The youth week of prayer 2008 - Lord of the Towel

When Kärt first told to us about it on a youth evening was Toomas' first question "How is it called in english?"

T: Why not "Two Towels" then already?
K: Or "The brotherhood of the Book"?

Yeah, laugh. We did as well. There popped up several ideas how could the journal be called more. But the point of all is that the week of prayer has started and in the end of it we have to tell to our congrecation what did we read and did. So I try to post every day a story we read althought in our schedule we took them through quicker ;o) We are just too busy to get together every night.

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Keeping it Real
Maria Dunchie

Many of us know about Jesus. We can name his birthplace; list the miracles he performed; tell His life-story; but can we call Him our close personal friend? The pages of this Youth Week of Prayer issue are filled with stories about Jesus, Lord of the Towel, which we hope and pray will help to draw each person into a closer and more personal relationship with Jesus. God did not include these events in the Bible just for us to have a good story to read, these experiences reveal Jesus’ character to us.

It’s always God’s nature to always want to do what is best for us, that’s why during this special week of spiritual emphasis we will see Jesus becoming human in the 1st Sabbath’s lesson, Glory to Glory. On Sunday we will see him turning the water into wine in Always the Best. Then Monday in Tried and True we learn about relational challenges, and that continued spiritual growth rests on putting aside personal pride and ideals, and engaging with God in ways that are real, like helping the needy and leading others to Jesus.

Tuesday, Day 4, through the shocking, unconventional, and even embarrassing encounter with a Samaritan woman who came to draw water from the well, Joanna Poddar’s Walking the Walk gives us a glimpse real relations. Then in Wednesday’s lesson, True Freedom, Becky De Oliveira reminds us that we are all different, and that it’s okay to be different as long as we can embrace those differences. In this lesson we see Jesus casting out demons and cultural traditions.

Trevor Young’s No Favorites Here on Thursday reminds us that with Jesus, everyone is treated equally; with him there is no regard for status, Jesus is no respecter of persons, he heals every class.

When Jesus came, he created a new relationship between God and us; a behavioral change. As Christians we are part of that new relationship and are expected to
live it. One of these events in the life of Jesus was the foot-washing service he had with his disciples. Many of us participate in the footwashing ordinance, but do we really understand the meaning and culture of foot-washing? Beth Holford helps us re-examine the real meaning of foot-washing in Friday’s lesson, Scandalous!

Calvary is the ultimate price simply because of the Man of Calvary, Jesus—Lord of the Towel. In Calvary, the final lesson (2nd Sabbath); Gifford Rhamie takes us back to where Jesus paid the ultimate price on our behalf.

It is our It is our hope that this youth week of prayer and spiritual emphasis will push you in areas you have never gone before, cause you to ask more questions than you have answers for, and be the beginning of a life-changing experience for you and those who will attend your meetings. God bless you!

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1. Glory to Glory
Jesus Became Human

Victor Hulbert

Luuka 1:26-38; 2:1-20

There are some vacations that really stand out from others, like the year our family went to Northern Portugal. We rented a luxury villa which had been converted from an old watermill. With its swimming pool; barbeque and large rooms full of antiques, it was a cool place to come back to each day after exploring the national parks, the ancient towns, historic castles, churches and, quite naturally with a family of teenagers, after making the most of local restaurants, kayaking down rivers, swimming in lakes and hiking in the mountains.

One of the trips we enjoyed most was a visit to the Gerés national park near the northern border with Spain. It is a beautiful area and ideal for off-road vehicles. We didn’t have one, but we had a brand new minibus, and so, egged on by my two sons we drove down tracks where no van had gone before and even got to a ramshackle bridge where my wife insisted on getting out of the van before we crossed it.

Fairly high up in the mountains, just a couple of kilometres before the track became totally impassable, we stopped to admire a herd of goats being looked after by two shepherds at the side of the road. In the hot Portuguese sunshine it seemed like a care-free job – sitting on a rock and watching the goats munch their way across the hillside. A relaxed life – so much slower and more tranquil then most of us are used to.

However, during our conversation with them we discovered that the apparently tranquil life has its scary moments. In the evenings, after most tourists have headed back towards the restaurants, the wolves usually descend from their mountain top lairs in search of food, with goat’s meat definitely on the menu. In
fact, just a day before we got there, a pack of wolves had struck in the very same area and managed to secure a meal. This caused my over-adventurous boys to go wolf hunting when we got to the top of the mountain. I’m very grateful to say
they weren’t successful.

I think it’s probably very hard for most of us to imagine what the life of a shepherd is like. It was lovely on the day we were there in Gerés, with the sun out, blue skies and a gentle breeze. Yet they lived in primitive huts on the mountain side – and I’m sure that in the rain – or in the snow, their lives were not always as idyllic as it seemed then.

Looking at them standing there it struck me that their lives were probably not much different from those of the shepherds of Bible times. Substitute wolf for lion or bear and you have the story of young David, tending his flocks on the
hillsides outside Bethlehem.

You’ll remember what he said to King Saul—“I’ve been a shepherd, tending sheep for my father. Whenever a lion or bear came and took a lamb from the flock, I’d go after it, knock it down, and rescue the lamb. If it turned on me, I’d grab it by the throat, wring its neck, and kill it. Lion or bear, it made no difference—I killed it. And I’ll do the same to this Philistine pig who is taunting the troops of God-Alive.”1

You’ll remember too that it was this same shepherd boy, the youngest of Jesse’s sons, who was the one chosen by God to be king. The youngest and the simplest, chosen for great things.

That’s one of the things that surprise me again and again in the Bible- a simple hand-maiden helping Namaan to be healed from Leprosy; a nervous farmer
named Gideon, leading 300 men to victory, and a young Hebrew boy, although a captive in a strange land, nevertheless standing up for what was right and in the process becoming a prominent leader of Babylon and a prophet who would
foretell world history.

A similar thing happened on a hillside in Bethlehem. God’s glory and purpose were not revealed to the learned professors in Jerusalem University, but to shepherds sitting around a campfire, tending to their flocks. In Bethlehem this was a normal practice for shepherds- camping out with the flocks and keeping an eye on them. Campfires are always special to me. I love them. At youth retreats and summer camps, the campfire somehow always seems to conjure up a special atmosphere as we sit around staring at the flickering shapes in the red ash, baking bread on a stick or toasting marshmallows. Relaxing around a campfire is a good time and place for deep conversations.

The shepherds had plenty of time for conversation and shared common interests. Ellen White states, “In the fields where the boy David had led his flock, shepherds were still keeping watch by night. Through the silent hours they talked together of the promised Saviour and prayed for the coming of the King to David’s throne.”2 Little did they realise that their prayers were about to be answered. What happened next was the biggest shock of their lives.

“Suddenly, God’s angel stood among them and God’s glory blazed around them. They were terrified.”3

This was no flaring up of the fire. The picture here harks back to an Old Testament image of Moses, standing on Holy Ground at the burning bush, terrified, but commissioned to do God’s bidding. It reminds us of the fear the Israelites had some time later as they gathered at the foot of Sinai and the mountain shook and God’s voice thundered forth; Joshua outside of Jericho, and Gideon on the threshing floor. These encounters can be unnerving. God’s presence – his glory was there – a glory that so scared the Israelites at Sinai that (they asked for it to go away) – for it just to be Moses who spoke with God – that he then relay the message to them. However, this was not a night for fear – but a night for Good News and rejoicing. The angel spokesman – and I am sure the shepherds were glad there was only the one of them at first – speaks words of reassurance:

“Don’t be afraid. I’m here to announce a great and joyful event that is meant for everybody, worldwide: A Saviour has just been born in David’s town, a Saviour who is Messiah and Master.”

Suddenly the heavens are alight with a brightness which alarms the shepherds. They do not know the reason for this grand display. At first they do not discern the myriads of angels that are congregated in the heavens. The brightness and glory from the heavenly host illuminate and glorify the entire plain. While the shepherds are terrified at the glory of God, the leading angel of the throng quiets their fears by revealing himself to them, saying, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger. Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.” (Luke 2:10-14, NIV)

As their fears are dispelled, joy replaces astonishment and terror. They could not, at first, bear the radiance of the glory which attended the whole heavenly host. Only one angel appears to the gaze of the watching shepherds, to dissipate their
fears and make known their mission. As the light of the angel encircles them, the glory rests upon them, and they are strengthened to endure the greater light and glory attending the myriads of heavenly angels.

The shepherds can hardly believe their ears. They know the prophecies such as Micah 5:2 (NIV) “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the
clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.”

They know the prophecy – but for it to be happening now – for it to be announced to them! It was just amazing!

But that was just the beginning. Not only are they given the Good News, but they are given directions so that they can be the first witnesses of God becoming man.
“This is what you’re to look for: a baby wrapped in a blanket and lying in a manger.”

Then the angels just can’t restrain themselves. The shepherds are stunned, but the angels are just as amazed, possibly even more so as they have seen so many years of watching God’s plan for saving mankind being turned from promise to reality. Seeing the Jesus they worship and adore becoming a tiny cell in a mother’s womb and then develop to this moment of wonder. They cannot hold back any more but call out, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favour rests.”

Think about those words for a minute. They are really hard to fathom! “Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace!” Think of it. The last 2000 years were anything but peaceful. The last time I sat in Manger Square in Bethlehem, there were Israeli soldiers in wire cages, ready to clear the square at a moment’s notice of trouble. Today there is a big security wall separating Jerusalem and Bethlehem. It is an area of tension rather than of peace.

Yet on the hillside the angels sang “Peace on earth!”

Peace – when within a short time – Herod would wreak mass murder in order to try and kill the infant Jesus. Peace – when Satan would persecute Jesus his entire life. Peace – when Calvary and a cross would be the fate of the Saviour.

Isaiah had predicted that the Messiah would be the Prince of Peace but if the shepherds could see through history they might have found such words hard to believe. But look at the story from the perspective of those singing this mighty song.

As they look down, they see an earth that has been at war with God. They see the wickedness that has been taking place, but they know of the love of God, and how
he wants to bring this fallen world back into his family. And so they can sing, “Glory to God in the highest” for it is God who is taking the initiative here. The mighty God, the prince of peace, attacking the enemy in the least expected way.
The writer of Hebrews actually explains it from the angel’s perspective: (But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man. For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.

It is an incredible act that the powerful God of the universe makes himself lower than the angels. That he becomes a man, living, laughing and suffering with us, ultimately experiencing death in every person’s place. The Message Bible translates Jesus’ title in this verse as the “Salvation Pioneer.” The glory the angels are singing about is not just for Jesus, the angels are looking ahead to a promise that is for all of us and he brings “many sons unto glory”. That means me! It is an amazing gift.

Philippians 2:6-8 says: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death—even death on a cross!

In JRR Tolkien’s “Lord of the Rings” trilogy we see the beauty of the story not in the mighty battles, but in the simple struggle of a young hobbit to defeat evil. Against all the odds he aims to bring peace to middle earth, not by fighting, but by throwing the accursed ring of power into the “crack of doom”.

Jesus threw himself into this world’s “crack of doom”, landing where Satan least expected him and battling not with might and power, but with love. The angels can sing “Glory to God in the highest” as this is the only way Satan can be defeated when the whole universe sees that God is just and right—and can bring peace rather than disharmony.

That presents me with a challenge. Commenting on this passage Ellen White states, “Jesus took the nature of humanity, in order to reveal to man a pure, unselfish love, to teach us how to love one another.” I am convinced that those shepherds were changed men after their visit from the angels and with Jesus. I am equally convinced that my life will change as I recognise the magnificent gift God gave me from glory.

Heaven and earth are no wider apart today than when shepherds listened to the angels’ song. Humanity is still as much the object of heaven’s solicitude as when common men of common occupations met angels at noonday and talked with the heavenly messengers here on earth. To us in our common walks of life, heaven may be very near.

1. 1 Samuel 17:34-36 (MESSAGE)
2. Desire of Ages, p 47.
3. Luke 2:9 (MESSAGE)
4. Luke 2:10-11 (MESSAGE)
5. The Spirit of Prophecy 2, p 18.
6. Luke 2:12 (MESSAGE)
7. Luke 2:14 (ANIV)
8. Isaiah 9:6
9. Hebrews 2:9-10 KJV
10. Philip. 2:6-8 NIV
11. 5BC 1126.1
12. Desire of Ages p 48