KNOW WHO YOU ARE!
Pastor Scott Olin, Washington
John
13:3-5 "Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into
his hands, and that he was come from God, and went to God; He riseth from
supper, and laid aside his garments; and took a towel, and girded
himself. After that he poureth water into a basin, and began to wash the
disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel, wherewith he was
girded."
I've always been intrigued by this example Jesus has given to us in this story; Not so much the fact that the living God would come and humble Himself to wash the feet of the disciples - we know that He came to serve, not to be served. The thing that intrigues me is that He, knowing that He had just a few short hours to live and be with these men, knowing He was on His way to the cross, knowing He was about to suffer in a way that is so brutal it's hard to wrap our minds around… And still, even in that moment, He was able to rise and minister to these men – with peace.
There's
a key in these few verses that we need to get a hold of. The
scripture says that Jesus knew that He was, “COME FROM GOD, AND WAS READY TO
RETURN TO GOD...” Identity is a key to fulfilling purpose and destiny
in my life. I've got to know who I am in Christ.
I've
got to understand what the word of God says about me. Not only
when I'm good and have had a good day; Not just when I've prayed
enough, read the word enough, witnessed enough; but I am what God says I
am every moment of every day! Most of us base our identity on what
others say about us rather that what God says about us. We conclude who
we are based upon how righteous or how sinful we walked the week out. Sweetheart,
who you are in Jesus, has nothing to do with you. You could neither earn
it nor deserve it! He declares us to be who we are - based solely
on the work of the cross.
Jesus
knew exactly who He was, and was able to stare death and shame in the face, and
not flinch. He knew from where He had come, and where He
was going when His mission was completed. If I'm going to do the thing
God called me to do, I can't be distracted or derailed from the purposes of
God in my life. Jesus didn't allow the cross to distract
him from ministering and loving these men.
In
Matthew 3:17 Jesus has just been baptized, you know the story. He
hears the affirmation of the Father, "this is my beloved Son, in whom I
am well pleased." Then immediately Jesus is led, Mark says
driven, into the wilderness; not to fast and pray but to be tempted of the
devil.
The
tempter came with these words in chapter 4 vs 3, "If thou be the Son of
God, command that these stones be made bread." In vs.. 6 "If
thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his
angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest
at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone." Satan then
temps him with power. We all know the story.
Question: What
was the first place the enemy went, to temp Jesus? Here's hint...
It wasn't bread. Satan has no knew
tricks. He comes at you and I in the same way, and with the same strategy
as he came after Jesus 2000 years ago.
The
first temptation was not bread. Nor was it when Jesus was on the pinnacle
of the temple or when he was shown the kingdoms of this world. The temptation
against Jesus then, is the same temptation Satan uses on you and I
today… “IF”.
IF…
you really are the Son of God; IF… you really are who you say you are;
IF… you really are what that book
says you are! The attack, the
temptation was on the identity of Jesus. The same place the devil hits
you and I today. If he can steal our identity, the “who” that Jesus has
made us to be - he's got us.
I
said earlier, we think we're all the things scripture says we are when we are
performing well. The truth is, we are what the Word says we are every
moment of every day. God’s declaration of Righteousness over me is not
based on me, or my performance. My right standing with the Father is
based solely on what Jesus accomplished at the cross. To say that I'm all
that the bible says I am when my walk is perfect (which will never
happen), is to say that God’s choice and declaration over me is
conditional.
Matter
of fact, "If" in the Greek language deals with the idea of
conditionality.
In
Webster's dictionary: “CONDITION” means “A premise upon which the fulfillment
of an agreement depends. Something essential to the appearance of
assurance of something else.”
If
I believe for just one second that God’s love, and who He says I am is based
upon any other condition than the cross of Jesus, and what Jesus has
accomplished on it, I'll fall into the trap Satan has laid for the church
as a whole.
The
Father loves me and has declared me to be His Son; not that I've earned it
or could ever deserve it. I have a Savior who took my place and my shame,
and paid the price I could never pay; because of that, Father has said a whole
bunch of awesome stuff in His Book about me:
Ø
I am the righteousness of God in Christ
Jesus.
Ø
I am more that a conqueror in Christ
Jesus.
Ø
I am
an heir of God and joint heir with Jesus.
I'm
all this and much, much more. And it's all unconditional!
God is not Santa Clause. He doesn't sing the song. You know, THE
SONG!
"HE'S
MAKING A LIST, HE'S CHECKING IT TWICE, GONNA' FIND OUT WHOSE NAUGHTY AND
NICE..."
You're
more than nice; Baby, you are the son of THE KING!
We
hear it though. Every time we walk as frail and weak humans, we hear it:
Ø
"If you were really a Christian, you
wouldn't have said that."
Ø
"If you were really a Christian, you
wouldn't have done that."
Ø
“Gone there...” – “watched that ...” - “gotten angry…” and etc.
All
that stuff is why Jesus came to die for us. Yeah, we'll still stumble,
and do and say and think that stuff from time to time. Does that change Gods love, or who and what
he says we are?
Notice
when the attack came. Listen to what God declares in Mt. 3:17. "
This is my beloved SON! " Jesus being savior, master, deliverer, King,
Lord, God! Yet the Father knew what Jesus the man needed to hear: "Son."
That's what all of us need to hear. No matter the title or the position
in the Church. We all need to hear the Father of all eternity say to us, "Son,
in whom I am well pleased!" No matter our gender, male and
female alike - We need the affirmation that can only come from
heaven. Son.
You
may be in a dry place, in a wilderness as it were; The Spirit of God may have
led you there. The enemy always comes when we're in a dry time. But
seek the face of God. Seek His heart for you. In the midst of the
dryness you WILL hear Him say to your heart, unconditionally, without
question or reservation, “SON!” Right were you're at in your walk with
Jesus.
You've
come from the Father, and will return to the Father. With that revelation
in mind, serve God with passion. Worship Him without reservation.
In the times you stumble, and yes you will, when the devil comes to you and
says "If" remember, you are now and always, a Son of God. The
price has been paid, and His love and acceptance is never conditional.
God
bless you,
