WHOSE WE ARE part 3 "How We Serve"
James 1:22-25
Matthew 20:20-28
"Put me to doing, put me to suffering [waiting/enduring]. Let me be employed by you or laid aside for you, exalted for you or brought low for you." from Wesley's Coventant Prayer
This is part three of the series, "Whose We Are" based on Wesley's Covenant Prayer. Please see an earlier post for the complete prayer.
In Matthew 19:27-20, we find the back story for Matthew 20:20-28. In the passage, Jesus was very honestly and very bluntly telling his disciples that to follow him meant that they had to give up everything. Peter, subtle as always, blurts out, "So, what's in it for us?!?"
Jesus replied, "I assure you that when the world is made new and the Son of Man sits upon his glorious throne, you who have been my followers will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone who has given up houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or property, for my sake, will receive a hundred times as much in return and will inherit eternal live. But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first." (New Living Translation)
That's quite a benefits package Jesus was offering the twelve, don't you think?
I guess it wasn't enough for John, James and their mother, Salome. (No, not the Salome, King Herodias' step-daughter and infamous exotic dancer. We're talking about the wife of Zebedee who went with Mary Magdalene and the other May to the tomb of Jesus.) Salome humbly bowed at the feet of Jesus and asked him to guarantee that her sons would have the places of greates honor in heaven, sitting on the right and the left-hand of Christ's throne.
Scripture doesn't tell us whose idea it was to go to Jesus. Maybe it was Salome's, who saw it as an opportunity to elevate her family's status. Perhaps she thought it would put a jewel in the family crown and entitle them to better seats at the heavenly banquet table where she and Mr. Zebedee could exchange pleasantries with Mr. and Mrs. Moses.
Or maybe, John and James put her up to it because they felt they deserved those places of highest honor. After all, they were heirs to the Zebedee Fishing Fleet, they were among the first of the disciples Jesus called, and John was pretty tight with Jesus himself.
Jesus responded to them, "First of all, my Father is in charge of the seating arrangements, not me. Secondly, we're talking about the Kingdom of Heaven, where the things of this world, like status and power, are turned upside down. In the Kingdom, if you want to be a big shot, who have to be a servant, like me."
In the passage from James, he urged his readers to be doers of the Word, to walk the walk as well as talk the talk. Following the example of Christ, the Living Word of God, it means to willingly set aside our own ambitions, our own sense of entitlement, and our own desire for status. Jesus didn't exploit his status and power as the Son of God, but rather he came to serve humanity by giving his very life for us.
"Put me to doing, put me to suffering [waiting/enduring]. Let me be employed by you or laid aside for you, exalted for you or brought low for you."
To be honest, this part of Wesley's Covenant Prayer makes me uncom fortable. Doing, being exalted or brought low I can handle -- it's waiting and enduring and being laid aside that give me trouble. I definately do not like being unemployed and feeling useless and unproductive.
When we moved to Cedar Rapids, I was sure we were following God's will, but when we got there, I had trouble finding a job. Back in Des Moines, I administered a nine-county volunteer adult literacy program, I had a certificate in Volunteer Management, a teaching degree and lots of experience. You'd think that organizations would be thrilled to hire me, but no, I heard over and over again that I was overqualified for the local job market.
So, there I was, feeling like God had benched me for the rest of the game. I guess I was suppose to wait on God, to wait for God's timing, for a new job and new ministry opportunities at a new church.
When God finally called me back in, God turned things upside down. At my new church home, I found myself serving under the leadership of others in new areas of ministry, and where I had been a leader at my former church, I was now doing hands-on ministry. Professionally, instead of working as an administrator, I was an adjunct instructor, encouraging, equipping and developing new leaders in my field.
Whose are we? We are God's servants who serve at God's will according to God's purposes. In the process, our lives may be turned upside down. We will be asked to make sacrifices and uncomfortable changes in our lives, but as Jesus promised, we will receive back a hundred times in return and will inherit eternal life.
That's quite a benefits package, don't you think?
But there's more. Paul writes in Romans 8:15, "The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear; rather the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him [Jesus] we cry, "Abba, Father." (New International Version)
Abba - Daddy, our heavenly Father who loves us unconditionally and knows us best. When we surrender our lives to God through a relationship with Jesus Christ, no matter where God's call may lead us, we can live boldly and confidently. For while we are servants, we are more than just servants. Through Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit, we are made sons and daughters of God Most High.
Matthew 20:20-28
"Put me to doing, put me to suffering [waiting/enduring]. Let me be employed by you or laid aside for you, exalted for you or brought low for you." from Wesley's Coventant Prayer
This is part three of the series, "Whose We Are" based on Wesley's Covenant Prayer. Please see an earlier post for the complete prayer.
In Matthew 19:27-20, we find the back story for Matthew 20:20-28. In the passage, Jesus was very honestly and very bluntly telling his disciples that to follow him meant that they had to give up everything. Peter, subtle as always, blurts out, "So, what's in it for us?!?"
Jesus replied, "I assure you that when the world is made new and the Son of Man sits upon his glorious throne, you who have been my followers will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone who has given up houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or property, for my sake, will receive a hundred times as much in return and will inherit eternal live. But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first." (New Living Translation)
That's quite a benefits package Jesus was offering the twelve, don't you think?
I guess it wasn't enough for John, James and their mother, Salome. (No, not the Salome, King Herodias' step-daughter and infamous exotic dancer. We're talking about the wife of Zebedee who went with Mary Magdalene and the other May to the tomb of Jesus.) Salome humbly bowed at the feet of Jesus and asked him to guarantee that her sons would have the places of greates honor in heaven, sitting on the right and the left-hand of Christ's throne.
Scripture doesn't tell us whose idea it was to go to Jesus. Maybe it was Salome's, who saw it as an opportunity to elevate her family's status. Perhaps she thought it would put a jewel in the family crown and entitle them to better seats at the heavenly banquet table where she and Mr. Zebedee could exchange pleasantries with Mr. and Mrs. Moses.
Or maybe, John and James put her up to it because they felt they deserved those places of highest honor. After all, they were heirs to the Zebedee Fishing Fleet, they were among the first of the disciples Jesus called, and John was pretty tight with Jesus himself.
Jesus responded to them, "First of all, my Father is in charge of the seating arrangements, not me. Secondly, we're talking about the Kingdom of Heaven, where the things of this world, like status and power, are turned upside down. In the Kingdom, if you want to be a big shot, who have to be a servant, like me."
In the passage from James, he urged his readers to be doers of the Word, to walk the walk as well as talk the talk. Following the example of Christ, the Living Word of God, it means to willingly set aside our own ambitions, our own sense of entitlement, and our own desire for status. Jesus didn't exploit his status and power as the Son of God, but rather he came to serve humanity by giving his very life for us.
"Put me to doing, put me to suffering [waiting/enduring]. Let me be employed by you or laid aside for you, exalted for you or brought low for you."
To be honest, this part of Wesley's Covenant Prayer makes me uncom fortable. Doing, being exalted or brought low I can handle -- it's waiting and enduring and being laid aside that give me trouble. I definately do not like being unemployed and feeling useless and unproductive.
When we moved to Cedar Rapids, I was sure we were following God's will, but when we got there, I had trouble finding a job. Back in Des Moines, I administered a nine-county volunteer adult literacy program, I had a certificate in Volunteer Management, a teaching degree and lots of experience. You'd think that organizations would be thrilled to hire me, but no, I heard over and over again that I was overqualified for the local job market.
So, there I was, feeling like God had benched me for the rest of the game. I guess I was suppose to wait on God, to wait for God's timing, for a new job and new ministry opportunities at a new church.
When God finally called me back in, God turned things upside down. At my new church home, I found myself serving under the leadership of others in new areas of ministry, and where I had been a leader at my former church, I was now doing hands-on ministry. Professionally, instead of working as an administrator, I was an adjunct instructor, encouraging, equipping and developing new leaders in my field.
Whose are we? We are God's servants who serve at God's will according to God's purposes. In the process, our lives may be turned upside down. We will be asked to make sacrifices and uncomfortable changes in our lives, but as Jesus promised, we will receive back a hundred times in return and will inherit eternal life.
That's quite a benefits package, don't you think?
But there's more. Paul writes in Romans 8:15, "The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear; rather the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him [Jesus] we cry, "Abba, Father." (New International Version)
Abba - Daddy, our heavenly Father who loves us unconditionally and knows us best. When we surrender our lives to God through a relationship with Jesus Christ, no matter where God's call may lead us, we can live boldly and confidently. For while we are servants, we are more than just servants. Through Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit, we are made sons and daughters of God Most High.
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