Father and Son

Posted on by korgrocker

“Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me. If you had really known me, you would know who my Father is. From now on, you do know him and have seen him!” Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father, and we will be satisfied.””
John 14:6-8 NLT

How many times have we looked at a man and a boy, perhaps playing together, kicking a ball around. And then we’re struck by the similarities between them. The same nose, or an identical laugh. Mannerisms that show those around them that they are related. An expression often applied to someone is that they are a “chip off the old block”, meaning that a man is behaving in a way similar to his father, or a woman to her mother. We of course, in these enlightened days, know all about genetics and hereditary factors and understand the process, well, the scientists think they do. Such parent/child similarities can be very positive but there are also negatives, in that a child can take on their parents’ bad characteristics as well. 

There are people who blame their proclivities to sin on their parents, or grandparents. And some Christians would perhaps feel relieved of personal responsibilities when they read Exodus 20:5, “You must not bow down to them or worship them, for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God who will not tolerate your affection for any other gods. I lay the sins of the parents upon their children; the entire family is affected—even children in the third and fourth generations of those who reject me“. A generational curse can be used as an excuse. But if we dig deeper we find that this was a specific warning from God to the nation of Israel over idolatry and in any case, we know that sinful behaviour is dealt with through repentance. Blaming our parents for our sin is no excuse before God. Paul wrote in Ephesians 4:21-24, “Since you have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from him, throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy”. 

Well, Jesus said that by knowing Him, His disciples would know His Father in Heaven. One distinction between Jesus and any other child is that there were no bad traits. There was no sin in Jesus that could then be attributed to Father God Himself. We of course know and believe that God is good. And that goodness was, and is, displayed through His Son Jesus. Everything Jesus did was 100% in line with His Father’s wishes, and God’s goodness and mercy was displayed everywhere Jesus went. In John 10:32, we read, “Jesus said, “At my Father’s direction I have done many good works. For which one are you going to stone me”“? There were of course times when Jesus confronted and exposed the sinful attitudes and behaviour of some He encountered, particularly the Pharisees. But His anger with them was never sinful. 

We pilgrims are children of God. So, do we display the characteristics of our Heavenly Father? Would someone observing us see anything of God in us? Paul wrote, “For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, “Abba, Father.” For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children. And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering” (Romans 8:14-17). In 1 John 3:9 we read, “Those who have been born into God’s family do not make a practice of sinning, because God’s life is in them. So they can’t keep on sinning, because they are children of God”. And a last word from Romans 8:29, “For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters”.

Do people know by the way we live and what we say and do, that we are children of God? And do they see Jesus, our elder Brother, in our family traits? Hmmm…

Father God. We do indeed call out “Abba, Father” because that is who You are. We praise You today. Amen.

Jesus is the Life

Posted on by korgrocker

“Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.”
John 14:6 NLT

We have looked at the two previous statements that Jesus made about Himself – “I am the Way”  “I am the Truth”, and we now consider the last, “I am the Life”. We note, that of the seven “I am” statements made by Jesus and recorded in John’s Gospel, five of them refer to “life”. 

In John 6:35 we read, “Jesus replied, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry again. Whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.”” Obviously, this reference to “life” is about spiritual life, and the “bread” to which Jesus refers is spiritual food. A person’s spirit has to be fed and the only true and valid “food” is Jesus. Many attempts are made to substitute this “food” with other sources but they never last or satisfy for long. So, there will be some who focus on cerebral activities such as mindfulness or yoga. Others might look for “food” in a beer glass or sex or drugs. But in the end only Jesus has the real “food” that satisfies the yearnings of our souls. It was interesting that Jesus, on two occasions, supernaturally and miraculously fed a large number of people with no more than someone’s packed lunch, one that included the staple diet of the day, bread. By so doing, He demonstrated for all time that He had the power to supply man’s physical needs, and, by inference, their spiritual needs as well. 

Then we read Jesus’ words in John 10:11, “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd sacrifices his life for the sheep.” As we know, Jesus did in fact voluntarily lay down His life on the Cross at Calvary, but on the third day He rose from death, resurrected to prove that he had authority of life and death. “Life” in this context refers to physical life and we all know that one day our natural lives will come to an end. Jesus said, as recorded in Matthew 20:28, “For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many”. Jesus died to save many people, but in the process refused to save His own life, even though He had the power to do so. John 10:17-18, “The Father loves me because I sacrifice my life so I may take it back again. No one can take my life from me. I sacrifice it voluntarily. For I have the authority to lay it down when I want to and also to take it up again. For this is what my Father has commanded”. 

In a conversation with Martha (the sister of Lazarus), we read, “Jesus told her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying. Everyone who lives in me and believes in me will never ever die. Do you believe this, Martha?”” (John 11:25-26). And as we read further in John 11, we find that Jesus had the power to raise a man from the dead, even four days after he had been buried. 

The deliverance He was about to provide was not a political or social deliverance (which most of the Jews were seeking), but a true deliverance from a life of bondage to sin and death, to a life of freedom in eternity.

Dear Father God. Jesus encouraged us to be born again, a spiritual rebirth based on repentance and a belief in Jesus. And we look to You, with grateful acceptance of Your offer of eternal life. Thank You. Amen.

Jesus is the Truth

Posted on by korgrocker

“Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.”
John 14:6 NLT

We can understand that Jesus is the only Way into God’s presence. Only He has the key that unlocks the door into Heaven. But why did He add that He is the Truth as well? In John 8:31-32, we read what Jesus said to the people who believed in him, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings. And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”” So what Jesus taught was truth. In John 17:17, we read in Jesus’ famous prayer, “Make them holy by your truth; teach them your word, which is truth.” So, we find that Jesus endorsed God’s Word, the Bible, as truth. Often, Jesus preceded what He was about to say by emphasising its truth, for example, as we read in Matthew 11:11, “I tell you the truth, of all who have ever lived, none is greater than John the Baptist. Yet even the least person in the Kingdom of Heaven is greater than he is!” And then there was that time when Jesus was before Pilate. We can read the conversation in John 18:37-38, “Pilate said, “So you are a king?” Jesus responded, “You say I am a king. Actually, I was born and came into the world to testify to the truth. All who love the truth recognize that what I say is true.” “What is truth?” Pilate asked. Then he went out again to the people and told them, “He is not guilty of any crime.” 

Pilate, the pragmatist, a man probably well used to the challenges of governing the Jewish people, with their religious customs and beliefs, basically and cynically asked the question, “What is truth?” And that is a question that we can ask today as well. We find ideologies that demand recognition for their own particular “truths”. For example, there are those who believe in the self-determined “truth” that a man can become a woman and vice versa. There are also those who believe in the “truth” that the world is flat. On social media, many people take a particular situation and explain it away by posting “truths” based on misinformation. Often these fringe “truths” come head to head in conflict with Biblical truth, resulting in the persecution of Christians. Sadly, some branches of the established churches have abandoned Biblical truth so that they can accommodate the beliefs and actions of people who choose a life style blatantly opposed to God’s Word. 

Our world and societies are riddled with “truths” that are, for the great majority, only relative. Relative truth is conditional, subjective, varying and contradictory, so it’s capable of changing over time. But we pilgrims know that God is eternal and unchanging, and the truth that Jesus declared is absolute. He is the same, yesterday, today and forever. 

Just as Jesus is the only Way to Heaven, he is also the only Truth that matters. Those who oppose Jesus and His truth, the people who follow their own “truths” that they have concocted to satisfy their own feelings, will find out that He is the only Truth one day. Thankfully, our Holy-Spirit-inspired consciences will guide us into the truth Jesus taught about.

Dear Lord Jesus. In this topsy-turvy world full of conflicting “truths” we are so grateful that we can stand on the only Truth that matters. And so we search the pages of God’s Word to find Truth and build our faith as we follow You. Amen.

Trust in Jesus

Posted on by korgrocker

“Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me. There is more than enough room in my Father’s home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am.”
John 14:1-3 NLT

At the end of the previous chapter, Jesus had just prophesised that Peter was going to betray Him soon, in fact, before the rooster had crowed three times. But He swiftly moved on, and, perhaps seeing the distress building in the disciples’ faces, Jesus started to talk to them about the future. In this chapter, and the following two, Jesus spoke many words of comfort, including what was going to happen in the coming month and years, and beyond, and about the coming of the Holy Spirit. Then we have Jesus’ prayer, leading up to His arrest in the garden. Wonderful words of comfort that must have sustained the disciples’ through the coming turbulent times.

Jesus started by saying “Don’t let your hearts be troubled”. Don’t be sad or worried, He said; rather, “Trust in God, and trust also in me”. These words have had a timeless impact in the lives of the followers of Christ, and still do today. We look around at world events and issues we are facing and the words of Jesus hang in the air before us, as He says, “trust in Me”. What are we pilgrims facing today? Do we need encouragement? Well, Jesus has the answer. No-one else can supply the security and assurance for the future than Jesus. All the disciples, except John, were to suffer a violent death, prematurely ending their lives. I can almost hear the thinking going on in their minds, as they faced into a horrendous series of events unfolding around them. The words of Jesus to not be anxious and fearful, and to trust in Him, would have been with them, providing comfort in their times of need.

But what does it mean to trust in Jesus? These are not just words of comfort. They are living and real, and we find in the Bible all about why we should trust Jesus. We overlay the Bible and its truths over world events and find practical advice and instructions that will never disappoint. In Jeremiah 17:7-8 we read, “But blessed are those who trust in the Lord and have made the Lord their hope and confidence. They are like trees planted along a riverbank, with roots that reach deep into the water. Such trees are not bothered by the heat or worried by long months of drought. Their leaves stay green, and they never stop producing fruit”. 

So, fellow trees, we are truly blessed as we trust in God. There is no other person or circumstance in this world, and never will be, worthy of our trust. 

Dear God. In You we trust. Forever. Amen.

Before the Rooster Crows

Posted on by korgrocker

“Simon Peter asked, “Lord, where are you going?” And Jesus replied, “You can’t go with me now, but you will follow me later.” “But why can’t I come now, Lord?” he asked. “I’m ready to die for you.” Jesus answered, “Die for me? I tell you the truth, Peter—before the rooster crows tomorrow morning, you will deny three times that you even know me.”
John 13:36-38 NLT

Events on that fateful evening were starting to accelerate. So much had already happened, with the shared meal, the bread and wine, Jesus humbly washing His disciples’ feet, Judas leaving to look for an opportunity to betray Him, and Jesus giving His disciples a new commandment – to love one another. Within a few hours Jesus would be tried in an illegal court, whipped, and then crucified. In less than a day He would be dead and buried. God’s plan for salvation was almost complete. The devil just did not know what was coming.

Peter was his usual impetuous self, and had committed himself to die for Jesus, but then came the ominous reality – Jesus could see what was coming and He knew that Peter wouldn’t stand by Him when the time came. But what was the significance of the crow of a rooster? There in the middle of Jerusalem the sound would pierce the air, as the dawn started to appear. In our 21st Century world, knowledge of the time of day is everywhere, with almost everyone having a wrist watch or some other access to a clock. Time zones have been in place for many years and scientists have measured the unit of time to an infinitesimal part of a second. But in Peter’s day, knowledge of the time was uncommon and natural events had to be relied on. No wind up mechanical clocks – they didn’t appear until 1300 years later. So the ubiquitous rooster served Jesus well. 

We don’t know what Peter’s response was, to being told that he would soon deny his relationship with Jesus, not once but three times. He would have been devastated, but events were moving so quickly that he didn’t have too much time to process what he had been told. 

We pilgrims also have to beware of denying our relationship with Jesus. There will be occasions when it is easier to go with the flow and follow the crowd. Perhaps in the workplace, or at a social event. Sometimes we will be needled and tormented by a family member or neighbour. But at such times we must stand strong and lift Jesus high. We must proclaim His place in our lives and ignore the consequences. Jesus made an ominous warning, when He said, “Everyone who acknowledges me publicly here on earth, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven. But everyone who denies me here on earth, I will also deny before my Father in heaven” (Matthew 10:32-33). But we pilgrims are overcomers and realise that by publicly declaring our faith in Jesus, may lead to another seeker after salvation finding their Lord. There may be a personal cost to our declarations of faith but we know that God has our backs and has reserved a place for us when we need it.

Dear Lord Jesus. We speak Your name over the lives of our friends and families, knowing that by so doing we release Your Spirit in power. We praise and thank You today. Amen,

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Love One Another

Posted on by korgrocker

“Dear children, I will be with you only a little longer. And as I told the Jewish leaders, you will search for me, but you can’t come where I am going. So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.”
John 13:33-35 NLT

Jesus poignantly told His disciples that He was about to leave them. The sadness hidden behind His “Dear children” was clear – perhaps Jesus could see in His Spirit what they would have to face into in the years ahead, without being there in person with them. And then Jesus made a statement that puzzled His friends, that although they would look for Him, they would be unable to follow Him to the place where He was going. Well, not yet anyway – they would join Him in Heaven soon enough.

Because Jesus was leaving them, He gave them a new commandment, that they were to love one another. This wasn’t a wishy-washy, sentimental sort of love, but one that would bind them together in unity. A love so counter-culturally obvious that the people around them would take note that these men had been disciples of Jesus. A love that set them apart from societal expectations. Jesus repeated His commandment to the disciples in John 15:12-13, “This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you. There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends”. Paul picked up this theme, relating it back to Jesus Himself, “Now, most people would not be willing to die for an upright person, though someone might perhaps be willing to die for a person who is especially good. But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners” (Romans 5:7-8). That was the sort of love that Jesus commanded when He said, “love each other”.

Sadly, the “love for one other” that should be a feature of the Christian faith is far from obvious. In fact, in-fighting and denominational rivalries portray a picture to the world of Christians who are no better than anyone else and certainly not proving their status as followers of Christ. The media will always try and find a situation where Christians have fallen out with each other and secular journalists will relish stories of strife and love-less behaviour. The many occasions, where Christians do exhibit the love for one another that Jesus commanded, go unnoticed, conveniently overlooked in a Godless world.

The Apostle John wrote, “Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God. But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love” (1 John 4:7-8). Believers look outward into their communities, looking for opportunities to show the world what God’s love looks like. They cast aside the “what’s in it for me” worldly attitudes and instead do good to others without expecting anything in return. And such an attitude must especially be present in our churches and fellowships. John continued to write, “We love each other because he loved us first” (1 John 4:19). That was John reminding his readers what Jesus said all those years before, “Just as I have loved you, you should love each other“. There is no other way.

Dear Lord Jesus. Your love for us is limitless and available to all who believe in You. Please be with us as we love others. In Your precious name. Amen.

The Time Has Come

Posted on by korgrocker

“As soon as Judas left the room, Jesus said, “The time has come for the Son of Man to enter into his glory, and God will be glorified because of him. And since God receives glory because of the Son, he will give his own glory to the Son, and he will do so at once.”
John 13:31-32 NLT

The exit of Judas from that upper room, where Jesus had been sharing the Passover meal with His disciples, started a train of events that have had profound and eternal consequences for the human race. Most of the Jewish nation lived outside Jerusalem and they wouldn’t have known much about what was going to happen over the next few hours. But Jesus did, and He told His disciples that “the time has come”. By saying that He was going to “enter into His glory“, Jesus told His disciples that he was about to return to be with His Father in Heaven. Many old songs, like Woody Guthrie’s “This Train”, refer to Heaven as Glory. But the glory of God is His perfection, in all the attributes we recognise such as His love, grace, mercy, holiness, and many more qualities besides. And Jesus was returning to His Heavenly home to be a part of it. John recorded in His Gospel, “So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son” (John 1:14). Those who had lived with Jesus during His ministry years had discovered the perfection that John called His glory. Through Jesus they received a glimpse of the glory of God. 

Jesus’ time on Planet Earth was coming to an end. The glorious climax of God’s rescue plan for mankind, through Jesus’ sacrificial and unjust death on a cross at Calvary. Redemption from the consequences of sin for all who believed in Jesus and repented of their sins. A pivotal moment that changed the course of history. “The time has come”. 

I looked out of my office window as I was writing this, to see the heavy and dark clouds, full of water and thundery menace, briefly part and expose a small patch of blue sky. Most of our fellow members in society are living under permanent clouds of doom-laden peril, unaware that they have an opportunity to look up and see the glory of God. Their clouds of sin can be parted in an instant by the simple act of repentance and belief that Jesus’ time two thousand years ago provided an opportunity to join God in His glory one day sooner than they think. Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 6:1-2, “As God’s partners, we beg you not to accept this marvellous gift of God’s kindness and then ignore it. For God says, “At just the right time, I heard you. On the day of salvation, I helped you.” Indeed, the “right time” is now. Today is the day of salvation“. But most people in the secular West prefer to live in permanent doom, under clouds of sin, rather than move house into a world of light, saved for eternity.

Who do we pilgrims know today, someone who needs to look up and accept that “the time has come” for them? A loved one, a workplace or school colleague? We pray for just the right opportunity to show whoever it is that glimpse of Heaven up through the clouds. The place where God’s glory can be seen. 

Father God, as we look to the future and the paradise awaiting us, we thank You and ask for Your help in our daily lives as we continue our journey. Please help us too encourage others to join us. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

How Did Jesus Know?

Posted on by korgrocker

“So that disciple leaned over to Jesus and asked, “Lord, who is it?” Jesus responded, “It is the one to whom I give the bread I dip in the bowl.” And when he had dipped it, he gave it to Judas, son of Simon Iscariot. When Judas had eaten the bread, Satan entered into him. Then Jesus told him, “Hurry and do what you’re going to do.””
John 13:25-27 NLT

Jesus was, and still is, the Son of God, divine and human. Two thousand years ago He was sent to Israel with a plan for the redemption of mankind, following through every requirement to bring it into fruition, a successful conclusion. Jesus knew that His death and resurrection were the final part of the plan, and He spoke several times about it – Mark 8:31, “Then Jesus began to tell them that the Son of Man must suffer many terrible things and be rejected by the elders, the leading priests, and the teachers of religious law. He would be killed, but three days later he would rise from the dead“. But how much of the detail beforehand did Jesus know? Father God could of course see the end from the beginning, every twist and turn, every event, because He lives in eternity, a place without time. Imagine something like the Bayeux Tapestry, laid out before Him, but with every event portrayed in its minutest detail. Because of His humanity, Jesus would not have had such a view, and He regularly communicated with His father in prayer to obtain the guidance He needed, to make sure He stayed on track. Through the third member of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit, He retained that divine communication.

But Jesus was also human. We see from John 4:6 that He got tired, “Jacob’s well was there; and Jesus, tired from the long walk, sat wearily beside the well about noontime.” About Jesus, Paul wrote, “Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. … ” (Philippians 2:6-7a). So Jesus needed to eat and drink, sleep, and use the bathroom. Even as early as the age of twelve, Jesus had a sense of His mission, as we read from the account of Jesus in the Temple, “So when they saw Him, they were amazed; and His mother said to Him, “Son, why have You done this to us? Look, Your father and I have sought You anxiously.” And He said to them, “Why did you seek Me? Did you not know that I must be about My Father’s business?”” (Luke 2:48-49). 

So, did Jesus know beforehand about the woman at the Samaritan well? Or the fact that there would be five thousand men and their families to be fed? What about the other miraculous occasions? Did Jesus know about all these in advance? I don’t think He did, but He did know about the power through the Holy Spirit that He had within Him, and He was close enough in tune with His mission and His Father’s will to know what to do at the time. So, how did Jesus know it was Judas who would betray Him? In fact, how did He know that He would be betrayed at all? Judas was a pivotal factor in God’s redemptive plan, to the extent that he was prophesised about in Psalm 41:9, “Even my own familiar friend in whom I trusted, Who ate my bread, Has lifted up his heel against me“. At first sight, it would seem strange that Jesus gave a piece of bread soaked in the vinegary dip common at the Passover meal, to expose the man who would betray Him. But that was a very real part of the Psalm 41 prophecy. 

Jesus did know what was going to happen because He knew the Scriptures. Today, there are many problems both inside and outside the church caused by a lack of Bible knowledge and, consequently, a failure to put God’s commands into practice. But at a personal level, we find most of what we need to live in the Bible. It is a unique book. There in none other like it. As Peter said in John 6:68, “Simon Peter replied, “Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words that give eternal life“. There is nowhere else where we can find the words we need. Of course we pray to our Father in Heaven and trust in the Holy Spirit for power and guidance, but through the Word of God we have a foundation that underpins our lives on this planet and leads us to a life with God for ever.

Dear Father God. We thank You for Your Word, and the guidance it provides for our lives. Amen.

Scripture Fulfilled

Posted on by korgrocker

“I am not saying these things to all of you; I know the ones I have chosen. But this fulfils the Scripture that says, ‘The one who eats my food has turned against me.’ I tell you this beforehand, so that when it happens you will believe that I Am the Messiah. I tell you the truth, anyone who welcomes my messenger is welcoming me, and anyone who welcomes me is welcoming the Father who sent me.”
John 13:18-20 NLT

In these verses today, Jesus quoted part of a verse from Psalm 41:9, “Even my best friend, the one I trusted completely, the one who shared my food, has turned against me.” This was a psalm written by David at a chaotic time in his realm, during his son Absolom’s rebellion. David seemed to have an illness, and there was much plotting going on, even by his trusted friend and advisor Ahithophel – the account is in 2 Samuel 16. But Jesus also saw this scripture as a prophesy of His betrayal by Judas. Jesus told His disciples about this so that they would be forewarned when it happened. And He adds the assurance that this is one more occasion underpinning His claim to be the Messiah.

There were many Scriptures in the Old Testament that foretold the coming of the Messiah, Scriptures that were interwoven within the warp and weft of Jewish religious society. The problem for them was that there were two types of prophesy, some about Jesus’ first coming and others about His second, so from the two the preferred picture emerged of a victorious King vanquishing the enemies of Israel and forming an eternal and autonomous Kingdom where the Jews would live in peace. The Jews looked for a natural physical Kingdom, but Jesus came to establish a spiritual Kingdom where people would live free of sin and wickedness. 

We pilgrims are Christ’s messengers, carrying the Gospel’s torch wherever we go. And by so doing we fulfil the Scripture left us in Matthew’s account of the Great Commission – “Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”” There are those, of course, who try to wriggle out of their obligation to make disciples because they claim that this was aimed at the first disciples, those who became the Apostles. But they all died in spite of Jesus saying that He would be with them until “the end of the age”. That phrase in itself implies that the work of making disciples continues from one generation to the next, while we indeed wait for the current age to come to an end. We live in a season of God’s grace, but it won’t last forever.

Dear God. We willingly look for opportunities to share Your Good News of the Kingdom with those who You have chosen. Please help us as we fulfil Your commands in our generation. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Now You Know

Posted on by korgrocker

“And since I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash each other’s feet. I have given you an example to follow. Do as I have done to you. I tell you the truth, slaves are not greater than their master. Nor is the messenger more important than the one who sends the message. Now that you know these things, God will bless you for doing them.”
John 13:14-17 NLT

When Jesus washed His disciples’ feet, He took on one of the lowliest jobs that could have been performed in that culture. It was a task usually undertaken by the servant who was lowest in the household pecking order, or, in some parts of the world at that time, by a slave. By doing such a thing, Jesus was aligning Himself with the lowest in society, doing the lowest of duties. And we mustn’t forget that this was God we are talking about. Jesus pointed out to His disciples that He, their Lord and Teacher, the “slave” or “messenger”, was prepared to do anything for others, no matter how lowly a task it seemed to be.

The disciples lived the rest of their lives with Jesus’ actions hanging before them. They were never going to forget that supper they shared, the one where Jesus washed their feet. But as we fast forward to the 21st Century, the same picture graces our faith. We still have a worldly culture, a pecking order with those who have the most materialistic wealth, or those with the best jobs,  enjoying a lifestyle with no room for a foot washing mindset. Company bosses order their subordinates to do the more menial of tasks. An aristocratic collection of landowners still expect the forelock-tugging action and attitude of the farm labourers. And in our churches, the religious leaders sometimes have the same mindset, forgetting the example of our Lord as they go about their liturgies, proud of their status and forgetting the reality of washing feet. 

Before God all men are equal. As is often said, there is level ground before the Cross of Christ. No task in God’s Kingdom is too lowly for His people to do. Jesus pointed out that those who do the modern equivalent of foot washing will be truly blessed. I know a man who pastored a church in Scotland for several years. The building was old and needed a lot of attention, but without complaining or making a fuss, he quietly did what was necessary, ensuring that the building was fit for Sunday worship and the other meetings that took place. Most people were not aware of his dedication and commitment in doing the lowliest of tasks, but God did and I’m sure he will be richly blessed. Men and women like him are the bedrock of our faith and they understood what Jesus did that day long ago in that upper room, understanding His example and doing what He said. 

We pilgrims understand too what Jesus has done for us, and we too look out for menial and lowly jobs that will bless others around us. Jobs that others baulk at doing. We join the church cleaning rota. We volunteer to help our elderly neighbours. We pick up the litter that blights our streets. We are the salt and light that savours our communities. We wash their “feet” at every opportunity.

Dear Father God. You called us to a life of service and we do Your will gladly in Jesus’ name. Amen.