|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Maundy Thursday - Foot Washing 1) Tonight is Holy Thursday… a very sacred night. Now in the first three Gospels - Matthew, Mark, and Luke - the most important event at the Last Supper is the Holy Communion, the sharing of the bread and wine. But in John’s version of the Last Supper, (which we will read in just a moment), Jesus washes the feet of the disciples. In fact, there is no mention of Holy Communion during the Last Supper in the Gospel of John, because for him, the most sacred event of the Last Supper is the foot-washing. Tonight, I would like to re-enact for you that foot-washing. 2) Are there any children out there that would like to come up and watch this up close….? (Invite children forward.) The story from John, which will be read momentarily, has been called the “Pedalavium.” “Peda” means “foot” and “lavi” means either “bowl” or “to wash or bath”. 3) Now every year I have done the footwashing, I myself have done the footwashing – but not tonight. At this time I would like EMIL and MARGARET (foot washers) to come forward. Both of them are a little confused, because they did not expect the other to also be called up. EMIL, I am about to flip a coin and if it’s heads, you are the foot washer, and if it is tails, then you are the foot washer. And MARGARET will be the washee! 4) This “foot-washing”, is being re-enacted tonight in many different settings throughout the world. In the Greek Orthodox church, the archbishop is washing the feet of twelve poor people. In Rome tonight, the Pope is washing the feet of twelve of his priests. Historically on this night, Queen mother Elizabeth washed the feet of twelve of her subjects to remind English citizens and herself that the Queen was to be a servant of the people. 5) As the disciples were eating their last meal together, they started to argue among themselves as to who was the greatest. Dismayed by their conversation, Jesus suddenly stood up and made it obvious HE was going to wash their feet. Jesus took off his outer garment (which looked a lot like the alb I am wearing) and he took a towel and wrapped it around his waist. It was the towel of a servant girl who would normally wash the feet of the disciples as they entered the room. (Place around waist or neck.) Jesus then took a bowl of water and poured it into a foot-bowl. (Pour) The disciples stopped arguing over who was greatest and were quiet. When he came to Simon Peter, Peter asked, “Lord are you going to wash my feet?” “Yes Simon,” said Jesus, “I am going to wash your feet.” “Never Lord! You are never going to wash my feet… it’s not right!” Jesus said to Simon Peter, “If I cannot wash your feet and make you clean, you cannot be my disciple.” Hearing that, Simon Peter said, “Lord wash all of me… wash my hands,, my legs, my arms! Wash all of me that I might be truly clean and be your disciple!” And Jesus washed the feet of Simon Peter. (Begin washing the feet of congregational member.) In the early Christian church, at this point of the worship service, a passage from the Book of Philippians was read. “Dana, would you please read that passage?”
And then, Pat, what did Jesus also say to his disciples?
[And this concluded the foot-washing service...] Now children, in the early church the towel of servanthood was then placed around the shoulders of the pastor like this, (demonstrate), and eventually became a symbol of the stole. The pastor’s stole, despite all it’s color and designs, is essentially a dishtowel, a towel of servant-hood. I want to thank EMIL and MARGARET and all of you kids for coming up and you can go back to your seats to listen very carefully now to the Gospel lesson from John. Grace to you and Peace, from God our Father, and our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, AMEN. 1) FOOT-WASHERS! I would love to believe that tonight I am addressing a group of dedicated, humble, but joy-filled “foot-washers!” By that, I mean “servants.” I’m hoping I am celebrating tonight with foot-washing folks who understand that a) there are parts of God, aspects of His divine nature, that will only be found and experienced when we are serving others! And I know that most of the world doesn’t get that! People surround us daily who can’t grasp the truth behind Christ’s declaration that b) we, His beloved children, have to lose our life in service to others, before we can experience life in it’s fullness! There is an experience of divine love that cannot be embraced until you are pouring yourself out for someone else. The idea that c) it is actually more blessed to give than receive – baffles the average American. But not foot-washers! Not people who follow the greatest of all foot-washers, and reflect the God’s own love behind their selfless acts of kindness and generosity. 2) NOT FOR A MILLION DOLLARS! Of course, not everyone that comes to church is a foot-washer! Not every worshipper humbles themselves, rolls up their sleeves, and wades into the mud puddle of broken humanity and gets dirty. There are still many in the “theory stage” of servant-hood – like the wealthy American who was visiting a hospital in Southeast Asia. He watched as a young missionary nurse began cleaning the sores of a sick, dirty, elderly man who had been found lying in the gutter. The nurse heard the wealthy man say, “I wouldn’t do that for a million dollars!” She answered quietly but firmly, “Neither would I.” Not everyone understands that it is the love of Christ living in our broken hearts that makes us feet-washers! 3) DOING IT! Of course it’s a lot easier to talk about service, think about service, and even fantasize about doing great service than to actually DO service for others. But the reason I will never be satisfied until everyone of you is a foot-washer, is because I know that what Christ says it true: the real blessings, the joy, the happiness we seek, is not found in talking about it or hearing about servant-hood. It is found in actually doing it. That’s why I asked someone else to do the foot-washing tonight. Because I know that years from now, none of you may remember any of the details of this worship service, but I’ll bet ______________ will. Why? Because they actually DID the foot-washing. Perhaps some in society would look at what _______________ did and say, “Wash a stranger’s dirty feet? I wouldn’t do that for a million dollars!” And ________________ might reply, “Neither would I!” But they’d do it for Christ! 4) 20-50-80! You’ve all heard the saying that “A picture is worth a thousand words.” Years ago, a lay person who was in marketing, told me, “People are usually going to remember 20% of what is said in a sermon, but if you use a visual aid or a chart, people may remember up to 50% of the message. But if it were possible for the people in the congregation to actually touch, encounter, and experience the message for themselves, they could remember as much as 80% of what God sent their way.” Why? Because people remember what they see and do, much more accurately than when they only hear it. Hearing is good. Seeing is better. Doing is best. 5) ANGEL’S NETWORK & BROOKE DISCOVERING GOD! As many of you know, Christ has inspired the creation of the Angel’s Network in our church to do more than just “talk” about serving the homeless, and have for the past couple of months gone over to participate in a feeding program. Up on the bulletin board across from the fellowship hall are pictures of the participants, and among them are Diane and her daughter Brooke. Brooke helped her mom lay out the silverware and napkins and there’s even a picture of Brooke mixing up a great big bowl of salad. Now some may think Brooke is too young to get involved in such a program, but Diane understand that just talking about service with Brooke is not as effective as her seeing service in action. And seeing service in action is not as effective as actually serving. Brooke is learning that giving is fun – serving can be joy-filled, and service opportunities are a way to discover who God is in way that reading or hearing will never provide. Hearing good. Seeing is better. Doing is best. (My prayer is that someday, a grown up Brooke may be up to her elbows in messiness of servanthood, and someone says, “I wouldn’t do that for a million dollars!” And Brooke will say, “Neither would I”.) 6) DOING IS BEST! The 20-50-80 rules of learning and experiencing God are not hard to understand. If I were to ask you to repeat the contents of the Gospel reading we heard only moments ago, you may have difficulty in summarizing the reading of the gospel. It is often difficult to assimilate something that is verbally read to you. But if I asked you to explain what was demonstrated here tonight when you saw ______________ washed _____________ feet, the visual image makes it easier to grasp and explain Christ’s message. But you can bet, that _________________ who actually washed ______________’s feet, will remember the clearest. We remember least by hearing, we remember more by seeing, we remember the best by doing. Listening is good. Seeing is better. Doing is the best. 7) LOVE ONE ANOTHER! At the Last Supper in the Gospel of John, Jesus has been talking for three very lengthy chapters. He talked and talked and talked about what it means to love one another. In all honestly, you and I may not remember what Jesus said in those three chapters, there are too many words… we cannot remember all the words we heard. But we do remember one thing. We remember seeing the picture of Jesus washing the feet of the disciples, and therefore we better remember what we are called to be and called to do as disciples. We are called to live a life of humble service to one another. We are called to love one another! 8) WASHED CLEAN FIRST! Now Jesus knew the disciples (and us) would remember the message better after seeing his visual demonstration, but he also knew his followers would remember best when we actually start doing what we saw Jesus do. And yet, before he calls us to be a disciple and act out a life of commitment, servant-hood, and humility, He knows that a disciple first needs to be washed clean themselves. At first Simon Peter protested Jesus taking the form of a servant and washing his feet, until he learned that being washed clean first was necessary to follow Jesus. Eager to follow, Peter wanted to be completely washed then. Jesus needed to make it clear that what he was talking about was not the cleaning of the body, but the cleaning of the heart. The daily washing away of sin. Before you and I can serve the world, we must first have our inner lives cleansed and washed first by Jesus. 9) CLEANSED DAILY! Luther reminded us that this needs to be a daily washing. If we only washed our bodies once a week, or once a month… we’d begin to stink. We need regular bathing to stay clean. If we cleanse our relationships with our spouses or children or loved ones only once a week, or once a month, our relationships begin to deteriorate and smell. Healthy relationships occur when they are cleansed constantly. And the very nature of being a disciple is being cleansed daily… a daily cleansing of what is self-centered and evil in my life. Therefore Jesus lets us know that daily engagement in the cleansing waters of our baptism is a required step for Christian servant-hood! 10) AN ATTITUDE OF THE HEART – CHRIST’S! What does that mean to be daily washed? It is an attitude and action of the heart in which I am aware of my daily need to have my life cleansed. It is a daily act of remorse, confession - a daily act of turning away from evil, a daily act of apology to those I have hurt. It is an inner attitude of the heart. But not something we produce, but a product of Christ living within us! Like Simon, we must understand that the first step towards discipleship is to be cleansed daily of our sins. 11) SELF-DEMEANING! The foot-washing tonight, was meant to be a visual demonstration of what WE called to do as disciples. But be prepared to be humbled! It is also a self-demeaning act to wash the feet of another person. When ever I have asked people to have their feet washed, there seems to be a lot of resistance. The foot-washing is very awkward. It is very personal. There is something within us that resists putting ourselves in a humble and self-demeaning servant role. 12) MY FIRST DAY! I’ll never forget my first day on the job as an ordained minister at Zion Lutheran in Kent. I eagerly arrived early – ready to help change the world for Christ. The church was empty, or so I thought. I heard a woman and a child’s voice coming down the stairs from the choir loft. As they saw me, the mother got excited, “Pastor Chuck, welcome aboard. Jimmy and I were just…” and that very moment, little Jimmy hurled his breakfast all over the carpeted steps! Aghast that her precious little boy was sick, she rushed Jimmy off to the doctor’s leaving me and pile of vomit behind. My wife will tell you, I have the weakest stomach of any person she has ever known. So as I headed for the janitor’s closet to get some towels and disinfectant – I looked up at God and said, “OK, I get the message! Servant right?” And while I wiped up that horrid mess, I can imagine Satan whispering in my ear, “I wouldn’t do that for a million dollars!” I’m hoping that by my actions I was answering “Neither would I!” 13) KING? NO – SERVANT! And you know, I wouldn’t have cleaned up that mess, except I knew that’s what Jesus would have done. Because Jesus did not come as a King, he put himself in a position of humility and servant-hood, preferring to meet the needs of others, no matter how low He had to bow to reach them. We are called to do likewise. The new purpose in our lives, once we become his, is to pour ourselves out for others as Christ poured himself out for us. I can imagine all those who watched Jesus give up the opportunity to be a king and instead chose to be a servant that got beaten, tortured, and crucified, said to themselves, “I wouldn’t do that for a million dollars!” And Jesus would have said, “Neither would I!” 14) DISH TOWEL! And now, a plain old dishtowel has become one of the most dominant symbols of the Christian Church. Just as the cross has become a symbol of Christ’s death and resurrection, the towel has become the symbol of humility and servant-hood. Every Sunday you see the dishtowel draped around the pastor’s neck… though it is now called a stole. It is not a badge of church authority - it is a symbol of the Christian’s status. It is to remind us that we are a gathering of foot-washers! 15) EXAMPLES OF GOD’S LOVE! I am getting so excited, as more and more of you are rolling up your sleeves and getting out into our neighborhood to make a difference. Because that’s where Jesus is! The opening of this church building to so many outside groups and 12 step programs, the homeless feeding program, the Angels’ network, the Latte Ministry group that met this week for the first time, the youth projects, the love loaves, the sponsoring of children through the World Vision program, the working towards outreach to our Latino neighbors, etc, etc, etc… all this – why? Why does Michele S. hum joyfully while washing the dishes of the homeless at the feeding program? Why does Mark K. smile while picking up garbage before riding that bumpy lawnmower over several acres of grass here at the church? Why does Mark L. change light bulbs, fix clogged toilets, and repair a worn out church? To earn God’s love? Heavens no! BECAUSE of God’s love! Not a person gets served “out there” without Jesus Christ living “in here!” In the heart! Fact is, the divine rewards, the blessings, the joy that Christ longs to fill our hearts with, are enriched, enhanced, and deepened through daily foot-washing – through daily service. That’s where the Lord’s love is experienced in the richest way! 16) YOU, ME – SERVANTS! And so, the stole is primarily a symbol of the dishtowel, and you and I are called to be plain and ordinary servants to each other’s needs. If Christ is living in our heart, we will feel called more and more to become a foot-washer! In fact, I hope every time you pick up a towel, you will remember that it is a symbol of your calling in life to be a humble servant. Remember when Jesus finished washing the feet of the disciples, he said, “Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.” It is Christ’s desire that you first be washed and cleansed, then pick up your towel and follow Him. Because Jesus knows: hearing is good, seeing is better, but doing is best. “Doing” is where the greatest blessings are found. Serving is where the greatest and deepest relationship with Christ is found! Wading into the cesspool of human need and brokenness is where His love shines the brightest and touches us the deepest! 17) NEITHER WOULD I! My prayer is that each and everyone of you may soon find you and Jesus on your knees together: caring for, tending to, and meeting the needs of the down trodden, forgotten, addicted, homeless, sick, imprisoned, or lost. And perhaps someone will watch the messiness of all you are doing and say, “I wouldn’t do that for a million dollars!” And you will look first at Jesus’ loving smile and turn back to that person and say, “Neither would I!” Praise God! AMEN Comments on the night ahead… One of the things you might have noticed is that there will be no benediction tonight. That is because the service will not end tonight… this is but the 1st of 3 parts of the Easter service. Tomorrow night, at 7:00 pm we will continue with Good Friday, which will be a musical remembrance of Christ’s journey. This will take the form of a cantata that is very moving – you will not want to miss it! And then part three, will take place on Sunday morning with Jesus’ resurrection. This will be a long sleepless night for Jesus as his disciples will abandon him as the Jews tried him. In the morning he is sent to Pilate. So tomorrow, wherever you will be… bear these three times in mind: At 9 am, the sinless and pure one will be whipped brutally, at 12 noon the nails will be driven through his hands. At 3:00 in the afternoon Jesus died! So whether you are at work, school, or home please remember these times:
But the story will go on… and the world will never be the same. We continue now with our closing hymn…and when we are finished, let us leave in silence. We sing “O Sacred Head, Now Wounded. |
|
|
|
Corner of S. 272nd & Military ~ 27225 Military Road South, Auburn WA 253-852-4884 |
|
|
|
All content copyright © 2001-2007 by All Saints' Lutheran Church (ELCA), Auburn WA 98001 unless otherwise noted. This website's Privacy Policy can be viewed here. |
