I like the story of Eugene Peterson, who wrote The Message paraphrase of the Bible, how he made his friend (or enemy?) convert to Christianity for the first time. When Eugene started first grade, a second-grade bully named Garrison Johns picked him out to be his victim. Most afternoons after school, Garrison would catch Eugene and beat him up. He also found out Eugene was a Christian and taunted him with “Jesus-sissy.” Eugene arrived home most days bruised and humiliated. One day Garrison caught up with Eugene and started jabbing him. That’s when it happened. Peterson wrote: “For a moment, the Bible verses disappeared from my consciousness, and I grabbed Garrison. To my surprise and his, I was stronger than he was. I wrestled him to the ground, sat on his chest, pinned his arms to the ground with my knees, and he was helpless at my mercy. It was too good to be true. I hit him in the face with my fists. It felt good, and I hit him again. Blood spurted from his nose, a lovely crimson in the snow… Then my Christian training reasserted itself. I said, “Say, ‘I believe in Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior.’” He wouldn’t say it. I hit him again. More blood. I tried again. “Say, ‘I believe in Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior,’” and he said it. Garrison Johns was my first Christian convert.”[1]
A Survey That Said a Lot
A Survey That Said a Lot
When we were a child, we often fought with our siblings because we wanted it “my way.” Christians can sometimes act just like those demanding children. Thom Rainer, author of I Am a Church Member, and his research team recently conducted a survey of churches identified as self-serving and inwardly focused. They found 10 dominant behavior patterns of members in these churches. The following are some of these:[2]
In particular, humility is so important in Christian life. Chrysostom, the early church father, said, “Humility is the foundation of Christianity.” St. Augustine said, “If you should ask me what are the ways of God, I would tell you that the first is humility, the second is humility, and the third is humility. Not that there are no other precepts to give, but if humility does not precede all that we do, our efforts our meaningless.” According to Philippians 2, true humility means to put self (“my way”) to death and to put God and others first.
Jesus was so concerned for his disciples to embrace this humility. So when he had the last supper with his disciples before returning to the Father, the very last thing he did was this: the washing of his disciples’ feet. He got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. 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 (John 13:4-5). Jesus has set an example for us. But some of the church traditions interpret his teaching too literally. For instance, still today Mennonites teach that feet-washing is a necessary ordinance in addition to baptism and the Lord’s Supper. Seventh Day Adventists observe it quarterly as ‘the ordinance of humility.’ But in this matter Calvin rightly said, “Christ does not enjoin an annual ceremony here, but tells us to be ready, all through our life, to wash the feet of our brethren.” [3]
Washing the Feet of Others
- Worship wars: Church members clash over music styles, instrumentation, and order of service.
- Facility focus: The church places a high priority on protecting rooms and furniture.
- Attitudes of entitlement: Church members act as if they deserve special treatment.
- Greater concern about change than the gospel: Church members get fired up if you move their classroom, but they don’t care much about participating in the work of the gospel.
- Evangelistic apathy: Members care more about their own needs than the greater eternal needs of the world and community around them.
From My Way to Jesus’ Way
In these patterns we can find one thing in common, that is, “my way.” I want the music my way. I want the building my way. I want the ministry program my way. I don’t want to change anything in my church. It is about “me,” “myself,” “my way”. But Paul, in today’s passage, gently invites us to see church membership with a whole different perfective. From a biblical perspective, church membership is about serving, giving, putting others first. Paul commends us, “Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus” (5). So what did Jesus do? He was God, but he didn’t think so much of himself. But instead, he emptied himself by becoming human. Not only that, but also he humbled himself by becoming obedient to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross. Here Jesus shows us the perfect example to follow. He tells us what it means to be a member of his body. We are called to serve. We are called to obey. We are called to put others first and be humble.
In particular, humility is so important in Christian life. Chrysostom, the early church father, said, “Humility is the foundation of Christianity.” St. Augustine said, “If you should ask me what are the ways of God, I would tell you that the first is humility, the second is humility, and the third is humility. Not that there are no other precepts to give, but if humility does not precede all that we do, our efforts our meaningless.” According to Philippians 2, true humility means to put self (“my way”) to death and to put God and others first.
Jesus was so concerned for his disciples to embrace this humility. So when he had the last supper with his disciples before returning to the Father, the very last thing he did was this: the washing of his disciples’ feet. He got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. 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 (John 13:4-5). Jesus has set an example for us. But some of the church traditions interpret his teaching too literally. For instance, still today Mennonites teach that feet-washing is a necessary ordinance in addition to baptism and the Lord’s Supper. Seventh Day Adventists observe it quarterly as ‘the ordinance of humility.’ But in this matter Calvin rightly said, “Christ does not enjoin an annual ceremony here, but tells us to be ready, all through our life, to wash the feet of our brethren.” [3]
Washing the Feet of Others
In Jesus’ time when people entered a house, the washing of feet was practiced whether by oneself or by somebody else. But we live in a different world, different context. What does it mean to wash the feet of others? It doesn’t mean to wash them literally (although we practice a foot-washing ceremony in certain circumstances), but it does mean to live a life of love. It means to live a life of humble and sacrificial service all through our life. Then, what does it look like to live this humble and sacrificial life in our daily living? I like the way Fred Craddock uses a “25-cents love” analogy, saying, “To give my life for Christ appears glorious. To pour myself out for others…to pay the ultimate price of martyrdom—I’ll do it. I’m ready, Lord, to go out in a blaze of glory. We think giving our all to the Lord is like taking a $1,000 bill and laying it on the table—here’s my life, Lord. I’m giving it all. But the reality for most of us is that He sends us to the bank and has us cash in the $1,000 for quarters. We go through life putting out 25 cents here and 50 cents there. Listen to the neighbor kid’s troubles instead of saying, ‘Get lost.’ Go to a committee meeting. Give up a cup of water to a shaky old man in a nursing home. Usually giving our life to Christ isn’t glorious. It’s done in all those little acts of love, 25 cents at a time. It would be easy to go out in a flash of glory; it’s harder to live the Christian life little by little over the long haul.”[4] What do you think?
For me personally, to wash the feet of others means to live with a 100% mindset, not a 50:50 mindset. You see there is what you can call an “if” love, and there is a “though” love. And the permanent, the lasting love, the unconditional love is the “though” love. Now the “if” love says, “I’ll submit when she submits” or “I’ll sacrifice after he sacrifices.” That’s the “if” love. But the “though” love says, “Though she is kind of mean to me; though he is not supportive of me; nevertheless! I will love her anyway! I will attend the committee meeting anyway. I will support; I will give; I will serve; I will sacrifice; I will visit anyway!” That’s the “though” love. That’s the same mind, same attitude that was also in Christ Jesus!
“Not My Will, But Yours, Be Done!”
For me personally, to wash the feet of others means to live with a 100% mindset, not a 50:50 mindset. You see there is what you can call an “if” love, and there is a “though” love. And the permanent, the lasting love, the unconditional love is the “though” love. Now the “if” love says, “I’ll submit when she submits” or “I’ll sacrifice after he sacrifices.” That’s the “if” love. But the “though” love says, “Though she is kind of mean to me; though he is not supportive of me; nevertheless! I will love her anyway! I will attend the committee meeting anyway. I will support; I will give; I will serve; I will sacrifice; I will visit anyway!” That’s the “though” love. That’s the same mind, same attitude that was also in Christ Jesus!
“Not My Will, But Yours, Be Done!”
Church unity comes through humility. Church unity comes when we lay aside our ways, our rights, our preferences and put Christ and others first. The question is whether we have an “if-love” mindset, or whether we/x?sda have a “though-love” mindset. So let us examine and ask ourselves: “Am I sticking to certain worship/music style because it gives me comfort, or am I willing to adapt myself to change to reach out new and unchurched people?” “Am I doing this ministry mainly because I like it or because of the church’s needs?” “Am I seeking unity or am I seeking my own way?” Again humility means to put my way aside and to put others and Christ first.
Jesus said, “For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted” (Luke 14:11). Christ humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death on a cross, because of love for you and me. He endured the cross for the joy, for knowing that you and I would draw near to him through his death on the cross. And God exalted Jesus on high! And now we all confess, “Jesus is Lord!” So today, because of his great love, we humble ourselves out of our love for Christ and others. The Bible promises, as we humble ourselves under God’s mighty hand, he will exalt us at the right time (1 Peter 5:6). That reminds me of the beautiful heavenly worship in Revelation 4. God gives his saints the crowns of life, but then they cast their crowns back before the throne, saying, “Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power!” (11) Let us join their unending hymn and say, “Not to us, Lord, not to us, but to your name give glory!” (Ps 115:1) Amen.
-------
[1] John Ortberg, Who Is This Man?: The Unpredictable Impact of the Inescapable Jesus (Zondervan, 2012), 134-135.
[2] Thom Rainer, I Am a Church Member (B&H Publishing Group, 2013), 36-38.
[3] John Stott, The Incomparable Christ (InterVarsity Press, 2001), Kindle Locations 2469-2472 of 4606.
[4] Keith Krell, “Work Your Way Down the Ladder” (Philippians 2:5-11), https://bible.org/seriespage/6-work-your-way-down-ladder-philippians-25-11
Jesus said, “For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted” (Luke 14:11). Christ humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death on a cross, because of love for you and me. He endured the cross for the joy, for knowing that you and I would draw near to him through his death on the cross. And God exalted Jesus on high! And now we all confess, “Jesus is Lord!” So today, because of his great love, we humble ourselves out of our love for Christ and others. The Bible promises, as we humble ourselves under God’s mighty hand, he will exalt us at the right time (1 Peter 5:6). That reminds me of the beautiful heavenly worship in Revelation 4. God gives his saints the crowns of life, but then they cast their crowns back before the throne, saying, “Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power!” (11) Let us join their unending hymn and say, “Not to us, Lord, not to us, but to your name give glory!” (Ps 115:1) Amen.
-------
[1] John Ortberg, Who Is This Man?: The Unpredictable Impact of the Inescapable Jesus (Zondervan, 2012), 134-135.
[2] Thom Rainer, I Am a Church Member (B&H Publishing Group, 2013), 36-38.
[3] John Stott, The Incomparable Christ (InterVarsity Press, 2001), Kindle Locations 2469-2472 of 4606.
[4] Keith Krell, “Work Your Way Down the Ladder” (Philippians 2:5-11), https://bible.org/seriespage/6-work-your-way-down-ladder-philippians-25-11
No comments:
Post a Comment