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By Rev Don Rivers
I hope you enjoyed the Winter Bible Study. I also hope that we understand some things better. As we move forward the question remains, which direction should we head? We have so many options in life and the freedom to head in many different directions but there is one that is right. What direction are we headed today? Greetings, in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
One of my favorite stories to tell is about an old friend named Manny. Manny was never lost. He didn’t always know where he was, but he figured he would find his way. When it became apparent to him he wasn’t familiar with his surroundings he would stop and fill the gas tank.
“As long as I have a full tank of gas, I’m never lost”
Life is a little more complex than that, most times when we realize we are lost we have expended most of our energy to get there. There aren’t too many filling stations on the road to lost. How do we find our way? Who do we turn to for direction?
There is a new racing season ahead. This past week the SMART Tour had their first race and the New Jersey connection teamed up; Jimmy Blewett drove Jamie Tomaino’s #99. After the race Jimmy commented that they would get better, they were taking notes and learning. They are learning which adjustments they need to make to move forward.
Life isn’t so different, we make decisions, we experience the results of those decisions and we decide if we are going to continue on that path or make adjustments. The process of decisions, learning and adjustments determines the direction our life goes.
Sometimes we find ourselves in a place we don’t want to be and question how we got there. If we look back at the series of decisions, lessons, and adjustments we may see the reason for the situation we find ourselves in, if we are honest with ourselves.
As we prepare for the upcoming Easter Holiday, the death and resurrection of our Savior, Jesus Christ, he provided some lessons and guidance for His Disciples before he left. Not unlike the list you may leave for your children when you are going to be away. Jesus knew there would be difficult times ahead and they would need direction and encouragement.
The time had come for Christ to fulfill the Will of His Father. On the Jewish Calendar was the Feast of Passover. Passover is celebrated to remember what God did for the Hebrews to deliver them from slavery in Egypt. While the nation of Israel was enslaved in the land of Egypt, God sent Moses to ask the Pharaoh for their release. When Pharaoh refused, God sent seven plagues, the last of which was darkness and death of all firstborn children. The Israelites were instructed to sacrifice a perfect lamb and place the blood of the lamb on the lintels and door posts of their homes. If they did this the angel of death would Passover their home. This was a prophecy as to the sacrifice Christ would make for us.
Jesus assembled His disciples to celebrate the Feast of Passover; you may have heard of The Last Supper? This is it. At this meal Jesus would explain to His Disciples who he was, what he was going to endure and directions on how to move forward in His absence. Much of the context of this is contained in the Gospel of John starting in chapter 13. We’ll be taking some excerpts from John’s Gospel as we reflect on the directions Christ gave His disciples.
John 13:1-2a, 3-5; NLT; Before the Passover celebration, Jesus knew that his hour had come to leave this world and return to his Father. He had loved his disciples during his ministry on earth, and now he loved them to the very end. It was time for supper… Jesus knew that the Father had given him authority over everything and that he had come from God and would return to God. So he got up from the table, took off his robe, wrapped a towel around his waist, and poured water into a basin. Then he began to wash the disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel he had around him.
In the example Jesus set for His disciples he demonstrated a few directives they would need to remember. A testimony to his love for His disciples, His humility as a servant, a symbolic spiritual washing and an example to follow.
Foot washing was for the servant of the house when guests entered because your feet got dirty walking around in sandals all day. It wasn’t considered a job for the head of the house, yet Jesus took it upon himself to wash His Disciple’s feet. When we truly love someone we will do the ‘not so nice tasks’ of keeping them clean. Think of caring for a sick child or an elderly parent. We are not too important to take care of the ones we love. The washing was also symbolic in that his sacrifice on the cross would cleanse us of our transgressions. He gave us an example to follow.
From there he comforted his disciples and let them know that he would prepare a place for them with God for eternity.
John 14:1-6; NLT; “Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me. There is more than enough room in my Father’s home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am. And you know the way to where I am going.”
“No, we don’t know, Lord,” Thomas said. “We have no idea where you are going, so how can we know the way?”
Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.
As Christ prepared for the most difficult task he would face on Earth His heart was tuned to the ones he loved, His disciples. He showed he cared for them, prepared a place for them, and provided directions they could follow to be with Him.
Jesus is the way to the Father, there is no other way. He is also the truth. We can corrupt, twist it, manipulate anything until we have justified the things we say and do, until we can live with ourselves. That will not result in peace for our soul. Jesus is the truth and the only way to be at peace with God is to follow that truth. The benefit, Life, eternal life in heaven.
John 10:10; NLT; (Jesus said), The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.
Stay tuned as we sit around the table and listen to some supper talk. Until next time, remember God loves you and Jesus is Lord over Auto Racing! God Bless. Remember, that your prayerful support and donations helps us continue this ministry. Thank You.
