HUMBLING LEUKEMIA--SHE WAS JESUS

Leukemia and chemo is a very humbling experience.  There are times when one cannot get out of bed or do any personal self-care, due to the weakness.  And that's hard for most any American to take.

John 13:6-8

Context--Jesus with his disciples in the upper room, preparing them for his death, resurrection, ascension and them living life without him there.  Jesus is doing a task that only the lowliest slave of a house would do--washing people's dirty feet.

When Jesus gets to Peter, he protests--"Lord you will never wash my feet."  You are rabbi and leader, Lord.  You shouldn't be doing this lowly task.  (Notice Peter didn't offer in the text to get up and take Jesus' place.)  Jesus explained to Peter that Peter did not yet understand what Jesus was doing (or about to do in going to crucifixion for Peter and all others.  Jesus would lower Himself again, through the Cross, and take the sin of the world.

A few days after the stem cell transplant, I was sitting up in chair and able to do my own bath, but could still not get to my feet due to swelling in my legs.  The nurse tech washed them for me, and it dawned on me, and I said it, John 13.  I told her about how Jesus had washed the feet of his disciples just as she was washing my feet.  The worst day with the feet was the day they had sweated very badly, and smelled very badly, and I told her to just get two tubs of water to let me put them in and soak because they were terrible to me.  But she did so without complaining or making me feel like I was less than a person.

It was humbling for me when my wife did this, but even more humbling when a nurse tech, one I didn't know well at all, was doing this and other self-care for me. 

What did Peter learn (and I learn) that could help us live our lives with the Lord better?

• None of us (especially Christians) should be too good to humble ourselves, lower ourselves to meet a practical need another has.  We all are equal in the sight of God.
• None of us should be too good to humble ourselves, and let another serve us, when it is our time to have a need, and someone comes to help and serve.  Ecclesiastes 3 says, "There is a time for every purpose under heaven"--a time to be well and a time to be sick.  Do not rob someone of their opportunity to minister and serve.
• What is important is not "position" in life; what is important is doing what God asks us to do.
• Meeting practical needs is showing Jesus' love and humility.  Follow His example.  (Remember, Jesus original call to Peter was "Follow Me.")
• Spiritual eyes must be open for practical needs to be seen, and spiritual hearts must be open to move from seeing to doing.  But that's what faith is--seeing, believing, and then doing--"follow up or follow Me."

What do you learn from this important episode in Peter's life?

PETER WALKS ON WATER

Walking on water is impossible--but in Matthew 14:22-36, we find two different people walking on the Sea of Galilee.

Jesus had a busy day of ministry, so he sends the disciples in a boat to cross the Sea of Galilee.  Jesus goes to a mountain to pray to His Father and spends evening and much of the night.  The disciples are fighting to get the boat across because a storm comes up. 

Early in the morning, Jesus joins them by walking on the Sea.  The disciples see Him, and are afraid he is a ghost.  I mean, who can walk on water?

Jesus tells them not to be afraid, that it is He (literally "I am.")

When Peter realizes it is Jesus, he asks Jesus to identify Himself by asking Peter to come to Him, walking on the water.  Jesus tells Peter to come, and Peter does.

Successfully walking toward Jesus, Peter then sees the storm and effects of the wind, and begins to sink.  Of course, he asks Jesus to save him.  Jesus lifts him out of the waves and asks Peter, "O you of  little faith, why did you doubt. (ESV)

They get into the boat; the storm ceases, and the disciples worship Jesus and say, "Truly, You are the Son of God."  Good statement since only God can control nature.

Peter--impetuous, fool hardy, maybe full of faith, and yet like us all, he has his doubts too, especially when he thinks about the situation he faces.  Who can walk on water?  Who can do so during a storm?  Certainly I can't; I don't have the power to overcome those forces, yet Peter was doing that due to Jesus' power just a minute before.

What so often happens with us like Peter, is that we take our eyes off Jesus.  We look more at the situation than we do the God who can control anything and do miracles.  So we let the situation become bigger as we make Jesus smaller.  Who is the Lord--the situation you face or Jesus?

Henry Blackaby (Experiencing God) used to say, "Look at the circumstance from God's perspective rather than looking at God through the circumstance."    In other words, what could God achieve through this; how could He grow me through this; what purpose might He have that I might join and obey and follow?

Jesus saved Peter, but He also shows Him that faith is necessary to do what God wants.  We should not doubt His power to do ANYTHING.  The impossible is possible with God and His son, Jesus.

Peter and the disciples learn important lessons from this story.  They learn to trust God (at least for now) for anything--even impossible things.  They learn to focus on Jesus not circumstances.  And they learn a bit more of who Jesus is--they worshiped Him and called Him the Son of God.

What do you face right now that is IMPOSSIBLE?  Will God be there for you in this seemingly impossible situation/task?  Is He powerful enough to overcome or help you get through it?

Keep your focus on Jesus, not the problem or situation; look for His perspective.

And through this all, you will learn that Jesus is the Son of God, and you will learn more of what that means--all good lessons for followers of Jesus who are on a long and winding road.  And the more you learn about the real Jesus, the more you will worship Him.

ALWAYS FISHING

Some people are always fishing--spring, summer, fall and even ice fishing. 

I'm looking at the life of Peter right now, and notice some beneficial things in the call of Peter to "Follow Jesus."  (Mt 4:18-22; Mk 1:16-20; Lk 5:1-11).  The Lucan account may be a fuller version of the same story in Mt and Mk, or could be another story.  I focus on the fuller account in Lk today.

The professional fishermen, Peter, James, John, had fished all night and not caught anything.  Jesus tells them to cast the nets out deeper for a catch.  Simon Peter doesn't protest, but just says they were unsuccessful overnight, their best time to fish.  This highlights the story even more.

Peter and the others cast the nets as Jesus tells them, and get a miraculous amount of fish.  "so full that their nets begin to break" and they fill two boats.  Peter recognizes Jesus' appearance and miracle show he (Peter) is in the presence of God--at least something only God could do.  So as Isaiah in Is. 6, when God appears, Peter realizes he is sinful and not worthy to be in Jesus' presence.  He is awestruck and amazed.

Similar words when God shows up to people (theophany) in the Old Testament, "Don't be afraid."  Saying, "I am here for a good purpose; I want to empower you to do my work."

"From now on you will catch men."  (Whatever that means)

In all three Gospels, the fishermen leave family, business, leave everything to follow Jesus.

Peter was told to fish in "deeper" water.  Probably not an allegory really here, but there are times in life when people expect too little, need challenges and a change from the same old.  But Jesus does not call us to a life of ease and comfort.  He calls us to listen to Him for directions.  And that means we go into deeper water than we would on our own.

Even when it doesn't make sense, I am to listen and obey the Lord.  And it often does not make sense from my or a human standpoint.  But remember, God's ways are not our ways.

When one recognizes he/she is in the presence of God, the attitude one needs is that of awe, worship, respect, and realizing one`s sinfulness.  It is only of God's grace and mercy that we can be in the presence of a Holy God.

God comes to us with an important and good purpose in mind.  Greater service for Christ is part of our gratitude for His forgiveness and grace.

Fear is human; not godly.  Focus on God can take fear away.

When the challenge from God comes, the answer for us is to "leave everything and follow Him."

For the disciple/believer/follower of Christ, everyday is an opportunity to be an influencer for Jesus among people we are around.  It is a chance to "fish for men/women." 

I will probably never see 3000 accept Christ through my service, like Peter did at Pentecost (Acts 2).  But I can help people move closer to becoming followers of Jesus everyday--one by one.  And that too is part of praying, "Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven."

Let's go fishing, even in an informal way.