“Then I said to them, ‘If it seems good to you, give me my wages; but if not, keep them.’ And they weighed out as my wages thirty pieces of silver.” – Zechariah 11:12

As Christmas Eve dawns and we prepare to celebrate the birth of our Savior, this verse reminds us of the price that had already been placed on His life centuries earlier – the rather ordinary sum of 30 pieces of silver. That babe in the manger, the Lamb of God, God’s precious gift of salvation grew up to be betrayed for 30 pieces of silver. Wise men searched for Jesus to give Him precious gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. And yet, one of His disciples would sell Him out for a mere 30 pieces of silver.

At Christmas, God the Son came to us in flesh. He lived a perfect, sinless life full of extraordinary teaching and miracles. Then He went to the cross to pay the penalty for our sins, sent there by the powers of the world who paid just 30 pieces of silver for the opportunity. As you prepare to make much of Jesus today and tomorrow, take time to meditate on His infinite worth and glory. But don’t forget to consider the paltry sum for which He was betrayed. The eternal Son and King of Kings was born into humble circumstances in Bethlehem and was betrayed for a humble price in the end. And yet, it wasn’t the end. Today, Jesus reigns over the universe in glory and one day, perhaps soon, He will return to make all things new. #FollowJesus

“When he had washed their feet and put on his outer garments and resumed his place, he said to them, ‘Do you understand what I have done to you?'” – John 13:12

Can you even begin to imagine what it must have been like for Jesus to wash the dusty feet of His followers? Some who were enthusiastic but headstrong and foolish… Some who loved Him but struggled with pride and the desire for power… Some who heard Him for years but never really “got” His message… Some who’d seen Him do great things but remained timid and fearful… One who would soon betray Him to His death… Jesus knew all these things about the men whose feet He washed. He washed them anyway. Because of His love, His grace, His purpose. To teach and set an eternal example.

If Jesus is your Lord, then He has washed you as well. Not your feet but every aspect of your soul. With His lifeblood. Even though you may (still) be very similar to those disciples. Headstrong or foolish, prideful or seeking power, hearing but never really “getting”, fearful, or sinful and betraying Jesus once more. We aren’t different from the disciples. Not in this regard. And yet, Jesus washed us clean anyway as well. Because of His love, His grace, His purpose. To teach and set an eternal example.

Whose feet are you being called to wash (probably figuratively)? Whom will you serve, even though they may be headstrong or foolish, prideful or seeking power, listening but never really “getting” it, fearful, sinful, or even traitorous. What difficult person are you called to love and serve because Jesus has loved and served you? To whom will you show grace they don’t deserve because that’s what the word grace means? Where will you #FollowJesus?

“Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion!
Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem!
Behold, your king is coming to you;
righteous and having salvation is he,
humble and mounted on a donkey,
on a colt, the foal of a donkey.”
– Zechariah 9:9

As we prepare to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, King of Kings, and Lord of Lords, let us also remember why He entered into our world as that baby. Christ stepped out of eternal glory and into a genuinely humble situation in Bethlehem, wrapped in cloths and sleeping in an animal’s food trough. In doing this, Jesus fulfilled ancient prophecies about the birth of a child Who was also King in Bethlehem.

Years later, the King rode into Jerusalem as God promised through Zechariah. Jesus was indeed humble and mounted on a donkey. The crowds shouted with joy though they certainly didn’t understand what was about to happen. Jesus rode into the city to finish the journey He began in Bethlehem. The journey to His coronation on the cross. His crowning glory was the shedding of His own innocent blood to establish a new covenant of grace for the forgiveness of our sins. His glory was to die and rise from the dead. Now, Jesus rules in glory.

The story that began in humility with the circumstances surrounding His birth, entry into the city, and His death will end in glory. As this season of Advent nears its conclusion, always remember that Advent isn’t just about remembering the humble first coming of Jesus. It’s also about eagerly anticipating His return in glory. Don’t just celebrate the baby, celebrate the King. Don’t just remember His birth but anticipate His return in power as the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, triumphant over sin and evil and ushering in new creation. #FollowJesus

“And his disciples asked him, ‘Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?'” – John 9:2

What a HORRIBLE question! The disciples of Jesus were thoroughly soaked in the prevailing cultural mindset of their day, which taught that good things happen to good people and bad things happen to bad people. Therefore, if a child was born blind, they assumed it must be God’s punishment for some specific sin(s). Jesus clearly corrects this false thinking which so radically misunderstands earthly life in a fallen world. Jesus explained that the man was blind so God’s glory could shine through his life.

Nonetheless, this “prosperity gospel” mindset remains all too familiar in our own time. It continues to thrive because of false teachers, including many who call themselves Christians. Even though the Bible is very clear that we live in a fallen world that’s been utterly corrupted by sin since Adam and Eve. Injury, illness, injustice, poverty, disability, and death all exist and someone’s experience of those things isn’t necessarily because of anything they did.

Every person, regardless of their faith or spiritual condition, will experience some hardship if they live long enough in this world. Some amount of suffering is normal for everyone. Furthermore, followers of Jesus are taught in the Bible to expect more suffering than normal, not less. Our faith in Christ doesn’t mean bad things won’t ever happen to us. Just ask Jesus (nailed to a cross) or Paul (persecutions, a thorn in the flesh).

Their suffering wasn’t a result of their sin or a lack of faith on their part. You will inevitably go through valleys of your life. Sometimes it’s your own fault, but often it isn’t. The Gospel isn’t about helping you name and claim your way out of those valleys. It’s reassuring you that God’s love, strength, power, and presence in your life are a steady gift of grace available to carry you through long seasons of suffering. The good news is that your Savior, Jesus, fully understands your suffering and is walking with you through it so that God may be glorified in it. #FollowJesus

“She said, ‘No one, Lord.’ And Jesus said, ‘Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more.’” – John 8:11

Jesus showed us the difference between addressing sin and condemning a person. He didn’t ignore the woman’s sin but He also didn’t destroy her for it. He showed her love, grace, and forgiveness and called her to a life worthy of those things. Our culture has largely forgotten this distinction, believing it to be impossible to do one without the other. That’s false!

The Bible is crystal clear – we are to pursue lives of holiness. We must implore other believers to be holy for our Lord is holy. We should lovingly confront sin in our fellow believers and expect them to do the same for us because we’ve all sinned and fallen short of God’s glory. Every person has temptations they struggle with and sins they fall into from time to time. Those sins must not be ignored, explained, excused, defended, or celebrated.

At the same time, Jesus offers grace and forgiveness for sins rather than condemnation. To everyone who believes, Jesus shows infinite mercy and love, forgiving us and washing us clean. Even when we stumble and fall, yet again. Jesus doesn’t condemn our existence because of our past or present sin. He doesn’t conclude that we just need to be thrown on the garbage heap because we’re obviously hopeless. He doesn’t walk away from us because we’re just too awful to forgive.

Our Lord calls us to do the same. To lovingly confront sin in our brothers and sisters. But never to sit in condemnation of them. To win them with grace not harshness or cruelty. To treat them with dignity even if they’ve thrown that to the wind. To show them Christ by our words, actions, and attitudes, the Christ Who lovingly calls them to radically transformed lives of holiness. #FollowJesus