Title: Train your life of service!
Contents
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14. But Zion said, The LORD has forsaken me, and the LORD has forgotten me.
15. How can a woman forget her suckling child, and will she not have mercy on the son of her womb? Even if they forget, I will not forget you.
16. I have engraved you on the palm of my hand, and your walls are always before me.
17. Your children will walk swiftly, and they will tear you down, and those who made you desolate will depart from you.
18. Lift up your eyes and look in all directions; they all gather together and come to you, declares the LORD, as I live, swearing by my life that you shall dress all them like an ornament, and you will wear them like a bride.
19. For your desolate and desolate places, and the land from which you were ruined, will now become narrow with many inhabitants, and those who swallowed you will depart far away
20. The children born to you when they are lost will later say in your ears, ‘This place is cramped for me, expand it so that I may live
21. At that time you will say in your heart, “Who gave birth to these for me? I have lost my children, I am lonely, I have wandered away in captivity, who raised them, and I am left alone. Where did they come from?”
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12. After he washed their feet, he put on his clothes, and sat down again, and said to them, Do you know what I have done to you?
13. You are right when you say that I am a teacher or a lord, so am I.
14. Since I have washed your feet as Lord and Teacher, it is right that you also wash one another's feet.
15. I set an example that you should do as I have done to you.
16. Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, and he who is sent is not greater than he who sent him.
17. Blessed are you if you know this and do it.
18. I am not referring to all of you, for I know who the chosen ones are, but in order to fulfill the scriptures which say, “He who eats my bread has lifted his heels to me.”
19. From now on, I have told you ahead of time, so that when it happens, you will believe that I am he.
20. Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever receives the one whom I have sent receives me, and the one who receives me receives the one who sent me.
Content
Title: Train your life of service!
Text: Isaiah 49:14-21, John 13:12-20
If the cross is a sign of submission, the towel is a sign of service. When Jesus had the Last Supper with his disciples, they argued over who was the greatest (Luke 9:46). When the question of who is the biggest is raised, the problem that comes up together is the question of who is the smallest. Most of us know we can't be the greatest, but we don't want to be the least either. The disciples gathered at the Passover Supper knew that someone needed to wash the feet of others. But none of the disciples wanted to think of themselves as the least. So he didn't even talk about it. Jesus, the teacher of all who knew this reality, took on the role of the least. Peter's objection to Jesus' washing of feet stemmed from this situation.
The three basic human needs are a) wanting to be loved, b) acknowledging the value of existence, and c) feeling of belonging. It has nothing to do with the ‘heart longing for eternity’ (Ecclesiastes 3:11) given by the Creator. It is the natural footing of all life phenomena. The example that Jesus set there at that time (John 13:12-20) was definitely a new dimension of value. He also said that this is a life blessed with heavenly blessings (verse 17). This is a life that goes against the desire for ‘dominance’ of almost all creatures. ‘The need for dominance’ is the survival strategy of the chicks in the chicken coop. There is no peace between the chicks in the coop, until the question of who is the biggest and who is the smallest is decided, and all the ranks in between are clearly decided. As a citizen of heaven, we say that we must fundamentally destroy this innate 'desire for dominance'.
Taking off your outer garment and putting on a towel next to you is ‘the attire of service training’ (Matthew 20:25-28). What the Son of Man came to is the dress of life, ‘Not to be served, but to serve’. This life of service is also the life of Heavenly Father. This is today's Old Testament text (Isaiah 49:14-21). Compare God's role to a nursing mother. It is the mother's role in breastfeeding. It is said that a mother's love for her child born in the womb is compassionate. In case you forget the person you need to take care of, they are engraved on your palm. He said that the destroyed walls were always in front of his eyes. It makes you feel the fervent maternal love of caring and leading to salvation. In the Christian life, 'serving' is as important as 'love'. It is a value that the Lord Himself practiced.
1) The life of service does not distinguish between the great and small of service. We take advantage of all service opportunities without discrimination. 2) We respond more joyfully to small and hidden services (Matthew 6:3). ‘Love to be buried. And do not lament what is not respected. Be content without praise, and do not suffer when you are despised...' (Jeremy Taylor). 3) It is service that actually helps. There is a saying that big virtues are like sugar and small virtues are like salt. It requires more salt than sugar. 4) There is generosity of service that protects the reputation of others. It is the purification and good use of language. 5) There is also service that is served. There is also the service of universal etiquette. There is also serving one another with hospitality (1 Peter 4:9). There is also listening service. There is also service that bears burdens to one another (Galatians 6:2). Let's practice the training of service during the Lunar New Year holiday.