GOD’S WORD FOR DECEMBER 19

Our  book this month  is a continuation of “Chiseled by the Master’s Hand ~ Lessons From the Life of Peter,” by Erwin  Lutzer.  Dr. Lutzer is  Canadian-born and served as Senior Pastor of the Moody Church in Chicago for 36 years, until his retirement in 2016.   He now serves as Pastor Emeritus of Moody Church.  He’s written many books and has radio and internet teaching programs.

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THE MASTER’S HUMBLE TOUCH

(Read John 13:1-20)

The disciples must have been shocked and embarrassed.  The Son of God was girded with a towel, and now He was bending down, washing the feet of one disciple and then another!  How could He stoop so low!   The Creator was washing the feet of the creature!  Incredibly: GOD WAS ON HIS HANDS AND KNEES!

Indeed, these hands created the worlds and spoke them into existence;  now these hands were to wash dirty feet!  Christ obviously was secure, living with the full knowledge that He did not have to maintain the decorum expected of a king.  He could humble Himself because the expectations of others were unimportant.  His source of strength came from inner self-assurance and a steady peace that controlled His every move.

The key phrase in this story is in verse 3: “Jesus, knowing.”  Christ’s confidence was so deeply rooted that He could take the lowly position without having His dignity threatened.  What, specifically, did He know that made Him believe that washing dirty feet was not beneath His dignity?

FIRST: HE KNEW HIS MISSION.

“His hour had come that He should depart out of this world to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them, to the end.”  (John 13:1) This was the hour into which would be compressed the darkness of Gethsemane and the horror of the cross.  Yet this was precisely the reason why Christ had come into the world – the will of God was being done.

SECOND: HE KNEW HIS RESOURCES.  “Knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands.”  (John 13:3). Yes, even the subtle plans of Judas, made under the instigation of Satan were fully under Christ’s control.  This gave Him the confidence that His own future would not be left to chance but to the certainty of God’s will.

THIRD:  HE KNEW HIS ORIGIN.  “Knowing…that He had come forth from God.”  (John 13:3) He remembered the glories of heaven, the fellowship with the Father, and the plan that He would come to redeem, a part of the human race.  He was secure in His heavenly mission.

FOURTH: HE KNEW HIS DESTINATION.  He was returning to the Father.  (John 13:3). Between the point of His earthly origin and the point of His destination there lay the agony of Gethsemane and the horror of the cross.  Yet because He knew how it would all end, He could face this trial with confidence: 
“who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God (Hebrews 12:2).

With such a sense of mission, Christ was able to take a lowly place in the midst of His disciples. What He did was not as important to Him as the One for whom He did it.  Even an ordinary task becomes extraordinary if it is done with the right motive.

Today, many people seek a job they love, and it is delightful when they find one.  But millions of others will never find a vocation they love, and yet they can find fulfillment.  Paul taught that even slaves could have the honor of working for God rather than men, if they see their lot from God’s perspective (Ephesians 6:5-8).  We can try to find a vocation that is in keeping with our training, aptitude, and dignity.  Sometimes applicants are rejected because they have too much education or too much experience.  It is difficult to be satisfied with lesser responsibility.   But……………..

Never has one been so overqualified as Christ the Son of God, washing His disciples’ feet!!  He who was higher than the heavens stepped down lower than a housemaid.  Little wonder He often used a small child to teach the meaning of true greatness.

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Philippians 2:5-11

Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, …

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Mark 10:45

For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

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2 Corinthians 8:9

For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich.

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2 Chronicles 7:14

If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.

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James 4:10

Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.

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Luke 14:10

But when you are invited, go and sit down in the lowest place, so that when he who invited you comes he may say to you, ‘Friend, go up higher.’ Then you will have glory in the presence of those who sit at the table with you.

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John 3:30

He must increase, but I must decrease.

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