Printer Friendly VersionThis third and final series is in some ways a deeper reflection
on the first series. There we dealt with life's most difficult dilemmas discovering
that dying to oneself is perhaps the most difficult dilemma we will ever have
in this life. What about preparing for the life to come? How does one begin
to deal with life's inevitable end? How can we now prepare for life's next
step? This series is dedicated to that discovery.
Matthew 23:1-12 with Joshua 3:7-17 and I Thessalonians 2:9-13
When I was doing my doctoral work at Asbury Seminary, my preaching
professor would stress the necessity of a strong sermon title. I quickly discovered
how difficult it is to describe an entire sermon with one sentence or phrase
that people can readily recall long after the sermon has ended. Today’s
title, more than any other in the three series describes the sermon to a tee.
In the end, “last place is the only place that matters.”
Of course that kind of mentality is a bit contrary in a culture
that continues to call us to, “look out for number one!” But in
contrast to that Jesus seems to turn our cultural mind-set upside down.
Jesus begins to describe how we ought to live in relation to
the religious community around us, (note the connection to the previous sermon
series), by "practicing and obeying whatever they say to you, but don't
follow their example. For they don't practice what they teach. They crush
you with impossible religious demands and never lift a finger to help ease
the burden…Everything they do is for show. On their arms they wear extra
wide prayer boxes with Scripture verses inside, and they wear extra long tassels
on their robes. And how they love to sit at the head table at banquets and
in the most prominent seats in the synagogue! They enjoy the attention they
get on the streets..." (Matt. 23:4-7).
The only problem with this is that while it seems to be in keeping
with the world in which we live, this kind of life doesn’t seem to prepare
for the life in which God gives! Nor does it prepare us for the next world.
What life in Christ ought to look like now in preparation for the life to
come is "the greatest among us must be a servant to all. (Matt. 23:12).
This is not some new idea. Jesus was always about getting his
disciples to understand and own this idea of servanthood. Bill Hybels describes
this dialogue…
“I have come to serve,” He told them over and over
again. “I have not come to tug the strings of power or reduce others
to puppets for a cause, but to give myself away.” His whole life was
a display of servanthood, selflessness, and love.
One of the most powerful images of this kind of servanthood
was evidenced in Jesus himself in John 13 where the culmination of Jesus’
earthly ministry is at hand and one of the last things he will do (be) among
his disciples is a servant…
As Jesus removes his robe and puts on a servant’s towel,
what does he feel? Agony, regret, sorrow? Does he wash his disciples’
feet with his tears? Jesus had spent his entire ministry trying to develop
in them attitudes of humility and servanthood and now, at this final gathering
before his death, no one is willing to perform the smallest act of love. They
argue about greatness and seem to have no idea what it means.
Jesus moves from one disciple to the next, washing and drying their feet.
Finally he begins to wash Peter’s feet. There are, as expected, sparks
of misunderstanding. Peter, in a dither, says, “No, Jesus, you will never
wash my feet.” He deplores the idea that the Son of God would ever have
to stoop that low. Jesus’ answer stresses once again the importance of
servanthood: “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.” (taken
from Hybel’s Descending into Greatness
This is the life that the Apostle Paul in today’s epistle"pleaded with us, encouraged us, and urged us to live in a way that God would consider worthy because in the end he called us into his kingdom to share in the glory of heaven." (1 Thess. 2:12). And his glory is seen in service to him. Amen.
