July 1, 2023

 

Serve Like Jesus

 

What does the Bible say about serving others? Jesus gave us a perfect example.

 

It was just before the Passover Festival. Jesus knew that the hour had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.

² The evening meal was in progress, and the devil had already prompted Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus. ³ Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; ⁴ so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. ⁵ After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.

⁶ He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?”

⁷ Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.”

⁸ “No,” said Peter, “you shall never wash my feet.”

Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.”

⁹ “Then, Lord,” Simon Peter replied, “not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!”

¹⁰ Jesus answered, “Those who have had a bath need only to wash their feet; their whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you.” ¹¹ For he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said not every one was clean.

¹² When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. “Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them. ¹³ “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. ¹⁴ Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. ¹⁵ I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. ¹⁶ Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. ¹⁷ Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.” – John 13:1-17

 

True faith translates itself into action.

 

We’re to love God, love others, care for others, and live our lives in such a way that we point others toward Jesus.

 

How does Christian service and community service differ? Both are good things. The difference is that Christian service points others in the direction of Jesus. We are to mirror the life of Jesus and the love of God.

 

Who do we serve? Only Christians? Only those the world deems to be worthy?

 

³¹ “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. ³² All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. ³³ He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.

³⁴ “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. ³⁵ For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, ³⁶ I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’

³⁷ “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? ³⁸ When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? ³⁹ When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

⁴⁰ “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’

⁴¹ “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. ⁴² For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, ⁴³ I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’

⁴⁴ “They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’

⁴⁵ “He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’

⁴⁶ “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.” – Matthew 25: 31-44

 

What would happen if we lived our lives as though we truly believed that? How would that change how we live? How would that change the world that lives around us?

 

A generous person will prosper;

whoever refreshes others will be refreshed. -- Proverbs 11:25

 

How many times do we tell ourselves, and others, that we can’t afford to tithe? We can’t afford to give to others? We can’t possibly share a meal or clothing or anything else, especially our time?

 

Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the Lord,
and he will reward them for what they have done. -- Proverbs 19:17

 

Do you help the poor? Even those you don’t deem worthy? What’s the difference between enabling someone and truly helping them? Maybe it’s buying food instead of giving money.

 

The generous will themselves be blessed,
for they share their food with the poor.

-- Proverbs 22:9

 

Service changes us. It causes us to look beyond ourselves and see others and their needs. I once had someone say that the men’s group would NOT help an elderly widow because she had family that could help her. That family wasn’t helping but she was deemed unworthy because they should have helped her.

 

Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. -- Romans 12:10

 

Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. -- 1 Peter 4:10

 

 

Does everyone have the same gifts? Should everyone serve in the same way? Laurel is a talented photographer so she’s using her gifts. We all have gifts. And we all have a choice to use those gifts in a way that causes others to see Jesus.

 

You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh^; rather, serve one another humbly in love.

-- Galatians 5:13

 

Who wants to be first? Who wants the accolades of being the lead singer in the band or the largest financial donor? Who wants to be sought after and praised?

 

 ³⁵ Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to him. “Teacher,” they said, “we want you to do for us whatever we ask.”

³⁶ “What do you want me to do for you?” he asked.

³⁷ They replied, “Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory.”

³⁸ “You don’t know what you are asking,” Jesus said. “Can you drink the cup I drink or be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with?”

³⁹ “We can,” they answered.

Jesus said to them, “You will drink the cup I drink and be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with, ⁴⁰ but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared.”

⁴¹ When the ten heard about this, they became indignant with James and John. ⁴² Jesus called them together and said, “You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. ⁴³ Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, ⁴⁴ and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. ⁴⁵ For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” -- Mark 10:35-45

 

Jesus talked a lot about service. So did the Old Testament.

 

“Shout it aloud, do not hold back.
    Raise your voice like a trumpet.
Declare to my people their rebellion
    and to the descendants of Jacob their sins.
² For day after day they seek me out;
    they seem eager to know my ways,
as if they were a nation that does what is right
    and has not forsaken the commands of its God.
They ask me for just decisions
    and seem eager for God to come near them.
³ ‘Why have we fasted,’ they say,
    ‘and you have not seen it?
Why have we humbled ourselves,
    and you have not noticed?’

“Yet on the day of your fasting, you do as you please
    and exploit all your workers.
⁴ Your fasting ends in quarreling and strife,
    and in striking each other with wicked fists.
You cannot fast as you do today
    and expect your voice to be heard on high.
⁵ Is this the kind of fast I have chosen,
    only a day for people to humble themselves?
Is it only for bowing one’s head like a reed
    and for lying in sackcloth and ashes?
Is that what you call a fast,
    a day acceptable to the Lord?

⁶ “Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen:
to loose the chains of injustice
    and untie the cords of the yoke,
to set the oppressed free
    and break every yoke?
⁷ Is it not to share your food with the hungry
    and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—
when you see the naked, to clothe them,
    and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?
⁸ Then your light will break forth like the dawn,
    and your healing will quickly appear;
then your righteousness^[a] will go before you,
    and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard.
⁹ Then you will call, and the Lord will answer;
    you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I.

“If you do away with the yoke of oppression,
    with the pointing finger and malicious talk,
¹⁰ and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry
    and satisfy the needs of the oppressed,
then your light will rise in the darkness,
    and your night will become like the noonday.
¹¹ The Lord will guide you always;
    he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land
    and will strengthen your frame.
You will be like a well-watered garden,
    like a spring whose waters never fail.

-- Isaiah 58:1-11

 

¹⁴ What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? ¹⁵ Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. ¹⁶ If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? ¹⁷ In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. -- James 2:14-18

 

We’re good at praying, aren’t we? Or, at least, we’re good at telling people we’ll pray for them. What would happen if we actually put hands and feet to that prayer? If our deeds matched our words?

 

Ashley Boggan, the top executive of the United Methodist Commission on Archives and History spoke recently to the Council of Bishops. She urged them to become like John Wesley, to be proactive, provocative and prophetic, rather than merely reactive to organizational and ecclesial needs.

 

Wesley wasn’t always at the forefront of change. She noted that he resisted preaching outside of the confines of a church – until he witnessed George Whitefield preaching to thousands in the seaport city of Bristol, England.

 

 

 Whitefield had met the masses where they were. He was reaching those who had been forgotten, discarded, irrelevant. Wesley saw this and changed. Wesley wrote that “at four in the afternoon, I submitted to ‘be more vile’ and proclaim in the highways the glad tidings of salvation.” Boggan also noted that in doing this Wesley directly and openly violated the church law of his day.

 

This isn’t to slam churches or the need for worship. But it’s an acknowledgement that the people we most need to reach today don’t feel that the Christian faith, that Jesus Himself, is relevant today. Maybe, just maybe, it’s because they see so many people proclaiming a faith they do not live.

 

We have a wonderful opportunity to get involved in many, many different ways. There’s a need for substitute teachers in the children’s department and substitute workers in the nursery. Vacation Bible School needs volunteers. The senior ministry needs substitute bus drivers.

 

Our pastor would like to begin a homebound communion ministry. Perhaps it would mean visiting one person or couple each month to give them sacraments that the pastor has already blessed.

 

There’s also a desire to rekindle the nursing home ministry. It would involve a program the first Sunday of each month. We would serve communion, offer a devotional and sing some of the older hymns.

 

The choir needs more people. Always. There’s a need for additional volunteers to package and distribute food every month at the food pantry.

 

I hope everyone will consider how they can intentionally serve others as Jesus did. We are, after all, meant to be His hands and feet.

 

June 30, 2018

What Would Happen?

“What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus asked him.

The blind man said, “Rabbi, I want to see.”

“Go,” said Jesus, “your faith has healed you.” Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road.

– Mark 10:51-52

Who would we be if we truly saw Jesus for who He is? What would we do if we truly saw Him?

We spend most of our lives being led by our own common sense and the world’s opinion of what we should do and who we should be. We not only deny Jesus but we deny the person He has called us to be.

We’re just so practical, you know? We don’t see a way so we assume a way doesn’t exist. We walk by faith – but only as far as we can see. We believe in miracles – for other people. We have great faith – but not when it means going where we are uncomfortable.

The sad truth is that we don’t want to cause ripples. And we certainly don’t want to ignite a storm. We just want to get along, to lead a good life, to be successful in the eyes of the world. If we want to be known, it’s for worldly achievements.

Sure, we want to go to heaven one day. Just not today. And we don’t really want to sacrifice anything to get there. We don’t want people to dislike us because we choose to follow Jesus rather than man. We want to do life on our own terms.

We know exactly what that looks like. We stay busy telling people how to live for Jesus. We insist that we know what is right. Yes, our biblical views benefit us. But, well, that’s just how it is. We’re not backing down. No compromise for us. We’re a hard-hearted bunch. All in the name of Jesus, of course.

But what would happen if we stepped back for a moment. Imagine yourself back in the days when Jesus was teaching and preaching and healing on this earth. Look down at your dusty feet. Feel yourself jostled in the crowd. Move close enough to hear His words. Do you still believe?

We’d like to think we would be one of those who gave up everything to follow our Savior. We want to believe that we would have given our very lives for the One who came to save us all. But the truth isn’t so pretty. Would we be like Peter, one of Jesus’ closest friends, who denied Him three times rather than risk his own life? Or would we be like the Pharisees who “knew” so much but were really so focused on their own opinions and power that they missed the Messiah?

The blind man’s faith was simple and direct. He knew Jesus could heal him. There was nothing fancy going on. No rituals. No prayer circles. No debates. Just one man with great faith and a Savior who saw him and heard the cry of his heart.

Why do we need it to be so much more than that? Why do we need signs and plans and the support of all those around us? What keeps us from hearing His voice and walking toward Him with great faith? What would happen in our lives if we stopped looking around us and focused directly on Jesus? What would happen if great faith directed our steps?

Open your eyes. See our Savior. Start walking toward Him. It really is that simple.

June 26, 2018

What Will You Sacrifice?

Jesus looked at him and loved him. “One thing you lack,” he said. “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”

At this the man’s face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth.

– Mark 10:21-22

We want to follow Jesus until it costs us something. We want eternal life but we don’t want to make sacrifices on this earth to make that happen. We want a life of faith but we don’t want to make any changes in how we live.

This man wanted to inherit eternal life. He followed the commandments. He assured Jesus he’d done that since he was a child. But he wasn’t willing to give up his possessions, his great wealth, to follow Jesus.

It’s not that there’s anything wrong with material blessings. The challenge comes when we value those things more than Jesus. It’s there that things become idols, whether we realize or acknowledge it or not.

This man wanted to do right, to live a good life, to follow Jesus. He thought he had. It’s as though he was coming to Jesus for reassurance that he was good enough for heaven. He wasn’t.

The sad truth is that none of us are good enough for heaven. We are all sinners. We are all too dirty to kneel before Almighty God. The only way to enter His Presence is to be washed by the blood of Christ. And that, my friends, will always cost us something.

What are you willing to give up for Jesus? Are you willing to tithe 10 percent, whether you think you can afford it or not? Are you willing to trust God with what you need even when you can’t see beyond today?

Are you willing to sacrifice your time and money to go on a mission trip or volunteer at a shelter? Are you willing to give up your well-deserved day off to help an elderly neighbor with yard work he can no longer do and can not afford to hire out? Just how much are you willing to give of yourself to be the hands and feet of Jesus?

We talk good. We point fingers. We write a check. We volunteer when something interests us or when we will benefit from it. But to sacrificially serve Jesus? Well, we’re not so sure about that. But His Word says that we must deny ourselves. We must take up His cross. We must be willing to get dirty, to step out in faith, to help those who aren’t pretty and clean and “worthy.”

Ah, yes. There’s that word. “Worthy.” We want to pick and choose who deserves our help, our money, our time. We forget that Jesus loved everyone equally. We ignore the reality that Jesus frequently welcomed those whom others cast aside.

Jesus calls us all to service. He calls us all to sacrifice. He calls us all to a different life than what is comfortable and of our choosing. The question is: Will you walk away or will you step out in faith? The choice belongs to you.

March 1, 2018

Draw the Outcasts Close

And as He was leaving Jericho with His disciples and a great crowd, Bartimaeus, a blind beggar, the son of Timaeus, was sitting by the roadside. And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” And many rebuked him, telling him to be silent. But he cried out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” – Mark 10:46-48

There is acceptable. And then there is unacceptable. Ask any lifelong church member. There is an unwritten code of conduct that demands a certain way of worshipping to all who enter.

It has nothing to do with Jesus. The Son of David came to set us free of the constraints of those who demand we be silent. He came to save us. He hears our cries for mercy and salvation. Jesus calls us closer even as others – those self-righteous Christians with all their rules – push us away.

I am blessed to attend a contemporary worship service where coffee and “amens” and hands raised are normal. No one would dare do those things during one of the traditional services. The condemning glances would wither even a strong soul.

This is the church – loving though it is – that years ago told a couple not to bring their special child to services anymore. She was disruptive, they said. She talked when she wasn’t supposed to. She reminded them that not all babies are born healthy and “normal”.

So they pulled away from church, from Jesus, when they needed help the most. They withdrew into a world where their child was accepted, even as that world grew smaller and smaller. No amount of love from others could erase the rejection of those who should have loved with abandoned acceptance.

Then there was the couple who attended another church with their autistic toddler. The condemning comments and stares were like daggers aimed at their hearts. They struggled to entertain him, to prevent outbursts, to fit into the church that had been their home for so long. The weight of it all led them in a futile search for somewhere, anywhere, where they could worship and serve Jesus and not face the condemnation of those who claimed to be His people.

The same scenario plays out in churches everywhere. People are displeased by crying babies and bored kids. They are upset when people cry out to God, actually go to the alter in tears, or when they don’t dress the part. It has nothing to do with Jesus.

Jesus heard Bartimaeus. He called him close. Jesus looked at this blind beggar, so desperate for help, and asked him what he wanted. Jesus could easily have ignored Bartimaeus. He could have overlooked the beggar as others rebuked Bartimaeus and told him to be silent. Instead, Jesus beckoned him to come. Just like Jesus beckons us to come near.

And Jesus said to him, “What do you want me to do for you?” And the blind man said to him, “Rabbi, let me recover my sight.” And Jesus said to him, “Go your way; your faith has made you well.” And immediately he recovered his sight and followed him on the way. – Mark 10:51-52

Jesus healed much more than Bartimaeus’ eyesight. He healed this beggar’s heart. He drew toward Him someone others had cast aside. Who are you pointing a finger at? Who grates on your nerves as you worship Jesus? Beckon them close. Embrace them. Be Jesus to those who need to feel loved and accepted by their church family.

May 19, 2016

We Are To Serve

43 Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, 44 and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. 45 For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” -- Mark 10:43-45

The other day I was minding my own business while driving to town. Unfortunately, someone else decided to insert themselves into my business.

The road narrows, going from two lanes to one. No problem for most of us. Everyone merged accordingly. Except for the tan Expedition. That driver was determined to be first. She almost ran me off the road and came close to rear ending the car in front of me.

I have no idea what her hurry was all about. But I wonder if it was worth almost causing two accidents. And I wonder if she ever considered that she was to share the road and obey the traffic signs. Somehow I doubt it.

No matter what is going on in life -- whether it’s traffic or job or family -- somebody always wants to be first. The problem comes when their desire tramples all over the rights of others.

Do you remember this story in the Bible? John and James wanted to sit on either side of Jesus when He entered His glory. They wanted Jesus to promise -- before they even asked Him. You can imagine how well that went over with the other 10 disciples.

That’s what happens when we try to elevate ourselves over others. It causes dissention. It causes hard feelings. And it makes us look pretty bad.

In the world of our faith, we are called to serve others. It’s what Jesus did and it’s what He expects us to do. Except we don’t do servanthood well, do we? We want to lead and give orders but that’s not the way of Jesus.

In the way of Jesus, we let the other cars go ahead and merge in to traffic. In the way of Jesus, we support and help others to be successful. In the way of Jesus, we serve without expecting anything in return.

It’s something to think about the next time we are trying to win at the expense of someone else.

April 1, 2016

Embrace Your Children

When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these." -- Mark 10:14

The couple sat together without acknowledging each other. They were intent on the phones in their hands. A while later two children and two grandparents joined them. I was appalled at their reactions.

The youngest child, maybe four, was so excited to see her mom. The mom? Not so much. The first words out of her mouth were “Be quiet!” The only time the child got any attention was when she acted out. How sad!

Later the child moaned that she was bored. Her mother admonished her for forgetting to bring her phone in. Excuse me? Whatever happened to having a conversation with your child? Whatever happened to playing games -- maybe tic-tac-toe -- while you wait for your food? Whatever happened to actually showing your child you love her by giving her your time?

I have a sweet friend who is a divorced solo parent to two little girls. I’ve joked that I want to go to their house and spend time with them. They all have so much fun! Yes, they do school and homework. Yes, they do dance and soccer. But they also decorate cookies and go to the park and play together. They are the center of their working mother’s world and they know it!

Do these kids act out? Of course they do! They are children and they get disciplined just like all children should. But the discipline comes from a place of love -- much like God disciplines us because He loves us. They are wonderful, happy children.

I wonder if the younger child at the restaurant will one day be like her older sister. That girl stayed quiet and played with her phone and then ate. She barely spoke. Or maybe the younger girl will continue to act out, her young antics escalating in an attempt to make her parents see her.

Jesus loves little children. He told His disciples to let them come to Him. How can we do any less? How can parents, entrusted with the priceless gift of a child, ignore that child and treat her like a bother? I guess I will never understand. I wanted children and was never able to have them so I can’t imagine anyone rejecting such an amazing gift.

If you have children, treasure them. Turn off the television. Put the phone away. Listen to what your children have to say. Engage them in conversation. Play with them. They want to be part of your life. Show them that you want them to be part of yours.

Thursday, November 10, 2011

Children Teach Us True Faith

You have taught children and infants to give you praise. -- Psalm 8:2a (NLT)

The prayer request was urgent. The little girl was really sick and the outcome was uncertain. So prayers went up and slowly the little girl got better. She’s still in the hospital. She’s still really sick. But she has quite a story to tell.

It seems that when she was at her worst, when she was really sick and scared, God stayed with her. Three angels were there too. God really likes spaghetti and meatballs, she said. And she didn’t have to be afraid because He was with her.

It gives new meaning to the phrase “out of the mouths of babes” doesn’t it? This little girl, who is far too young by accepted standards to really understand who God is, met Him in her darkest hour. She’s too little to doubt. She’s much too young to explain away her “dream” or blame it on the medicine. She knows what she experienced and who was there with her. Her faith is strong and true.

I wish all of us could have that kind of faith. And I wish we didn’t have to suffer something horrible to get to that place. I wish we could know always, in that place deep inside of us, that He is with us and will sustain us no matter what. But we adults have a way of making excuses and worrying ourselves to death over things we can’t control or change.

Why do we find it so difficult to believe that God is with us when we are afraid? Why do we doubt when we know He has promised to take care of us? Why do we run away from His outstretched hand when we know our only real security is found in His arms?

“I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” -- Mark 10:15 (NIV)

Faith. Belief without seeing. Knowing without doubting. Certainty in an uncertain world.

And he took the children in his arms, put his hands on them and blessed them.”

-- Mark 10:16 (NIV)

Thanks you, God, for small children who teach us the true meaning of faith.