Rev. David Holwick ZF Encountering Jesus in John
First Baptist Church
Ledgewood, New Jersey
October 4, 2015
John 13:3-17
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I. An enduring image from the life of Jesus.
A. A bad night at a California homeless shelter.
It was turning out to be a bad night at the Marin County
shelter for the homeless in San Rafael, California.
With rain pouring down and a temperature in the 40s, the
gym-sized armory was nearing its capacity of 125 people.
All the cots and sleeping mats had been assigned, but people
were still coming.
In no time there were complaints about the shortage.
Rodney Roberson was working at the shelter as a full-time
counselor and like most of the staff, he was white.
Soon some of the homeless blacks and Latinos started accusing
them of racial favoritism.
When the arguments started, Rodney knew they were in trouble.
The armory echoed with shouts and profanity.
Some of the street people were trying to take sleeping mats
away from others.
In the midst of all this, a Latino man named Jose, who had
received one of the last sleeping mats, made his bed in
the middle of the armory.
He threw down his mat, fell on it, removed his tattered boots
and collapsed in a drunken stupor.
The stench of Jose's feet filled the air.
The street people, ordinarily not picky about odors, now began
to raise a ruckus.
The obvious solution was to persuade Jose to take a shower, but
when they tried to wake him, it was no use.
He was breathing, but nothing would rouse him.
They discussed carrying him to the shower, but he weighed more
than 200 pounds, deadweight, and they could hardly move him.
When someone suggested they drag him back out to the sidewalk,
a howl of protest came from the other Latinos.
Rodney prayed in desperation, "God, how am I supposed to handle
this situation? I don't know what to do!"
Only a few nights earlier one of his fellow workers had been
attacked and choked.
Then a thought occurred to him: If we can't get Jose into the
shower, maybe we can bring the shower to him.
They didn't have a washbasin, but in the kitchen he found a
large bowl and some lemon-scented dishwashing liquid.
Armed with a washcloth, towel and the bowl full of warm soapy
water, Rodney headed back toward Jose.
From all over the armory, stares of anger and suspicion
followed him.
Back at Jose's mat, he knelt and began to remove his filthy
socks.
They were soggy on the bottom but dried to cardboard stiffness
on top.
Rodney finally managed to tug them off, leaving the weave of
the fabric imprinted on Jose's skin.
The stench would have been overwhelming if it had not been for
the scent of the lemon bubbles in the bowl.
It took some persuasion, but one of the men who helped with
the mats finally agreed to throw the socks away and take
Jose's boots outside to air.
Then Rodney went to work with the lemon soap and washcloth.
For several minutes he carefully cleaned Jose's calves and
ankles, feet and toes.
In no time the water was black.
He took the towel and dried the area, then, still on his knees,
turned to pick up the bowl.
As he did, he saw a forest of legs and knees surrounding him.
Slowly, warily, he stood up.
His eyes came to rest on the face of one of the black men who
had been protesting the loudest.
And he was grinning! Rodney had never seen him smile before!
He looked from face to face and was stunned.
Everyone was smiling -- men and women of all races.
Another worker, with tears in her eyes, stepped forward, took
his soapy hands in hers and kissed them.
The words of Jesus in Matthew 20:26 seemed to come alive that
night -
"Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant,
and whoever wants to be first must be your slave."
By carrying out this unpleasant task, he had won over an entire
auditorium of street people, and gained their respect.
The shouting and the threats were gone.
They even came up with a fresh pair of socks for Jose.
#13040
B. Christians of all stripes have practiced it.
1) Every year on Maundy Thursday the Pope washes feet.
a) They often pick disabled people, or those in jail, or
those who are poor or sick.
b) Two years ago, Pope Francis raised eyebrows when he
washed and kissed the feet of women as well as men.
2) Some Baptists also practice footwashing.
a) They elevate it to an ordinance - one of the things
Jesus commands us to do.
1> The other two are baptism and communion.
b) It is interesting that most participants make sure
they wash their feet before they arrive.
C. A typical sermon will focus on footwashing as servanthood.
1) Jesus himself says in John 13:14, "Now that I, your Lord
and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should
wash one another's feet."
2) Then I am supposed to give lots of examples of service.
a) I could do this, but I am not going to. #4650
b) Instead I am going to look at a different aspect.
II. It was a critical point in Jesus' life.
A. It was time for him to leave this world.
1) Verse 1 tells us he was ready to go to the Father.
2) He also wanted to show his disciples how much he loved them.
3) And on a darker note, Judas is all set to betray Jesus.
B. It was an unusual time for footwashing.
1) This was not a religious ceremony back then, but a typical
experience.
2) After walking on dirt roads all day, in sandals or bare
feet, you got pretty dirty.
a) A servant would meet you at the door and wash your feet.
b) Yet Jesus is doing this during the meal, not before.
1> This indicates something special is about to happen.
3) Jesus dressed himself like a servant and went around the
table washing the feet of the disciples.
a) Until he came to Peter...
III. Peter had some issues.
A. He doesn't want Jesus to touch his feet.
1) He uses emphatic language - "Lord, my feet? You'll wash?"
a) Many of us might feel the same way - it's kind of gross.
2) Peter's issue is different than ours.
a) He wants to lift Jesus up as a supreme leader.
1> Note how he calls Jesus "Lord."
b) Jesus is important, and since Peter is a bigwig among
the apostles, he gets to shine by reflected glory.
1> Who wants to be known as a follower of a slave?
2> It is interesting that Peter is humble enough to
see the incongruity of what Jesus is doing, yet
proud enough to dictate to his Master.
3) Jesus - if I don't wash you, you have nothing to do with me.
a) It is not so much that Peter will get kicked off the
Apostle Board, but that he is missing what Jesus is
all about.
B. Peter overreacts.
1) Give me a whole bath - go all the way.
2) But Jesus says he doesn't need this.
3) Peter has already had a bath, now he just needs a touch-up.
a) It is obvious Jesus is making a spiritual point here.
b) The issue is not dirt on the feet, but sin on the soul.
IV. People need two things.
A. We need to be washed.
1) Jesus says all the disciples - except one - are clean.
a) Judas is the false, unclean, one.
2) Jesus is alluding to salvation.
a) It happens once in your life, when God cleans your soul.
b) Baptism is the classic expression of this.
c) Note that his "taking off" his clothes in verse 4 is
the same word used in chapter 10 of the Good Shepherd
laying aside his life for the sheep.
d) Jesus also says they won't fully understand what he
has done until later, presumably after Easter. 13:7
e) By washing their feet, Jesus is acting out a parable
about the sacrifice of his life.
B. We all need to stay clean.
1) Even after we are saved, we will get dirty.
a) The experiences of daily life soil us.
1> Every Christian has to deal with anger, resentment,
bitterness and indifference.
2> We can let these things build up until we are no
different than the non-believers around us.
b) We need to come to Jesus to keep getting clean.
1> Every day we should confession our sins and repent
to God.
2> We also need to extend healing and forgiveness to
others.
2) Only dirty people need a cleaning. We are all dirty.
a) In the story of the California homeless shelter, I will
bet you identified with Rodney.
1> How would I have handled his situation?
b) Instead, you should identify yourself with Jose.
1> Every one of you has stinky feet.
2> Some may be stinkier than others, but we all need
a cleansing.
V. Where do you need to be cleaned?
A. Dirtiness pervades our culture.
1) The movies, the internet, your dealings with people you
work with or live beside will rub off on you.
2) Maybe you yourself are the source of dirt for others.
3) What are you doing about it?
B. Humble yourself before God.
1) It might be OK to acknowledge our sins at conversion.
a) But later on, we are supposed to be slick and composed.
b) Who wants to admit their spiritual and moral failures?
2) By hiding our sin from God, we can never get clean.
C. Jesus knows what you are walking through.
1) Be open to accepting God's grace.
a) This week I met a homeless guy.
Like many others, he heard that our church helps people.
I met him at the Roxbury Motel and wasn't impressed.
He smelled of alcohol and a long time without a bath.
Then he told me a little of his story.
In the past few years he has had two strokes.
The last one left him paralyzed and the doctor leaned
over and told him he should not expect to walk again.
(He wept as he told me this.)
Then he said, but I can walk because God has helped me.
He really seemed to believe this.
b) No matter how proud you are, you still need God.
1> Have you told him this?
2) Be willing to extend God's grace to others.
a) I guess this is where the service part comes in.
b) If God has made you clean, you can help others
experience it through your love and actions.
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SOURCES FOR ILLUSTRATIONS USED IN THIS SERMON:
# 4650 “May I Wash Your Feet?” Nita Anne Haditsch Olsen, Discipleship
Journal, #110, March 1999, page 44.
#13040 “Jose's Feet,” Rodney Roberson, Fredericksburg Bible Illustrator
Supplements, May 3, 2000.
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