I agree with Selwyn, these following verses, tell us a lot about the nature of our God (John 13:1, 3-5, 12-17, NLT). ” … Jesus knew that his hour had come to leave this world and return to his Father. He had loved his disciples during his ministry on earth, and now he loved them to the very end. … Jesus knew that the Father had given him authority over everything and that he had come from God and would return to God.
So he got up from the table, took off his robe, wrapped a towel around his waist, and poured water into a basin. Then he began to wash the disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel he had around him. …
After washing their feet, he put on his robe again and sat down and asked, “Do you understand what I was doing? You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and you are right, because that’s what I am. And since I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash each other’s feet. I have given you an example to follow. Do as I have done to you. I tell you the truth, slaves are not greater than their master. Nor is the messenger more important than the one who sends the message. Now that you know these things, God will bless you for doing them.”
Selwyn writes in today’s study: “… The consciousness of His greatness was the secret of His humility, for, as you see, only the great can afford to stoop. … Christians, worship at the feet of a God who washes their feet.”
I think, another great aspect of these verses is that Jesus teaches by example – He asks us to do – what He has done. All of His followers should be prepared, and have the heart for, the washing of each other’s feet - to clean off, the dust of daily life.
When, by an act of humility, was the last time that you helped someone to become spiritually clean?
I liked Selwyn’c conclusion: “… Because God came and put Himself in our condition, He now fully understands our condition. [I think He always did, being our Creator, however - we, from a human perspective, can now have the confidence that He does - based on the life of Jesus.] How amazing! I don’t know about you, but a God who gave Himself to me in this way is a God who can have my heart any day.”
The Scripture verses set for reading and meditation, are well worth your time, thinking about for awhile, (Paul’s letter to the Philippians 2:1-11, NLT): “Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Any comfort from his love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit? Are your hearts tender and compassionate?
Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose. Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.
You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross.
Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”
I think, the title of today’s study is wrong – if left just as it is – because, everyone – who has ever lived, will one day bend their knee – at the name of Jesus. Does not matter, if they believed in Him or not, while on this earth; they will recognise Him, as God – on that last day of judgement!
What do you think?
The March/April issue of ‘Every Day with Jesus’ [CWR Publications] has the title ‘Healing Wounds’.
Selwyn introduces this new topic, as follows: “We embark today on a theme which I trust will not only deepen your love for Jesus Christ, but will help you to understand in an even deeper way the truth of His ability to enter into and sympathise with every phase of human life and need. Let it be said at once – Jesus is a wounded healer. …
(and, he concludes, with) Nothing can be more wonderful in earth and heaven than to know that when we come to Jesus, we come to One who has worn our flesh, measured its frailty and knows exactly how we feel.”
If, you think about it, Jesus as God, does not match the image of a ‘god’, as seen through the eyes of other religious faiths. First off, He is born outside the comfort of a home, and to some his status may have been questionable (conceived outside of marriage). As a child, His family flees to Egypt, and He lives as a refugee; then returns with His family to live in Israel; in a small village where He may have suffered some rejection. He gives up any idea of a normal life; and spends the last three years of His young life as a wandering preacher, depending on the hospitality of other people – He has no permanent ‘home’. Lastly, He dies a terrible death on a cross, exposed to public ridicule.
In chapter 53, of the book of the prophet Isaiah, the first six verses – foretells, the nature of our wounded God: “Who has believed our message? To whom has the Lord revealed his powerful arm?
My servant grew up in the Lord’s presence like a tender green shoot, like a root in dry ground. There was nothing beautiful or majestic about his appearance, nothing to attract us to him.
He was despised and rejected – a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief. We turned our backs on him and looked the other way. He was despised, and we did not care.
Yet it was our weaknesses he carried; it was our sorrows that weighed him down. And we thought his troubles were a punishment from God, a punishment for his own sins!
But he was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins. He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be healed. All of us, like sheep, have strayed away. We have left God’s paths to follow our own. Yet the Lord laid on him the sins of us all.”
Fantastic verses – don’t you think?
We truly do have a God – who can, and does, care for us - as we live (carried by Him) through all our wounds and weaknesses.
The start and end of today’s study – perhaps, is a fitting way to end this issue: ” … the Kingdom of God, as embodied in the Person of Christ, has the final say in human affairs … So, let this be our last thought: when Christ taught His disciples too pray. He instructed them to say this: ‘ … your kingdom come’ (Matthew 6:10). Other kingdoms come and go. His Kingdom is here now, and is here to stay.”
I’m currently visiting a friend in another city, and (today) they have a range of newspapers covering news from all around the world – from news of the large earthquake in Chile and resulting tsunamis, the Winter Olympics (Vancouver), a variety of reports on political leaders and endless stories about celebrities and their exploits. Yet, just how much news is there, in the various media, concerning God’s Kingdom – the one structure which will survive past the end of time? I didn’t notice anything of substance.
I think this is a sign – that the hearts of many have grown cold – do you agree?
The text set for reading and meditation supports our trust and confidence in our future, as we stand on an unshakeable rock [Isaiah 9:2-7, NLT]: “The people who walk in darkness will see a great light. For those who live in a land of deep darkness, a light will shine.
You will enlarge the nation of Israel, and its people will rejoice. They will rejoice before you as people rejoice at the harvest and like warriors dividing the plunder. For you will break the yoke of their slavery and lift the heavy burden from their shoulders. You will break the oppressor’s rod, just as you did when you destroyed the army of Midian.
The boots of the warrior and the uniforms bloodstained by war will all be burned.They will be fuel for the fire.
For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
His government and its peace will never end. He will rule with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David for all eternity. The passionate commitment of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies will make this happen!”
I think Selwyn’s conclusion captures a part of his passionate belief in God’s eternal kingdom: “The ages have tested the foundations on which men have built, and only one has proved solid and dependable – the Kingdom of God. From the depths of my heart I give thanks that I belong to the one kingdom that cannot be shaken. And so, I hope, do you.”
As Selwyn implies, at the start of today’s study, it’s our Lord’s Word which has the last say.
He writes: “Kingdoms built on laws and principles antithetical to God’s laws are sowing the seeds of their own destruction.”
We, also know, that this truth not only applies to nations and kingdoms but to individuals as well – no one will escape giving an account of their life, to the One who created it.
‘God the more!’
I have a problem with what Selwyn has written today – along the lines that one possible understanding of his statement, ‘the Almighty was never so much God as when He became man’, could be taken to mean that God, at one stage, was less than perfect. In the context of today’s study, Selwyn does not explicitly present that view, but what he does write is not all that clear (to me), and therefore, it may lead to some confusion.
However, we gain a clearer view, of this issue – when we read Hebrews 2:14-18 (NLT) [a subset of the verses, set for reading and meditation): ” … Because God’s children are human beings – made of flesh and blood – the Son also became flesh and blood. For only as a human being could Jesus die, and only by dying could he break the power of the devil, who had the power of death. Only in this way could he set free all who have lived their lives as slaves to the fear of dying.
We also know that the Son did not come to help angels; he came to help the descendants of Abraham. Therefore, it was necessary for him to be made in every respect like us, his brothers and sisters, so that he could be our merciful and faithful High Priest before God. Then he could offer a sacrifice that would take away the sins of the people. Since he himself has gone through suffering and testing, Jesus is able to help us when we are being tested.”
God’s great rescue plan – Jesus – is the demonstration of perfect love. God is the same today, as He was yesterday and always will be – that’s why we can have such great hope in our eternal future. His promises will never change! Do you agree?