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By This Everyone Will Know

The time was short. Jesus knew that the time for him to lay down his life, to be crucified and to bear the weight of our sin was fast approaching. Soon he would be returning to the Father, but there were things he still wanted the disciples to understand. And so he showed them by kneeling and washing their feet. He who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant. (Philippians 2:6-7, ESV)

Foot washing in those days was a humble task, reserved for servants or those of a lower status. Although only Peter spoke up to object, surely the others felt the same. How could he, their Rabbi, their Lord, humble himself this way? Yet Jesus removed his outer garment, knelt before the twelve men, including the one who was about to betray him, and washed their feet like a lowly servant. Then he asked them, do you understand what I have done to you? Do we understand the upside-down way that he is calling us to live in this world? Do we understand that to truly love one another we must be willing to empty ourselves of “self” and live “given” for the sake of the other?

After the betrayer, Judas, went into the night, Jesus gave his disciples a new commandment:

“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13:34-35, ESV)

In washing the disciple’s feet, Jesus gave them — and us — an example of what this kind of love looks like. It looks like humility. It looks like servanthood.

LIVE THE STORY

The invitation today is for you to consider who you might reach out to with this kind of Christ-emulating love? Take time to reflect on your relationships with other believers. In what ways does your love for them show, or not show, a watching world that you are one of Jesus’ disciples?

By Nicole Jiles
Children’s Ministry Director

by Nicole Jiles

Rest

While Scripture reveals the events that transpired throughout most of Holy Week, it is not explicitly clear about what happened on Wednesday. Most scholars refer to Wednesday as a day of rest. Jesus may have spent time with his friends in Bethany. He may have helped them prepare for the Passover meal. Regardless, he likely spent time in the presence of his Abba, in holy rest.

How do you feel about rest? In our American culture, rest is often viewed as lazy or lacking productivity. Why do we resist rest? Is it an attempt to win God’s favor by continuing to “do” for him? Interestingly, our Savior decided to rest on a day that would lead up to the most agonizing day of his life here on earth. This required trust. He knew that his Heavenly Father was in control. He knew that God’s will would be done. So, he rested.

Christians around the world have spent the last 40 days observing Lent. Lent is an invitation to examine the depths of our souls, prepare our hearts before God, reflect on Christ’s death on the cross, and anticipate his glorious resurrection. Much of this happens in the context of rest. We quiet our souls, put our hope in God alone and cease striving. When we embrace a posture of rest, we are acknowledging who we are, who God is, and the hope of our restored relationship with him.

The word rest is used multiple times throughout Scripture. God rested after his work in Genesis. God told the people of Israel that he would give them rest. Sabbath rest was commanded throughout the Old Testament. Job longed for rest. David cried out for rest throughout the Psalms. As Psalm 62:1 says, Truly my soul finds rest in God; my salvation comes from him. Jesus modeled rest as he took time to be alone with God. And my favorite, Matthew 11:28-29, Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

Have you ever noticed that the word “rest” lies within the word “restore”? One definition of restore says, “to put something back into existence or use.” Through rest, God restores, brings us back to abundant life, full of joy and anticipation.

LIVE THE STORY

What would it practically look like for you to rest? Psalm 46:10 says, be still and know that I am God. I don’t think the psalmist is telling us to literally not move, but to still our minds and be present with our Abba. Rest can look different for everyone, but it brings us back to these questions: Do you trust him? Are you anticipating a restored life? Is your hope in God alone? Today, take time to rest.

By Lynette Fuson
Women’s Ministry Director

by Lynette Fuson

Even So, Come

One of my favorite types of books growing up was called “Choose Your Own Adventure.” The stories would allow you to interact and predict what was going to happen. Then you got to skip pages depending on your predictions. Skipping pages was not the only reason I liked the stories: I wanted to play a part in the outcome. Sometimes I would get it right and finish the book, but sometimes I would get it wrong and have to start over.

There were many people in Jesus’ day making predictions about the future story — like me trying to predict the end of the book with minimal reading. They had some key details, but their view was limited. The Pharisees knew Jesus needed to be killed for their good, but they had made that decision based off their fear of Rome coming in and taking over (John 11:47-50). God had made the decision based off His plan and had them follow along (John 11:51-53). God knows the whole story while we only have parts. To fulfill the Pharisees’ goal and God’s plan they had to accuse Jesus’ authority while He was in the temple (Matthew 21:23). They thought this was what was needed to take the next step.

After Jesus questions them (and shows His divine authority), he eventually comes to the Mount of Olives and teaches about things to come. He uses parables or stories and makes some vital statements. The point of His discourse was not to tell us a plan, but to tell us to watch and live the story with Him. He wants us to understand not the time He is coming, but that He is coming (Matthew 24:36). He wants us to enjoy the story as we live with Him and for Him. He wants us to unite over the things to come. He wants us to reflect His love through our lives and in His story as it unfolds. It is a powerful teaching that calls generations to live in faith expecting His return. Are you in expectation of his return?

LIVE THE STORY

Take a moment and think about why you are excited about Jesus’ return? Pray and tell the Lord.

Take a moment to think about others who need to know Jesus’ authority. Pray and ask him to work in them.

Take a moment to think of the things you are thankful Jesus has done in your life. Pray and thank him for all those things.

By Jeremy Johnson
Pastor of Men’s Ministry & Resonate

by Jeremy Johnson

The Humility to Receive

One of the most highly circulated photos on the internet has been that of a child Adolf Hitler. The innocent and lovable appearance of one of history’s greatest villains is a jarring reminder that we all start out rather harmless and adorable. But as the world warps us into its pattern, we forget the naive, soft-hearted childlikeness that responds to real glory, real wonder, or real beauty with joy. It’s only when we’re no longer children that we “grow up” to be independently minded monsters, blind to the glory of God in our midst.

That is exactly what we see as Jesus enters the temple to cleanse it. The temple sits in the middle of the holy city like a closet cluttered with nostalgic hoarding, stuffed to the brim with romanticized memories of the “glory days.” But the scribes and priests who are presiding over it are blind to the presence of God as he arrives. The priests and scribes had proclaimed that this place was where God dwelt, and they insisted on it because their livelihood, influence, and authority depended upon it. With the expertise of Madison Avenue, they had pitched to the people of Israel that through rule-based righteousness and ritualism they could guarantee God’s favor in their lives and in their nation.

But Jesus’ righteous indignation interrupts their carefully crafted marketing campaign. God has arrived to reclaim His dwelling place among men, and it will no longer be cluttered by the corruptible motives of men. Jesus will provide a residence for God in the hearts of every man.

It is only the children who recognize what is going on. They cry: “Hosanna to the Son of David!” and interrupt the spin of the Sadducees. Bewildered by the scene, they turn to Jesus, “Do you hear what they are saying?!” And Jesus, without any hesitation, quotes a surprising Scripture: “Out of the mouth of infants and nursing babies you have prepared praise.” (Psalm 8:2)

The pretentious posturing of these men had led to a very practical, profit-margin mindset that compromised what was supposed to be the very dwelling place of God. Comfortable in their places of privilege, they had overseen the progressive prostitution of the temple and the neglect of what God’s covenant truly meant. The Jews were busy buying and selling animals for sacrifice. “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and a contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.” (Psalm 51:17)

It is only when we adopt the simple honesty of a child that we can celebrate God as he cleanses the place of His dwelling. May we all take that same posture as we ask God to cleanse each of us of the things that cloud His presence in our lives.

LIVE THE STORY

Read Psalm 51:10-12, pray it for yourself and then pause to listen for the still small voice of God’s Spirit. Thank him for what he reveals to you, and share it with a trusted friend or family member.

By Ryan Lunde
Young Adults Pastor

by Ryan Lunde

Here Comes Our Hero

Palm Sunday

People dream of getting a welcome like the one Jesus received as he entered Jerusalem. Over my lifetime, only athletes who win Super Bowls or the World Series for their city get that kind of hero’s celebration. For Jesus, the excitement and acceptance of the people may have had the same intensity as a grateful city after the big win, but his was a celebration of promise, of victory to come, of hope in what he was going to do as their ruler, their savior, and their messiah.

Jesus entered Jerusalem symbolically and prophetically riding on a donkey in order to fulfill the Scripture in Zechariah 9:9. The coming king would be righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey. The donkey was the symbol of peace, not war, humility, not pride.

Jesus had privately revealed to his disciples (Matthew 16:13-20) that he was the messiah, but here he is letting it be publicly pronounced. It looked like the people were for Jesus and were on board with him as their future leader despite the symbolism he presented riding on a donkey. Matthew 21:8-9 says:

“A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted, ‘Hosanna to the Son of David!’ ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!’ ‘Hosanna in the highest heaven!’”

The palm branches and cloaks were an outward expression of paving the way for his leadership and showing “I’m in,” or “you can count on me.”

What irony that this hero’s welcome would be followed by the same crowd chanting Jesus’ death in just a few days.

LIVE THE STORY

Is there irony in your allegiance to Jesus? Are you presenting your love for and dedication to him one way in front of some people and another before others? Jesus said in Matthew 10:32-33, whoever acknowledges me before others, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven. But whoever disowns me before others, I will disown before my Father in heaven. Ask the Lord to reveal any inconsistencies and pray today for the strength to live out your faith before the people around you with consistency and boldness.

By John Riley
Junior High Pastor

by John Riley

Complaining to Clinging

It is so much easier to turn inward, find an ear to vent to, or just make a fake Facebook account to complain to the world, rather than telling God what’s wrong. As I read Peter’s words in his letter, his encouragement was coming from his heart because of the experiences he had been through. He knew how hard it was for people to submit to one another and how hard it is for them to submit humbly to God. Which is still true for us at times too.

When it is that hard, we tend to complain more than pour out what is wrong. We can’t seem to come up with solutions, just problems, and we do not want to wait for what God has. That is why the simple wisdom Peter gives is so vital. We need to recognize who is mighty to help -- God. When we look to Him, we pause to consider who He is and what He has done so we can then go to Him. When we go with humility, we can cast our worries and fears upon Him and He works to remove them.

Peter went through a lot over his life and time with Jesus. He knew the burden of not turning to God, but he also knew the freedom Jesus gives from our pride and complaining.

LIVE THE STORY
Take a few quiet moments and think about or write down God’s characteristics that remind you of His might, power, love, forgiveness. Next pray and thank Him for those things. (Dear God thank you for…) Feel free to cover each characteristic.

Next, spend a few moments thinking about or writing down your worries.  Humbly submit them to Jesus in prayer. (Jesus help me with giving you this…) Take your time and give each one.  

Lastly, thank Jesus for caring about you and ask him to show you how much He cares about you today.

Jeremy Johnson
Pastor of Men’s Ministries

by Jeremy Johnson

The Yellow Flag

I grew up watching the Indianapolis 500 race with my dad. We never missed a year. The speed of the Indy cars was always exhilarating to me, and of course, we would each pick a winner before the race to make it more interesting!

The only time the race was not terribly exciting was when there was a crash and the yellow flag came out. When drivers see the yellow flag, they know to immediately slow their cars down to avoid further accidents. They go from speeds over 200mph down to a fraction of that, just fast enough to keep their tires from cooling off.

So, here we are in the race of life and we’ve received the yellow flag! This is not a state race, or a national race, or a continental race. This is the whole human race. We have ALL received the yellow flag, and we don’t know exactly how long we must proceed at this pace. But we do know that there is danger ahead if we don’t slow down. For many weeks now we have all changed our pace in the race. Some of us are still working from home, some of us are furloughed and some of us have been laid off. No matter what we’re doing or no longer doing right now, it is probably at a much more cautious pace. The Yellow Flag is out.

It’s probable that none of us likes this pace any more than an Indy race car driver likes slowing down in the middle of his race. But in order to avoid future collisions with other drivers, we simply must slow down. This means a total change in how we live our daily lives: how we communicate, how and when we shop for food, how we work online, how we live together. As challenging as it may become, there is an opportunity to stretch and grow. What an excellent time to “grow” the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control are all waiting to grow in our lives, while we proceed cautiously.

LIVE THE STORY
Check your pace. How are you “driving” your life right now? Have you taken the time to slow down? 

Chip Whitman
Pastor Care & Counseling 

by Chip Whitman

Cabin Fever

I read recently about the painted turtle who dives to the bottom of the pond burying herself in the muck and mud before winter arrives. She pulls into her shell and goes still, her heart rate slows, body temperature drops, she even stops breathing as she waits for the spring thaw. Then she floats up, starts breathing and feels the warmth of the sun on her shell. Sometimes lately I feel like the painted turtle, in my shell, isolated from friends, family, coworkers and waiting, how about you? 

The Psalmist in Psalm 40:1-3 says “I waited patiently for the Lord; he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand.” 

The question is what do we do while waiting? We still have choices. What I’ve been observing is people going out of their way to be kind and helpful. In occasional dark moments, if I choose to say “thanks Lord” even for the clouds in the sky, or my little hummingbird visitor friend, those seeds of gratitude start growing, and dispel any gloom. Soon I’m thanking him for a multitude of things and joy is restored. 

The other day talking to a neighbor from a distance made my day. She is a widow, used to work at a church and has three sons — some things we have in common I didn’t know before. That short conversation really blessed my day and even made me want to do things differently in the future, like more intentionally taking time to reach out to neighbors. 

We can still communicate with each other. I received a sweet card in the mail from two ministry partners (mom & daughter) and friends who always give me a warm hug when they pass my desk at work. That card meant the world to me, and we talk regularly on the phone now.  

Maybe you have friends who have moved away, or family that live across the country. We can still connect with long distance friends and family thanks to technology. There are so many people creatively finding things to do — some are sewing face masks, some cooking for people, some doing drive-by birthday parties for friends, or leaving scripture chalk messages on their driveways for passersby. Most importantly we can pray, pray and worship together even from a distance. www.efcc.org  

I’m grateful for you, our Daily Fill readers — who are reaching out to EFCC staff with encouragement, praying, faithfully giving, doing Bible studies online, and being a light in your neighborhoods. I know that we all will be forever changed when this is over and have even more to be thankful for. 

LIVE THE STORY
It’s God’s will for us to give praise and thanksgiving for everything, (Ephesians 5:20) and in all circumstances. (1 Thessalonians 5:18). How can I/we spread joy this week from our “cabins”? 

Deb Hill 
Executive Administrative Assistant to Pastor Ryan Paulson 

by Deb Hill

Not Helpful

As one schooled in the art of comparing, I think I can relate to what is going on as the Israelites continue their journey from slavery to the promised land. Numbers 11:4 gives it to us plainly - they were comparing the way things are now with the way things used to be -- “‘If only we had meat to eat! We remember the fish we ate in Egypt at no cost -- also the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions and garlic. But now … we never see anything but this manna!’” (NIV)

When things get tough it’s certainly tempting to spend some time thinking about “the good ol’ days” and to lament about how good we had it. We all do it from time-to-time. And when we do, I wonder how much our comparison resembles that of the Israelites, because what is interesting in this account is what the Israelites chose as the basis for their comparison: food.

We learn from Numbers 1 that the nation has been free for at least two years! They now get a weekly day off, they now have the LORD’s visible presence with them, they now have godly leadership and just and fair laws to guide social interaction. They are free, they are safe, they are well led, and they are walking into an amazing future that the LORD Himself has promised them. Yet they choose to compare today’s dinner menu to what it was two years ago. Let that sink in -- they dwell on their dinner menu from two years ago as opposed to the freedom and security in which they live daily!

Comparing is usually not helpful. Why? Because it angers the LORD (Numbers 11:10). This is something we don’t like to think much about, but there it is in the text for all to see. And why do you think it would anger Him so much? One thought is because comparing calls into question His wisdom and goodness as He leads our lives and exercises His providential care. And while they don’t come out and say it, what I believe the Israelites are thinking is this -- “If the LORD is good, He wouldn’t be feeding us manna every day. If He really loves us, He would certainly take better care of us than the Egyptians did! He can do better.” (Yikes)

LIVE THE STORY
After writing all this, I do want to point out that not all comparison is bad. Thus, what are some practices we can adopt to keep ourselves from that bad kind of comparing? First, we can practice the good kind by asking the right questions -- “Am I more aware of God’s presence and providence than I used to be? In what ways am I growing closer to Him/growing to be more like Him? How is He forming me into a more loving person?” These questions help us continue to grow and abide in Christ.  

The second thing we can do is re-focus on our priorities. I like the way Paul stated it in Philippians 3:12-14. I would encourage you to go read and pray through those verses to see how they might help you guard against unhelpful comparison.

In it with you for the long haul.

Scott Smith
Pastor of Discipleship Ministry

by Scott Smith