https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FvytQXlOP9E (Video showing Marine Drill
Instructors screaming at recruits) For those of you who have endured such
torture, you have my sincerest appreciation and gratitude. I don’t know how I
would handle that. When you watch these videos some of the recruits will actually
start crying and then some others start to laugh and from what I have seen,
neither is a good option.
Do you know
why Drill Instructors scream at recruits? Sure, some of them may just be angry
and sadistic and want to scream but I don’t think that is the main reason. Also,
while screaming is motivational, motivation is temporary and the DI ultimately
wants to inspire instead of motivate. Inspiration lasts but motivation fades. I
learned that from talking to some Marine recruiters.
There are
actually several reasons why the DI screams. They want to induce the panic and
fog that combat brings so that when these marines are in combat they are
somewhat accustomed to it. They scream to get the undivided attention of the
recruit. They scream to be heard. They scream to be clear, encourage and
discipline. But the main reason they scream is because they want the recruit to
be just like them.
The Drill
Instructor is the epitome of the Marine Corps. You will never see a fat, out of
shape, undisciplined DI and they want the recruit to be the same motivated,
capable warrior that they are. The DI is highly trained to be a DI but a lot of
what they know…they learned from their own DI when they were recruits. There is
a template for what Marines should look like, sound like and act like because
they know that a Marine that looks, acts and sounds like this will be an
effective soldier.
For us as
warriors in the battle against the rulers, powers and authorities of this dark
world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms (Eph.
6:12) our Drill Instructor, thankfully, doesn’t scream. In fact, He does just
the opposite. He speaks in a still, small voice most of the time. Sometimes it
seems so quiet that I wish He would speak up just a little so I could know it
was Him but instead, most of the time, I have to just get closer to Him so I
can hear Him.
While God
speaks to us in a different tone of voice than a Marine Drill Instructor, He
speaks to us for the same basic reason. He wants us to be just like Him. Romans 8:29 says God wants us to be
conformed to the image of his Son. There is a template and His name is Jesus.
He is the ultimate warrior and we should look, sound and act like Him.
In our
effort to prepare for battle we have so far learned the basics in Boot Camp. We
have intensely trained for combat in Combat School where we learned how to keep
from sin and being taken out of the battle. Now we are looking at the gifts,
talents and abilities that we all have as we have started Specialty School. We learned
last week that we all have some God-given gift, talent or ability that we are
to use, not just for ourselves, but for the edification or building-up of the
church.
I realize
that we have been doing this for five months now and we are not done yet. I
know some of you (ahem, Lois) wish we would cool it with the battle focus and
look again at the love stories about Jesus in the Bible. I believe those are
her exact words. 😊 Well, this week is a perfect
compromise between the two and a much-needed example of how to use our gifts,
talents and abilities as we edify the church; as we prepare for battle, but do
it in a way that looks, sounds and acts like Jesus.
So, turn, if
you would please, to John chapter 13
where we see Jesus modeling the love He is known for to the first recruits, His
disciples. Now, I will just tell you from the beginning that the purpose of the
message is to encourage you to use your gifts, talents and abilities for the
building up of the church and to do it in love. And most of you are sitting
there thinking that you already do that. You are the most loving church and you
as individuals know how important it is and you have heard or read this story a
thousand times and so you may be tempted to nod off or space out. It’s
obviously too late for some of you. But I want you to consider what was going
on in the mind of Jesus.
As Jesus is
preparing to wash the feet of the disciples, He already knows His time on this
earth is short. He is not far from being crucified and His disciples are arguing
over who is going to be the greatest in His Kingdom. Most of the people don’t
believe He is the Christ. Some are already plotting to kill Him and one of His
disciples is about to deny Him and another is about to turn Him in to the
authorities for thirty pieces of silver. But the focus of Jesus was on showing
love. Let’s read about it in John 13:1-17.
It was just before the Passover
Festival. Jesus knew that the hour had come for him to leave this world and go
to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he showed them the
full extent of His love. 2 The evening meal was in progress, and the devil
had already prompted Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus.
3 Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that
he had come from God and was returning to God; 4 so he got up from the
meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist.
5 After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his
disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him. 6 He
came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?” 7 Jesus
replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but
later you will understand.” 8 “No,” said Peter, “you shall never
wash my feet.” Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you
have no part with me.” 9 “Then, Lord,” Simon Peter replied, “not
just my feet but my hands and my head as well!” 10 Jesus answered, “Those who have had a bath need only to wash their feet;
their whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you.” 11 For
he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said not every one was
clean. 12 When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes
and returned to his place. “Do you understand what I
have done for you?” he asked them. 13 “You
call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am.
14 Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also
should wash one another’s feet. 15 I have set you an example that you
should do as I have done for you. 16 Very truly I tell you, no servant is
greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him.
17 Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.”
As I often
do in preparing a message to preach, I read the text over and over, then I read
some commentaries and then I read other sermons by some of my favorite
preachers. W.A. Criswell is usually first, as he was this week. Criswell was
pastor of FBC Dallas for 50 years and I love to read his sermons. He said this
about this passage: “And beginning at the
thirteenth chapter we enter, really, the Holy of Holies of the New
Testament. In these concluding chapters of John, chapters 14, 15, 16, 17,
through the remainder to 21, there have been more tears dropped on these pages
than on any pages in human literature. There have been more broken hearts
who have sought strength and comfort from these words than from any other words
spoken by human lips. It begins with this passage.”
This is a
powerful passage that tells a powerful story about the most powerful of all
men. It is powerful because we know the power of Jesus and yet this shows His
humility and love. Look again at the end of verse 1. Depending on your translation, it may say Jesus loved them
to the end or He showed them His love or something similar. My translation says
Jesus showed them the full extent of His love. It doesn’t say He showed them
the full extent of His power. That’s what I would have done if I were Jesus.
If I were
Jesus, verse 3 would read Jesus knew that the Father had put all
things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God;
4 so he got up from the meal and called down a legion of angels to
bring Him His golden crown; the crown He left in Heaven; that royal diadem that
we sing about. Bring my royal robes and then with His left hand He sweeps away
the doubting masses and with His right He decapitates the mocking Pharisees. He
then damned Judas to Hell for even thinking what he was thinking, and the temple
shook and with fire and lightning bolts the whole world knew He was God!
But that’s
not how it reads. It says Jesus knew that
the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God
and was returning to God; 4 so he got up from the meal…and washed
their feet; a task so lowly and menial that most slaves didn’t even have to do
it.
But think
about it. It needed to be done. Their feet were dusty and dirty and normally
the host or the owner of the house would have water and a bowl there so they
could do it themselves if there wasn’t a slave to do it. But there was no one
there to do it and the disciples were obviously too proud to do such a lowly
thing even for themselves, much less the others. I mean, they were important
people. They were close friends with Jesus. They were kind of a big deal,
right?
After
resigning his pastorate to go lead another church, a pastor was approached by
an endearing older member of the congregation. She wept over the pastor’s
decision to leave and said, “Things will
never be the same.” The minister tried to console her by saying, “Don’t worry, I’m confident you will get a
new pastor who is better than me.” She continued to sob and replied, “That’s
what the last three pastors have said, but they just keep getting worse.” Source:
Unknown
She was
evidently another one of those folks who think their gift is keeping the pastor
in line. Don’t you know that pastor wanted to tell that woman off? Don’t you
know he knew she needed to be taken down a notch or two and he was the guy to
do it? That sure could have been what Jesus was thinking. Here He was,
literally the King of the universe, God Himself in human form, protecting and
providing for these men’s every need for three years and all they seem to care
about is what’s in it for them. He can’t even get His feet washed.
But instead of
lecturing them about what they should do or griping about it and getting mad
because He wasn’t getting what He was due, Jesus just quietly gets the water
and a towel and lovingly washes the disciples’ feet; all of them; even Judas.
Think about that.
It’s really
easy to use your gifts, talents and abilities when people are watching and
appreciative. When everybody sees you making a sacrifice and doing it well and
they are telling you what a good job you are doing, that’s a good feeling.
That’s when it’s easiest to do. But what about when nobody is around to see or
– even worse – what about when you have to serve somebody you don’t think
deserves it? Or they don’t appreciate your effort?
Imagine
Jesus being on His knees on the hard floor and looking up into the narrow,
hateful eyes of Judas, knowing full well that Judas was about to turn Him over
to the rulers to be killed for a few measly bucks. Yet Jesus lovingly washed
the feet of Judas just like He washed the feet of the others; the others who
would betray Him, question Him, deny they knew Him and in the end, at the worst
possible time, desert Him.
Isn’t that
just like Jesus? Isn’t that what He still does for all of us even today? We
ignore Him, deny Him, question Him and even disobey Him and then when we come
back to Him in repentance, He loves on us and comforts us and restores us, not
just our feet but all of us. He restores us back to where we were, completely
forgives and forgets our sin and makes us clean again…and He wants us to be
just like Him.
He’s not
going to scream at you. He is speaking to you, even right now in that quiet
voice of His, wanting you to come back and fellowship with Him and use your
gifts, talents and abilities to edify the church, even if that ability is just
to wash somebody’s feet or comb their hair. Maybe they need a ride or need some
groceries. Maybe you are just the right person to mail a short letter to
someone on the jail ministry list and encourage them with something that has
encouraged you.
Do they
deserve it? Probably not. Do any of us? Will anybody know what you did? Will
you get an award or some great recognition for doing it? Probably not; at least
not in this life. But I do want to point something out to you in this passage
that we read but you may have missed. Go back to verse 17, the last verse we read. Jesus said, “Now that you know
these things, you will be blessed if you do them.” Do you know what
that word “blessed” means? It means “happy”. The King James Version uses that
word, “happy”.
Do you see
that? The secret to happiness is service to others. Some of you have figured
that out already. When you are bummed out and it seems like nothing is going
your way and your world is falling apart, you have some choices. You can try
what some women call “retail therapy” which actually can lead to more problems
if you aren’t careful.
You can
self-medicate. Gee, what could possibly go wrong there? You can gripe and
complain. You can ball up in the fetal position and cry or…or…you could go do
something nice for somebody else. You can use your gifts, talents and abilities
to serve somebody else, doing your best and doing it in the name of Jesus and
doing it even for those who don’t deserve it or may not appreciate it and
unless Jesus is a liar, you will be blessed – happy – if you do them.
Let me close
with this. In verse 6 Jesus comes to
Peter. Simon said, “Lord, are you going
to wash my feet?” 7 Jesus replied, “You do not
realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.” 8 “No,”
said Peter, “you shall never wash my feet.” Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.” All
of us are unclean. We are sinners [Romans 3:23], and we need to be cleansed.
We need to be washed. We need to be redeemed. We need to be born
into the family. We need to be adopted into the preciousness of the
forgiveness and love of our Savior. Outside of the cleansing, we are
unfit and unworthy and unacceptable.
9 “Then, Lord,” Simon Peter
replied, “not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!” 10 Jesus
answered, “Those who have had a bath need only to wash
their feet; their whole body is clean. What did He mean by that?
Well, let me
translate it a little more accurately. "He that has been through the bath," that’s it exactly,
that’s an exact translation. He that has been through the bath does not need to
be washed again. He is clean except his feet. And his feet must be
washed again, and again, and again. Now the imagery is very plain.
The Roman bath, when a man took a bath he was clean, all over. But when
he walked from the bath his feet became soiled, and he had to wash his feet.
So the Lord
says that when we’re saved, when we’re cleansed, we’re always and forever saved
and cleansed. We don’t need to be bathed again and again and again. We
don’t need to be saved over and over again. We are saved. We go
through the bath, just one time. But day by day, as we walk through the hours
of the day, our feet become soiled, and every day we must go to Jesus and ask
the dear Lord to forgive us the sins and the shortcomings of that day. We
are clean having been through the bath, but our feet are soiled as we walk
through the succeeding days, and every day we come to the blessed Jesus and
say, "Lord, wash my feet.
Forgive me this day my sins." That’s what it is to be a child of
God, a follower of the Lamb, belong to the household of Jesus, and to trust in
Him. To be cleansed, to be forgiven, to be saved, and to offer to God an humble
life of service, and every day confessing to Him our sins and asking
forgiveness in His dear name. https://www.wacriswell.com/sermons/1971/the-sublimity-of-jesus-2/
Do that
right now as we pray.
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