Our current theme is the ministry of Jesus. A few Sundays ago Ian spoke about the Last supper and I want to focus on something which happened as part of that evening – Jesus washes the feet of his disciples.
What has been your greatest achievement so far this year?
I thought about what I could not do with one arm in plaster and what I could do once I had my hand back. Cutting up food was impossible so Janet had to help me. Cleaning shoes, well I could muddle through. But getting the toothpaste out of the tube and onto the toothbrush was a real challenge with one hand. I tried lots of different ways; Place the tube on the floor, hold the toothbrush close to the open end and gently tread on the tube – not very satisfactory and very wasteful. Balance the toothbrush on the edge of the bath and use my working hand to squeeze the paste out – sort of ok but the brush kept falling into the bath Hold the toothbrush, put the paste on the edge of the bath and use my plaster like a rolling pin to squeeze out the paste – even worse, the paste shot out, missed the brush and went into the bath.
Whatever I tried either the brush or the paste would not stay in the right place.
Perhaps I should have been like Prince Charles, though the story is probably not wholly true, who gets a servant to put the paste on the tooth brush for him.
In what way would we allow someone to serve us, or equally important in what ways would we be a servant to someone else?
So to our reading John 13, I am going to pick out a few verses. First verse 4 and 5.
Washing your guests’ feet was a service any host would normally provide. Washing the dirt off after walking in sandals on hot dusty roads would be a welcome relief. Usually this would happen as each guest arrived, but verse 4 indicates that Jesus did after they had all sat down, but probably before they had started to eat, verse 2 the meal was being served.
Jesus’ act was both practical and symbolic. Washing guests’ feet was a task for the lowest ranking servant, wrapping a towel round the waist was the way such servants or more correctly, slaves, dressed and was despised by both Jews and Greeks. Notice that not one of the disciples offered to take Jesus’ place. None was prepared to humble himself to that extent; such a task was beneath them.
Only Simon Peter objected, verse 8 – You shall never wash my feet. And Jesus’ reply – unless I wash you, you have no part with me.
Too proud, too stubborn to accept Jesus’ service and ministry would effectively end the relationship between them. If you think of all the people who came to Jesus seeking his ministry and went away healed or satisfied, there were very few who rejected him. The Jewish leaders steadfastly refused to accept him and there was just one individual – the rich young man. He came to Jesus and asked what he must do to inherit eternal life, Mark 10 verse 17; although he had kept the commandments all his life, Jesus told him he lacked one thing. Go, sell everything you have and give it to the poor. Mark 10 verse 22. At this the man’s face fell. He went away sad.
If we find it difficult to think of Jesus as a servant, it was more so for his disciples. We can come to church every Sunday, sit through and listen to countless sermons, sings hymns and songs, study our Bibles every day, attend house groups regularly. But all of this counts for nothing if Jesus is not ministering to us and bringing about a change in our lives. As Peter was quite firmly told – you have no part with me. You have no relationship with Jesus.
And finally now for another difficult part; serving others. Verses 14 and 15 ‘now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet: I have set you an example that you should do for others as I have done for you.’ Jesus emphasises first his position, Your Lord and Teacher, so there is no mistaking the authority behind his command. If I can wash feet, then so can you. Jesus words and act was revolutionary. The humble act of washing feet was not beneath Jesus, in a world where humility was scorned as a weakness. For the greater part, Jesus ministry was to the outcasts, the rejects, the weak and the despised of society.
No matter what the ancient world thought, or what the world thinks today, Jesus regarded lowly service to others as an honourable act.
The truth is that if we are not prepared to serve others then Jesus is plainly telling us, you are not part of my kingdom.
(c) Trevor Harvey
