More Than Foot Washing

John 13:1-11; 1 John 1:6-10; 2:6

In John 13 Jesus removes his outer garment and wrapped a towel around His waste as an act of humility and service. These latter two attributes are what we focus on when we read this passage. In fact, when I get to John 13 in my reading I immediately write it off as Jesus’ example of servant leadership and skim through it. The problem this time was I couldn’t get Mary’s anointing of Jesus’ feet with the expensive perfume in the previous chapter out of my head. There had to be a connection! Then I began to think about John the writer of both the Gospel that bares his name and his first epistle to see if I can find an answer to this whole foot-washing thing. Time and space won’t allow me to unpack this, but in first John the author talks about walking in the light as Jesus is in the light. Here is the gist…Jesus was sinless which means He always walked in the light, in Him was no darkness at all. When Mary poured the perfume on Jesus’ feet she was anointing Him not washing Him. When Jesus girds the towel, He was symbolically communicating the importance of having “clean feet” so the disciples can walk in the light as He did. It was as if He (Jesus) was cleansing them (Disciples) so that He could work in and through them to the world. “The one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked.” 1 John 2:6 (NASB). So the foot washing example carried more weight to what would take place as in the future “walking” of all disciples of Christ, than a mere lesson in humility and servant hood. That is why Jesus makes the comment, “not all of you are clean”, even though they had physically bathed, they needed their “life walk” (feet) washed by water and later by His blood, which Judas would have no part of. We today are able to walk with Christ in a manner worthy of our calling as His disciples because they continued the example of spiritual “foot washing” so that our walks would too be clean. Again, this is not a literal foot washing exercise, but a figurative example of constantly walking like Jesus, constantly being cleansed through confession and repentance resulting in forgiveness and fellowship with the Holy Three and each other. “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.” 1 John 1:7 (NIV).

1.      What is the condition of your feet (Life)? Dirty, clean or in need of a Spiritual pedicure?

2.      What does “foot washing” mean to you? What do you do to keep your walk clean?

Beyond the Expensive Fragrance

John 12:1-11

Mary of Bethany, the sister of Martha and Lazarus, was the one who sat at Jesus’ feet to soak in all His compelling words in a previous account. This same Mary took a very expensive type of perfume possibly her dowry and with it anointed the feet of Jesus. This was noted as a huge sacrifice and expression of her devotion to our Lord. Many who witnessed such a grand act of extravagance grumbled at the supposed waste. Only Judas the stealth thief in the group made his overt complaint verbal. Mary's expression of sacrificial worship of Jesus didn't start and stop with the perfume anointing; she then uncovered her hair to wipe our Lord's feet. For years I looked at this display of adoration with a bit of confusion and disgust. Didn’t she at least have a towel to wipe his feet?  Then it hit me...it was not proper for a women to let down her hair or have it uncovered in public unless she was a prostitute or if she was in her home expressing love to her husband. This was a very scandalous act, one that probably shocked the guests at the house. It expressed intimacy, a level of sacrifice and surrender beyond one's bank account or material donation. This was a depth of worship that was never seen in the local synagogue but one that is a model for all of us today. Mary could have stopped at the "perfume level” of her expression of worship; Jesus Himself was amazed by her initial expression of devotion, but she went beyond what was considered extravagant. She desired to go significantly deeper, to a level of spiritual and relational intimacy only achieved by a few. She longed for the relationship that God the Father had with God the Son and was willing to do whatever it took to get there. Mary wanted to “dance” with the Holy Three.

So the obvious question would be: How are we expressing worship to The Lord? We may be attending a weekend service or watching it online, tithing and actively involved in a small group, but are we truly worshipping our Lord? Do we desire such an intimate relationship and expression of worship to the point that we would sacrifice all to communicate it? Finally, what life changes do I need to make so that I can journey deeper into an expression of adoration and worship that would amaze and honor our Lord?

Being Salty

"You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. Matthew 5:13

This morning as I was riding into to work I began to think about what effective ministry looks like and how do you know if you are making a real difference. Let’s face it, we all want to know that our lives matter, that our contribution to the Kingdom of God is significant. We often land on the premise that we either believe our lives and ministry really do not matter or we sell ourselves short by being content in our current situation by not dreaming or trying anything different and new. Both are a trap from the enemy and not the real desire of our Lord. How many of you speak in front of hundreds of people telling them about God? Wait for it…Ok, none of you. How many of you pray for someone in your ministry or send an encouraging email, leave a prayer on an answer machine, share an idea, a verse or theological thought with someone? Of course you do that and so much more. I am finding that the more expressive or “upfront” ministries though they appear to be making the most impact aren’t as life changing as one would think. Jesus didn’t call us all to be public speakers, but He did call us to be salt.

Now don’t get me wrong, I love to speak, the bigger the audience the better I feel I am, but I believe I am most effective when I can add spiritual flavor, stop the spread of sin and spiritual disease, or simply drop a thought that when added with another thought can produce something amazing. We have no idea the impact we make for the Kingdom of God. We don’t see what nuggets we have dropped into someone’s heart or at least in their mind. Many times you share an idea and it cultivates into something life changing; other times, it falls on deaf ears only to resurface years later.

Jesus tells us that we are “the salt of the world” not loudspeaker, not the face, the celebrity, or rock star. We are to touch lives in such a way that it helps them. The people you encounter may never recognize your positive influence, they may never understand what your words did to save them from a horrible fall, or hear your prayers that shaped their effectiveness for the kingdom. So how can you put legs on this?

1.   Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal the many ways He is adding His flavor and or killing sin in your life. He may even show you the people He uses.

2.   Recognize that your ministry is more effective than the results you may or may not see.

3.   Be intentional about adding affirmation, encouragement, or truth when you are with people.

4.   Be a feeder of God’s word so that you have flavorful “salt” to add to people.

5.   Make a list of the salt that has been “shaken” into your life, so you can in turn “shake” it into the lives of others.

I hope this post will stir your hearts and minds to the point that you begin to be more intentional in who you are called to be…the salt of the earth!

Clean, or Just Not as Dirty

I am amazed at how the Lord speaks to us. He can communicate to us in the most random and obscure ways. Here is an example from my life. I was getting ready for people to come over for Bible study and decided to tidy up a bit. So I got out the mop and kind of mopped the floor. I say kind of because I didn't use cleaner I just used water. Then I noticed a little spot on our atrocious carpet so I got out the spot cleaner, sprayed it on the spot and beyond and wiped it up. Neither floor surface was really clean, just not as dirty. I began to think how that statement reflects my life and those who are Christ followers.  I claim clean, I desire clean, I strive for clean, but I end up settling for just not as dirty. I compromise my "quiet time" by just reading a passage before bed. Pray general "cover" prayers or no prayers at all simply because I am lazy. I can come up with many other examples that depict my “just not as dirty” lifestyle, but I would rather dredge up ones that I know others struggle with. Can a Christian drink alcohol, can they smoke tobacco, get tattoos, cuss, acquire expensive materials possessions, ride a Harley, view porn, be fanatical over a sports team, the list is exhaustive.  The Lord tells us, "be holy for I am holy." (1 Peter 1:16). He doesn't tell us to settle for mediocre, to compromise His integrity, be lazy, or blend in with the world so much so that it doesn’t recognize the Holy God who dwells within. In contrast, aren’t we under grace and not the law? Shouldn’t we strive for "spiritual tolerance" where all the rules are subjective? Doesn’t Paul tell us that we have freedom to do whatever we want as long as it doesn't hurt anyone? Yes, there is some truth to that, but when you compare it to a Holy God, when you bring it in the light of scripture, that mindset is “just not as dirty”. Paul declares, "I have the right to do anything," you say—but not everything is beneficial. "I have the right to do anything"—but not everything is constructive. Paul also tells us that if a said behavior causes a weaker believer to stumble then we shouldn’t participate in the activity or behavior. (1 Cor. 8:9) We error when we try to compare thoughts and behaviors to what is socially acceptable instead of what is biblically true. A pre-christian is not going to be drawn to Christ because we smoke cigars, are inked, cuss and view the latest rated R movie. They will if they ride a Harley (ok, that last line was just to see if you are awake). People are drawn to Christ because of His manifestation in and through us. Light shines in darkness, you can’t illuminate someone by just showing them more darkness.  When our lives reflect Jesus biblically it communicates differently to a broken world then when we just portrait brokenness to broken people. There is no healing, salvation, hope in that. Jesus in referring to how we are to live as salt and light said, In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. We mistake relevance for tolerance and compromise failing to acknowledge the holiness and righteousness that is our God.

People long for "clean" but often settle for “just not as dirty”. We wonder why people aren't attracted to Christ, we give them such a watered down and tainted view of Him it is no wonder they reject Him and His church. So for those of us who are trying to live black and white in a gray world, we must be more biblically wise, Holy Spirit sensitive, and Christ’s body operating. We need to dictate culture instead of having the culture dictate what a follower of Christ is to live like. Don’t settle for “just not as dirty” but as a pure bride that is without spot or blemish, “clean” and daily being changed into the image of our Lord Jesus.

Questions to Consider

1.    What area in your life is “just not as dirty” and what needs to change to live “clean”?

2.    What shapes your relationship to Christ, the bible or the Christian sub-culture?

3.    How can you live more biblically? What would that look like for you?

4.    How can you life Matthew 5:16? Be specific.

Hiding my sin behind my sunglasses

Your own wickedness shall chasten and correct you, and your backslidings and desertion of faith shall reprove you. Know therefore and recognize that this is an evil and bitter thing: [first,] you have forsaken the Lord your God; [second,] you are indifferent to Me and the fear of Me is not in you, says the Lord of hosts. (Jeremiah 2:19  AMP)

As you can see I am in the book of Jeremiah. I just finished Isaiah,so the prophetic tone that I tend  to cravitate towards rings strong right now. Do you like me, get frustrated and even angry when things in your life don't go the way you planned or as they are "supposed" to go? "God I am your child, and you aren't spoiling me, what gives?" A performance mode faith or an "entitlement perspective" Christianity leads us down a very dark and dismal path to confusion, disillusion, and indifference to the claims of God's word. I find it easy to drift into a self indulgent, self seeking manner or pseudo-blessing mode of living the life of faith that is a far cry from the real God anointed call our Lord requires of me. My tendency is to be hyper critical and stoic with a large dose of pharisaic legalism capped off with a dash of truth just to keep it interesting. I find it easy to hide my sin behind my sunglasses. This is a receipt for spiritual disaster.  

Sin is easily disguised for the person whose life is full of busy, hurry and confusion. Seemingly good things, even "Christian" things can mask the truth of an individual. Be careful to call sin "trials", test your life to the word of God to see how well you line up, you will hopefully be surprised. (Either way). Don't you find it easy to blame the devil or "happenstance" for the difficulties you experince when in reality it is the result of your own wickedness and backslidden desertion of faith? I know that last statement sounds so "Old Testament" so "law" it couldn't possibly be anything relevant to me since I am not under the law but under grace. Remember, you are saved by grace through faith, but you still sin, still struggle with sin, still justify sin, and continue to allow sin to enter into your life. If you dont agree or believe I have simply "lost it", ask yourself the following questions and see where you might land.

Do you complain that your life should be going better than it is? Especially after all the good things you have done. 

Do you just shrug off life's difficulties as uncontrollable circumstances or that it's just  God testing you? 

Do you find yourself indifferent when you read about a miracle in the bible, or hear about someone truly giving their life to Christ? 

When you see something beautiful in creation or the simple fact that you have breath today, does it drive you to declare the awesomeness of God?

When you sin, do you treat it like a minor occurence instead of total disobedience to a holy and righteous God?

Make a list of the things you worry about. How does your worry replace the position of the almighty Jehovah Jirah (God is provider) on the throne of your life?

When was the last time you where in total awe of the living God?

Examine your life and compare it to the living word of God not the cultural fallacy of Christianity that expounds upon "cheap grace",  love without holiness, prosperity as evidence of faith, with a dash of "self-everything". We don't forsake God, by making a verbal statement; we forsake God when we chase after other desires, other loves, other idols, other cultural Christian practices that are both powerless and mute. Discern with those in Christ if there is sin and to what depth that sin has taken root. Trust with total awe the holy and merciful God who can both reveal and remove such sin roots. 

I end this lengthy writing with a true confession. I am wicked, backslidden and in many ways diserted my faith. I too, like Judah and Israel have forsaken the Lord my God, by becoming indifferent,  calloused and numb to his awesomeness, His marvelous ways and a grace that's price is beyond comprehension. The only true response is repentance, not mere mental assent, but the life "transformation" that comes from the recognition of how my life compares to the Almighty God, His word and those who have lived it righteously.

A New Way to Gift

A New Way to Gift

This past Christmas our family went through the process of finding out what to get each other. Your family probably went through the same process. Now in years past we would submit a list of items and then we would figure who would purchase what items. This was a smooth and harmless process for the Zeiger family. This year I had the opportunity to speak to a group of men and I used an illustration that has changed how our family does gifts. I said to the men, I can ask my wife what she wants for Christmas and she can provide me a list of gift items to purchase for her. When I get what is on her list she is hopefully thankful and I think I have done a great thing. That is more of a business exchange. But when I get my wife the gift she really wanted, that didn’t make the list or she didn’t have to tell me, she is ecstatic. Why? Because it came out of being immersed in the relationship, that knowledge came from listening, interacting with her and being observant, present in her world.

Being slow of mind, I didn’t even think to apply that illustration into this year’s family Christmas gift exchange.  My son one day sent me a text asking me what I wanted for Christmas, then the wheels in my head began to turn and wisdom began to flow from my fingers unto the keys located on my phone. I told him, I can give you a list but it means even more if you make something, do something or purchase something that would bless the person based on what you know the person would like,  preferably without even discussing it. So this Christmas, we applied that idea and it really made gift giving a joy. It removed the stress of trying to come with something to get each other and made the opening of our gifts extra special. When you receive something you asked for or that you put on your list, you are happy when you receive it, but the surprise and anticipation lacks even if it is something you really wanted. Until I applied this principle I had no idea what to get my wife, but once I began to be a student of her, listening, observing and putting out a few “feelers” it was really fun and easy. I got her things that she would never put on a gift list. My kids got me things that I would not have put on a list, but they observed me, they discussed with each other their findings and they proceeded to obtain some gifts for me.

This morning on my ride into work a Holy Spirit thought dropped in and challenged me. He said, “this type of gifting is what I do for you. I know you intimately, better than your know yourself. I bless you or gift you not always based on your prayer list, but on what I know is on your heart. In fact, many times you don’t even know that I have blessed you.” This is so true!

One last thought from all of this, again a Holy Spirit prompt. How can I bless or gift the Lord? Do I “gift” Him based on a list of things I know to do and check each off as I do them or do I learn what is on His heart and gift Him accordingly? This sobering thought has encouraged me to be an even better student of the Lord. To observe what He is doing, what He is saying and find the way to bless Him in it. This can really expand how we worship, how we bless and how live our lives as an offering to the Lord