The Everyday Prayer

Re:Verse passage – Matthew 28:18-20 (day four)

Our passage this week is a very familiar passage…the Great Commission.  As we have been studying this summer how we are Better Together, we have also been putting forth what our New Testament church should look like.  Evangelism, discipleship, baptism, and obedience to the Word of God…these are the characteristics that we need to be involved in until Jesus returns.  The beauty of Jesus’ final command to us on this earth is that we do not have to depend on ourselves to accomplish the assignments.  Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to us…it is by His power that we are able to carry out such a huge command. (Acts 1:8)

Every time we read this passage, we should self-evaluate (or let God evaluate) how we are doing, personally, in these areas of our life.  Are we growing in our discipleship?  Are we discipling others?  Are we being obedient to God’s Word?  Are we leading others to faith in Christ?  Remember…we do the work, the Holy Spirit brings the results!

Re:Verse passage – Matthew 28:18-20 (day three)

“…even to the end of the age.”

During this Age of Men, that is, the age of the human race, one constant remains amid the tumult: the light of the presence of the Christ. But if we expect there to be any other source of light, the night — be it suffering or fear or loss or dreams dashed — will be very disappointing and very, very dark indeed. Perhaps it has seemed that way to you. Were you expecting more light, less darkness? Any sudden flare of physical light will disorient you (think of high beam headlights aimed straight at you in the thick of night on a narrow, unfamiliar mountain road). It’s no different in the spiritual realm. The light Christ gives now will be sufficient.

Re:Verse passage – Matthew 28:18-20 (day two)

…I am with you always…

If you have been on this faith journey for long it is likely that there have been times you have felt alone. Whether it be a season of personal struggle, hurt, loss, or just isolation we all experience these periods of loneliness. How does this correspond to this great commission promise of the Lord to always be with us? The simple answer is that when we are ever in doubt we would be wise to trust scripture. If the Lord has promised to be with us always, and we feel alone, what have we put in the way of that relationship? It doesn’t matter if what we are doing is Kingdom-minded, if it impedes our relationship with Jesus we must refocus. You can always trust Jesus to be faithful. If you are feeling disconnected, do an inventory of your priorities. In the end you will find him right where he promised to be.

Re:Verse passage – John 13:3-17 (day seven) 

For He knew the one who was betraying Him.

Jesus washed Judas’ feet. Can you imagine knowing your friend who had walked by your side for years was about to betray you for a few coins? Can you imagine looking him in the eye knowing what peril he was about to put you through, and instead of casting him aside, you bend down and begin to clean his dirty and grimy feet? Can you imagine loving him enough to forgive what was about to happen? Judas betrayed Him with clean feet.

Could you wash Judas’ feet? It is easy to wash the feet of those who love us. We would all wash the feet of Peter who flatters us with words of affirmation, but could you wash the feet of your enemies? That is where the line is drawn for most of us. We will serve when it is in our best interest, but to truly serve like Jesus is to serve even when you know the act may not bring rewards. Clean their feet anyway!

Re:Verse passage – John 13:3-17 (day six)

[Jesus] got up from the table, took off his robe, wrapped a towel around his waist, ⁵ and poured water into a basin.  John 13:4

If you want to become great, then become a servant to all.-Jesus, Matthew 20:26.

Jesus took the form of a servant. He took off his Rabi/teacher garb, then put on what a servant would normally wear in order to wash people’s feet. I wonder if that was hard for Jesus to condescend to that position, to lower himself? I find myself, often enough, out of some sense of self-importance trying to hold onto personal significance (greatness), not give it up.  That’s my knee jerk, self-absorbed reaction. It is as if I might lose something of myself, some semblance of status or position, or become less, if I were to take the position of a servant.

The irony is Jesus did not dwindle into becoming a servant, he became (in the eyes of his disciples) great. Even in my own personal experience, the people I admire most are those who serve others, when they could easily demand service from others.

How about you? Will you be great today? Greatness does not cling to privilege or power or status, greatness gives it up in order to serve others.

Re:Verse passage – John 13:3-17 (day five)

“Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come forth from God and was going back to God,”

I marvel at the burden of knowledge that Jesus constantly carried.  All that He knew and understood about Himself, this world, and others.  He knew who He was. He knew how much authority God had given to Him. He knew what God had sent Him to earth to do. He knew His time on earth was drawing to a close. He knew that one of His own disciples was betraying him. Yet, none of that knowledge kept Jesus from loving, leading, and serving by example.

It’s very humbling to admit that I often use circumstances, knowledge, and yes even burdens as excuses not to serve or lead or encourage others.  Jesus didn’t. Neither should we!  So today, in the midst of our circumstances, burdens, tension, uncertainty will you join me in following Jesus’ example of Loving and Serving others?

ReVerse passage – John 13:3-17 (day four)

“I don’t know what your destiny will be, but one thing I know: the only ones among you who will be really happy are those who have sought and found how to serve.” ― Albert Schweitzer

Schweitzer had obviously read John 13 and recognized the truth of Jesus’ words.  Even though Jesus fully comprehended all that God had given Him, He was willing to give up all of His authority and glory to serve others.  He said it was to be an example to us!  That means that we should do the same…serve others.

How might ‘serving others’ look in our lives?  It could mean a gentleman rising to give his seat to a lady or elderly adult.  It could mean letting the person behind you in line at the grocery store, with only a few items, to go ahead of you when you have a full basket.  Or, it could mean helping with the dishes after a meal at another’s home.  Eyes up and look for ways to follow Jesus’ example!

Re:Verse passage – John 13:3-17 (day three)

“He who has bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean; and you are clean, but not all of you.”

Jesus declared that Peter had already experienced radical (in the sense of all-encompassing) cleansing. He couldn’t be more saved than he was. Peter’s three years of apprenticeship to the Lord were truly a soul-bath. Every word Peter heard Jesus speak, every miracle he saw Jesus perform, every look he saw Jesus give, every road he saw Jesus walk, every lost person he saw Jesus find – this was Peter’s bath. And this work of Jesus cleansed Peter as Peter gave himself to that cleansing. He often came reluctantly or cantankerously into the water, but he came. Judas never let the water trouble him the way it did Peter and the others. He held himself apart – hygiene-adjacent, but never clean.

Re:Verse passage – John 13:3-17 (day two)

If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them. vs. 17

There are many ways to learn, and as you would imagine, many ways to teach. This last meal with the gathered 12 disciples was an opportunity for Jesus to leverage all that he had taught them over the last three years before the terror of the cross was realized. He would pray over them, he would instruct them, challenge their loyalty, and he would show them what love looks like. Examples matter. When you have exhausted all the words you have, sometimes the best teacher is to simply demonstrate. I imagine that there was initially general chatter happening around the table, then uncomfortable mumbling, silence, and then Peter’s protestations. The powerful lesson demonstrated by Jesus is one that all of us value. We value it in others, and hopefully, expect it of ourselves. These acts of servant leadership are often what motivate others far more than simple words ever could.

This grainy photo was taken my first year on staff at FBCSA. The conference room table had not been cleaned after a lunch meeting was there. Rather than expect anyone to clean, Pastors Don and Bryan wasted no time in doing what needed to be done. They didn’t need to do it, others could have, but they did it. To lead, they served. I have never forgotten this beautiful picture. I want to lead like this.