(by pastor Jean)
“If you know these things blessed are you if you do them” (John 13:17; MEV). What things was Jesus referring to in this verse? He had just finished washing the disciples’ feet and had encouraged them to follow His example (John 13:15). He had been teaching them humility and servanthood. Jesus said that He came to serve (Matt 20:28, Mark 10:45) and also said that, “Whoever would be great among you must be your servant” (Mark 10:43; MEV). Everywhere we go we should be looking for opportunities to humble ourselves and serve others (whether it be in our marriages, families, at work, school, the marketplace or wherever we find ourselves each day). Jesus further said that when we serve others, we are actually doing it for Him, “Truly I say to you, as you have done it for one of the least of these brothers of Mine, you have done it for Me” (Matt 25:40; MEV). In all of the above passages Jesus is showing that we serve through acts of kindness and of course this is how we show love to others. There are many examples of servants in the Bible but John the Baptist stands out to me. He spent His ministry preparing the way for the ministry of Jesus saying, “He must increase but I must decrease” (John 3:30). Going back to our very first verse above Jesus said if we show humility and serve, we will be blessed. The word used for “blessed” means having a joy that nothing can remove. Be blessed today!
(by pastor Norman)
The disciples, James and John, asked Jesus if they could sit on either side of Him when He came to sit on His glorious throne (Mark 10:35-37). The other disciples were not impressed with these two disciples’ pride-filled assessment of their status (Mark 10:41-42). Jesus responded that Gentile rulers may lord it over their people but this was not to be the case amongst His followers (Mark 10:42-43). He said, “Whoever desires to be great among you shall be your servant” (Mark 10:43; NKJV). Jesus punctuated the discussion with this statement, “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45; NKJV). As recorded in the gospel of Luke everyone who leads in Christ’s church should lead as a servant (Luke 22:26b). We are all called to serve in God’s church, but to serve discreetly not in a manner to earn public recognition (Matt 6:1-21). God knows our heart, our mind, our motivation and desire to serve and he will reward our works (Jer 17:10). As we serve and follow Jesus, the Father honours us (John 12:26). We are to be living sacrifices, emptied of self and filled with God (Rom 12:1). For me, one of the greatest examples of humility and serving is that of Jesus after the last supper with His disciples (John 13:2-17). Jesus washed the feet of each disciple. He did this as an example for us that we should have the humility and heart desire to serve one another in love. Amen!
(by pastor Jean)
“Let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us” (Ps 90:17; MEV). Some versions use the word “favour” or “kindness” instead of “beauty” but either way the result is the same. We can spend hours in front of the mirror trying to make ourselves look beautiful but there is nothing to compare with the beauty that radiates from the person who is full of God! The virtuous woman of Proverbs 31 underscores this, “Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing, but a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised” (Prov 31:30; NKJV). In the New Testament, Peter says that physical beauty will fade away (1 Peter 1:24) and we are not to be overly focused on outward beauty, such as hairstyle, jewelry and clothing (1 Peter 3:3) but, “clothe yourselves instead with the beauty that comes from within, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious to God” (1 Peter 3:4; NLT). The question is how do we become beautiful from the inside out? The answer is simple – by spending time with God and His word. If we fill ourselves so full of Him it can’t help but show on the outside in the form of love, kindness, good works and in fact all the fruit of the Spirit will develop in our hearts and make us look beautiful. “And so, we are transformed much like the Messiah, our lives gradually become brighter and more beautiful as God enters our lives and we become like Him” (2 Cor 3:18; MSG).
(by pastor Norman)
How does God see us as individuals or corporately? As Christians, He sees us as forgiven of all our sins past, present and future (Col 1:14). We are justified in His sight, in other words He sees us as if we had never sinned (Rom 4:25), as righteous (2 Cor 5:21). To be righteous is to have right standing with God, no sin separating us from Him. Christ died as a sacrifice to pay the price for our sins and redeem or deliver us form the power of sin in our lives (Gal 3:13-14), we have ben sanctified or set apart for God (1 Cor 6:11). Our loving Father sees us as born again spiritually (John 3:1-7), enjoying renewed fellowship with Him (1 John 1:3). We are His children, “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become Children of God, to those who believe in His name” (John 1:12; NKJV). “Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Holy Spirit of God lives in you?” (1 Cor 3:16; NKJV). As individuals and corporately as a church we are, “the temple of the living God” (2 Cor 6:16; NKJV). In 1 Peter 2:5-9, we read that we are all living stones being built into a spiritual house, we are a holy and royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, a chosen generation raised up to praise, worship and honour God. In Ephesians 2:19-22, the apostle Paul wrote that we are, “members of the household of God” whose foundation is Jesus and we are growing into a holy temple, “a dwelling place of God in the Spirit” (V 22b). That’s how God sees us! That’s how God sees you!
(by pastor Jean)
“That the world will know that you sent me and that you love them as much as you love me” (John 17:23; NLT). That is an amazing verse stating that God loves us as much as He loves Jesus (see also John 17:26). Romans chapter 5, verse 5 further states that the love of God has been given to us by the Holy Spirit. God’s love resides in our hearts! John chapter 16, verse 27 explains to us why God loves us and it is because we love and believe in Jesus (see also John 14:21 where Jesus also added that God the Father will not only love us but reveal Himself to us). The fact that God loves us is reiterated in 1 John 4:16 and the apostle John adds that we must really believe this love. It’s one thing to glibly say, “God loves me” but its by reading about and meditating on His love that we really believe it deep down in our hearts. When we do that and truly get a revelation of God’s love for us, we can then say, “God’s love casts out fear” (1 John 4:18). Once we have a revelation of God’s great love for us (so great that He sent His Son to die for us) then we are in a position to truly love God and others with His love (John 13:34) and Jesus tells us that if we do that it will be a witness to the world (John 13:35). Meditate on God’s love today and then share it with someone else!