Wednesday, February 6, 2013

02-06-13 BFG 3

John 13:4-5,12-17 "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... When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. “Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them. “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them."

So, let's say that we opened our eyes one morning and found out we 'weren't in Kansas anymore', but we were in the times of Christ. Our cell phone rings... oh, I mean, a courier, sent by donkey stopped at our door and told us that Jesus was having dinner that night and invited us to dine with Him. Maybe we were a ways off - on the other side of town. So, a few hours before dinner we walked to where He was having this feast. As usual we arrived just in time.... and did not have time to wash off our feet. No, Nike's were not in style back then - so our feet were pretty dirty. We were a bit perplexed because Jesus was saying something about the wine being His Blood and the bread being His Body.... and we're supposed to remember Him by this.

Then He gets up, took off His most of His clothes and wrapped a towel around His waist? We are all thinking the same thing, "Isn't that the way a servant dresses? What in the world is He doing? He has done some strange things before, but this?" He's getting closer and all the while you're thinking, "I really should've done something about my feet. This is rather embarrassing." He gets a fresh batch of water (as He has with everyone - another story for another day), and finally He's at your feet. He begins to wash them - one by one - gently and lovingly. There were a few spots where He had to scrub a little abrasively - because of that long journey). All the while He's looking into your eyes and you see the love He has for you.

When He finishes, He explains why He washed our feet. Few of us understood, until after He died and was resurrected. Our Lord had just become a servant, doing one of the dirtiest jobs of a servant. Then, He tells us that we're to do the same for each other... become their servant. God not only demonstrated His love for us by sending Jesus to where we live, but He washes our feet (He cleanses the filth that has attached itself to us) - demonstrating what a true friend does. Jesus put His words to action... He got down on His knees and 'got dirty' with His friends. Sometimes, the Lord leads us to 'get dirty' when our friends are hurting or in trouble; when they're grieving or when they've fallen into a pit of gunk. To enter the battle with that person and fight when their strength is gone or when they are wounded from the battle and are in the process of being healed. We demonstrate our friendship with God by doing what Jesus did - when we allow Him to flow through us to serve those around us.

Mark 10:43-45 "Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. 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.”

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