KEY SCRIPTURE
“Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto him, Rabboni; which is to say, Master.” (John 20:16 KJV)
1. TEACHER AND MASTER
Shall we begin by looking at our key scripture from two translations.
John 20:16 NLT:
““Mary!” Jesus said. She turned to him and cried out, “Rabboni!” (which is Hebrew for “Teacher”).”
John 20:16 KJV:
“Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto him, Rabboni; which is to say, Master.”
The two translations of that scripture show that the teacher is also master. You might say they are synonyms. We call our teacher master, don’t we? At least some of us used to in our school days.
In Hebrew, the word “master” is ‘kurios’, which means “Lord” or “owner.”
A few scriptures to illustrate this. First, Lord. Acts 10:36 NLT:
“This is the message of Good News for the people of Israel—that there is peace with God through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all.”
Then, owner. The Master also claims ownership. Isaiah 43:1 reads in the NLT:
“But now, O Jacob, listen to the Lord who created you. O Israel, the one who formed you says, “Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you. I have called you by name; you are mine.”
Here’s another scripture on ownership. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 KJV:
“What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?
For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.”
Let’s add a pinch of humour. If the Master is also Teacher, you might wonder, what subject does he teach? Salvation, of course – which is, reconciling humanity back with God.
2 Corinthians 5:18-19 KJV:
“And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;
to wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.”
Jesus is the author and master of salvation. And what assignment has the Master given us? To go into the world and preach the gospel.
Matthew 28:19-20 KJV:
“Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.”
Make no mistake. The Master is coming back to mark that assignment or homework.
Revelation 22:12 should leave no one in doubt about that:
“And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.” (KJV)
2. THE REVELATION OF THE MASTER
The Master is a revelation. Our depth of understanding or revelation of the Master determines our liberty.
The scripture says in John 8:32 KJV:
“and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”
Here are some factors that propel revelation of the Master:
1. Fellowship – Mary had a revelation of the resurrected Master because she had been his follower, ministering to him with her substance (Matthew 27:55-56). Do not neglect the assembly of the saints (Hebrews 10:25)
2. The study of the Word (logos) – This will lead to the rhema, the revelation of the Master. The scripture says, “You shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free” (John 8:32). Ps119:130 also makes us to understand that the entrance of the word gives light and understanding unto the simple.
3. Divine encounters – On the road to Emmaus two of the disciples had an encounter with Jesus but did not recognise him at first. Then their eyes were suddenly opened and they clearly recognised him (Luke 24:13-35). Again on the road to Damascus, Saul who had been breathing threats and murder against the disciples had an encounter with Jesus and was converted (Acts 9:1-8).
4. Hunger and passion for God – Mary went all the way to seek Jesus and she found him. The scripture says, “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart” (Jeremiah 29:13).
5. The Mercies of God – The scripture says in Romans 9:15-16: “For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.” (KJV)
3. KNOWLEDGE OF THE MASTER
Understanding the Master’s nature, his likes and dislikes, enhances knowledge of him.
Six things to watch out for are:
1. The Father’s will is paramount –
The Son does only what the Father does.
John 5:19 NLT:
“So Jesus explained, “I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself. He does only what he sees the Father doing. Whatever the Father does, the Son also does.”
He carries out the will of the Father.
John 5:30 NLT:
“I can do nothing on my own. I judge as God tells me. Therefore, my judgment is just, because I carry out the will of the one who sent me, not my own will.”
Remember his words as he prayed on the Mount of Olives:
““Father, if you are willing, please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.”” (Luke 22:42 NLT)
2. Master is a title he identifies with –
John 13:12-17 MSG:
“After he had finished washing their feet, he took his robe, put it back on, and went back to his place at the table. Then he said, “Do you understand what I have done to you? You address me as ‘Teacher’ and ‘Master,’ and rightly so. That is what I am. So if I, the Master and Teacher, washed your feet, you must now wash each other’s feet. I’ve laid down a pattern for you. What I’ve done, you do. I’m only pointing out the obvious. A servant is not ranked above his master; an employee doesn’t give orders to the employer. If you understand what I’m telling you, act like it—and live a blessed life.”
He identifies with the title of Master and Teacher. Yet he has proved a perfect example of a servant-leader as seen in his washing of his disciples’ feet.
3. He wants undivided loyalty –
The Master says you can’t serve two masters.
Matthew 6:24 KJV:
“No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.”
Absolute trust in the Master is important to him as it should be to us. You can’t serve the Master on Sunday and serve other gods weekdays.
4. The Master cherishes relationship –
First he elevated us from servants to the status of friends.
John 15:15 KJV:
“Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his Lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.”
But he’s not looking for fair weather friends. He wants those who would be prepared to suffer with him if need be.
5. The Master is no respecter of persons –
Acts 10:34 KJV:
“Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons:”
NLT:
“Then Peter replied, “I see very clearly that God shows no favoritism.”
We must remember and celebrate our children’s and close friends’ achievements – graduation, wedding, child dedication etc. Everyone’s birthday matters.
We all have to be intentional about this to avoid any appearance of favouritism.
6. The Master delegates power and authority –
Let us read two scriptures to illustrate this.
Luke 9:1-2 NLT:
“One day Jesus called together his twelve disciples and gave them power and authority to cast out all demons and to heal all diseases.
Then he sent them out to tell everyone about the Kingdom of God and to heal the sick.”
Luke 10:17 NLT:
“When the seventy-two disciples returned, they joyfully reported to him, “Lord, even the demons obey us when we use your name!””
The Master delegated power and authority to his disciples and trusted them. Let us also learn to let go.
4. AT THE FEET OF THE MASTER
Apostle Paul says in Philippians 3:10a:
“I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead….” (NLT)
How do we know him? What is it about the Master’s feet?
1. It is a Place of Learning –
Let us read Luke 10:39,42:
39.“Mary sat down attentively before the Master, absorbing every revelation he shared.
42.Mary has discovered the one thing most important by choosing to sit at my feet. She is undistracted, and I won’t take this privilege from her.””
(TPT)
2. The Master’s feet is a place of pardon, a place of forgiveness –
Let us look at Luke 7:36-38,48 NLT:
36.One of the Pharisees asked Jesus to have dinner with him, so Jesus went to his home and sat down to eat.
37.When a certain immoral woman from that city heard he was eating there, she brought a beautiful alabaster jar filled with expensive perfume.
38.Then she knelt behind him at his feet, weeping. Her tears fell on his feet, and she wiped them off with her hair. Then she kept kissing his feet and putting perfume on them.
48.Then Jesus said to the woman, “Your sins are forgiven.”
The woman found forgiveness from her sins as she knelt at the feet of Jesus. When the woman touched the Master, His virtue became her own as her faith and repentance were expressed there at His feet!
3. It is is a place of healing –
Matthew 15:30-31 illustrates this:
30.“A vast crowd brought to him people who were lame, blind, crippled, those who couldn’t speak, and many others. They laid them before Jesus, and he healed them all.
31.The crowd was amazed! Those who hadn’t been able to speak were talking, the crippled were made well, the lame were walking, and the blind could see again! And they praised the God of Israel.” (NLT)
All manner of sickness, disease and heavy burden were healed at the Masters feet.
4. It is a Place of Prayer –
The following story illustrates this.
Mark 5:22-23:
22.”And, behold, there cometh one of the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus by name; and when he saw him, he fell at his feet,
23.And besought him greatly, saying, My little daughter lieth at the point of death: I pray thee, come and lay thy hands on her, that she may be healed; and she shall live.” (KJV)
5. It is is a place of thanksgiving –
The story of the only leper out of the ten cleansed who returned to say thank you to the Master illustrates this.
Let us read only Luke 17:16:
“And fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan.”
After giving thanks, he was made whole.
6. It is a place of rest –
Sitting at the Master’s feet is primarily a picture of rest.
To be at rest means to be inwardly quiet, composed and peaceful, to get a break from multiple struggles and stress.
Let us read Luke 8:35:
“Then they went out to see what was done; and came to Jesus, and found the man, out of whom the devils were departed, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed, and in his right mind: and they were afraid.”
Demons had afflicted his mind, and he had no rest, but now he’s in his right mind, at rest, and naturally, wanted to continue to find rest at the feet of Jesus.
Do your best to come and sit at the Master’s feet and you will experience rest.
7. It is a place of worship –
Being at the Master’s feet represents an act of worship. It is an acknowledgement that a person recognises who Jesus is, and that there is something special about Him.
Let us take another look at Luke 17, this time verses 15-16:
15.One of them, when he saw that he was healed, came back to Jesus, shouting, “Praise God!”
16.He fell to the ground at Jesus’ feet, thanking him for what he had done. This man was a Samaritan.” (NLT)
8. It is a place of conversion and transformation –
This is about a spiritual turning away from sin in repentance and to Christ in faith.
Let us illustrate with 2 Corinthians 5:17:
“This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!” (NLT)
Everything changes at the feet of of the Master.
5. LET THE MASTER’S NATURE RUB OFF ON YOU
You can’t be at the Master’s feet and his nature will not rub off on you. That’s impossible!
However the transformation is gradual. 2 Corinthians 3:18 bears testimony to this:
“But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.” (KJV)
Let us ponder on the following to see how the Master’s nature rubs off on us.
1. When you’ve been with the Master it shows –
When Peter had healed the impotent man, the people marvelled. The scripture says:
“Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus.
And beholding the man which was healed standing with them, they could say nothing against it.” (Acts 4:13-14 KJV)
2. Apostle Paul speaks on manifestations of following the Master’s footsteps –
Philippians 4:8 KJV:
“Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”
That way, you can’t go wrong.
The more we know the Master, the more we are conformed to his image, the more we are humbled, and the more we should desire to know him even more.
