"Washing Feet"
"Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples' feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him."
Last Sunday Kathy's Sunday school class of 3- to 5-year-olds had this story of Jesus washing the disciples' feet. So on Saturday night Kathy was working on the lesson, and all was ready to go, except just how do you convey foot washing to these small children? She had a number of ideas. So I half-seriously said "You should wash their feet." And she did, with towel and basin and warm soapy water. And they enjoyed it. I find some humor in thinking about that, these little kids getting their feet washed in Sunday school.
Foot washing is out of context for us anyway, in our Northern climate and modern culture. We don't know quite what to do with it. It makes more sense when everyone is wearing robes and sandals in a hot and dusty land. But there is something to it: We all like to dangle our toes in a lake or pool on a hot day. It feels good even if you just get your feet wet. And my experiences with services of foot washing is that it is very refreshing, and even renewing.
Think about it then for the disciples, just a few hours away from going to Gethsemane, a few hours away from the arrest of Jesus, the anxious waiting during the trial, and then the cross: Their feet were washed.
In the ancient world, foot washing carried three meanings:
If a guest's feet were not washed at a dinner, that was taken to be a gesture of hostility. At every occasion water and a towel were provided, and people usually washed their own feet. But at special dinners or events, a servant would do the task. The task was considered demeaning. It was degrading menial work, so people were careful about who did the foot washing. A person of higher status would never wash the feet of someone of lower status. But, as an act of love and devotion, a wife might wash the feet of her husband; a child might wash the feet of her mother or father, a pupil or disciple might wash the feet of a teacher. But it was never expected in these cases.
Jesus gathers with his disciples for a very special Passover meal, his last with them. There was a water pitcher and a towel in the room. Apparently they were not used when the disciples arrived. They did not have servants. None of the disciples offered to wash the feet of the others, or of Jesus. They gathered at the table, apparently with dusty feet.
John tells us that the meal had already begun when Jesus interrupted it, got the pitcher and towel and began to wash their feet. He took the position of a servant to do for them what they were unwilling to do for each other. "Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end." In Luke's account of the Last Supper, he includes part of the conversation at the table, where the disciples argue about which one is the greatest. Jesus tells them "the greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who rules like one who serves." (chapter 22:26)
So here, as Jesus moves around the table, from disciple to disciple, Peter objects. Perhaps he is convicted of his own failure to wash the feet of Jesus. Now he is unwilling to let his master wash his feet. Such a thing is not done. But Jesus does wash his feet, and then he commands the disciples to wash one another's feet.
So we are to do humble service for one another, because we have been loved and served by Jesus. He set an example for us. But how do we wash each other's feet? We might in fact have a foot washing service. That would be a good start. We might think more about any type of humble service that expresses love for each other. We see what we might do to serve each other, and then we do not hold back, but we are bold to act.
When Kathy and I came to Jamestown in 1975, we met Harold Johnson. He just died last year. Harold was the chair of the church. He had a gift of seeing what needed to be done and doing it. He served by taking care of humble tasks, usually in a way that nobody else knew what he was doing. On Saturday nights you would find Harold at the church, just walking around making sure everything was ready for the next day. The scripture reader always found the Pulpit Bible opened to the right place. The ushers always found their bulletins on their desk. Whether you were a musician, preacher or Sunday school teacher, everything was ready for you when you arrived, because Harold had been there. That was his way of washing feet.
Foot washing requires a sense of ownership and a willingness to take a risk. If I feel like I am a guest in the church, and I see something that needs to be done, I will hold back, I will wait for someone else to do it. But if this is truly my church, then I am the host. I look for the person standing alone. I notice the task that has not yet been done. I am a follower of Jesus. I am here to wash feet.
But, remember, Jesus must wash your feet first. Before you can serve you must be served by him. You are to serve with washed feet. There is a caution in these verses. Jesus washed the feet of all the disciples. Within a few hours Judas betrayed him, and Judas betrayed him with washed feet. Peter denied him, also with washed feet. This is a warning about accepting the love of Christ, and then acting in your own self-interest, or acting in fear.
But if we read a bit further in the story, if we go on into the book of Acts, we discover the apostles serving with washed feet. Acts chapter 2: "They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. (washed feet) They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts." (washing feet)
Have you allowed the Lord to wash your feet?
Has the renewal you have experienced in Christ led you to love one another?
In the Gospel of John, there is always a deeper meaning. So with this account of foot washing. As Jesus humbled himself to perform this act of service, we know that there is a greater act of service he gives by humbling himself and going to the cross.
"He made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a human being, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross." (Philippians 2:7,8)
"For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." (Mark 10:45)
When Peter objects, Jesus says, "If I do not wash you, you have no part with me." Jesus says that it is not just a matter of Peter's having his feet washed; it is that Jesus must wash him. The cleansing that Peter needs is one that only Jesus can supply. Such cleansing comes at the cross.
Jesus says, "You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand." Raymond Brown writes, "Peter will see the full depth of Jesus' humility and love in the foot washing, after he has seen the death of Jesus." When we stand at the cross, we understand what it means that he has washed our feet. In the cross we find our cleansing. Through faith in the cross we experience forgiveness. At the cross we feel the deep love of Jesus for us. Then we respond in love for Christ.
Have you let Jesus wash your feet?
Have you invited Jesus to cleanse your soul?
Amen.