A Day of Darkness

Good Friday is a curious name for a day when we recall that the Son of God was laid in the darkness of His grave!  But, we know that the joy of Easter would not exist without this dark day. Jesus was willing to descend into darkness that was incomparably worse than any choice we make. He told His friends, "As you know, Passover begins in two days, and the Son of Man will be handed over to be crucified." (Matthew 26:2, NLT He was filled with dread and prayed, "My Father! If it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine." (Matthew 26:39, NLT) Think about that.  The Perfect Man, completely submitted to the will of the Father, pleads for release from the coming dark . . .   He knew the Cross was His destiny. He knew the Resurrection was His hope. Even with that hope, it was hard to go through the pain, the alienation from His Father that came from OUR sin.

Think deeply about His sacrifice. It was not forced on Him. He willingly embraced it for me, for you, because of love. (We will stand before the Cross on this evening in our Communion worship. You're invited to join us at Faith Discovery Church at 7 PM.) He made the choice to descend into the darkness, not for Himself, but for us. His loss was our gain. His obedience bought our salvation from sin, death, and Hell! He bridged the chasm that sin had carved between the Father and His Creation.  The Cross is ugly, but we must not rush past it to get to the Empty Tomb! The glory of the Resurrection morning only is meaningful because of Good Friday's horror.

Are you confronted with some very difficult choice in your life, a place of darkness?  
Is God calling to walk a road that opposes your desires?
Is there pain of self-denial, even death to Self?
Will you willingly descend into the dark of that situation, so that He can lead you into the Light of His purposes?

Jesus points the way for us.  Humility, Obedience, Suffering, Glory – in that order. The Word encourages us with this pattern. "Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." (Hebrews 12:1-2, NIV)

Look past the pain to the Glory! Grasp the promise of abundant life - presently and eternally - and present yourself as a 'living sacrifice.' My prayer for you is this: "May the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen." (Hebrews 13:20-21, NIV)

_______________

Jesus Christ,

I think upon Your sacrifice,

You became nothing,

Poured out to death.

Many times I've wondered

At Your gift of life,

And I'm in that place once again.

I'm in that place once again.

And once again

I look upon the cross

Where You died,

I'm humbled by Your mercy

And I'm broken inside.

Once again I thank You,

Once again I pour out my life.

Thank You for the cross,

Thank You for the cross,

Thank You for the cross, my Friend.

Now You are exalted

To the highest place,

King of the heavens,

Where one day I'll bow.

But for now,

I marvel at this saving grace,

And I'm full of praise once again.

I'm full of praise once again.

Once Again - Redman, Matt

EMI Christian Music Publishing

© 1995 Kingsway's Thankyou Music (Admin. by EMI Christian Music Publishing)

CCLI License No. 810055

Dirty Feet, Profound Love

The recent incident on a United Airlines flight where a passenger resisting being ‘bumped’ from the flight was forcibly (some might say violently) removed from the airplane has been all over the news. While there are two sides to that story, the visuals that were splashed across social media and on the news are a public relations nightmare for the company.  When I heard the report, I thought to myself, “Somebody needs an education about the meaning of ‘customer service.’  Consumers in America expect to be served, though in my opinion good, polite service is less and less the norm.  When I find a place that offers me a pleasant experience with  staff that knows how to be efficient, interested in my need, and ready to provide great service,  they have gained a loyal customer.

Jesus was a Servant Leader.  The King of Glory did not bark orders, think himself too good to do certain tasks, or drive people to his agenda with power plays. Just hours away from His most excruciating moments, John tells us that He was at dinner with the men He loved. He was not pre-occupied with His own needs. He was not asking them to soothe Him, to comfort Him. Instead, He is serving!  John tells us that 'He knew His hour had come.'  We would expect Him to say, "Gather 'round me, guys, and pray for me. Give me support here for this is a terrible test."  That’s not wrong, by the way. Even leaders need support. Later that night, in the Garden of Gethsemane, He would ask to pray with Him. (They failed but that’s another thought.)  At dinner, while they bickered about their importance, He got up and took a towel and basin so He could wash their feet! John    records the memorable moment -"So he got up from the supper table, set aside his robe, and put on an apron. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the feet of the disciples, drying them with his apron." (John 13:4-5, The Message)

Footwashing was the role of the servant in the household with least stature. It was a real dirty, but necessary, job in a day when there were no sidewalks, lots of livestock in the streets, and little in the way of modern sanitation, if you get my drift! Feet were in the 'stuff'  that you did not want dragged into your house.  Sweaty, stained, grimy feet were the normal and so was providing water for washing the feet of your guests. It was a job for servants.

When He took the basin and knelt at the feet of those men, He was not shaming them for their fighting about self-importance. He wasn't looking for their admiration. He was just doing what needed to be done because of love. When He finished, He turned it into a teachable moment. "After he had finished washing their feet, he took his robe, put it back on, and went back to his place at the table. Then he said, "Do you understand what I have done to you? You address me as 'Teacher' and 'Master,' and rightly so. That is what I am. So if I, the Master and Teacher, washed your feet, you must now wash each other's feet. I've laid down a pattern for you. What I've done, you do." (John 13:12-15, The Message)

Was Jesus telling us to have foot-washing services in our gatherings?  Some think so, but really He was urging a way of life that is given to service that overflows from a heart full of love. We wash someone's feet when we absorb their anger without retaliation. We wash someone's feet when we offer them affirmation when we are crumbling inside. We wash feet when we forgive another's selfishness, letting go of our rights. There are a lot of ways to take up the towel and the basin, disciple.

In a culture that makes much of service, where we deal with unhealthy levels of entitlement (you owe me) we see evidence of preoccupation with Self in these kinds of thoughts –

- "I've worked hard, who's going to thank me?"
- "If somebody doesn't show some appreciation 'round here, I'm going to start doing the minimum required of me."
- "Doesn't anybody realize how important I am?"
- "Back off, man, this is my territory."

Jesus changes that with a principle He not only taught but lived. Greatness in Christ's eyes does not come from having many servants but from being the servant of many.

Take this word from the Word into your heart today and let it marinade in your mind. It will produce amazing transformation.
"Jesus called them to Himself and said, "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those who are great exercise authority over them. Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant. And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave- just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many." (Matthew 20:25-28, NKJV)

"Now that you know these things, God will bless you for doing them." (John 13:17, NLT)

_______________

Father, today as we walk in a world full of pride

remind us of the love of Your Son and

give us grace to take up the towel –

offering kindness, giving away our ‘rights,’

forgetting our craving to be served.

Jesus, we would walk with You,

know You, serve You – by serving others.

Holy Spirit, help us to see the Cross in all its ignominy

and all the love that put Jesus there.

Being so loved, lead us to love so that the radiance of Jesus

will shine through us.

In His holy Name, we pray.  Amen

Jerry D. Scott, Pastor

Faith Discovery Church

www.FaithDiscovery.com

The Villain – a dupe of the Devil

He was our “Judas goat,” affectionately named for his job at the Scott Sheep Company. When I was a little boy I had to deal with that big billy goat that strutted proudly around Dad’s stockyard. He would lower his head and chase me onto the fence, mostly I think just because he could. But his main function was to lead the fattened sheep onto the rail cars that took them to the place that turned them into lamb chops! Sheep followed him up the ramp and into the stock car. He then circled back to the doorway, down the loading dock, and back to his pen, where he enjoyed a nice meal and they were carried off to die. Hence his name, “Judas goat.”   

One of the more tragic figures in the story of Holy Week is the disciple, Judas.  Jesus was in Jerusalem for Passover.  His conflict with the religious leaders was escalating. In the middle of it all, Judas decided to collaborate with Jesus’ enemies and in that oh so sad story of betrayal sold Him for 30 pieces of silver.  Luke says, "The Festival of Unleavened Bread, which begins with the Passover celebration, was drawing near. The leading priests and teachers of religious law were actively plotting Jesus’ murder. But they wanted to kill him without starting a riot, a possibility they greatly feared. Then Satan entered into Judas Iscariot, who was one of the twelve disciples, and he went over to the leading priests and captains of the Temple guard to discuss the best way to betray Jesus to them. They were delighted that he was ready to help them, and they promised him a reward." (Luke 22:1-5, NLT)

The Gospels of Luke and John both tell us that Judas was used by the Devil. So how did Judas open himself to the devil’s influence?
Was he motivated by greed?
Was he jealous of John or Peter?
Did he lust for power? 

We just do not  know. What we do know is that Jesus called him. He was not a double agent, planted by the Sanhedrin. But, he started to think thoughts unworthy of his calling. As keeper of the disciples’ money, did he ‘borrow’ a little for his own use?  Did he grow bitter when he started to understand that Jesus was not going to start a revolution?  Was he disappointed that he was not included in the Lord’s inner circle?  What filled his mind is lost to history, but we know that his heart turned! The Devil took advantage of his duplicity. Judas sold Jesus for a slave’s price. Like so many who have followed him, only too late did he realize that the evil one had played him. His shame and regret consumed him.

Many walk Judas’ path.  Those they sit among Jesus’ disciples, often serving, they hold back a part of themselves.  They walk among the flock of God until the day that the Deceiver steps through the door they have left open.  Their selfishness and sinfulness bring division and confusion to the flock of God. Tragically, only after the damage is done do they see the error, the sin.  My prayer for those deceived and used by Satan is not destruction like Judas. I hope for their restoration like Peter! Judas could not let go of himself to seek forgiveness and he took his life, consumed with shame. Peter, who failed too, wept bitter tears and found a place of grace, going on to lead the Church.

James warns about living without the anchor of conviction, "adrift at sea, keeping all your options open. " (James 1:8, The Message)  His counsel? "Say a quiet yes to God and he’ll be there in no time. Quit dabbling in sin. Purify your inner life. Quit playing the field." (James 4:8, The Message)   Proverbs offers this insight - "The integrity of the upright guides them, but the unfaithful are destroyed by their duplicity." (Proverbs 11:3, NIV)   The person who gives himself to the Lord, without reservation and remains tender in His presence, is kept by the Spirit from the wiles of the deceiver.   When evil comes seeking an entrance, that person has no secret sin waiting to be exploited, no cracks in his heart that offer access to greater sin.

As we make our way through this Holy Week, let’s take this word from the Word:

“Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.

Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me.

Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.”

The result?  The very opposite of Judas!  We will never betray Him.

We will exalt Him with praise!  David continues his song.

“Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will turn back to you.

Save me from bloodguilt, O God, the God who saves me,

and my tongue will sing of your righteousness.

O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise." (Psalm 51:9-15, NIV)

______________

One Pure And Holy Passion

Give me one pure and holy passion

Give me one magnificent obsession

Jesus give me one glorious ambition for my life

To know and follow hard after You

To know and follow hard after You

To grow as Your disciple in the truth

This world is empty pale and poor

Compared to knowing You my Lord

Lead me on and I will run after You

Lead me on and I will run after You

Lead me on and I will run after You

Mark Altrogge

© 1988 Dayspring Music, LLC (a div. of Word Music Group, Inc.)

Sovereign Grace Praise (Admin. by Word Music Group, Inc.)

CCLI License # 810055