Past Sermons |
24th March 2005
Maundy Thursday |
Making Coffee
John 13:1-17
Bill had a secret. He woke up way before dawn every working day and did something that no one knew he did. Before anyone arrived on the job at his company, he was there before dawn, and he made coffee at all ten stations in the company, from the mail room to the executive suite.
After a while, Marleen, the office manager, began to wonder who it was that always made fresh coffee in the morning. So she came very early one day and discovered who it was. She was shocked to discover that it was Bill who was making coffee for her and everyone else.
What surprised her was that Bill was the CEO of the Company. The secret got out, but Bill still kept making the coffee.
On hearing the news about the boss's nocturnal servitude for them, some of the employees were moved by his example of service.
But others were apprehensive: did this mean that the boss expected them to serve their fellow workers, even as he did?
Even so, many employees followed the example of their leader, and a spirit of community grew, which transformed the entire organization.
Bill the CEO taught by example that no one is too good for any kind of work, that each worker ought to be willing to do whatever is necessary, no matter how menial, to get the job done.
Jesus is our spiritual CEO. If anyone didn't have to humble himself and wash the feet of farmers and fishermen, he didn't. But he did it
Albert Schweitzer once wrote that there are three ways to teach our children. "The first is by example. The second is by example. The third is by example."
Most of us would agree that the best way to influence people is by the things you do, more so than the things you say.
And so what better way was there for Jesus, on the night He was to be betrayed, to take a towel in hand and wash the feet of his disciples?
Can you imagine the scene that night? In that culture the most demeaning task around was to wash the guest's feet. This was a job done by the lowest of slaves.
It was necessary because people wore sandals or went barefoot, doing most of their travel by foot. They walked along trails that were not only dusty but also were cluttered with camel and donkey dung.
I'm sure that guests arrived with more than dust on their feet. And it was a common courtesy for the host to have his slave wash the guest's feet as they entered the house.
Jesus had sent Peter and John to prepare for their meal together. The food had been cooked. The table had been set. And I imagine the disciples thought this matter would be taken care of as well. Well, it wasn't!
As Jesus and the disciples enter the room they see a towel and water basin in the corner. But what they do not see is a slave to wash their feet.
Perhaps some of them pause as they enter the room, wondering where the servant was-maybe wondering why Peter and John had not taken care of this important detail.
As they recline at the table, each disciple feels a little uncomfortable.
"Somebody ought to at least wash Jesus' feet. But-if I do that, where will that put me on the social pecking order? I would be at the Bottom of the heap. If I volunteer I'll get stuck with that job from now on. Maybe if I just wait-somebody else will do it."
If you've been in church more than a week, you know that kind of thinking does occur at times.
"Somebody needs to take care of the nursery, but that's not my ministry. Somebody needs to clean up the kitchen, who dropped the ball on that?"
I think maybe each disciple was hoping that one of the others would volunteer.
Each one may have begun to JUSTIFY in his own mind why it was not his job to do it.
"I did it last time-its Matthew's turn-he hasn't done it in long time."
"Peter and John were supposed to take care of all this-Jesus told them to. One of those guys ought to take care of it."
"I came to enjoy a time with the Lord-and now we've got this problem"
John is thinking-"Look I'm over here leaning next to Jesus, I'm in spiritual intimacy. Jesus doesn't want me to leave and wash feet."
Peter is thinking-"Don't these turkeys know the call of God on my life? I just wish they would remember that I'm the one who answered Jesus' Question: Who do you say that I am? I wish these people would pay attention to what God's doing in me. If they had, they would be over here right now washing mine and Jesus' feet."
We don't know all the specifics, I'm taking some liberties, obviously--but we do know that nobody rose to the occasion. Can you relate? If we're honest, doesn't that sound like us sometimes?
It is humbling washing the feet of others, and it's humbling having your own feet washed. Feet are not the loveliest part of our bodies. It is a part we normally hide, cover up, deodorize, and try to forget about.
But, Jesus calls us to remember. He wants to clean us, to comfort us, to strengthen us for the journey ahead and then he wants us to go and do likewise.
Before I continue I want to be sure that you don't look past the fact that the Scripture notes both before and after the description of Jesus' washing the disciples' feet that of all people, Judas was there.
Judas, having decided already that He would betray Jesus, was among them and received the humble demonstration of Christ's love.
Lest we think that somehow our love and service to others should end at the sanctuary door, or that we have no responsibility to love and serve those who don't reciprocate our efforts, don't forget Jesus washed the feet of Judas too.
Mother Teresa visited Phoenix in 1989 to open a home for the poor. During that brief visit, she was interviewed by KTAR, the largest radio station in town.
In a private moment, the announcer asked Mother Teresa if there was anything he could do for her. He was expecting her to request a contribution or media attention to help to raise money for the new home for the needy in Phoenix.
Instead, she replied, "Yes, there is. Find somebody nobody else loves, and love them."
Isn't that beautiful? It is easy to serve/love those that serve/love us back. The challenge is to serve those whom society has thrown a curve. And yet that is exactly what Jesus asks us to do.
Feet are a symbol of the journey Jesus calls us to. Jesus washes our feet because he loves us, wherever we are on that journey.
You see, foot washing isn't just about foot washing, it's about serving others, humbling ourselves when we don't have to--because we don't have to.
It's somebody showing up early to make coffee, it's listening to a neighbor who needs to talk when you don't have time to listen.
It may be that God is calling you right now to do some humble act of love and kindness for someone. Maybe it's a single mother you know; a lonely child; a busy servant of God; a stranger who needs an invitation to Easter dinner.
Or it may be that Christ is calling you, like Peter, to submit to being served by him. Not because it's your turn, but because he loves you. He may be calling you to relent and to finally accept your friend's offer to serve you in some way.
Wherever and however Christ might be calling you, I hope you will be attentive to his call. There is great joy in service.
Pastor Tom |
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