THE SACRAMENT OF SERVANTHOOD

On the night that He was betrayed Jesus took bread, and when He had given thanks, He broke it and give it to His disciples, saying, "Take, eat, this is my body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me." Likewise, after supper, He took the cup and when He had given thanks, He gave it to them saying, "drink this, all of you, for this is My blood of the New Covenant, which is shed for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins; do this, as often as you drink it, in rememberance of Me."

The Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke report this event that took place at the meal on the night before Jesus was crucified. And as Jesus instructed His disciples to do, we have continued to remember it across the centuries since. It has been given the rightful status of a holy sacrement by the church; and is for us a means of grace, vital to a healthy Christian life.

The Gospel of John also reports about the meal, but he fails to mention this particular event. What John does report though is some very important things Jesus said and did that should be given more status than they now enjoy in the church and in our personal Christian lives.

John reports that the Word became the flesh of a servant with a towel wrapped around himself and washedthe feet of His disciples. This was not a temporary role-play for effect, but rather a revelation of who Jesus is - servant. The living Presence of Christ is as much in servanthood as it is in the wine and bread of communion. In fact servanthood is the wine poured out and the broken bread offered through our own flesh as we become "living sacrifices" through whom the living Presence of Christ reaches out to the world.

Luke, in his account of this meal, recalls a dispute that arose among the disciples that evening about who among them was considered the greatest. In that setting and context such a dispute sounds so silly and childish, yet in more subtle and "sophisticated" ways, that same dispute still exists among Jesus' disciples. Jesus says to them, and us, "Who is greatest , the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one at the table? But I am among you as one who serves." The Apostle Paul in Philippians 2:5 says, "Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus." And Christ Jesus said it first when He finished washing His disciples' feet, "I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you."

Thus, on the night that He was betrayed, our Lord instituted another Holy Sacrament and likewise told us to do it in remembrance of Him. It too is a means of grace that is vital to a healthy Christian life - the Sacrament of Servanthood.

FICTION VS FACTS; LIES VS TRUTH

"It's just fiction" is the defense of Dan Brown's book and Ron Howard's movie, The DaVinci Code. You hear or read this from Christian leaders as well as from secular sources. Their point is: why the big fuss? To a degree I agree, but yet I feel compelled to say something here.

While the story is absolutely not fact and is pure fiction, there are too many who don't know the facts that are vulnerable to this lie. Hopefully some will be motivated, as some suggest they might, to seek answers about Jesus, but there are many more that will not. Unfortunately they will take this fiction and fashion a belief about Jesus that is based upon a lie. So few people, even professing Christians, are solidly founded in the Scriptures and have a biblical worldview adequate to know the difference between fact and fiction.

George Barna in his book, Think Like Jesus, said, "Survey after survey has shown that Americans - including a huge majority of born-again Christians and evangelical Christians - lack a biblical worldview." He went on to say that since he had become a Christian no one had ever taught him how to develop a Scripture-based worldview. My point here is that there is a fertile field, even among professing believers, that is ready and waiting to swallow up any seed of untruth that comes along. Without a Scriptural basis to challenge such ideas they are vulnerable to believe this lie.

Lies about Jesus are nothing new, only now lies are euphemistically called fiction. Make your lie into a fast paced, page turner, mystery novel and the world will buy your lie and make you a best selling author at the same time. Lawrence Block's book entitled, Telling Lies for Fun and Profit, a Manual for Fiction Writers, tells me I am not too far fetched in my characterization. It was pure fiction that claimed that Jesus opposed paying taxes to Caesar, was possessed of a demon, was a wine bibber and a glutton, and posed a threat to the Roman authority. It was those same lies that ultimately brought our Lord, Jesus, before Caiphus and Pontius Pilate that night that ended with Jesus being sentenced to death by cricifixion. Jesus has delt with fiction before. Good Friday and Easter celebrate His victory.

A lot of people, however, will read this book and/or see this movie, and in their ignorance of the truth, and with no knowledge of the Truth, will wonder where the line between fact and fiction can be found. Although they had never turned to the scriptures before, they certainly cannot now because the lie has called Scriptures into question and made them suspect. The church too is not trustworthy to turn to for truth since the lie has identified it as an evil institution with mystereous societies and dark secrets full of intrigue that will even stoop to assassinations in its attempt to protect its lies.

The only way the Light of Christ can shine through all this darkness in our day is for the Children of the Light to bear witness to that Light in our own lives. We can say all we want that this is a lie and the Scriptures are true, but what the world needs to see is the Truth lived out in you. The Good News of the Scriptures is true, but is it you? The Word become words, spoken or in printers ink, does not convince. It's the Word become flesh, Christ living in each of us, that will make His Truth known in the world.

Your Brother in Christ Jesus,
Clyde <><

THE TEACHING STEPS

THE TEACHING STEPS that have been uncovered on the southern wall of the old city of Jerusalem is the place where rabbis met their students to teach them the law.

They are a special place too because Jesus would have climbed them to enter the gates leading to the temple. He no doubt taught His disciples on these very steps. What's more, some contend that this also could have been the place where the disciples were gathered on Pentecost when the Holy Spirit came upon them with a "rushing mighty wind and tongues of fire."

I sat on those steps in February 2006 and prayed, "Could this be the place?" My heart leaped as just then I felt a gust of wind blow across the steps as if in immediate answer to my prayer.

This blog location will be known as The Teaching Steps. I invite you to meet me here weekly, along with others, to share together our thoughts on God's precious and holy Word through the inspiration of His Holy Spirit.

I'll meet you here.

Clyde <><

PS: You are invited to click on the word "comments" which will open a box where you can leave your comments and/or questions. You may also double click on the picture to enlarge it to better see the Teaching Steps.