(John 13:3-11)
Peter is just so "Peter". He is often bold, bossy, boisterous, and even belligerant. Yet, his loud, bold questioning of Jesus blows open the windows of our minds (and his,too!) to the deeper meaning of the words and actions of Jesus.
On this particular night, after eating a meal with his closest friends and followers, Jesus removed His outer garment, wrapped a towel about his waist, and then filled a basin with water. Without explanation, he approached each disciple one at a time, and knelt before them, and washed their tired and dusty feet.
I can almost hear the outrage in Peter's voice, as Jesus approached him with the basin of water. The room was silent except for the gentle swish of the water, and the water dripping from the towel into the pottery basin. Suddenly Peter speaks, breaking the silence, "You will NEVER wash my feet!"
His startling words seemed to revergerate throughout the once still room. The other disciples may have wondered to themselves how Peter could question the Master in this manner. Although the others accepted the servant action of Jesus toward them without comment or question, Peter would not. He refused to allow Jesus, His Master, to humble Himself before him! "Wash my feet, You will not!"
Such a strong statement required an equally powerful response, one that would get the attention of Peter away from himself, and one that would compel Peter to look at the relationship he had with his Master, Jesus Christ. And so Jesus answered His friend's bold proclamation with His own dramatic statement. "If I do not wash you, you have no part with me."
This statement by Jesus must have caught Peter off guard. The last thing that Peter desired was to lose his friendship with his dear friend, Jesus. Peter was so strong in his love for Jesus, that later that same evening, Peter would declare that he would be willing to even die for Him. So, Peter had no choice but to submit to Jesus' desire to wash his feet. However, once again Peter went to an extreme in his submission. "Don't just wash my feet; wash my hands and head, too!"
Jesus was so right when moments earlier He had told Peter that "what I am doing, you do not understand now." Jesus had to help him understand that he was not in need of a bath as Peter suggested now, because Peter was already clean. According to the custom of the day, once a person had bathed, he was clean and only needed to wash off the daily dust from his feet.
Jesus wanted Peter to understand that just as he was already clean and only needed to wash his feet, he was also spiritually clean and only needed a cleansing from the daily dust of sin collected from his walk in the world. Only the Master, Jesus, could wash that kind of dust away. With those words spoken, the room was once again silent, this time filled with a quiet understand, as the Master gently washed Peter's feet. Jesus also knew in His heart that His precious ones would have great difficulty accepting the gift of His ultimate act of humility and shame that awaited Him on a cruel cross, unless they could receive this small act of humility now.
In the hours and days ahead, this was a lesson that Peter would need to know, as he faced some of his darkest moments of failure in living for and following his Master. He would desperately need the tender care of his Master. He would need His loving touch of forgiveness and cleansing. The daily dust and dirt of doubt, disappointment and denial would need to be washed from his feet.
Once we have come into Christ, we have become a new creature, we have been cleansed from sin by the blood of Jesus, and we no longer need another spiritual bath. Like Peter, what we also need is that daily cleansing of our dusty feet, so that we can continue to walk in close fellowship with Him. Only Jesus could do that for Peter. Only Jesus can do that for any of us.
Will you allow Him to wash your dusty feet?
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Why Bother?
(Luke 17:11-19)
We've all felt it and had it happen to us. We do something really nice for someone, something that may be big, or even small, and have it ignored by the recipient. The word of thanks is not given, nor a card sent in the mail. We may steam, do that slow burn thing, have a few not so nice thoughts about that ungrateful person, or complain around the table with a few friends who have not violated the rule of expressing appropriate thanks for kind things done. Sometimes we are so taken back by the lack of gratitude that we contemplate just becoming less giving, and keeping our kindness to ourselves from now on. Perhaps our random acts of kindness, and those acts that are carefully thought out and planned, just are not as meaningful as we thought in our minds. So, why bother when people are so ungrateful?
Perhaps we shouldn't call it a scientific survey, but the numbers are very revealing. Would it surprise you that it has been shown that 9 out of 10 people are ungrateful? That number may astound you. Even though you know that many people have been ungrateful to you for favors and kindnesses shown, you still can remember many who have shown gratitude. That number may seem too high to you, yet you are still tempted at times to keep your kindness to yourself, and justifiably so!
Can you even imagine going beyond the call of duty to help someone, knowing ahead of time, that he will walk away after getting a great blessing from you, without even a slight nod of the head, or a quick "thank you"? Certainly not!
Throughout the wilderness, horrifying cries of pain could be heard. Behind those cries were 10 deformed faces, and withering body parts. Condemned to cold winds and soaking rain, with no family or protective cover, 10 men wandered and wondered. They wondered no longer about their future, but instead hoped for an end. Then, somehow, they heard about a Healer. Rumors spread even among the desolate hills and the rock. He would be their last hope. If only they could get close enough. If only they were allowed to approach Him for just a glance, or a word from the Healer. It would be their last and only chance.
And then they heard that He was close by. Perhaps it was the sound of the happy crowd that alerted them. He was close, and closer still. But will He be close enough? Jesus was walking in the village, but they stood huddled outside that village, as required by the Law of Moses. Somehow they must get His attention. So with desperate and pleading voices, from hollow faces, they hollered above the joyful noise of the crowd. They begged for mercy from the One they now claimed as their Master. Jesus heard their voices and their pleas. His compassionate eyes fell upon their diseased bodies. Then He simply instructed them to show themselves to the priests, according to the Laws of Moses. The priests will be the ones to declare them clean. As they went according to His word, they were healed.
Great joy must have filled their hearts! As they ran to see the priests, they must have looked at one another, and been a mirror to each other. They each saw that their skins were healed and their sunken cheeks full and flushed! Upon hearing the priests declare them clean, each of the 10 went his way. Ten lepers healed, ten lepers given their lives back, ten lepers restored to their families and friends, ten men, no longer lepers, allowed to sleep in comfort and warmth that night. But first, a word of thanks to the Great Healer, Master Jesus, must be given.
But of those ten, how many returned to fall at the feet of Jesus, to glorify God for the miracle that had just happened in their life? Only one returned; one out of ten. We shake our heads in disbelief. How could that be? Where were the other nine? Jesus asks the same question out loud.
Although Jesus knew all things, He did not try to explain or condemn the behavior of the nine. In fact, before He healed those ten men, He already knew that only one would return to give thanks. He knew this, yet He stilled preformed His work of mercy for all ten.
And He continued on working and giving. He continued His works of mercy, kindness and love. He continued to preach of the coming Kingdom. He continued to bless little children. He continued to counsel the young. He gave sight to the blind. He continued to eat with sinners. And He continued on His journey to Jerusalem where He would make a final gift of incredible mercy to an ungrateful world. He continued on, not for the thanks, but because He loved.
We've all felt it and had it happen to us. We do something really nice for someone, something that may be big, or even small, and have it ignored by the recipient. The word of thanks is not given, nor a card sent in the mail. We may steam, do that slow burn thing, have a few not so nice thoughts about that ungrateful person, or complain around the table with a few friends who have not violated the rule of expressing appropriate thanks for kind things done. Sometimes we are so taken back by the lack of gratitude that we contemplate just becoming less giving, and keeping our kindness to ourselves from now on. Perhaps our random acts of kindness, and those acts that are carefully thought out and planned, just are not as meaningful as we thought in our minds. So, why bother when people are so ungrateful?
Perhaps we shouldn't call it a scientific survey, but the numbers are very revealing. Would it surprise you that it has been shown that 9 out of 10 people are ungrateful? That number may astound you. Even though you know that many people have been ungrateful to you for favors and kindnesses shown, you still can remember many who have shown gratitude. That number may seem too high to you, yet you are still tempted at times to keep your kindness to yourself, and justifiably so!
Can you even imagine going beyond the call of duty to help someone, knowing ahead of time, that he will walk away after getting a great blessing from you, without even a slight nod of the head, or a quick "thank you"? Certainly not!
Throughout the wilderness, horrifying cries of pain could be heard. Behind those cries were 10 deformed faces, and withering body parts. Condemned to cold winds and soaking rain, with no family or protective cover, 10 men wandered and wondered. They wondered no longer about their future, but instead hoped for an end. Then, somehow, they heard about a Healer. Rumors spread even among the desolate hills and the rock. He would be their last hope. If only they could get close enough. If only they were allowed to approach Him for just a glance, or a word from the Healer. It would be their last and only chance.
And then they heard that He was close by. Perhaps it was the sound of the happy crowd that alerted them. He was close, and closer still. But will He be close enough? Jesus was walking in the village, but they stood huddled outside that village, as required by the Law of Moses. Somehow they must get His attention. So with desperate and pleading voices, from hollow faces, they hollered above the joyful noise of the crowd. They begged for mercy from the One they now claimed as their Master. Jesus heard their voices and their pleas. His compassionate eyes fell upon their diseased bodies. Then He simply instructed them to show themselves to the priests, according to the Laws of Moses. The priests will be the ones to declare them clean. As they went according to His word, they were healed.
Great joy must have filled their hearts! As they ran to see the priests, they must have looked at one another, and been a mirror to each other. They each saw that their skins were healed and their sunken cheeks full and flushed! Upon hearing the priests declare them clean, each of the 10 went his way. Ten lepers healed, ten lepers given their lives back, ten lepers restored to their families and friends, ten men, no longer lepers, allowed to sleep in comfort and warmth that night. But first, a word of thanks to the Great Healer, Master Jesus, must be given.
But of those ten, how many returned to fall at the feet of Jesus, to glorify God for the miracle that had just happened in their life? Only one returned; one out of ten. We shake our heads in disbelief. How could that be? Where were the other nine? Jesus asks the same question out loud.
Although Jesus knew all things, He did not try to explain or condemn the behavior of the nine. In fact, before He healed those ten men, He already knew that only one would return to give thanks. He knew this, yet He stilled preformed His work of mercy for all ten.
And He continued on working and giving. He continued His works of mercy, kindness and love. He continued to preach of the coming Kingdom. He continued to bless little children. He continued to counsel the young. He gave sight to the blind. He continued to eat with sinners. And He continued on His journey to Jerusalem where He would make a final gift of incredible mercy to an ungrateful world. He continued on, not for the thanks, but because He loved.
Sunday, December 13, 2009
Go Climb a Tree
(Luke 19:1-10)
Are you feeling the tug and pull of life, are you getting battered and bruised by the crush of life?
Are you missing out on the really important stuff, because of all the little pressing stuff?
Are you barely moving along in the stream of life because you feel as though you are going up stream rather than going with the flow? Are you using all the strength that you have to battle the crashing waves?
STRESS. Stress hits us all like a ton of bricks at times, or sometimes sneaks up on us almost unawares. It can make us feel like a rusty old cog of the wheel--neglected, screaming, squeaking for some oil.
So, what can you do? Climb a tree. Yep! That's right! Climb a tree. Doesn't matter whether it is an apple tree, oak tree, a plum tree, or a sycamore tree, just find a tree. Did the sycamore tree remind you of anyone? Do you remember the little song you sang as a child about a wee little man? Do you remember the little guy, literally caught in the hustle and bustle, the push and the shove, the stampede of life? He tried to fight his way through the pressing mob, but to no avail. So, instead, he climbed a tree to get up above all of it. He was little more than a cog, but he knew he was important enough to need some oil. He knew he needed to see Jesus. To do that, he had to get out of the crowd and out of the push and shove of life. That was the only way for him to see Jesus. It was then, when little Zacheaus escaped the crush of the crowd and of life, that he also knew Jesus saw him.
It's not easy to climb a tree. It takes effort. But what a view from up there. The view from there makes all the difference. It gives you a different perspective. You can see what really is going on. Suddenly, all that pressing little stuff really does look little. Clinging to that vine, Zacheaus saw "what" was really important in life, and that "what" was Jesus.
Jesus did the same thing. Whenever the crowd pressed Jesus, He departed for a quiet place alone. He got out of the throng. Why? you might ask. Afterall, that throng was composed of the very people He was sent to seek and save. So why depart? Why sneak off? Just like Zacheaus he needed to get out of the hustle and bustle, and focus on God. He knew that the only way He could truly see the needs of each person, was away from the crowd, and through the eyes of God.
So, go ahead, and find your tree. Take time to claim a tree, a garden, a closet, or a mountain top. Just be alone with God. Sink into His arms and rest, relax, and be refreshed.
Are you feeling the tug and pull of life, are you getting battered and bruised by the crush of life?
Are you missing out on the really important stuff, because of all the little pressing stuff?
Are you barely moving along in the stream of life because you feel as though you are going up stream rather than going with the flow? Are you using all the strength that you have to battle the crashing waves?
STRESS. Stress hits us all like a ton of bricks at times, or sometimes sneaks up on us almost unawares. It can make us feel like a rusty old cog of the wheel--neglected, screaming, squeaking for some oil.
So, what can you do? Climb a tree. Yep! That's right! Climb a tree. Doesn't matter whether it is an apple tree, oak tree, a plum tree, or a sycamore tree, just find a tree. Did the sycamore tree remind you of anyone? Do you remember the little song you sang as a child about a wee little man? Do you remember the little guy, literally caught in the hustle and bustle, the push and the shove, the stampede of life? He tried to fight his way through the pressing mob, but to no avail. So, instead, he climbed a tree to get up above all of it. He was little more than a cog, but he knew he was important enough to need some oil. He knew he needed to see Jesus. To do that, he had to get out of the crowd and out of the push and shove of life. That was the only way for him to see Jesus. It was then, when little Zacheaus escaped the crush of the crowd and of life, that he also knew Jesus saw him.
It's not easy to climb a tree. It takes effort. But what a view from up there. The view from there makes all the difference. It gives you a different perspective. You can see what really is going on. Suddenly, all that pressing little stuff really does look little. Clinging to that vine, Zacheaus saw "what" was really important in life, and that "what" was Jesus.
Jesus did the same thing. Whenever the crowd pressed Jesus, He departed for a quiet place alone. He got out of the throng. Why? you might ask. Afterall, that throng was composed of the very people He was sent to seek and save. So why depart? Why sneak off? Just like Zacheaus he needed to get out of the hustle and bustle, and focus on God. He knew that the only way He could truly see the needs of each person, was away from the crowd, and through the eyes of God.
So, go ahead, and find your tree. Take time to claim a tree, a garden, a closet, or a mountain top. Just be alone with God. Sink into His arms and rest, relax, and be refreshed.
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