Be Served

John 13

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

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

"No," said Peter, "you shall never wash my feet."
Jesus answered, "Unless I wash you, you have no part with me."

I have known that a "true" leader is a servant to all. As Jesus himself said, I came to serve and not to be served.

The point that hit me with this statement finally, or maybe is hitting me harder today, is the fact that I have to let God "serve" me. If I do not let God intervene, than according to this passage, I do not believe in God, and do not know God. Ultimately, with the following passage:

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

Jesus answered, "A person who has had a bath needs only to wash his feet; his whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you." For he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said not every one was clean.

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. "You call me 'Teacher' and 'Lord,' and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them."

Because of the example, because if you have been "served" by God, you should do the same for others, so others, being humble, will be serve by God, and hence know who God is.

Sometimes, or I should say, a lot of times, I have a hard time letting God "serve" me. My ignorant, or maybe it is arroganance, perspective feels I am OK, and God has too much on his plate to even bother with me, and do not want to "whine" to God for help. However, it would also be futile, like Judas, as much as he was "served" by God, he did not serve others, and therefore he went to the wrong place.

Important lesson, be served by God and to serve others.

To God be the Glory.

Feet washing

John 13

"Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; so 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."

Jesus knew, especially at that moment, he had all the power in the world, in the universe. He could do anything, anything at all, he could have annihilated everyone around him, everyone on the planet, but he chose to become a servant.
A thought just came to my head. IF, and a big IF, one can do anything, can one make someone else love him/her?
Is love the only thing God cannot control?
Or is love so powerful that it cannot be controlled?
Is love the most powerful force in the universe?

If you just received 100 Gazillion dollars, that you can buy anything in the whole world or universe, what would you do?

To God be the Glory

Trust

John 14

"Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me."

"Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."

"The words I say to you are not just my own. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. "

"I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father."

"And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father."

Outcast

John 15

""If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you."

Feeling left out? Feel like a dork? An outcast?

"Remember the words I spoke to you: 'No servant is greater than his master.' If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also. They will treat you this way because of my name, for they do not know the One who sent me."

People do not outcast a "Christian" because of what you have started or are doing. People dislike you, or hate the way you live because of what Jesus started, and you are just following it. People oppose you because of a decision you made to follow Jesus because you are not following those who are not.

"If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not be guilty of sin. Now, however, they have no excuse for their sin. "

People still want to believe that there is no such thing as sin. People still want to believe whatever they are doing is because of "nature" and there is ultimately no consequence or "hell". So how dare you come and tell them there is such a "bad" thing?

"He who hates me hates my Father as well. If I had not done among them what no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin."

Same as before, they close their eyes to so that they do not see.

"But now they have seen these miracles, and yet they have hated both me and my Father. But this is to fulfill what is written in their Law: 'They hated me without reason.' "

Sometimes, reason is thrown out the window.

"When the Counselor comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father, he will testify about me. And you also must testify, for you have been with me from the beginning."

Because of the disciples' decision to do what is right, and the Holy Spirit will help guide them. Today we have the Bible.

To God be the Glory.

Sustainablitiy

John 15

The ever famous passage, 'The Vine and the Branches'.

"Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me."

"As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in his love."

"My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you."

"Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends."

"This is my command: Love each other."

To God be the Glory

Ah Ha!

John 16

"You believe at last!" Jesus answered. "But a time is coming, and has come, when you will be scattered, each to his own home. You will leave me all alone. Yet I am not alone, for my Father is with me.

"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."

Jesus was finally happy that the disciples got it at last, then he continues saying, however, but, they will desert me.
It's kinda like, you got it, but you don't.

Frustrating.

To God be the Glory

The Counselor

John 16

"When he comes, he will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment: in regard to sin, because men do not believe in me; in regard to righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer; and in regard to judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned."

The "Counselor" is here.
How does the Holy Spirit convict the world?
Is the Counselor the Holy Spirit?

"But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you. All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will take from what is mine and make it known to you."

He is the Spirit of truth.
Where is this Spirit of truth?
If he is the Holy Spirit, when do we see him or be guided by him?
According to this passage, he will bring glory to Jesus buy taking from what is his making it known to the disciples.

To God be the Glory