servant of all

They went on from there and passed through Galilee. He did not want anyone to know it; for he was teaching his disciples, saying to them, “The Son of Man is to be betrayed into human hands, and they will kill him, and three days after being killed, he will rise again.” But they did not understand what he was saying and were afraid to ask him. Then they came to Capernaum; and when he was in the house he asked them, “What were you arguing about on the way?” But they were silent, for on the way they had argued with one another who was the greatest. He sat down, called the twelve, and said to them, “Whoever wants to be first must be last of all and servant of all.” (Mark 9:30-35, NRSV)

Is there someone in your world that you just can not image serving?

That one person if Jesus said to wash their feet, you might just walk away?

Now be honest, because if we are honest, we all have at least one person that we do not really want to serve in our lives.

Now do you have a good mental image of them?

And now picture yourself with them and Jesus, and Jesus asks you to wash their feet, and you do it.

That is what this verse says to do. To serve as Jesus served, remember that Judas was there when Jesus washed the disciples feet.

We must be a servant to all, because that is what He told us to do!

Follow

Then he began to teach them that the Son of Man must undergo great suffering, and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. He said all this quite openly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. But turning and looking at his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan! For you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things.” He called the crowd with his disciples, and said to them, “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it. For what will it profit them to gain the whole world and forfeit their life? Indeed, what can they give in return for their life? Those who are ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of them the Son of Man will also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.” (Mark 8:31-38, NRSV)

If you want to follow Jesus, you must lay down your life, take up your cross and follow Him.

If you try to save your life, you will lose it, but if you lay it down and lose yourself in His life, then you will gain His life!

You see Peter said to Jesus what He was saying could not be. That the plan that Jesus had from the Father was not the actual plan and that Peter had it all worked out.

And isn’t that how all of us are?

So Jesus reminded Peter of what he told him back on the shore when they first met, ὀπίσω μου, or Get behind me… Or as we read it back at the beginning of Mark, Follow me…

You see the proper perspective is what we need. Peter had his mind-set on the plan he wanted to happen and could not allow God’s plan to be made known. He needed to see the back of Jesus’ head to get back into place.

So follow Jesus and don’t let your plan get in the way of God’s.

Many gifts

For as in one body we have many members, and not all the members have the same function, so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually we are members one of another. We have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us: (Romans 12:4-6a)

We are the body of Christ and it takes all of us to do the ministry He has called us to. None of us are the same and we all have a different gift. Paul goes on in Romans and talks about prophecy, ministering, teaching, giving, exhorting, diligence, and cheerfulness. This is not an exhaustive list of gifts we have in the body of Christ. We all have a gift given to us to use in the mission and ministry of Christ in the world.

So if none of us have the same gifts, it really does take all of us to do the ministry God has set before us, doesn’t it?

I am not Pastor Zamzow. We have different gifts, and talents. We do things differently. And while this may be something for some of us to get used to, it is also a good thing. I was told that when the call committee was looking for a new pastor they were asked to find someone different than Pastor Zamzow and they did.

We are different in our gifts, talents and the way we do things. But there is one thing I know we are exactly the same on- our love for the St. John’s community and congregation. There is nothing I would not do for any of you. I will be there for you in need and in joy. I will help you in any way I can.

Now granted I will do this differently than you may have known in the past, and having a pastor for a while you get used to their way of doing things and a new pastor throws a wrench in the mill. But I want to assure you that I am here for the congregation and the people of St. John’s when you need me.

Call me, email me, Facebook message me, text me, all of these things come to my mobile phone. And I have it with me or close by all the time, much to the chagrin of my wife! Any time day or night if you need me, I will be there for you.

And if you feel I have dropped the ball and was not there for you, please come and see me to talk about this. I had a wonderful conversation with a congregation member about this type of situation. I can only grow as your spiritual leader if you walk with me and help me. We are all disciples of Christ together on this journey, and we need to walk it together. Remember Matthew 18:15, “If another member of the church sins against you, go and point out the fault when the two of you are alone. If the member listens to you, you have regained that one.” Talk to others who have sinned against you.

I am here for the long haul and want to work with the people of St’ John’s to build a thriving center of discipleship, where we can gather in the name of Christ, grow in our love and understanding of who we are in Him, together as a body and individually, and then go out into the world to show forth the love and mercy He has given to us.

Help me make St. John’s to be a lighthouse to our communities and a beacon of God’s love in the world!

cry aloud

I cry aloud to God, aloud to God, that he may hear me. In the day of my trouble I seek the Lord; in the night my hand is stretched out without wearying; my soul refuses to be comforted. I think of God, and I moan; I meditate, and my spirit faints. You keep my eyelids from closing; I am so troubled that I cannot speak. I consider the days of old, and remember the years of long ago. I commune with my heart in the night; I meditate and search my spirit: “Will the Lord spurn forever, and never again be favorable? Has his steadfast love ceased forever? Are his promises at an end for all time? Has God forgotten to be gracious? Has he in anger shut up his compassion?” And I say, “It is my grief that the right hand of the Most High has changed.” I will call to mind the deeds of the LORD; I will remember your wonders of old. I will meditate on all your work, and muse on your mighty deeds. Your way, O God, is holy. What god is so great as our God? You are the God who works wonders; you have displayed your might among the peoples. With your strong arm you redeemed your people, the descendants of Jacob and Joseph. (Psalm 77:1-15, NRSV)

Have you ever been so weary that you just throw your hands up and shout “I give up!”

We have all been there. We have all been so far down the only way we can look is up! And when we cry out to God, and throw up our hands in surrender, He will always be there to hold our hands and lift us up. Not remove the pain or the situation, but remind us that even in the muck He is walking with us.

He will not leave us to wallow in the mire alone, but will heed our cry and come to our side.

So cry aloud to God so He can hear your pain!

 

endure

Blessed is anyone who endures temptation. Such a one has stood the test and will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him. No one, when tempted, should say, “I am being tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil and he himself tempts no one. But one is tempted by one’s own desire, being lured and enticed by it; then, when that desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin, and that sin, when it is fully grown, gives birth to death. Do not be deceived, my beloved. Every generous act of giving, with every perfect gift, is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. In fulfillment of his own purpose he gave us birth by the word of truth, so that we would become a kind of first fruits of his creatures. (James 1:12-18, NRSV)

God does not tempt us, but can lead us to places where we can be tempted. He led Jesus to the wilderness, but He resisted and endured, by the strength God had given him.

We to can over come the temptation and not give into sin, through the power that He has given us.

And we might show forth to the world, not our own stature, but the love of God and the strength that He can give for an empowered life.

One that shows the fruit of the Spirit, and the Love of God to all the world!

So endure in the strength you have been given, knowing He is always with you!

a little help

It was fitting that God, for whom and through whom all things exist, in bringing many children to glory, should make the pioneer of their salvation perfect through sufferings. For the one who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one Father. For this reason Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters, saying, “I will proclaim your name to my brothers and sisters, in the midst of the congregation I will praise you.” And again, “I will put my trust in him.” And again, “Here am I and the children whom God has given me.” Since, therefore, the children share flesh and blood, he himself likewise shared the same things, so that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by the fear of death. For it is clear that he did not come to help angels, but the descendants of Abraham. Therefore he had to become like his brothers and sisters in every respect, so that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make a sacrifice of atonement for the sins of the people. Because he himself was tested by what he suffered, he is able to help those who are being tested. (Hebrews 2:10-18, NRSV)

I read this passage and I heard the song, I get by with a little help from my friends…

You see Jesus was our friend. He is our brother, and He is not ashamed to call us sister and brother. To claim us in front of the throne as His!

He came to live among us as one of us. To know what we go through. To face the temptations and trials that we face. So He knows.

And we can know that we can get by, because He is always there to lend us a helping hand and to walk with us through what ever it is we are facing.

He has been there! He knows what you are going through!

And He will help you get by!