive in a human body. While wholly God, he intentionally bound himself in the confines of a young man’s body, one that came with the whole package of humanity; a package that came with the same ingredients as the rest of us.
-
God, How Do You Know That I Love You?
Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.
James 1:22-25 I love God. I tell him this regularly. I find myself often overcome with thanksgiving and praise, and talk a great deal about what I’m willing to do for him. But lately, I find myself growing concerned with how I love him.
How does he know? What evidence is there in my life of my love and commitment to his ways and his words? I’ve heard the discussionary question asked, “If you were arrested and sent to court for being a disciple of Jesus, would there be enough evidence to convict you?”
-
As the Arrow Flies
The term “sin” has often been commonly related to an archaic archery term that meant to miss the mark (or target). But this term is more effectively translated as falling short of the target.
However, when we casualize sin in this way, we blind ourselves to the truth of how God defines sin. It is certainly written in that “all have sinned and fall short of God’s glorious standard
Romans 3:23 ,” and must realize that nobody who has ever lived, or will live, apart from Jesus, did so without sin. But there’s more to the context of this passage than just a passing reference.But while “falling short” does match the archery term in the same way, this really just becomes analagous to saying “nobody’s perfect.” Admitting that you are not Jesus is certainly no revelation. But it’s more important to understand that sin is, in fact, the practice of aiming everywhere but the target.
