There Are (Almost) No Naked Commands
Easter Eve Counterintuitive Lessons for Blessing
It’s holy week, so of course we’re gearing up for Easter.
In Jesus’s final hours, when he has all power and every possible option, he does something completely unexpected: he washes his disciples feet.
Afterwards, Jesus interprets the (awkward) experience for his disciples. He wants serving to be woven into the DNA of what it means to be his follower.
Jesus closes with a statement that is very consistent with how he talks about obedience: Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.
Both you and the Lord want blessing for you. The (counterintuitive) path to blessing? Washing feet. Do that and you will be blessed.
Some might call that bribery. I think it’s more like unabashed, lavish promises from a generous Lord whose basic disposition is to pour out blessings on people.
There are (almost) no naked commands in the Bible. Almost every command in the Bible is situated around one of three things:
God’s past grace (often sounds like “here’s how God has been faithful before, so trust him and obey now”).
Current or eternal realities (often sounds like “you are a child of God, so live like it”) or
Future promises (this passage: “Now that you know these things you will be blessed if you do them”).
Today, take 5 minutes and meditate on one of these questions:
-Some of us push back against the commands of Scripture. How might meditating on what’s around the commands (past grace, current/eternal realities, or future promises) help you to engage differently?
-Some of us have struggled with legalism. We’ve focused on raw obedience in an earnest desire to always do the right thing…often resulting in either burnout or self-righteousness. How might understanding the larger context of the commands free you to step into the freer more fruitful world of God’s grace to help you walk in the “doing that leads to blessing” that Jesus is talking about ?
This is just one thread of reflection questions in this month’s Greenhouse Retreat. Click here to access the rest.
Greenhouse Retreats: helping you to create conditions ideal for flourishing and fruitfulness.
Easter week blessings to you my friends!
Alex
P.S. Here’s the link to the guide again. Praying that if you use it, the Lord uses it to help you come more alive and awake to all the goodness of what Jesus has done for us on Easter weekend.