What you are about to read are my notes from a sermon given this morning at Fellowship Church in Grapevine. Guest Pastor Dino Rizzo, from The Healing Place Church in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, was the guest speaker and delivered a message that really stirred up my Spiritual need to blog tonight. I have been sick all week, a very bad sinus infection that literally had me in bed, flat on my back, for several days. I haven't missed church in months, but thought I might skip today to get more rest and healing. Then this morning, I got a text from my best friend about going, and decided I felt well enough to go. I am so glad I did.....
The passage of scripture that was read was John 13:1-7, 12-17. Jesus and His disciples were having supper in the Upper Room, and during supper, Jesus got up from His place, took off His outer garment and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that, He poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around Him. When He came to Simon Peter, he said to Him "Lord, are You going to wash my feet?" Jesus replied "You do not understand now what I am doing, but later you will understand".
When He had finished washing their feet, He put on His clothes and returned to His place at the table. "Do you understand what I have done for you?" He asked them. "You call me 'Teacher' and 'Lord" and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them."
Dino recalled a verse that talks about that at the end of the world, when we stand before Christ as a Child of God, Jesus' announcement to us will be "Well done, thy good and faithful servant". When Jesus came to earth, He came to serve. And as He did, so He has asked us to do.
I have heard many sermons on feet washing. I grew up in a church where it was done a few times a year and watched as a child during that part of the service. However, there were four things today that Dino pointed out in this passage of scripture that Jesus did that really opened my Spiritual ears:
1. He got up from the meal- Jesus was willing to be interupted to tend to a need..... Are we in tune to others to interupt our busy lives to tend to others needs?
2. He laid aside His garments- Are we willing to lay aside our agenda, our stuff, our pride, for others?
3. He grabbed a towel- Dino talked about how he likes to use papertowels in the kitchen to clean with. How they soak up the spills and clean up messes when he uses them. A towel can be used to transform something dirty, unclean, or messy to clean.
4. He stooped low and went to washing and drying- Jesus set the example that no one is beneath another, even He humbled himself to wash their feet.... Are we living believing we are better or above somebody else or others?
So the question becomes this: Do you want a towel or a Title? As a Christian, we don't serve to eventually stop serving.... we serve because that is what Christ did, and has asked us to do. The last verse of that passage says "now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them." Not might be, or can be, but WILL be blessed IF we do them....
At the end of the day, we are just a servant of the Lord Jesus Christ. Nothing more, nothing less... What an eye opener and a humbling message for my heart to hear today. Dino Rizzo, I thank you, and I thank God for giving you a message that all Christians need to hear.
Father, thank you for these Words from your messenger, Pastor Dino. Thank you for allowing them to touch me and many others at church, and prayerfully through this written blog so that we all may grow closer to who we need to be in You. Help us to tune in to others and not be so self absorped that we become Spiritually blind and deaf to those around us that are reaching out for help. Fill us with your Love and Compassion, and break us of our pride and our OWN agenda that does not have Your interests at hand. Thank you for opening doors of opportunities for each of us to shine the light of Your Love to someone who otherwise would continue to wander in darkness. Thank You for Your Word that gives us direction and application to live our daily lives in Victory.... In Jesus' name I pray.
Amen
