An example…

Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. During supper, when the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray him, Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going back to God, rose from supper. He laid aside his outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around his waist. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him. He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, do you wash my feet?” Jesus answered him, “What I am doing you do not understand now, but afterward you will understand.” Peter said to him, “You shall never wash my feet.” Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no share with me.” Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!” Jesus said to him, “The one who has bathed does not need to wash, except for his feet, but is completely clean. And you are clean, but not every one of you.” For he knew who was to betray him; that was why he said, “Not all of you are clean.”
When he had washed their feet and put on his outer garments and resumed his place, he said to them, “Do you understand what I have done to you? You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you. Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them. (John 13:1-17 ESV)

We are so hung up on doing things right. We want to know the rules so we can do what we have to do to get into the club, or be included. We spend a lot of time trying to help others know the rules so that they can follow what needs to be done so that they are included as well.

But we do not have some secret knowledge as followers of Jesus, or do we?

I think we do, but it is not the secret to what we have to do right, or follow to make it to heaven. It is the secret that Jesus lived His life as an example to us. He is the King of all creation. He created you and me and all of the universe, but the night before His death He washed the feet of His followers. To give them an example of how to live their lives in service to others. No one is greater than another. We all need to serve each other and not expect anyone to serve us. we need to give of ourselves, just as Jesus gave of Himself.

Welcome to our church…

So what does a great welcome message look like? What does an awesome welcome message look like?

It looks exactly like what “Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Community” Daytona Beach, FL, has in their church.

My friend attended there recently, and got a copy of what they hand out, and here’s what it says:

We extend a special welcome to those who are single, married, divorced, gay, filthy rich, dirt poor, yo no habla Ingles. We extend a special welcome to those who are crying new-borns, skinny as a rail or could afford to lose a few pounds.

We welcome you if you can sing like Andrea Bocelli or like our pastor who can’t carry a note in a bucket. You’re welcome here if you’re “just browsing,” just woke up or just got out of jail. We don’t care if you’re more Catholic than the Pope, or haven’t been in church since little Joey’s Baptism.

We extend a special welcome to those who are over 60 but not grown up yet, and to teenagers who are growing up too fast. We welcome soccer moms, NASCAR dads, starving artists, tree-huggers, latte-sippers, vegetarians, junk-food eaters. We welcome those who are in recovery or still addicted. We welcome you if you’re having problems or you’re down in the dumps or if you don’t like “organized religion,” we’ve been there too.

If you blew all your offering money at the dog track, you’re welcome here. We offer a special welcome to those who think the earth is flat, work too hard, don’t work, can’t spell, or because grandma is in town and wanted to go to church.

We welcome those who are inked, pierced or both. We offer a special welcome to those who could use a prayer right now, had religion shoved down your throat as a kid or got lost in traffic and wound up here by mistake. We welcome tourists, seekers and doubters, bleeding hearts … and you!

Guaranteed…

For when God made a promise to Abraham, since he had no one greater by whom to swear, he swore by himself, saying, “Surely I will bless you and multiply you.” And thus Abraham, having patiently waited, obtained the promise. For people swear by something greater than themselves, and in all their disputes an oath is final for confirmation. So when God desired to show more convincingly to the heirs of the promise the unchangeable character of his purpose, he guaranteed it with an oath, so that by two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us. We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain, where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf, having become a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek. (Hebrews 6:13-20 ESV)

Have you ever had someone or some product was 100% satisfaction guaranteed? And if so, were you?

I mean that is a pretty large bill to hold up. That every person that uses/eats this product will be 100% satisfied. I highly doubt we all want to exact same results or tastes even though it is probably clearly states how it will work or taste. We see we will be satisfied and know it will be good…

Not always and the world and its products will let us down. We will not be 100% satisfied with anything the world gives us, we are not hardwired that way.

But the passage above from Hebrews tells us that we cab trust in God. And He has even sworn an oath that the promises He made He will keep. Not just a promise or a guarantee but an oath or a 100% satisfaction guaranteed promise. Not that you will always be happy or get everything you want. But something even better. Everything God promised will be the way He promised and He will always be with us!

Steps…

The steps of a man are established by the Lord, when he delights in his way; though he fall, he shall not be cast headlong, for the Lord upholds his hand. I have been young, and now am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken or his children begging for bread. He is ever lending generously, and his children become a blessing. Turn away from evil and do good; so shall you dwell forever. For the Lord loves justice; he will not forsake his saints. They are preserved forever, but the children of the wicked shall be cut off. The righteous shall inherit the land and dwell upon it forever. The mouth of the righteous utters wisdom, and his tongue speaks justice. The law of his God is in his heart; his steps do not slip. The wicked watches for the righteous and seeks to put him to death. The Lord will not abandon him to his power or let him be condemned when he is brought to trial. Wait for the Lord and keep his way, and he will exalt you to inherit the land you will look on when the wicked are cut off. I have seen a wicked, ruthless man, spreading himself like a green laurel tree. But he passed away, and behold, he was no more; though I sought him, he could not be found. Mark the blameless and behold the upright, for there is a future for the man of peace. But transgressors shall be altogether destroyed; the future of the wicked shall be cut off. The salvation of the righteous is from the Lord; he is their stronghold in the time of trouble. The Lord helps them and delivers them; he delivers them from the wicked and saves them, because they take refuge in him. (Psalm 37:23-40 ESV)

Do you delight in the ways of the Lord?

Do you try to follow His ways but fall some times?

This psalmist says that the Lord establishes the steps of the man who delights in His ways. And the Lord will hold a person so that even if they fall they will still be in the care of God.

Those are comforting words. Even if we fall if we delight in the Lord’s way He will not leave us. Even in our times of trouble He is our stronghold and He saves us from evil. Delight in His ways and your steps will be set.

Scarcity…

And James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came up to him and said to him, “Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you.” And he said to them, “What do you want me to do for you?”  And they said to him, “Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory.” Jesus said to them, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or to be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?”  And they said to him, “We are able.” And Jesus said to them, “The cup that I drink you will drink, and with the baptism with which I am baptized, you will be baptized,  but to sit at my right hand or at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared.”  And when the ten heard it, they began to be indignant at James and John. And Jesus called them to him and said to them, “You know that those who are considered rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them.  But it shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant,  and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all.  For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Mark 10:35-45 ESV)

Have you ever had some one do something you thought of doing before you?  And if you were like the disciples you got upset, not because someone else did what you thought about doing, but you were upset because they did it first.

We live in an era of scarcity. We have been told and think there is only so much money, time, love, coffee, or what ever you want… we have to get our portion so we get as much as we need. We can not wait because we will miss out because someone else will get what belongs to us.

In this passage where James and John ask Jesus to give them what they want we see Jesus turn the world in its head. He invites the disciples and us to re imagine what glory and honor and power are. He shows us here that power and glory and honor are obtained by serving. He came to serve not to be served and in order to follow someone who serves we have to serve. Which means we have to give up our thoughts that there isn’t enough and look out for our neighbors before our selves.

So serve Jesus by thinking of your neighbor before your own needs…

Power

A dispute also arose among them, as to which of them was to be regarded as the greatest. And he said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them, and those in authority over them are called benefactors.  But not so with you. Rather, let the greatest among you become as the youngest, and the leader as one who serves.  For who is the greater, one who reclines at table or one who serves? Is it not the one who reclines at table? But I am among you as the one who serves. (Luke 22:24-27 ESV)

Are you in a place of power?  Notice here that Jesus does not say that power is a bad thing. It is all in what you do with your power…

See some of us have the gift of leading and being in positions to help others and advise others on what needs to be done. The question comes in who you are looking out for.

See those who seek power for their own gain use the power they get for their own upward movement. They use those who are under them to get more for themselves and they only care about number 1.

So if you are in a place of power make sure you think about the other before you think of yourself.

Trust in God

Because you have made the Lord your dwelling place— the Most High, who is my refuge— no evil shall be allowed to befall you, no plague come near your tent. For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways. On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone. You will tread on the lion and the adder; the young lion and the serpent you will trample underfoot. “Because he holds fast to me in love, I will deliver him; I will protect him, because he knows my name. When he calls to me, I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will rescue him and honor him. With long life I will satisfy him and show him my salvation.” (Psalm 91:9-16 ESV)

Have you placed your trust in the lord?

Do you feel like you can give over control of your life to God?

Now it does not say here that your life will be a walk in the park. You could say it will be a rose garden. Because even in a rose garden there is a chance you will get a thorn or stung by a bee… you see God never said that life would be easy or with out pain or annoyances but He did promise to be with us and walk with us through everything.

He has even given His angels charge over us to watch over us and help us through things.

So give your life into His hands and walk with Him trusting in His mercy to always see us through.

Welcome one another…

Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God. For I tell you that Christ became a servant to the circumcised to show God’s truthfulness, in order to confirm the promises given to the patriarchs, and in order that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy. As it is written, “Therefore I will praise you among the Gentiles, and sing to your name. And again it is said, Rejoice, O Gentiles, with his people. And again, Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles, and let all the peoples extol him.” (Romans 15:7-11 ESV)

Welcome one another as you have been welcomed. But why?

Are we suppose to be nice to each other and welcome all so that they will join our gatherings and give us financial support and make our numbers look good? Are we suppose to welcome others so we get noticed in our neighborhoods and people ask what are they doing there and then come and see what is happening?

No! We are to welcome others unconditionally as we have been welcomed for the glory of God. You see Jesus became a servant to the people of God to show the promises to the patriarchs had been fulfilled and so that the Gentiles might glorify God for His mercy…

We welcome and serve not for gratification or to get noticed. We do not welcome so our numbers will grow or to up our financial numbers. We welcome and serve to give God glory.

So welcome as you were welcomed so God will smile because one more has experienced His love!

The glory of Jesus quote from Dr. Garwood Anderson

“For as long as we misunderstand the glory of Jesus as the antithesis of his humility, we will be strangers to humility ourselves.  We will think that we are being like Jesus whenever we draw self congratulatory attention to the striking incompatibility between our rank and our menial acts of service.  We will think it is admirable that someone with our status and accomplishments and importance temporarily sets those aside to take up basin and towel.  We will think it notable that someone like us cares so little for his station that he will stoop low.  We will feel slighted when our humility is not admired and noted. Indeed, we will make sure that our humility is as well known to others as it is to us, and our servility will be to us and to them a never-ending source of wonder and admiration.  And, if we are skillful, it will not even look like this is what we are doing.

This is what happens when we think that humility is a path to greatness rather than greatness itself.  This is what becomes of us when we think that our occasional quaint forays into servanthood are meant to adorn our majesty. This is what the church reduces itself to when it sprinkles the waters of baptism onto structures and assumptions and ways of being that are not the way of Jesus.  If we baptize a hierarchical ecclesiology—and we have—then we must go the whole way and not sprinkle blessing upon power, prerogative, and abuse but rather mercilessly drown it all into the death of Jesus so that it may be raised to newness of life by the one who gave his life as a ransom for many sinners.” Dr. Garwood Anderson

he knew his name…

“There was a rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. And at his gate was laid a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man’s table. Moreover, even the dogs came and licked his sores. The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried, and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side. And he called out, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in anguish in this flame.’ But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner bad things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in anguish. And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, in order that those who would pass from here to you may not be able, and none may cross from there to us.’ And he said, ‘Then I beg you, father, to send him to my father’s house—for I have five brothers—so that he may warn them, lest they also come into this place of torment.’ But Abraham said, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.’ And he said, ‘No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ He said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.’” (Luke 16:19-31 ESV)

We have all heard this story before. And it is the same as all of the stories we have been hearing for a while now from the pericope. It is not about the rules we follow but how we look out for the other…

You see the thing I am always struck by in this reading is that the rich man has no name. He is simply referred to as the rich man. But in life from the way the story goes, everyone would have known his name. He was in the in crowd. He wore the right clothes, and probably got invited to all the parties, and was more than likely one of the people to know if you wanted to make it in town. He was some body and he had a name. Then there is Lazarus. The poor man who laid outside the rich man’s house and begged for scraps and had the dogs to help him keep his soars clean. In life he would not have been known right? He was a no body and didn’t have the right clothes or run in the right crowds. He was not invited to any parties, and he couldn’t help you at all. He was a burden and there fore a waste of time. You wouldn’t want to know his name. Yet the rich man knows his name…

The rich man does not call out from Hades to Abraham and say “please send the poor man to help me.” He calls and asks Abraham to send Lazarus. Now I don’t believe we are given name tags in Heaven. Maybe it just is that we all instantly know the name of everyone else. But whatever it is the man who had a name now has none and the one who was unknown is known by all. The first shall be last and the last shall be first…

Then interestingly Abraham tells the rich man that if he and his brothers could not listen to Moses and the prophets (the majority of the Hebrew Scriptures) that they would not believe if one came back from the dead! They would not believe even after they killed Jesus and he rose again from the grave! Jesus came and showed us how to live the life that God has told us and the Israelites to live. One that looks out for the other. #1 must become number #2 and we need to think about the other person. Even in life the rich man probably knew Lazarus’ name, but more out of disgust because that man is still here.

You see the one who dies with the most toys, dies! And leaves his/her family more to deal with. The one who helps the other instead of amassing things here, will also die. But will leave his/her family with a legacy of people who have been touched. Being rich does not mean having things, it means being loved by the one who first loved us, and giving that love away as freely as it was given to us.