(JOHN 13: 1-20)
 

 In Austin, there is a pretty big Presbyterian Church called The West Lake Hills Presbyterian Church.  A new, beautiful temple was erected for this church in the mid-1980s.  Everything was built new for this church; although everything about the church looked regal and aesthetic, there was a sign above the entrance of the church that stood in stark contrast with everything else.  The sign read ‘Servants’ Entrance.’  I think the sign conveys a great message.  Servants’ Entrancethe sign connotes that regardless of one’s social status, standing, or wealth, one must become a servantone who serves Godin order to enter His temple. 

 This morning, we must remind ourselves that the St. Luke’s Church is a church that serves this society.  Going to church is different than attending some social club or gathering.  Belonging to a church is unlike belonging to some social clubLion’s Club or Rotary Clubwhere one pays dues in order to receive a certain level of service and provides some degree of volunteer work. 

As the late Archbishop of Canterbury of England, William Temple, stated, “the church of Jesus Christ is the only institution in society that exist primarily for the sake of its non-members.”  Likewise, our church is an entity that exists not solely for its members; rather, God erected our church for our neighbors in our community and people worldwide.  Therefore, we must become more humble and reflect upon ourselves whether we, as a church and a congregation, have served this world as the light and the salt of the world.

 Reading an article, I was able to see clearly the serious problems that face our teenagers today.  According to this article, about half of the teenagers drink every week; about 45% use illegal and controlled substances; about 100,000 carry firearms to school every day; about 2,000 commit suicide per day; about 40% have had sexual experiences; and 20.1% of girls under the age of 20 have had abortion some time in their lives. 

In the midst of such harsh reality, I feel truly blessed that our teenagers live the life of true faith.  I thank God for programs such as ‘Singspiration,’ which we conduct every Friday that involve not only our own teenagers but those from the surrounding communities.  Our church must become an organizationa public entitythat serve not only the teenagers, but also the elderly, the homeless, and anyone who is in need of help.

 According to today’s scripture, there is a mention of Jesus washing the feet of each of His disciples during the Last Supper.  This is the origin of footwashing, as according to the Bible.  According to the Bible scholars, Tertullian and other priests of the early church have confirmed, less than one century after the recording of the gospel of John, that footwashinglike Holy Communion and baptismwas an important ceremony of the early church.  Washing of His disciples’ feet represent the humble love and servicewhich would eventually lead to crucifixion and death for cleansing the world of its sinsby Jesus Christ.  Then what spiritual lessons can we learn from the fact that Jesus washed the feet of His disciples?

  First, according to the Hebrew customs of the day, it was rare for mentors and teachers to wash the feet of their disciples.  Slaves often washed the feet of their masters and wives washed their husbands’ feet; however, footwashing was considered a humiliating act, often done by a person of lesser status for one who was superior.  Midrash Mekhilta, who translated ‘Laws of Servants’ from Exodus 21:2, states that one cannot even force one’s slave to wash the feet of his or her master.  According to a pseudopigraphical Jewish scripture called Joseph and Aseneth,

Aseneth, an Egyptian woman, washes Joseph’s feet, her husband-to-be, despite his protestations.  Washing someone’s dirty feet, even in the strictly stratified society such as the ancient Hebrew society, was not a common custom.  This is why, when Jesusduring the suppergets up, takes off His outer garment, wraps a towel around His waist, fills a basin with water, and washes the feet of His disciples, Peter, in verses 6 and 8, refuses, saying “You shall never wash my feet.”  The important fact is that in the ancient Hebrew and Roman societies, washing of the feet was sign of servitude, almost exclusively done by persons of lesser status.

 Second, Jesus washed the feet of His disciples to demonstrate love, humility, and servitude.  Did Christ wash the feet of His disciples as some sort of sacramentan act that He would eventually do again for His discipleslike Holy Communion?  Or was it a symbol of binding work that Christ was to perform, as result of His crucifixion?  I think that latter is more fitting.  Just as crucifixion and death represents divine sacrifice to cleanse the world of its sins, washing of feet represents servile intentions of our Lord towards the rest of mankind. 

 Therefore, to Peter who refuses to have his feet washed by Christ, Jesus states, in verse 8, “If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me.”  Distending this to the eventual crucifixion, we can surmise that if Christ does not bear the cross, then He cannot save the world and mankind.  An interesting aspect of all this is that Peter, who always harbored an all-or-nothing attitude, asks Christ to wash other parts of his body by saying, in verse 9, “Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head.”   This shows that Peter misunderstood Jesus’ intentions in washing their feet.  Peter, thinking in line with the customs of the day, felt that Jesus, his mentor, could not wash his feet; but upon Jesus’ insistence, he gives in, and asks Jesus to wash his hands and his head while He was at it. 

But washing of His disciples’ feet was done by Jesus to show the symbol of humility and servitude.  Therefore, in verse 10, Jesus states, “He who is bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean.”  Since the feet is often the most dirty and odorous part of the body, it needs to be washed even after one takes a bath; likewise, washing of His disciples’ feet is not done to cleanse the dirty bodies of the disciples, but done by Jesus to lower Himselfand as eventual crucifixion would proveto humbly serve them.

 Third, just as Christ washed the feet of His disciples, we must wash the feet of one another.  In verses 14 and 15 of today’s scripture, Christ states, “If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet.  For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you.”  Just as Christ Himself demonstrated love, humility, and servitude, the disciples must turn around and love and serve each other and others.  In community of John, where the gospel of John was recorded, feet washing became an important part of the church ceremony, conducted on a regular basis. 

Our lives must follow the example set by Jesus Christ.  Reverend Norman Vincent Peale, renowned for positive thinking, saw Henry Fordthe King of automobilesstanding by his car in front of a train station in 1912.  After introducing himself, Pastor Peale told Ford how much he admired him.  To this, Ford replied with a strange question.  “Who is your best friend?”  Ford, before Peale even had a chance to answer his question, wrote on a piece of paper, “Your best friend is the person who brings out the best in you.”  At the bottom of the paper, Ford signed his name.  Then Ford turned to Peale, who was a young man at the time, and gave him a word of encouragement.  “Think about that and always associate yourself with the best men you know.”  That is right.  Jesus is the best friend that we can have.  An old Chinese proverb states that by being near to ink, one runs the risk of getting soiled. 

Likewise, our lives will change according to whom we befriend.  If we befriend Jesus Christ, and develop a close relationship with Him, then we can be like Him.  The most important characteristic we can take after is His humbleness, servitude and capacity to lovejust as He demonstrated by washing the feet of His disciples.

 J. C. Penny, the founder and owner of the department store chain JC Penny, was a very wealthy man when he was alive, much like Bill Gates today.  “Mr. Penny, how much are you worth?” asked a newspaper reporter during an interview. 

Penny answered, “nothing.”  The startled newspaper reporter asked, “I know you’re misleading me!  I’ve done the research and I know for a fact that you’re worth twenty-eight million dollars!”  This amount, today, is what Shortstop Alex Rodriguez of Texas Rangers make in one year; however, during Penny’s days, it was an amount enough to make one the richest person in the world.  To the reporter’s reply, Penny responded, “That all belongs to Jesus Christ.  I just have the wonderful privilege to manage it for him.”  That is correct.  No matter how much wealth, authority, honor, or power we have, we need the faith that all belongs to Christ.  We have basic necessities and luxuries because God bestowed it upon us as gifts; without God’s blessings and love, we cannot have anything.

All requests to the church and everything in this church do not belong to any one of us.  All belongs to God and are presents from God, which we must share with our neighbors.  Like Jesus, who washed the feet of His disciples, we must take after His servitude and humility in serving this community and those around us.  Just as God showed love, humility, and servitude towards those who came to Him and befriended Jesus Christ as their best frienderstwhile washing their feetwe must do the same for our neighbors.  Do not forget that the people sitting around you are not there as a result of some coincidence; rather, the people around you are there as God’s gift to you, for you to love and serve.  Amen.