Title Meditation on Advent (2010.12.28)
Contents
Title: Big Man in Heaven
Text: (Matthew 18:1~5)
Hymns: 212. Serving the Lord humbly
Date: December 28, 2010 (Tuesday) 5 am
Venue: Jeonju Yebut Church Small Worship Room
<short verse>
“He said. I truly tell you Unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore whoever humbles himself like this little one is the greatest in heaven” (Matthew 18:3-4).
<Meditation>
This is what happened in South Africa, where less than 10% of white people dominate black people. A black church in Johannesburg was holding a foot washing ceremony to experience the humility of Jesus. Like Jesus washing the disciples' feet, the church leaders filled a basin with water and washed the members' feet one by one. Then suddenly a white man appeared and knelt before the black woman and began to wash her feet. The woman was very bewildered, but the man did not care and washed her feet.
Seeing this, the church members shouted. The man who humbly knelt and washed a woman's feet was a respected judge named Olive, a black woman who had been a slave in the judge's house for 20 years. The woman waved her hand and said.
“Lord, I cannot reach out to you. How can a white man wash a black man's feet?”
At this time, Judge Olive said:
“Jesus, the head of the church, washed the disciples’ feet himself. Jesus, who showed the example of service, is in me. What is the difference between black and white in Jesus, and where is the difference between master and slave?”
In South Africa at a time when black and white status was strict, Judge Olive's foot-washing event shocked blacks, but it was even more shocking to whites. This led to Olive's resignation as a judge, but on the contrary, his honest and courageous confession of faith earned him the respect of the people of South Africa.
Today Jesus tells us to humble ourselves and be humble in our lives. He says to lower, lower and lower again. He tells us to give up all honor, wealth, and all greed and serve with humility. The humble service of a South African judge who washed the feet of a black woman who was a slave in his home is not easy to let go of, and it is even more precious. It was possible because Jesus was in his heart. We need time to see if Jesus is in our hearts. Those who have Jesus in their hearts are the greatest in heaven.
<Prayer>
1. Be like Jesus, humble yourself and live a life of service!
2. Send many faithful co-workers!
3. Heal the sick! (Elder Eulsu Kim, Deacon Park Jongrok, Deacon Kim Youngsik, Deacon Kim Wanjin, Deacon Choi Gyu Sangseongdo (Elder Jeomdong Choi's younger brother, lung cancer)...