John 13:1-15

Jesus knowing that His hour had come that He should depart out of this world   -and-

“….the devil having already put into the heart of.…..

Coupling the light in these two verses can shine an intense beam on our lives if we will allow it. The reality this light exposes is that we live temporarily in a world inhabited by the devil. The wisdom we might gain from this revelation is to live daily with 1) the knowledge that our hour too will one day come when we will depart out of this world. And 2) While we are in this world there is a devil whose mission is to plant lies into our hearts.

It is often at funerals that we get an inkling of our transient existence. This solemn assembly provides an hour of long overdue reflection on the pain of others and our temporal state. We may be at our very best in these moments – closer to truth than at any other time. Then, we step outside and back onto the  treadmill of a world that is busy dying and trying hard not to think about it.

I’m sure the devil meets us at this door and happily assists us in our denial. Has it occurred to us that many, if not most of the lies he has planted in the hearts of men are designed to aid us in avoiding, as long possible, the fact that we too will be departing out of this world? What lies do you see at work in society (and in yourself) that might be promoting this delusion?

So, what can we do if we are surrounded by lies and immersed in a world that is asleep at the wheel? We can follow Jesus example;

“If I then, the Lord and The Teacher, washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet.”

I have friends who engage in spiritual warfare at high levels. They are conscious of the battles, like the one between opposing spiritual powers, where Daniel’s prayers hung in the balance for 21 days. These are people who wage war as intercessors in prayer. I am grateful for their faith and their prayers. Even though they are heavenly oriented, I believe they would agree with me that we are also called to a primary battle where we are walking out our brief lives on this earth in the company of others.

Where our feet come into contact with the wounded and defiled earth and its masses living in denial, we too, as agents of free will, are at risk of contamination. As a primary form of spiritual warfare the Lord said,

For I gave you an example that you should also do as I did to you…If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them.

The funeral home experience gave us a brief glimpse of the pain and loss that are all around us. If our eyes could remain open a bit longer after the last respects have been paid, we would discover we are surrounded by lonely, hurting and confused people – most of whom are pursuing the American dream as their means to happiness and mode of denial.  Jesus would have called them “confused and aimless, sheep with no shepherd.”  And He would add, “What a huge harvest!” (from Matt 9:36 MSG)

While the American dream has been lauded as the hope of mankind it is at best, in light of eternity, a temporary arrangement. One of the problems with the American dream is that it breeds independence. While the teamwork of capitalism and democracy, at least so far, has generated more material blessing than any other team it has also proven without a doubt that it does not insure peace and happiness. Sadly, most use their wealth to create additional space between them and their neighbors. It is very difficult for us to serve each other as the Lord has instructed if we are isolated from each other. I know the religious right will try me on counts of treason here but I believe there are some lies embedded in our utopian American dream. It would behoove us to identify them and root them from our hearts.

Ours may be the best ideology so far in world history but it is not the Kingdom where God has called us into community and connectedness and serving one another. The New Testament is absolutely crammed with instruction on being together. Even this very moment you and I are connected to various networks of people at work, in leisure, and family. Someone right next to us is needing us. God’s Kingdom will one day displace the temporary reign of the “father of lies” as we connect with our networks and our networks connect with each other. Momentum and growth in the Eternal Kingdom will be fostered as we identify the lies Satan has planted in our hearts and in society and we repent of our association with them. Then our minds will become renewed and we will prove the will of God – that which is good acceptable and perfect.

So, let’s look around. Let us find the soiled feet nearest us. Let us gird ourselves with our towels, and let us begin to cleanse things down here on earth in the lowest places, knowing that we are fighting the good fight at a very high and strategic level, one that, because of God’s unique design and placement, can only be reached by you and I. Remember Jesus promised;

If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them.

Father, we pray that You would awaken us from our slumber. Expose the enemy’s stratagems and trump them with the Eternal Seed of Truth that You have planted in our our hearts and are nurturing for a day when the Word of God will cover this earth as an ocean – displacing every lie that has held humanity in bondage since the Garden. Beginning with us today, connect the army you have strategically located for the great and final battle. Teach us to number our days that we may present to Thee a heart of wisdom and help us to resist the devil that he might flee from us in terror. Amen.