John 13:1-17                The Example of Jesus            May 23, 2010

     I have a neighbor up the street from me who has a small boy.  Every time this man goes out to mow the grass, his little boy follows a safe distance behind him with a little toy push mower.  This little fellow follows up and down the rows, imitating every move as his dad struggles through the summer heat.   Children just naturally imitate what they see around them.  They are learning about their world, and they do that best by imitation.  We all do that. 

       Well, the disciples were no different.  They followed behind Jesus for three years and they imitated the model he showed.  Today I am beginning a new series based on the Gospel of John Chapters 13-17.  These chapters are set during the last supper of Jesus, on his last night before he was to die.  Biblical scholars call these chapters the “Farewell Discourse” of Jesus. He knows he will be leaving his disciples and he wants to show them a few final, crucial lessons before he leaves.  Jesus wants one last chance to model for them how to live life.  Well, if this is Jesus’ “Farewell Discourse,” these are also my own thinly disguised “Farewell Messages.”  While I do not claim to be Jesus, I do have some final words for you and hope to model for you an example before I leave in a few weeks.  Today we will see how Jesus modeled for his disciples a life of service and he called them to that same life of service.

      For three years Jesus taught and perhaps even more important he modeled for his disciples a life of love.  John 13:1 says that Jesus loved his disciples.  But love cannot be in mere words.  Love shows itself to be real in action.  Look at verses three and following.  It says that Jesus knew that God had given all things into his hands.  Jesus knew that he had come from God and was returning to God.  Jesus knew that the kingdom, the power, and the glory of God belonged to him.  He knew all that and so what does he do from that high, mighty, exalted position of power.  Verse four says he rose from the meal, took off his outer coat, wrapped a towel around his arm, poured water into a basin, and began to wash the disciples’ feet. 

      You know, when I think of the great and mighty people of today, when I think of the stars and the famous ones, I see them looking for every opportunity to walk down red carpets, step out of shiny limousines, have the flash bulbs go off.  They look for every reminder to shout to people, “Look at me.  I am somebody important.”  But not Jesus.  At the moment when he knew that he had reached his greatest moment as the son of God, Jesus picked up a towel, bent down, and washed dirty feet.  Why?  Because Jesus taught his disciples to love.  But love is not merely words.  Love is action. And Jesus lived what he spoke.  So Jesus bent down to do this dirty and lowly task of foot washing.

      In the time of Jesus, people walked around dusty streets which were often littered with animal droppings.   When you entered a home, a servant or some other lowly person would wash your feet.  When Jesus and the disciples first came into the upper room that night of the last supper, someone should have taken the job of washing feet.  But no one did.   No one of the disciples wanted to take on the role of a servant.  No one wanted the dirty task.  No one wanted to be thought of as lower on the totem pole.  So later as the meal was getting under way, Jesus shocked them all when he bent down to do the work.  He had taught them for three years about love and service, but they seemed not to hear.  Now he bends down and shows them.  He models for them what he means.  Words may be forgotten, but actions speak louder than words.

      I hope in these past ten years that you have remembered a few words that I have spoken from this pulpit.  But maybe what I really hope you will remember is what I have tried to show you.  I have tried to live the Christian life of love in front of you day by day, week by week, and year by year.  I have not been a perfect person in these ten years. In the past weeks, I have had regrets and see my mistakes of the past ten years.   But I pray that I have modeled something in front of you about what it means to live a life committed to love.  And if I have shown you something of living a life of love, then I hope you will remember who I have been, and not merely what I have said.  And I hope you will live that kind of life so that you can be a model for others who see you.  That is what Jesus did that night of his last supper.  He modeled a life of giving service.

       However, Peter did not want to receive this service from Jesus.   Peter says very bluntly, “Master, you will never wash my feet.”  Why would Peter feel that way?  Many of us have trouble receiving from someone else.  We would rather help than receive help.  Receiving help makes us feel weak.  Needing someone else makes us feel helpless.  If you have ever spent time in the hospital, you may have felt guilty or uncomfortable that other people had to help you.   Peter was the same and did not want this help from Jesus.    But Jesus says to Peter, “If I do not wash you, Peter, then you have no part in me.”

       Listen.  For us to have a part in Jesus, we have to admit our need for washing.  We have to recognize our own stains, failures, and sins.  Some people come to church ready and willing to serve.  They want to be on boards and projects.  They love to get involved in making the world a better place.  They want to lead and be in control.  But the life of love starts at the bottom, not at the top.  Unless we recognize our need, then we really have no part in Jesus.  When I see my own failures, then I really understand that I need this washing from Jesus.  And it is from this place of humility and failure that I am able to love other people who have their own failures.  From that place, I see that we all need washing.

     Peter sees this truth and immediately shouts, “Then wash all of me, Lord!!”  Peter is being a little over zealous here, as usual.  But listen, Peter is a man who wants to have a part in Jesus.  He is seriously trying to understand all that Jesus is teaching and showing on this last night.  Peter is trying with all his might to be like Jesus.

    This spring, I took a tennis class for a few weeks.  I have knocked around with tennis for years but never had an actual lesson.  So I went for a few classes.  And I really wanted to learn.  I tried my best to look just like the tennis coach.  I tried to make every move he made.  He was my model and I wanted to play tennis like him.

     Jesus has given us a model.  He has shown us the way.  Our job is to try and follow.  Not just listen to his words, but to look at his actions.  And try to look like him.  And Jesus promises us that someday we will.  We will be made perfected as he is perfected.  Perfected in His love.   Amen.