by Edward F. Markquart, Seattle, Washington

Gospel: Matthew 23:1-12

-Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples

Jesus was not only addressing his disciples but the crowds as well. This debate and confrontation had been going on with these Pharisees from the earliest days of Jesus' ministry and was now reaching the boiling point.

-"The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses' seat.

The scribes and the Pharisees pretend that they have the authority of Moses. They pretend that what they do is the Law of God. The Pharisees imply that their words and actions have the authority of none other than Moses. There may have been an actual seat in the synagogue which was the teaching place for the local rabbi.

-Therefore, do whatever they teach you and follow it; but do not do as they do, for they do not practice what they teach.

This was the essential problem.

This particular text from Matthew 23:1-12 does not use the word, "hypocrite" but the text is all about hypocrisy. A sermon on this text needs to be about "hypocrisy."

The Pharisees were a bunch of phonies who did not do what they preached.

We recall the woes. "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites."

Focus on the word, "hypocrite." This whole section of verses in both Matthew and Luke is a commentary on Isaiah 29:13,

"This people honors me with their lips (talk a good talk), but their hearts are far from me."

The big issue in Jesus' day was hypocrisy, especially as embodied in the lives of the Pharisees.

An important issue of our day is still hypocrisy.

The word, "Pharisee," was synonymous with the word, "hypocrisy."

We recall Mark 7:7 when Jesus spoke against the Pharisees, "Well did the Isaiah's prophecy of you hypocrites."

This was a very personal and direct confrontation and condemnation. Circle the word, "hypocrites," and write the word, "actor." The Greek word for hypocrite means "actor."
Sometimes, when seeing a play, an actor or actress is incredibly believable in their role. The actor or actress seems so authentic, so genuine, so real that it is hard to comprehend that it is all "make believe." So it is with many people of faith: on the outside and the showy parts of their lives, they give a good performance of being a Christian, but it is all "a front." Inside, their hearts are far from the love of God/Jesus and neighbor.

-They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on the shoulders of others; but they themselves are unwilling to lift a finger to move them.

We remember that the Pharisees counted and they counted 613 laws from the Old Testament that the people were to do in order to live lives that were pleasing to God. By focusing on these 613 religious rules and regulations, the Pharisees neglected the weightier issues of love and justice.

The lawyers and Pharisees had developed laws for every situation.

These social regulations appeared to be religious; but from our perspective today, these social regulations (in the name of religious law) were profoundly ridiculous. For example, we recall the Pharisaic laws that regulated the observance of the Sabbath. The Pharisees taught laws that the Jews could not pick grain on the holy Sabbath nor heal a sick person on the holy Sabbath. The lawyers among the Pharisees developed laws that interpreted what it meant to do work on the Sabbath. All of these social regulations added up to immense burdens on the Jews for their day-to-day lives.

We recall Jesus' earlier teaching about the yoke of the Pharisees.

The yoke of the Pharisees was heavy. That is, the Pharisees placed enormous spiritual burdens on common people's spiritual shoulders by telling others that they had to follow through and obey these 613 rules and regulations from the Old Testament, 613 rules and regulations that they tried to obey when others were watching.

Imagine the weight of your religion on your shoulders if you thought that you were "religious" only if you obeyed all those 613 rules from the Old Testament. What a heavy load. Imagine if you could not pull your oxen out of a mud hole on the Sabbath because it was against God's law.

-They do not eat unless they purify themselves.

This sentence is an example an burden that has been imposed on the common people. We recall an incident in the Gospel of Mark where Jesus was locked in verbal and theological combat with the Pharisees who noticed that Jesus' disciples did not ritually and ceremoniously wash their hands before meals. The disciples did not properly purify themselves, according to the customs of the Pharisees. "For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they wash their hands, observing the tradition of the elders." (Mark 7:3) Focus on the phrase, "tradition of the elders," and remember the "Mishnah." The Mishnah was the oral traditions and oral laws of the Jewish elderly leaders e.g. Hillel and Shammai. The oral traditions were not the laws of the Torah, not the laws of the Law of God, not the Ten Commandments. Rather, these were the traditions that had evolved over time. The Pharisees loved to do them.

A tradition in the ancient Jewish faith was that the Jews were to wash their hands before meals, with a cup of water the size of an "egg and a half." The Jews were to hold their hand down, with fingers pointed downward, and drip that cup of water down their wrists and the water was to run off their fingertips. This was a tradition that had become holy and sacred and was to be done by all "good and faithful" Jews before mealtime. We can easily visualize the Pharisees ceremoniously pointing their fingers downward and letting the water drip off their fingers…as if such behavior was holy.

The Pharisees would eat when they were properly purified.

There are many other traditions which they observe: Underline the phrase, "many other traditions." Yes, the Pharisees had many traditions which they observed, traditions which were written down in the Mishnah.

Today, in our Christian faith, we also have our traditions.

We learn to love the "old traditions" that are part of our Christian faith. We love the "old favorite traditions" of Christmas, Christmas hymns, Easter, Easter hymns. Most congregations (and individuals) have numerous traditions that are not part of their constitution, by-laws, or any legal documents. Nor are these numerous traditions part of the Scriptures or even our denominational heritage. Rather, within the congregation, there are traditions that become holy, sanctified, and "don't you mess with our way we of doing things around here." In other words, don't mess with our traditions. In fact, too many Christians will hold fast to our human traditions more than the commandments of God to love God and love one another.

The washing of cups and pots and vessels of bronze.

The Pharisees were good at washing the outside of cups and pots and not the inside. After the word, "washing," write in the phrase, "the outside." In other similar teachings of Jesus, he emphasized that the Pharisees were good at washing the outside of cups, pots and other vessels.

At our house, the washing of dishes is a situation for potential conflict between my wife and myself. I like to wash the dishes but hate to dry them. As an experienced dishwasher, I am keenly aware of how easy it is to wash the outside of cup and plates. But it is another matter to wash the inside of kettles that have been used for cooking. The insides of those kettles and cooking dishes are occasionally blackened or crusty hard from the heat on the stove. Far too often, I will say to my wife, "Let's let the kettles soak for a while and then they will be easier to wash." My wife pulls out the scrubber and indicates for me to go to work and do the hard work of cleaning the insides of the pots and pans.

The Pharisees were similar: that is, they wanted to do the easy work of looking good on the outside and looking good in their public behavior.

They did not want to repent and clean out the burnt crud from the insides of their lives. In other words, they did not want to repent and "be washed clean on the inside." (as was demanded by John the Baptist). They were not willing to address the extortion, greed, rapacity and wickedness that were inside their inner hearts.

-They do all their deeds to be seen by others; for they make their phylacteries broad and their fringes long.

This was the fundamental motivating principle of the Pharisees. They loved to be seen by others. They were attention getting showoffs who tried to show off their religious manners and behaviors.

Phylacteries were made of leather. They were leather pouches with Bible verses from the Old Testament in them. We recall God's commandment in Deuteronomy 11:18, "You shall put these words of mine in your heart and soul, and you shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and fix them as an emblem on your forehead." The Pharisees wore these leather boxes on their foreheads and arms. Phylacteries were easy to see and proved right away how religious and devout you were. Common people like shepherds and fishermen did not wear them.

We talk about "wearing your religion on your sleeve." The Pharisees literally wore their religion on their foreheads and arms for everyone to see.

They also liked to wear long tassels.

Again, it was a means of showing off how religious they were. This is another example of them maximizing the minutia of the law and minimizing the great commandment for God and neighbor. From Leviticus 15:37-39, "The Lord said to Moses: Speak to the Israelites, and tell them to make fringes on the corners of their garments throughout their generations and to put a blue cord on the fringe at each corner. You have the fringe so that, when you see it, you will remember all the commandments of the Lord and do them, and not follow the lust of your own heart and your own eyes."

The essence of the religion of the Pharisees was to maximize the minutia of the mandates from the Old Testament and to minimize doing mercy, kindness and justice (the love of God and neighbor.)

We realize that Jesus had a fringe on his garment and that a woman touched the fringe and was healed.

-They love to have the place of honor at banquets and the best seats in the synagogues, and to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces, and to have people call them rabbi.

How we can see these Pharisees in our minds. They loved to have places of honor at banquets. We all know where the places of honor are at the banquets we attend. The Pharisees always wanted to be up at the front table. They also had the best seats in the house, there at the synagogue. We know the best seats in the house at basketball games and football games and concerts. The best seats in the house are the most expensive and most of us never sit there. The Pharisees loved to be greeted with respect at the marketplace, the equivalent of our shopping mall. They loved when people greeting them by calling them "rabbi." There was a slight deference, a lilt in the language, subtle but noticeable elevation like when nowadays we are talking to someone who is obvious richer than we are. It would be like today someone being addressed as doctor, professor, pastor, president, etc.

-But you are not to be called rabbi, for you have one teacher, and you are all students.

Jesus wanted it to be known that he was the principle teacher of life. Jesus is our teacher and we are all his students. Another word for student is "disciple."

We immediately ask the question, "Are we not to call the Jewish leader of a synagogue by the name of Rabbi (Abrahamson) when everybody else does?"

Let's proceed to the next similar teachings and thereby answer our question.

-And call no one your father on earth, for you have one Father-the one in heaven.

We immediately ask the question, "How about my father? My father wants to be called father. Lots of people can call my father by his first name but only we his children can call him "father." That word is sacred in our family. The word, "father," is one of the most sacred titles in the world, along with the title "mother." Is Jesus teaching us not to call our fathers "father?" Is that what Jesus is teaching?

Obviously not.

Or how about calling a Roman Catholic priest a father? That is the title of the position of a leader of a Roman Catholic Church. Father Halloran. Or Father O'Malley. Or Father O'Brien. That is the proper way to address a leader of a Roman Catholic congregation. Is Jesus telling us not to call priests, Father So and So?

Obviously not.

-Nor are you to be called instructors, for you have one instructor, the Messiah.

Jesus wants us to know that he is our teacher, our instructor, our leader, our mentor, our guide, our shepherd.

-The greatest among you will be your servant.

And one of the greatest teachings of Jesus is that we are to be servants. The greatest Christian is the person who has learned to be a servant, to have the heart of a servant, the attitude of a servant, the actions of a servant. In the foot washing on Holy Thursday, Jesus washed the feet of his disciples and shocked them all with his action and attitude of humility. Within himself, Jesus was the model servant and called us to be servants of one another.

-All who exalt themselves will be humbled, and all who humble themselves will be exalted.

This was the problem of the Pharisees of old and people in every generation and often people today like you and me. We want to exalt ourselves and make ourselves important. Sometimes, the greater the sense of "inferiority" inside our souls, the greater is the need to exalt ourselves and try to let other people know that we are important.

Rather than exalting ourselves as the Pharisees did, we are to be humble.

by Michael Anthony Howard

Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples, "The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses' seat; therefore, do whatever they teach you and follow it; but do not do as they do, for they do not practice what they teach. They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on the shoulders of others; but they themselves are unwilling to lift a finger to move them. They do all their deeds to be seen by others; for they make their phylacteries broad and their fringes long. They love to have the place of honor at banquets and the best seats in the synagogues, and to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces, and to have people call them rabbi. But you are not to be called rabbi, for you have one teacher, and you are all students. And call no one your father on earth, for you have one Father-the one in heaven. Nor are you to be called instructors, for you have one instructor, the Messiah. The greatest among you will be your servant. All who exalt themselves will be humbled, and all who humble themselves will be exalted.
-Matthew 23:1-12, NRSV

What is it that we believe about the character of God? Where do we get our images of heaven? What shapes our imagination of holiness? What comes to mind when we hear the word saint?

For many of us, our understanding of heaven and what it means to be holy have been shaped by violent images of an angry god. Heaven, we imagine, is a place set aside exclusively for the saints, those exceptionally holy few who were granted special gifts and have managed to escape the fires of hell and the wrath of an angry and violent god.

Jonathan Edwards, one of America's most important and historically influential preachers from the eighteenth-century, made such claims in his all-too-famous sermon, Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God.

The God that holds you over the pit of hell, much as one holds a spider, or some loathsome insect over the fire, abhors you, and is dreadfully provoked: his wrath towards you burns like fire; he looks upon you as worthy of nothing else, but to be cast into the fire; he is of purer eyes than to bear to have you in his sight; you are ten thousand times more abominable in his eyes, than the most hateful venomous serpent is in ours.

• You have offended him infinitely more than ever a stubborn rebel did his prince; and yet it is nothing but his hand that holds you from falling into the fire every moment.
• It is to be ascribed to nothing else, that you did not go to hell the last night; that you was suffered to awake again in this world, after you closed your eyes to sleep.
• And there is no other reason to be given, why you have not dropped into hell since you arose in the morning, but that God's hand has held you up.
• There is no other reason to be given why you have not gone to hell, since you have sat here in the house of God, provoking his pure eyes by your sinful wicked manner of attending his solemn worship.

Yea, there is nothing else that is to be given as a reason why you do not this very moment drop down into hell.

This fearful image of God is supported even more by the stereotypical nun, "the 'hell on wheels' disciplinarian who enjoys hitting kids with rulers and humiliating them in class." Holiness is a life of fearful obedience to an angry God who looks a lot like that hell-on-wheels nun. Of course, that is until the day, if we get lucky, we might get to hold that ruler and be the disciplinarians ourselves. For many of us, it is images like these that have shaped our view of God, holiness, and sainthood.

All Saints' Day is one of those holy days in the Christian year that provides an opportunity to reevaluate and reshape our imagination of God, heaven, holiness, and the saints. On All Saints' Day we celebrate the communion of the saints, a spiritual communion between the saints in heaven who have gone on before us and those who are living and breathing among us. These are the "company of heaven" who are always acknowledged in our prayers as we gather around the Lord's Table for Communion.

But how should we imagine this company of heaven? And who are these saints we are celebrating?

For many, saints are those who were exceptionally gifted by God to live exemplary, sinless lives. The company of heaven, then, is thought of as a mixture of angels and saints who stand guard over heaven, mediating between us and a holy and unaccessible God.

This image of God and the saints, however, is quite opposed to that which is portrayed in the New Testament. This god looks a lot like the bullies Jesus stood against, who "tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on the shoulders of others; but they themselves are unwilling to lift a finger to move them." Jonathan Edward's god "abhors you" and doesn't look anything like Jesus. Jesus, the friend of sinners and the servant of the weak, commanded his disciples to imitate him and not the abusive religious leaders of his day. They were not to stand over and above others, but to live in humility as servants to the world around them. Our passage this week from Matthew 23 reminds us that those around us who are most like God are the humble who live in service to others.

In contrast to Jonathan Edwards's image of a monster god, the God revealed in Jesus Christ has a character of gentleness, humility, and hospitality. Rather than holding us like spiders over the pit of a fiery hell or waiting, ruler in hand, to smite us lest we make a mistake, the God revealed in Jesus reaches down to pull us up. (Of course, one could point out that Jonathan Edwards was apparently quite fond of spiders. See The Scriptorium Daily's post "Spiders, Comics, and Jonathan Edwards.") As the story of Jesus reminds us, this God does not side with the righteous, but with the sinners.

This God knocks kings off of their thrones and raises up the lowly (Luke 1:51). As revealed in Jesus, this God brings good news to the poor, proclaims freedom to the captives, recovers sight to the blind, and releases the oppressed (Luke 4:14-29). This God proclaims that the poor, the hungry, and the weeping are blessed, but speaks harsh words of warning–"woe!"–to the rich, those who are well fed, the laughing, and those who are spoken well of (Luke 6:17-49).

This God sees something in us worth rescuing, that there is something in us of such unsurpassable value that it is worth going to any length to ensure that we are rescued.

If saints are those who have a holiness to be imitated, their holiness is not the result of some supernatural gifts that made them exceptional when compared to everyone else. Their holiness is not the result of a kind of righteousness in which they stand over and above the rest of us. Rather, their holiness is the mark of lives that were given in humble service to others. Like Jesus, their holiness was the result of their love. Like Jesus, the holiness of the saints is not an over-and-above holiness, but an under-and-in-service holiness. Their holiness came, not from their righteousness, but from their humility. And since they did not live over-and-above lives on earth, we should imagine that even in heaven they remain marked by this same under-and-in-service holiness. In other words, saints are those imitators of Jesus whose lives of service on earth offer us examples of the character of God and glimpses of the beauty of heaven.

So when we gather this Sunday at the sacred table in "the company of heaven," let us not imagine that we have been transported to heaven as a place over and above earth and all the rest of us. We are not coming to a place where we might, at any moment, find ourselves as unwelcome sinners threatened by hell and hanging on for dear life. Instead, let us approach God with freedom and confidence (Ephesians 3:12; Hebrews 4:16). Let us us see the truth, that God does not "abhor us," but has chosen to be in the midst of us. That the saints can be called holy because they gave themselves in service to the world, in witness to a God who is for us and not against us. Let us see that in the fruits of the earth we are enjoying together, heaven is nurturing and nourishing us. That heaven is among us. And let us be inspired by the same Spirit that empowered all of the witnesses before us, so that we no longer live as sinners in the hands of an angry God, but recognize ourselves as saints in the hands of a humble heaven.

How would you describe the character of God?
How do you imagine heaven?
How would you define holiness?
Who is your favorite saint?

by Pr Linton Smith

The 40 Days of Community theme today is 'Serving Together'.

There are many ways this theme could be approached. I have decided to approach it by looking at Jesus.

Jesus said of Himself, "The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many" [Mark 10:45].

He came into this world to serve and to give His life as a ransom. He did this for us. He is our Savior.

He is also the supreme example of what it means to serve!

Today I invite you to reflect on the way He served..

HE SERVED OTHERS.

At 30 years of age Jesus was baptized and began His public ministry. He traveled throughout Galilee and Judea. Everywhere He went He served others.

Three years later.. just before He was arrested and crucified.. He shared a meal with His disciples.

John tells us.. John 13:4,5.. He got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples' feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.

These people wore sandals. They had been walking on dusty roads. Their feet were in need of a wash. Normally a servant would have washed their feet as they entered the house. On this occasion.. it seems likely that the disciples had come together quietly.. for a very private gathering.. and perhaps there was no one to wash their feet. But there was! Jesus got up from the meal.. took off His outer robe.. wrapped a towel around His waist.. poured water into a basin.. and went from disciple to disciple.. washing and drying their feet.

What a remarkable thing to do! But nowhere near as remarkable as what Jesus had already done.

John tells us in chapter one.. He was God.. had been with God the Father from all eternity.. and had become one of us. He laid aside all the privileges of heaven just as He laid aside His outer robe.. and became a human being.. and served people.. taught them.. healed them.. comforted them.. and very soon He would pay the ultimate price for them.. and for us. He would go to the cross.

He is the supreme example of what it means to serve others!

And He calls us to follow His example!

Peter was there that night and seems to have learned well from Jesus. He writes..

1 Peter 4:10.. Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others..

He writes to people who believe in Jesus.. people who have been forgiven.. people who have been given the Holy Spirit.. people who have been endowed by the Holy Spirit with special gifts to use in the service of others.. and Peter says.. each one.. should use that gift or those gifts.. to serve others. And to serve them like Jesus served.. in humility! In the next chapter in 1 Peter 5:5 he exhorts us to clothe ourselves with humility!

Just over 100 years ago men and women from all over the world were enlisting in the Salvation Army. One man had dreamed of becoming a bishop, but left his pastorate in America to join Booth's army. General Booth accepted him but put him to the test immediately. He set him to work cleaning the boots of other trainees. The man was very discouraged but then he was given a vision – of Jesus washing the feet of rough and uneducated fishermen. And he whispered to Jesus.. "Lord, you washed their feet; I will black their shoes."

That is what it takes. To use our gifts.. to serve others.. and to serve them with a servant heart.. like Jesus!

HE SERVED WITH OTHERS.

Jesus did not attempt to serve alone. He chose a team of twelve and served with them.

I appreciated an insight shared by Dr Harrison Olan'g when he was here. He spoke of the feeding of the 5,000.. when Jesus turned a few loaves and two fish into enough food.. and more.. to feed 5,000 men plus women and children.. perhaps 10,000 people. He pointed out that Jesus did not do this alone.. but involved the disciples.

In John 6:10,11 we read.. Jesus said, "Have the people sit down." There was plenty of grass in that place, and the men sat down, about five thousand of them. Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish.

He asked the disciples to have the people sit down. And then He gave thanks and distributed the food. He did not do that Himself. The disciples did it. Matthew, Mark and Luke tell us that. This was true teamwork.

Jesus calls us to serve others and calls us to serve with others.. as part of a team.. just like these disciples served as part of His team.

Peter writes..

1 Peter 4:10.. Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms.

Today's New International Version translates like this..

Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God's grace in its various forms.

Peter seems to have a group of believers in mind. Each one has been gifted in some way.. and each one is to use that gift faithfully in the group.. so the group becomes a team.. with all the gifts that are needed. What one is not gifted to do.. another is gifted to do.. and so together they serve with far greater effect.

As one person has said..

No one can whistle a symphony. It takes an orchestra to play it.

You and I have a choice. We can choose to whistle alone.. or we can choose to be part of the orchestra. Jesus chose to serve with others. Let's do the same.

HE SERVED GOD THE FATHER.

Jesus served others.. and served with others.. but His eyes were not on what He was doing.. or on how people were responding.

His eyes were on the Father.

John 14:31 He said to His disciples..

The world must learn that I love the Father and that I do exactly what my Father has commanded me. Come now; let us leave.

And with those words.. He set out for the Garden of Gethsemane.. and on to the cross.

Was it easy? No. In Gethsemane He struggled.. and struggled. The thought of the cross.. of carrying the sin of the world and being separated from His Father was too much. But He won the struggle. He prayed with great emotion.. Not as I will.. but as You will..

His eyes were on His Father.. on bringing glory and praise to His Father!

In John 17:1,4 we read.. After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed: "I have brought you glory on earth by completing the work you gave me to do."

His eyes were on His Father. He was focused on completing the work His Father had given Him to do. He was focused on bringing glory to Him.

Peter makes it clear that should be our focus, too. He writes..

1 Peter 4:11.. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever.

When we focus on what we are doing.. we may become proud.. and boastful.. or dejected and filled with despair.

When we focus on the people we serve we may become people pleasers or complain that no one appreciates what we do.

We need to keep our eyes on the Father.. and focus on bringing glory.. praise and honor.. to Him!

In the next chapter Peter has a word or two for Elders. What he says here is relevant for all of us..

1 Peter 5:2.. Be shepherds of God's flock that is under your care, serving as overseers—not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not greedy for money, but eager to serve..

Serve because you are willing, because you are eager.

So Peter urges us to serve for the glory of God.. to serve willingly, eagerly!

What does it take to serve like that?

It takes a personal appreciation of what God has done for us!

We can only serve like that when we appreciate how deeply God loves us.. how much it cost Jesus to die for us.. when our hearts are filled with love and appreciation for Him!

Charles Wesley put it like this:

O Thou Who camest from above,
The pure celestial fire to impart,
Kindle a flame of sacred love
Upon the mean altar of my heart.

There let it for Thy glory burn
With inextinguishable blaze,
And trembling to its source return,
In humble prayer and fervent praise.

Jesus, confirm my heart's desire
To work and speak and think for Thee;
Still let me guard the holy fire,
And still stir up Thy gift in me.

Ready for all Thy perfect will,
My acts of faith and love repeat,
Till death Thy endless mercies seal,
And make my sacrifice complete.

By Rev. Mark H. Creech

"It is supremely fitting that every man should approach the infant Jesus upon his knees."

In Bethlehem, the Church of the Nativity originally built by the Christian Emperor Constantine during the fourth century is located above a cave that legend holds is the place of Christ's birth. It's impossible to know whether the spot truly is where the Virgin Mary delivered the Son of God. Nevertheless, one interesting fact about the Church is that all pilgrims who venture to see the supposed place where the holy child was laid in a manger must first enter through The Door of Humility.

The Door of Humility is a small rectangular entrance that was created during Ottoman times to prevent carts from being driven in by looters, and to force even the most prominent of visitors to dismount from their horses before entering. Famed Bible commentator William Barclay once noted of the door: "There is something beautiful in the symbolism that the church where the cave is has a door so low that all must stoop to enter. It is supremely fitting that every man should approach the infant Jesus upon his knees."

Few virtues of life could be more necessary than humility. The prophet Micah said that it is an essential requirement of God: "He has told you, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God" (Micah 6:8). Jesus referred to humility when he said: "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 5:3).

A lack of humility is strongly condemned in God's economy and is always the forerunner of judgment. In one of his pronouncements of judgment against Judah, the Lord said through his prophet Jeremiah: "They have not been humbled, to this day, nor have they feared; they have not walked in my law or in my statutes..." (Jeremiah 44:10). Just before destruction fell upon King Belshazzar, the successor to Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, Daniel, the prophet proclaimed: "But you his son, Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart..." (Daniel 5:22).

For the last few years, Americans have been blasted over and again with media accounts of public officials and even religious figures who abused their positions for money, sex, and power. Last month after the passage of Proposition 8, which protects the definition of marriage as "one man and one woman" in California, homosexual activists violently attacked and vandalized Mormon churches that supported the measure. A high-school coach in New Jersey was told by his superiors that because he was a state employee he wasn't allowed to even bow his head in reverence to a student-initiated prayer with his team before a game. Last week Newsweek magazine outrageously declared the Bible supports the gay lifestyle. A nude model arrayed like the Virgin Mary was on the cover of the Mexican edition of Playboy magazine. This week federal prosecutors announced what may be the largest investment fraud ever with over $50 billion squandered. And during a season when children are celebrated, thousands are being destroyed by abortion and the clinics operated by the industry are cited for violations from posing falsely as a doctor to failure to report pedophilia.

Obviously, there seems to be a wholesale failure to recognize that the God who made a virgin to conceive - the God who sent His Son into the world to save mankind from sin; the God who holds the keys to life and death - is a sovereign God whose might is beyond limit. To stand before him with a spirit of indifference, arrogance, or sinful rebellion is to utterly fall short of understanding him or his power.

At the present, America seems hemmed in by troubles on every side. Terrorists threaten from the East. The economy is failing in the West. Global warming supposedly threatens from above and an addiction to fossil fuels threatens from beneath. Could it be that a haughty spirit is what has lead to such seemingly impossible dilemmas? The apostle James declared: "God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble" (James 4:6).

Moreover, the public should not be deceived into thinking a new president, working with a unified nation, can possibly solve all its challenges and usher in a golden age of peace and prosperity. To believe such is an expression of the Tower of Babel - pride's delirium - the belief that man doesn't need God - is not accountable to God - can save himself - and alone determines his destiny.

In 1847, a doctor from Edinburgh, Sir James Simpson discovered that chloroform could be used as an anesthetic to render people insensible to the pain of surgery. Some have claimed that his was one of the most significant discoveries of modern medicine. Years after his findings, while lecturing at the University of Edinburgh, Dr. Simpson was asked by a student, "What do you consider the most valuable discovery of your lifetime?" To the surprise of his students, who expected him to refer to chloroform, Dr. Simpson replied: "My most valuable discovery was when I discovered myself a sinner and that Jesus Christ was my Savior."

Throughout the centuries, America has had some unprecedented achievements in human history. The greatest thing about America, however, has not been what the nation has accomplished, but instead what God in his grace has done for the nation.

Certainly Christmas is a reminder that countries, as well as individuals, need a Savior. "For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end..."(Isaiah 9:6, 7).

The first step to experiencing the salvation only God can bring is to stoop low, walk through the door of humility, and bow before him who must be born from within.

by Martin G. Collins

In 1621, Robert Burton wrote in his The Anatomy of Melancholy, "They are proud in humility; proud in that they are not proud." How carnal men are to twist virtue into sin! It is enough to make us suspicious when we come across a "humble" person.

We have undoubtedly crossed paths with those who were so proud that they oozed with false humility. Many religious leaders in the world today openly appear this way, as they wax eloquent on their televised evangelical programs. Authors have written dozens of books and Hollywood has produced many movies to expose the hypocrisy of such individuals.

Uncountable numbers of both religious and secular leaders have risen to power on the banner of humility. Feigning an image of heartfelt concern for those who can help place them in the limelight, they glow with an air of counterfeit humility. Eventually, this hypocritical image always becomes apparent, just as our sins expose us in due time (Numbers 32:23). The sin of pride is no different.

Of the many things that people have written on humility, as much as one-third refers to false humility. For instance, the French moralist La Rochefoucald wrote in Maxims in 1665: "Humility is often only feigned submission which people use to render others submissive. It is a subterfuge of pride which lowers itself in order to rise."

From this we can draw the conclusion that sterling examples of humility are hard to find. Jesus Christ is always the pinnacle of humble service. It stands to reason that, through the individual training and example that He gave to His disciples, probably each of them set an excellent example of this wonderful godly characteristic.

From what we can see in the gospels, the apostle Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter (Matthew 10:2), is a model of godly humility. Although the Bible records only a few things about him, each scene in which he appears provides us an example of great encouragement. Perhaps his example is most meaningful to those who consider themselves just ordinary Christians, those without leadership responsibilities in the church.

Traditional History

Like the other apostles, Andrew fulfilled his commission, going and preaching to the scattered House of Israel. Tradition indicates that Andrew preached in Asia Minor and Scythia, which were along the Black Sea and extended as far north as the Volga River. Migration histories show that the ancestors of the Scots and Anglo-Saxons migrated from this area.

Modern Scottish tradition believes that Andrew preached to their ancestors. The story of his martyrdom says he was first stoned then crucified at Patras in Achaea on an X-shaped cross, commonly known as a "St. Andrew's cross." Legend holds that he hung there two days, continuing to preach the gospel until he died. Today, the "St. Andrew's cross" is a unique emblem of the Scottish people.

Andrew's Life

Mark and John write that Andrew was born at Bethsaida on the Sea of Galilee to a man named Jonah (John) and his wife. Several major trade routes passed through Galilee at the time, and this fact suggests Greek language and culture, in addition to His Jewish roots, influenced Andrew throughout his early life. It is quite likely he spoke both Aramaic and Greek, and his knowing a smattering of Latin is possible.

Although Andrew was a native of Bethsaida and spent his early years as a fisherman on the Sea of Galilee, he later moved to Capernaum. On learning of the message of John the Baptist, he, along with a group of others from his area, traveled to Bethany beyond the Jordan River, where John the Baptist was baptizing. While a disciple of John, Andrew learned of the imminent coming of the Son of God. Upon first hearing Jesus' teachings, Andrew, thrilled to have found the Messiah, ran to tell his brother Peter and take him to where Jesus was staying. Andrew was so quickly and fully impressed with Christ and His message that He was among the first to follow Him.

Mark records that on the Mount of Olives, he, along with Peter, James, and John, privately asked Jesus, "Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign when all these things will be fulfilled?" Like the others, Andrew wanted to know what the future held. He was curious about when the destruction of the Temple would occur and what the signs of Christ's coming and the end of the age would be. Jesus, however, was more concerned about preparing them by exhortation and warning of the trials that lay ahead than about giving them dates and signs. Jesus knew His disciples' dedication and zeal would better come to the fore without the men knowing the deadline of future events.

He was probably present with Jesus on many other occasions early in Christ's ministry, although John does not record his name specifically. Presumably, he was a companion of Jesus on His return journey to Galilee, at the wedding in Cana, in Capernaum, at Passover in Jerusalem, in Judea where they performed many baptisms, and in Samaria (John 2-4).

After Herod cast John the Baptist into prison, Andrew returned to Galilee, where for a time he resumed his old vocation as a fisherman. According to Matthew and Mark, Jesus again called Andrew and his brother Peter, this time telling them to leave their nets to "become fishers of men."

Even though Andrew was ordained one of the twelve apostles, the book of Acts mentions him only once. In the New Testament his name occurs only 12 times, four of these merely in lists of the apostles. Other than in such lists, Luke and Acts never refer to Andrew at all. Jesus seems not to have given him any highly visible responsibilities. Apparently, this humble apostle labored quietly and with deep commitment to serve God.

Andrew's Character

The name Andrew means "manly" or "courageous" which he had to be to face the hurdles of an apostle. From the information we have available in the gospels and Acts, Andrew must not have been much of a talker, as only a dozen or so of his words are preserved in the Bible. Nor did he write any epistles. Most of what we know about him must be deduced.

It is significant that Jesus called Andrew first of all His disciples. The choice was an important one because Christ would want to choose someone who possessed a keen perception of spiritual truth and pursued the knowledge of God until he had a deep understanding. Andrew was a man of strong conviction, enabling him not only to accept Jesus as the Messiah, but also to encourage Peter to become a disciple. Christ probably chose Andrew knowing that He could develop genuine humility in him, making him a useful instrument in God's church.

Having been with Him longer than the other disciples, Andrew witnessed most of Christ's miracles. Jesus' feeding of the five thousand illustrates Andrew's humble nature (John 6:1-14). John records that Jesus was concerned about the condition of the crowd that had been listening to Him teach for a long time. Hungry and tired, they needed to eat. The natural disciple to turn to was Philip, since as a resident of Bethsaida he would know about local food supplies, so Jesus asked him where they could buy food.

Philip's answer seemed discouraging. Even if they could find food for this vast throng, it would cost 200 times an average day's wage for a workingman. He calculated that it would take more than six month's wages to begin to feed everyone in the crowd even a little food.

Then Andrew walked up. He had been quietly working on the problem himself, but all he had been able to find was a boy carrying his dinner. Nonetheless, Andrew presented his "solution" to Christ: "There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two small fish, but what are they among so many?" (John 6:9). Barley bread, made from the cheapest of the locally grown grains, was what the poor ate. The fish most likely were of modest size since a boy carried them. Andrew's find was totally inadequate by any standard.

He did not make his suggestion in a haughty or pushy way. Andrew was a man of sound common sense, the kind who stabilizes and lends help in situations where a need must be filled. In this case, however, Jesus gave Andrew a small lesson in humility. He or the other disciples could do nothing about the lack of food physically. It took a miracle of astounding magnitude to fill this need.

Although details are sketchy, Andrew fulfilled important supportive roles in Jesus' ministry in a humble, unpretentious manner. At Passover, the Greeks who wished to "see Jesus" inquired of Philip, but he did not know what to do. Obviously respecting Andrew's decision-making abilities, he turned to Andrew for advice. In no doubt of what to do, he led them to Jesus (John 12:20-36). He had discovered that no one could ever be a nuisance to Jesus if he was seeking the truth.

The Bible describes him primarily as the brother of Peter. Although Andrew's name always appears in the first group of apostles - with Peter, James and John - he does not seem to be part of that intimate group. He did witness some of the great experiences of Christ as they did. Andrew was not present when Peter, James and John saw Jesus raise Jairus' daughter from death, Jesus' sorrow in the garden, or Christ's transfiguration. Even later, when Luke describes Peter, James, and John as pillars of the church, Andrew goes unmentioned.

Andrew seems more concerned with serving than building his reputation. His attitude was opposite that of James and John when they asked to be first in the Kingdom. There were times when some of the disciples would haggle over who would be the greatest, but Andrew was not involved in these debates. He did not press for a conspicuous place of honor.

Andrew's emphasis was on the work of Jesus Christ. He exemplifies quiet humble labor, "not with eye service as men-pleasers" (Ephesians 6:6; Colossians 3:22), but service from the heart. Although he was the first disciple called, he never reached a place of "prominence." God inspired His Word to record Andrew on the scene of significant events, yet working quietly in the background.

It is to his credit that he was satisfied to work in relative obscurity more than some of his fellow disciples were. A person cannot be in the forefront of every activity, although many try. Someone once said, "Humility is like underwear, essential, but indecent if exposed." Humble Andrew was content with his lesser role, showing no envy of those who played the lead.

Taught by Christ

As a disciple, Andrew followed the example and teachings of Jesus Christ. He had the wonderful blessing of face-to-face contact with the most humble individual to live on this earth. Of that example, Philippians 2:7-8 says Jesus Christ "made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a servant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross." Jesus reduced his stature to that of helpless man, emptying Himself of His privileges as a member of the God Family and willingly dying a horrible death so our sins could be forgiven and the penalty paid.

By Andrew's following the humble example of our Savior, he was able to contribute a great deal to the unity of Christ's work through the apostles. Humility is absolutely necessary for unity. Paul writes:

I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to have a walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. (Ephesians 4:1-3)

Philippians 2:3-4 connects humility with love: "Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others."

An obvious truth mostly ignored by the world is that, if we intend to be successful at developing true humility, we must overcome pride. Andrew read and studied the Scriptures. He knew that "before honor is humility" (Proverbs 15:33; 18:12). He understood that he could overcome any pride he had by taking the lower seat and allowing God to exalt him in due time (Luke 14:7-11).

In his book, All the Apostles of the Bible, Herbert Lockyer summarizes the apostle Andrew with a quotation from Daniel McLean in his Studies on the Apostles:

Gathering together the traces of character found in Scripture we have neither the writer of an Epistle nor the founder of a Church, nor a leading figure in the Apostolic Age, but simply an earnest seeker after truth, an intimate disciple of Jesus Christ, ever anxious that others should know the spring of spiritual joy and share the blessing he so highly prized. A man of very moderate endowment, who scarcely redeemed his early promise, simple minded and sympathetic, without either dramatic power or heroic spirit, . . . a man of deep religious feeling with little power of expression, magnetic more than electric, better suited for the quiet walks of life than the stirring thoroughfares. (pp. 55-56)

The apostle Andrew seems to have taken Proverbs 16:18-19 to heart: "Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall. Better to be of a humble spirit with the lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud." He remains a sterling example of a man who was part of the greatest movement to influence the earth whose benefit to mankind is immeasurable. As part of the work of Christ, he remained humble and dedicated all the way to his gruesome death. We can find great encouragement in the example of humility and dedication in this relatively "ordinary" Christian-ordinary, but whose teaching and example were made powerful by the gift of the Holy Spirit that God gives to those He calls.