Jimmy Hinton

June 25, 2026

Serving without status

When Jesus washed the disciples’ feet, he demonstrated how important it is to serve without status. Imagine. The son of God on his knees washing the feet of his followers. When he got to Peter, Peter said, “Lord, do you wash my feet?” (John 13:6). Jesus replied, “What I am doing you do not understand now, but afterward you will understand” (vs. 7). Rather than trust Jesus, Peter protested and said that Jesus would never wash his feet. Jesus answered, “If I do not wash you, you have no share with me” (vs. 8). Peter’s famous response was, “Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!” (vs. 9).

Jesus said that anyone who has bathed is completely clean but only his feet need washed. He was referring to their baptism. They are not in need of washing over and over again but they must serve one another and remain humble. Jesus asked them if they understood what he had done for them in the washing of their feet. He said, “If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. . . Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him” (vs. 14, 16).

This theme appears other places too. When James and John requested that Jesus allow one to sit on his right and the other his left in glory, Jesus corrected them. He said that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them “but it shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all” (Mark 10:43-44). The Son of Man came not to be served, but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many. We all must serve without status.

June 16, 2026June 17, 2026

The giving father

back view of a father and son walking on a beach

The story of the prodigal son is usually used to emphasize repentance but there is another perspective that is often overlooked–the generosity of the father. The younger son asked for his inheritance before his father died. The father divided the inheritance between both of his sons. The younger one took it and squandered his property in reckless living. Then a severe famine arose. He was hired to feed pigs. The next sentence is chilling: “And he was longing to be fed with the pods that the pigs ate, and no one gave him anything” (Luke 15:16).

The father was more than generous to begin with. He trusted that both of his sons would use the money responsibly. He gifted them with it early. But the younger son blew it all. He was irresponsible. Rather than demand the money back, the father embraced his son when he came to his senses. He felt compassion on him and embraced him. The father said, “For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found” (vs. 24). He threw a huge celebration for his son who came home. The older son became indignant that their father would celebrate the failures of his brother.

The father’s response shows the tenderness and generosity of his heart. When he addressed his older son’s jealousy, he also showed compassion to both of his sons: “Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. It was fitting to celebrate and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found” (vs. 32). Our Father is giving, and he demonstrates how we human fathers can also be giving to our children.

June 9, 2026June 10, 2026

The gift of hospitality

The Bible is clear about commanding us to be hospitable. Hebrews 13:2 says, “Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.” There is a play on words that we miss in English here. It says do not “forget” (epilanthanomai) to show hospitality. This means to lose out of one’s mind because of neglect. For some have entertained angels “unawares” (lanthano). This word means to escape notice unwittingly. Neglect means failing to care for or pay proper attention to something. Unwittingly means doing something without knowing or intending to–accidentally or unknowingly.

In other words, if we neglect to show hospitality, we also miss out on unwittingly (accidentally) having good blessings happen to us like entertaining angels. Romans 12:13 demonstrates the intentionality we must have when offering hospitality: “Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.” The word “seek” means to actively pursue or chase after something. We must actively seek opportunities to be hospitable. That means we go out of our way to do so. We have to leave our comfort zone and pursue people with whom we will show hospitality to.

Likewise, 1 Peter 4:9 says, “Show hospitality to one another without grumbling.” Our attitude towards strangers and guests matters too. If we do it begrudgingly, it’s worse than if we weren’t hospitable in the first place. God expects us to be kind, warm, and inviting to strangers. This is vital if we are going to carry out the great commission.

June 3, 2026

Loving the unlovable

The second greatest command is to love your neighbor as yourself. But what about our enemies? Are we required to love the unlovable? Jesus said, “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute your, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and send rain on the just and the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?” (Matthew 5:43-46).

What Jesus commanded was a radical shift for believers. It was quite a shift to love those who persecute you. In Luke, Jesus said, “But I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you” (Luke 6:27-28). Luke’s account is longer than Matthews and adds a few more details: “But love your enemies and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil. Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful” (vs. 35-36).

God is merciful and slow to anger, abounding in steadfast love. He is patient with mankind and sends the rain and sun on the unrighteous just like he sends it on the righteous. As people created in God’s image, we need to be image-bearers of Him. That means we need to love the unlovable and exercise mercy.

May 27, 2026

The gift of testimony

Our testimony (witness) is more powerful than most Christians probably realize. In Revelation, John is talking about Satan being thrown out of heaven: “And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world–he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him” (Revelation 12:9). What’s amazing is how the brothers and sisters defeated Satan: “And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death” (vs. 11).

Nicodemus was asking Jesus questions about being born again. Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know, and bear witness to what we have seen, but you do not receive our testimony” (John 3:11). Jesus then said that he who comes from heaven is above all. “He bears witness to what he has seen and heard, yet no one receives his testimony. Whoever receives his testimony sets his seal to this, that God is true” (vs. 32-33). Both giving our testimony (or witness about Jesus) and receiving the testimony of Jesus and the prophets is essential for salvation.

Our testimony isn’t mere words. It has the power to conquer Satan! Demons shrieked at the name of Christ. We must bear witness to what we have seen and heard–to how Christ is working in our lives. Peter says to honor Christ the Lord as holy, “always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect” (1 Peter 3:15). Our testimony matters. We must always be prepared to bear witness to Christ and his power in our lives.

May 18, 2026

The gift of the Holy Spirit

close up of the holy spirit stained glass painting

When Peter was preaching on the day of Pentecost, the crowd was cut to the heart and asked what they should do next. Peter said, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord calls to himself” (Acts 2:38-39). We know that we receive the Holy Spirit at baptism because Paul asked the Ephesians, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” (Acts 19:2).

They answered no and explained that they received John’s baptism of repentance, not a baptism for forgiveness. On hearing what Paul said, they were baptized again and they received the Holy Spirit. The word for spirit means breath, wind, or spirit (ghost). Our spirit is the animating life force–the breath or principle that gives living beings life, energy, and will. It is the inner, core character of an individual. God’s Spirit (the breath of God which gives us life) is what guides and sustains us and keeps us in alignment with God’s will.

John calls the Holy Spirit our Helper. Jesus said, “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you” (John 14:26). Finally, Paul told the Galatians to “walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh (Galatians 5:16). The desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh. When we keep in step with God’s Spirit, the Helper will keep us on the right path! This is the gift of the Holy Spirit.

May 13, 2026May 17, 2026

The great banquet

In Luke 14, he records a series of parables. First, Jesus talks about a wedding feast when he noticed some people were choosing to sit in seats of honor. He told his disciples to take the lowest seat so that they will be asked to move up higher. “Then,” Jesus said, “you will be honored in the presence of all who sit at table with you” (Luke 14:10). Jesus was telling them to always remain humble, for “he who humbles himself will be exalted” (vs. 11).

Then he shifted the conversation to the man who had invited him. Jesus said, “When you give a dinner or a banquet, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors, lest they also invite you in return and you be repaid” (vs. 12). He continued, “But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you. For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the just” (vs. 13-14).

Then Jesus shifted to the kingdom banquet, where we all eat together in the kingdom of God in Heaven. He said that a man threw a great banquet and invited many people. When the meal was ready, people began making excuses and this was reported to the host. He replied, “Go out quickly to the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in the poor and crippled and blind and lame” (vs. 21). His point was that God wants Heaven to be full and we shouldn’t only reach those who look like us. We must minister to the poor, the sick, and those who are outcasts.