The Priesthood of All Believers

Read John 12:1-8
Jesus reclines at the table surrounded by friends, those he loves and are close to him, Lazarus is there, and Mary and Martha are there. Outside it is hot and dusty; the sun is starting to go down. These folks are enjoying a well deserved rest and meal after a long walk. Suddenly Mary gets up and takes a jar of perfume, a precious jar she had purchased after saving for a very long time. She opens the jar and the aroma immediately begins to fill the room with its sweetness. She bends down, unties her hair, and begins pouring the oily mixture over Jesus’ feet. She wipes away dust mixed with perfume with her hair.
In the ancient world often guests were treated to foot washing as an act of hospitality. Most everyone traveled by walking. The roads were dirty and dusty, so it was a welcome relief to have ones feet cleaned. For Mary it was an act of supreme humility, sacrifice and love. She had a lot to be grateful for, Jesus had raised her brother Lazarus from the dead! And for Mary this was truly a sacrifice; for she spent a year’s wages to obtain this perfume.
Mother Teresa served the sick and dying of India, and her work continues throughout the world today by her Sisters of Charity. She epitomized love, sacrifice and service reaching out to anyone in need, being willing to love the unlovely by the simple act of touch. Bathing a dying patient, cradling a malnourished and neglected child in her arms, loving the untouchable of India, this was her service for God. She said, “There are many in the world who are dying for a piece of bread but there are many more dying for a little love.”

Mary gives us an example of giving of ourselves in service, sometimes in ways that may be humbling and costly. Her decision to anoint Jesus was in response to gratitude and love for her savior. Mother Teresa’s calling may not have been fully understood. But her Sisters of Charity continue to touch countless lives with the love of Christ.
As Christians we are all called to share Christ’s Redemptive love with others. How we share that love will be different for each one of us, but ultimately through what we say and do the lost and hurting world should discover God’s great love for them. This is what we call in the Methodist Church, the priesthood of all believers.
We may never bathe a dying AIDS patient, or cradle in our arms a malnourished child, or even make a great sacrifice like Mary. That’s OK. It is the small and seemingly insignificant things that often produce great results. Let us strive to love each other in a lost and broken world. You know what you need to do.
In Christ: Susan

One Last Thing ...

NLT Hebrews 13:20-21 ¶ Now may the God of peace-- who brought up from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great Shepherd of the sheep, and ratified an eternal covenant with his blood-- 21 may he equip you with all you need for doing his will. May he produce in you, through the power of Jesus Christ, every good thing that is pleasing to him. All glory to him forever and ever! Amen.

I love how the Apostle Paul ends his letters. He always puts a gracious and encouraging prayer for the recipients right at the end. Then, sometimes he puts a little "tell so-and-so hello" post-script. Paul's ending prayers always make great benedictions or last words to a congregation at the end of a service. Paul had a great way of saying "Goodbye" and of telling the churches just how much he loved them and prayed for them.

In this letter to the Hebrews, sometimes refuted as only Pauline in style, but not necessarily in authorship, the writer (be it Paul or someone else) ends by putting the focus completely on God and not on himself. He points to God as the one whose power raised Jesus from the dead. He reminds the readers that Jesus is the Good Shepherd of the sheep who ratified an eternal covenant with his own blood. His prayer is what I pray for each of you as you continue to do the work of the Lord Jesus Christ - that work of spreading the Gospel with word and action.

Hear these words of prayer for you: "May God equip you with all you need for doing God's will. May God produce in you, through the power of Jesus Christ, every good thing that is pleasing to God. All glory to God forever and ever! Amen."

My prayer is that God will give you all the gifts that you need personally and as a community of faith to continue to build the Kingdom of God. When God provides the gifts through the Holy Spirit, God produces in you all the good fruit that pleases God (Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Self-Control, Gentleness, Faithfulness). May you always give the praise to God for all gifts and blessings.

As you welcome your new pastor, I know that you will share with her the gifts that God has given you to help train and prepare her for ministry. I know that you will welcome her, giving her the freedom to share her gifts with you. I know that you will grow and learn in the Lord and that God's Spirit will be alive in you for the benefit of the Kingdom. I know this because this is exactly what you have done with me and with the student pastors who have come before me. Thank God for giving you this gift of warm acceptance and gentle guidance, and thank you for allowing me to share my gifts with you.

God's peace and grace be with you all, now and forever. Amen.