He loves us to the end. He loves his betrayers, deserters and deniers.

DIAGNOSIS:  Washed Up

Step 1:  Initial Diagnosis (External Problem):  Eager to please

I learned early on in life to only raise my hand in class if I had the right answer.  Otherwise, I’d feel stupid. It is shameful and embarrassing to get something wrong, especially in front of others. Moreover, we learn early on that when we please our superiors, we get rewarded, be it with good grades, being the line leader, or no questions asked when we request a hall pass to use the bathroom.

Peter’s fickleness in his dialogue with Jesus, his backpedaling from “you will never wash my feet!” to “then wash my head and my hands also!” makes me believe he knew exactly how it felt to want to give the right answer, to make Jesus proud, to live up to his own reputation as a leader among the twelve.

Peter’s eagerness to please is not limited to the disciples of Jesus long ago but can be found present in the church today. It’s in every grandchild going through confirmation classes just to make grandma happy, and every young couple scheduling a wedding with the pastor – who also is asking about getting the child they have together baptized.

Step 2:  Advanced Diagnosis (Internal Problem):  Searching for reward

We want to show off how well we do in life, so that others can see us and praise us or be jealous of what we have. Isn’t that what the “my child is an honor student” bumper stickers are all about? Whether we display that fact on our minivans or not won’t change how well our kids are at school, but we like to take pride in our successes. We want to make Jesus proud and give him the right answer, but all for our own benefit. We want to be glorified. We trust in our own abilities to follow Jesus.  We make being a follower of Jesus more about how it looks to the rest of the world than about what our heart is trusting.

Step 3:  Final Diagnosis (Eternal Problem):  The incriminating truth

As soon as our earthly rewards are in hand, we start looking for the next new thing. High School seniors get “senioritis” in the spring, employees who have put in their two-week’s notice start checking out, getting lazy and indifferent. We have it in the bag. Then comes the final answer on the test, and it is an open-ended essay question: How did you love one another as Jesus has loved you? Whether we think we are on track to make the honor list or whether we have been called into the guidance counselor’s office for our failing grades, we realize we all meet the same end. We can’t pass this one. We can’t make the grade or meet the demands. We cannot love like Jesus loves, giving up all pretense of honor, giving up our lives. Our love is like that of the disciples, love that betrays, love that deserts, love that denies.  We cannot make ourselves right or clean before God.

PROGNOSIS:  Washed in Love

Step 4:  Initial Prognosis (Eternal Solution):  My truth for yours… My life for yours

There is a reason Jesus says, “Where I am going you cannot come.” He goes where we cannot go and he does what we cannot do. When we know the end of a job is near we check out, give up, ready to focus on the next thing, too proud to do the menial tasks of our old job. Jesus knew the end of his work was near, his hour had come to depart from this world and return to his Father, yet he doesn’t check out, if anything his doubles down on his efforts. He loves us to the end. He loves his betrayers, deserters and deniers. He loves you and me so much so that instead of a failing grade on our final project, Jesus gives us his A+ and takes our F. Jesus’ glory is his death.

Step 5.  Advanced Prognosis (Internal Solution):  Trusting, with gratitude

Jesus is the one driving around with the “my child is an honor student” bumper sticker plastered on the back of his suburban. We get to revel in the fact that we, who were going to be dropouts, get Jesus’s final report card full of “Job-well-done-s.” Instead of pride in our own efforts, we have trusting gratitude in Jesus’ humility to stoop down and wash our slates clean.  Indeed, we are washed head to toe in his righteousness!

Jesus washes everyone. He washed each of his disciples, even the one who was “unclean,” Judas, his betrayer. No matter how backwards our hearts are, Jesus kneels down to wash us. We are  reminded of this every time a pastor leans over someone at the font to wash them in the water and the Word.

Step 6:  Final Prognosis (External Solution): Eager to serve

It’s not about pride, but humility. As servants and messengers of the great master and teacher, the one who humbles himself, we see that we don’t get to be any better than him. We get to see that there is no competition and no reward for our grades or how successful we are in life. There’s no competition even for how well we can love like Jesus loves. We are simply freed and blessed to be able to serve others and deliver the message of Jesus.

“The Humble One comes to bring peace and reconciliation with God.  He is not ashamed of our own humility and darkness, but comes to welcome outcasts and to make somebodies out of nobodies.”

Diagnosis: Living in the Dark

Step 1: Initial Diagnosis (External Problem): “Night Life”
This Christmas narrative is all about life.  But what kind of life?  Life under imperial decrees that send people here and there (like Joseph and Mary).  Life that is born in the midst of ever-changing world events.  Life of those who live out doors, like the shepherds in the fields.  But all of these life stories take place in the midst of a great deal of darkness – “by night.”  That’s also where our life story begins.  We live in the dark of night, no matter how bright we might think our days might be. 

Step 2: Advance Diagnosis (Internal Problem): “Fear” 
The problem with this night-life becomes clearer when our fear is aroused.  Can we really count all the ways that we are a fearful people?  Oh sure, we seek to put on a good show externally.  Nothing, we think, can make us too afraid or frighten us.  Fearful where we might find lodging or even a birth place when there are no rooms available.  Fearful of what dangers might come calling in all that is out there in the world, or in the fields and hillsides.  However much we seek to keep these fears under wraps, hidden, buried within ourselves, we do not recognize, or believe, how much we are buried in fear.

Step 3: Final Diagnosis (Eternal Problem): “Exposed” 
What brings fear to the shepherds is not even all that dark.  It is when the glory shines upon them that we hear of their fear.  What is it they are afraid of?  The same that we are most afraid of – of being exposed!  Of having our life and all its truth laid bare in an instant, in a twinkling of an eye.  We are unable to get away with it any more.  There is no impunity.  There is no escape from the deep dark truth of our sin.  And no one is exempt.  Not even politicians and power-brokers, however much they try to avoid it.  All fear the penetrating light of personal and public exposure – not only before others, but before God.  Yet God comes nonetheless (perhaps even in some messenger in our daily life) to expose our fear and our deep darkness within.  There is no more hiding in the dark.

Prognosis: Living in the Light 

Step 4: Initial Prognosis (Eternal Solution): “Good News for All People”
But the “good news” starts with a bold acclamation from one promising messenger to call us beyond our fears.  “Do not be afraid;… I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people:  to you is born this day in the city of David as a Savior, who is Christ, the Lord!”  Note the magnificent titles of this good-news birth:  “Savior” – one who can save us and all of creation from the damaging truth of our sins; Messiah – one who has power to overcome all principalities and powers of darkness; Lord – one who graciously transfers us into his new ownership, with all its rights and privileges.  This is indeed good news – and not only for us, but for “all the people.” 

Step 5: Advanced Prognosis (Internal Solution): “Seeing = Trusting”
This promising messenger also says, “see!”  There is sight even in the midst of darkness!  This promising cry comes not only as a command of God, but as the literal sight of the One who comes for us – and how he came!  He comes in all humility, a child, a baby, a babe!  The Humble One comes to bring peace and reconciliation with God.  He is not ashamed of our own humility and darkness, but comes to welcome outcasts and to make somebodies out of nobodies.  
Seeing is believing, trusting, this humble Child!   

Step 6: Final Prognosis (External Solution): “The Sound of Praise!”
Now in the darkness of night a new sound erupts over the silent realm of fear.  The shepherds go out shouting, praising God!  “Your night is over!  Now is the light of promise and grace!  For you, for you, for you…. For all people, everywhere, wherever darkness would seek to keep you bound!  You are loved with the light, the grace, the peace of the Christ, who has come to bring  good news of great joy for all the people!” No power of darkness can stop that singing, nor fear dampen its joy!  It lives, this light, within and without – pondered and treasured … and for all! 

5Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus,
 6who, though he was in the form of God,
  did not regard equality with God
  as something to be exploited,
 7but emptied himself,
  taking the form of a slave,
  being born in human likeness.
 And being found in human form,
  8he humbled himself
  and became obedient to the point of death—
  even death on a cross.

9Therefore God also highly exalted him
  and gave him the name
  that is above every name,
 10so that at the name of Jesus
  every knee should bend,
  in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
 11and every tongue should confess
  that Jesus Christ is Lord,
  to the glory of God the Father.

Author’s Note: Reading Paul’s letters gives us little glimpses into the ancient world. Each community Paul wrote faced particular issues that Paul specifically addressed. I like to think of Paul as a coach for these communities: giving guidance or admonishment when necessary. In this passage from the letter to the Philippians, Paul gives one clear directive to the community: “Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus…” It may be tempting to turn Christ’s actions of self-emptying into our own call to action; but, the focus of the Christ hymn is to draw our attention to what Jesus does. Our call from Coach Paul, then, is to reflect on Christ’s work and how we might live into that work by rejecting exploitative power.

 

Jesus embraces the vulnerability of being human for us; a divine act only God could accomplish.

DIAGNOSIS: SOMETHING TO BE EXPLOITED

Step 1: Initial Diagnosis (External Problem): Coaching Athletes

In turn, we are weighed down by pressure to perform. We become convinced that success is a measure of godliness. Those who are successful are elevated to the divine realms and idolized. Athletic prowess is considered super-human at the upper-levels of one’s sport. Parents beam with pride when their child accomplishes a feat the parent could not. Fattened wallets become the only evidence to judge a business as good. Regardless of the cost, harm, or impact we buy the idea that its okay to leverage power if it leads to success.

Step 3: Final Diagnosis (Eternal Problem): Left Exploited

PROGNOSIS: HIGHLY EXALTED

Step 4: Initial Prognosis (Eternal Solution): Found Exalted

This act frees us from our obsessive need to secure for ourselves the so-called success that proved our worth. Rather, we live into a call to be exactly who we are created to be: human beings who falter and persist: parents who love their children for who they are, employers who value their employees and not just their labor. Regardless of profit, benefit, or success, the Holy Spirit opens our hearts to reflect God’s compassionate love for all that God created, including ourselves.

Step 6: Final Prognosis (External Solution): Coaching Human Beings