Show Us The Father

Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father.” John 14:8 (NLT)

Jesus came to “show us the Father.” That was his goal as he walked here on earth. He embodied the Father in human form. And we are supposed to imitate him in all we do living our lives so people can see God in us through our words, actions and responses to what life throws at us.

Do we? When I first thought about this I thought about how hard that would be. I mean, I am not Jesus. He can reflect the Father perfectly because he is after all, God. But before I dismissed this as something I couldn’t do, verse twelve caught my eye.

“I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works.” Uh oh.

Does that mean that since I believe in Jesus and look to him for my example (as the disciples did), that I can reflect the Father? Can people see me, watch my life and say “She reflected God”?

Apparently, Jesus thought so.

In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father. Matthew 5:16

And elsewhere in the Bible we are given the same mandate.

So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. 1 Corinthians 10:31

I pray that your love will overflow more and more, and that you will keep on growing in knowledge and understanding. For I want you to understand what really matters, so that you may live pure and blameless lives until the day of Christ’s return. May you always be filled with the fruit of your salvation—the righteous character produced in your life by Jesus Christ—for this will bring much glory and praise to God. Philippians 1:9-11

Please note, the Bible never said living all out for Jesus would be easy. It’s not. But it does tell us that when we stay focused on him and live our life the way he lived his, we will glorify God. We will make a difference. The highest compliment you can ever get is if someone says “I can see Jesus in you.” And that should always be our goal.

A Servant's Role Model

Jesus knew that the Father had given him authority over everything and that he had come from God and would return to God.  So he got up from the table, took off his robe, wrapped a towel around his waist,  and poured water into a basin. Then he began to wash the disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel he had around him. John 13:3-5 (NLT)

I’ve been listening to a book recently and one of the chapters was on Serving. This topic also came up recently in a Bible Study. We were talking about coming to church with an attitude of giving instead of receiving. Some people said they came to church to serve and didn’t expect to receive and that was OK because they received from God in other ways. Some thought coming to serve and receive wasn’t a bad thing….and it is not.

Maybe it boils down to our hearts? Are we serving to check the box? You know, because it is the thing we have to do to be Christians? Are we serving because we see others as an object to check that box? Are we serving because we can see in the hierarchy of things we are low man on the totem pole and we need to be the one serving?

So what should serving look like? As I pondered this, I thought about Jesus washing the disciples’ feet. In John 13 it says he knew that God had given all authority to him. He was at the top of the “universe chain” and he knew it. And as he realized that, what did he do? He got up from the table, took a towel and basin of water and proceeded to be a servant. He kneeled on the floor, took off the sandals of every single disciple (including Judas) and washed the dirt and grime from their feet. He tenderly dried each foot. I can imagine praying over their feet as he did it.

Jesus didn’t just do the job of a servant because there is no servant who would perform this job with so much love. It was much more than that. That’s who he was. He didn’t serve because it was a job he had to do, he served because at his core he was a servant. We have to imitate that.

When we stop serving because it’s the right thing to do and serve because it’s who we are, then our lives and our world will change. Then, we will be serving like Jesus did.

Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Philippians 2:6 (NLT)

What's Your Label?

In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father. Matthew 5:16 (NLT)

The other day I was sitting in traffic; something I try to avoid but in a city it’s expected at times. I noticed on the back of the car in front of me a sticker that said “Proud to be a __________.” There was a denomination listed. Fill in the blank with your denomination if you want.

Then, I started looking at the backs of other cars. Some had those little stickers that show you how many people are in the family, including pets. Some had stickers that showed what political affiliation with which the occupants align. One had a sticker for a Christian radio station in our area, WGTS. I see this one a lot. And sometimes you see it on cars whose drivers are not acting “Christian” when they drive.

Made me think about how we label ourselves and then in turn, label each other. While it seems like this is especially prevalent now, it’s been happening since the beginning of time. It was happening in Christ’s day as well. To the Jews, if you were a Samaritan you were less than. To the Gentiles, if you were a Jew you didn’t measure up. Then, there were the financial classes and slaves and owners of slaves. And, if you were a man or a woman, that determined a lot about your abilities.

What does Jesus say about all this labeling? All he cared (and still cares) about is that you love God. He said that if you were truly in love with God, it would show in your behavior. It would show in your obedience to him and it would show in how you treat each other.

Maybe we should have stickers that say “God Lover” or “Mad about Jesus” so we could put them on our cars? Oh wait, that won’t work. Just because you have something stuck on your car doesn’t mean it’s stuck in your heart.

A Minute In It - Coming Clean With God

A minute in Gods' word will change your life.  Read through the Bible text and ask yourself the questions at the bottom of the post.

1 Have mercy on me, O God,
    because of your unfailing love.
Because of your great compassion,
    blot out the stain of my sins.
2 Wash me clean from my guilt.
    Purify me from my sin.
3 For I recognize my rebellion;
    it haunts me day and night.
4 Against you, and you alone, have I sinned;
    I have done what is evil in your sight.
You will be proved right in what you say,
    and your judgment against me is just.
5 For I was born a sinner—
    yes, from the moment my mother conceived me.
6 But you desire honesty from the womb,
    teaching me wisdom even there.

7 Purify me from my sins, and I will be clean;
    wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
8 Oh, give me back my joy again;
    you have broken me—
    now let me rejoice.
9 Don’t keep looking at my sins.
    Remove the stain of my guilt.
10 Create in me a clean heart, O God.
    Renew a loyal spirit within me.
11 Do not banish me from your presence,
    and don’t take your Holy Spirit from me.

12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation,
    and make me willing to obey you.
13 Then I will teach your ways to rebels,
    and they will return to you.
14 Forgive me for shedding blood, O God who saves;
    then I will joyfully sing of your forgiveness.
15 Unseal my lips, O Lord,
    that my mouth may praise you.

16 You do not desire a sacrifice, or I would offer one.
    You do not want a burnt offering.
17 The sacrifice you desire is a broken spirit.
    You will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God.
18 Look with favor on Zion and help her;
    rebuild the walls of Jerusalem.
19 Then you will be pleased with sacrifices offered in the right spirit—
    with burnt offerings and whole burnt offerings.
    Then bulls will again be sacrificed on your altar.

Have you ever done something and then felt remorse?
Has Satan ever beat you up for a mistake that you made?
Where did you go for comfort? Where did you go for reassurance?
Have you ever begged God to restore your relationship?

Maybe God Is......

Perhaps the Lord will help us 1 Samuel 14:6 (NLT)

Ever find yourself in the middle of a plan or project and it isn’t working out the way you wanted? Maybe life in general is happening this way. I’ve found myself working toward a goal and then suddenly everything grinds to a halt or takes two steps backwards. Super frustrating.

It feels like God is always teaching me to wait. Maybe I need that lesson. Obviously, I have not perfected it yet because we keep revisiting it.

During these times I find myself saying “Maybe God is…..” or “Maybe God will……” They are usually positive statements. You know, “Maybe God is delaying this so …..” and then I fill in the blank. In my mind’s eye I can imagine a lot of reasons why God is delaying what I want to happen.

And really, there is nothing wrong with that. It is always good to look and see where God is working and what he is doing. If he is working somewhere other than where I am working, I need to move to his camp. If he is doing something other than what I am doing, I need to join him. I’d rather be working alongside him than on my own…no matter what I may want.

One thing I do know. The Bible tells us that God can do more than we can ask or imagine (Ephesians 3:20) and that his thoughts are not our thoughts and his ways are higher than our ways (Isaiah 55:8-9). So we need to be careful. As we are looking to see where God is working and we tell ourselves “Maybe God is…..”, when it is not working out the way we want, we still need to trust him.

After Jonathan says “Perhaps the Lord will help us” he says, “for nothing can hinder the Lord.” And that is the part we need to remember.

Their Perspective

I know the Lord has given you this land,” she told them. “We are all afraid of you. Everyone in the land is living in terror. For we have heard how the Lord made a dry path for you through the Red Sea when you left Egypt. And we know what you did to Sihon and Og, the two Amorite kings east of the Jordan River, whose people you completely destroyed. No wonder our hearts have melted in fear! No one has the courage to fight after hearing such things. For the Lord your God is the supreme God of the heavens above and the earth below. Joshua 2:9-11 (NLT)

Yesterday we talked about how the Israelites didn’t want to go into Canaan because they were afraid of what they saw. They looked at what they couldn’t do instead of what God could do.

In today’s text Rahab was talking to the spies that went into Jericho. She was telling them what they thought of the God of Israel. She basically said “We are afraid of you because of your God. We’ve heard the things he has done for you! From the time you left Egypt until now. We’ve been following what he has done on your behalf.”

I read that and think “WOW!” Here were the Israelites sabotaging their own future because they refused to look at and trust the power that lived right smack in the middle of their camp. He had demonstrated over and over again that he would protect them and care for them. He provided food every day in the form of manna. He parted the Red Sea so they could cross. He fought for them in battle. And still….still they said “We can’t.”

And as I marvel at that, I realize I too do the same thing. When we don’t know how to move forward, or we’re afraid of the next step, we stop. We procrastinate. We make excuses. When will we start to remember what God has already done, not just in Scripture but in our very own lives? Wouldn’t it be better instead to take that step of faith and have people say “We can see God working in your life!”?

As I continue to read through the Bible, I realize I have a long way to go. But, I am determined to keep my path forward and the fears that sometimes pop up around that in God’s hands. I will ask him to remind me of where he has gone before…..and give me the courage to step into his plan.

Walking Past Your Promised Land

I know that you can do anything, and no one can stop you. Job 42:2 (NLT)

The Israelites were told to go explore the land of Canaan (Numbers 13). This is the land that God had repeatedly promised to give them after they left Egypt. Moses picked twelve men to go on the expedition. When they returned, ten of them were against going in and two were for it. The ten men that were against moving forward were afraid. They saw things unfamiliar to them. They saw obstacles that were bigger than their courage could handle so they decided that this would be a failure.

They described the new land as bountiful; flowing with milk and honey. And then they did what we do. They said “But.” But, the people living there are powerful. They have lots of weapons and fortresses. They are all over the place! They were huge. We are nothing compared to them. We cannot do this. It’s too big for us.

They forgot some important “Buts.”

But, you are God’s people.
But, God will go before you.
But, there is nothing stronger than your God.
But, if this is God’s plan for you nothing can stop it.

The Israelites were so focused on what they saw instead of who they knew that it stopped them from stepping into God’s plan for them.

Do you do this? How often do we look at the path ahead and decide it is too hard for us? Our courage evaporates because we can’t see past our fears. Probably more often than we’d admit. We should never confuse what we can do on our own with what God can do for us. When we do, we miss out on our promised land.

The Ambassador

So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, “Come back to God!” 2 Corinthians 5:20 (NLT)

What is an ambassador? According to Wikipedia, an ambassador “is the ranking government representative stationed in a foreign capital.” An ambassador is expected to protect the citizens and work for peace.

If you have looked at our world at all, you know we need a lot of ambassadors. Everywhere. Each day there seems to be a news story about hate and violence. People seem to protect themselves and not look out for each other.

So, what are we to do?

In 2 Corinthians 5:15 the Bible says this:

He died for everyone so that those who receive his new life will no longer live for themselves. Instead, they will live for Christ, who died and was raised for them.

First, I love that it says “He died for everyone” (emphasis mine.) So often we think of Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross and we think “He died to save me.” And he did because you are part of everyone. But he also died for your neighbor, the co-worker that annoys you, your family member, and the guy on the corner that is homeless. He also died for all of the people throughout history that have done detestable things to each other.

So how should we ambassador?

We no longer live for ourselves. We live for Christ. We recognize that we are no better than the doers of detestable (or irritating) things. We spend time showing God’s love and reaching beyond ourselves. We are always on the look-out for ways to protect and help each other.

Our community, our little corner of the world, is where we serve as an ambassador. When we look at where our world is headed, Jesus needs more ambassadors than ever, don’t you think?