Chan Willis – C.P.C.

                                                                                                                                                                July 18, 2010

“Feet First”

Genesis 18:1-5, John 13:1-17

            As we listened to the two passages from Scripture being read, it doesn’t take too long to find one common thread… one action prominently featured in each story.  Foot washing.  Alriiiight!  Now there’s a subject that I’m sure is ‘near and dear to your heart!’  Well, if not your heart, at least your ‘sole’… s-o-l-e.  J  Sorry…

            Seriously, though, foot-washing was, in ancient Jewish culture, a very important aspect of hospitality.  When a guest came to visit, we must remember what the primary mode of transportation was for them to get to their destination:  walking.  And after a long journey, one of the best ways one could demonstrate his/her appreciation of their houseguest was to offer a soothing cleansing of their feet.  This was most often done by the member of the household with the lowest standing, usually a servant.   

            In these two stories, we should consider just WHO it is humbling themselves by washing those dirty feet.  First, Abraham.  The same Abraham who in the chapter immediately preceding this one is addressed directly by God Himself.  An anointing, a ‘commissioning’ in which Abraham is told that a heretofore childless man will become the “father of many nations”… that, in God’s spoken words, “nations… and kings will come from you.”  And here he is, in what appears to be only moments after this life-changing vision, bowing down before three strangers, offering them water, and rest, and washing of their feet… humbly asking them to “not pass your servant by.”  

And then, of course, we have Jesus.  The One sent by the Father of ALL nations.  The One who, just before He gets up to prepare to wash the disciples’ feet, is described by John as knowing “that the Father had put all things under his power…that he had come from God and was returning to God.”  And yet, this all-powerful Son of God bows down to wash those dirty, calloused feet… taking on the role of a power-less servant.   

These two men, in their particular experiences, both provide us important insights into how to live as God would have us to live.  Not ashamed, embarrassed, self-conscious about our status as followers of the One True God.  The stories of Abraham and Jesus point us to realities much more important than merely the uncomfortable subject of foot-washing.  Rather, they remind us of the larger issues of service… of forgiveness… and of the example God provides us.

For it is in serving… it is in repentance… it is in following… that we can truly live the type of abundant life that God call us to.  ‘Father Abraham’ and Jesus, God’s only Son, encourage us to ‘jump’ into our faith “Feet First.”

            This month’s virtue in Cross Country is service.  “Lending a hand to help someone else.”  The “Bottom line” asks:  “What in the world are you doing to put others first?”  Now, this is an interesting concept, ‘putting others first.’  This week I got to spend some time in the airport.  I can tell you from personal observation, this ‘virtue’ was NOT very evident!  The more prevalent ‘virture’ was probably ‘every man (or woman) for him/herself.  Not that everyone was like a hungry wolf… there were certainly a number of compassionate folks willing to ‘lend a hand.’  Yet there was that undercurrent that there were only so many airplane seats available, and ‘I’ve got to get mine.’

            What must make our desire to serve so intense is that it’s not ABOUT ‘getting mine’.  It’s not about me.  It’s about putting others first. In the words of Eph. 6:7, we are to “Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men.”  When you and I put someone else’s welfare ahead of our own… wholeheartedly, not HALF-heartedly… we show them a glimpse of Jesus.  That we are serving Him, not men.  

            I think that Abraham clearly demonstrated his wholehearted service to the Lord, not to men.  Particularly by not putting his own personal ego or status ahead of others.  As I briefly mentioned earlier, think about what has just happened to Abe.  God HIMSELF has spoken to him, saying that he is going from father of one to father of nations!  That God is making an everlasting covenant promise with HIM!  That the land of Canaan, flowing with milk and honey, is going to be HIS!  God had just punched Abraham’s winning lotto ticket!

            And on the heels of this incredible experience, up walk three strangers.  (Hmmm… three.  There’s just something about that number, isn’t there?)  I don’t know about you, but I think my natural reaction would have been, ‘Excuse me, but I’ve just had this mind-blowing experience with the Creator of the Universe… could you give me a few minutes?!” 

            But, of course, Abe doesn’t react like I would.  He receives the ‘mystery trio’ in the spirit of Paul’s words to the church at Ephesus:  “as if serving the Lord, not men.”  Abraham bows before his visitors, offering them rest and refreshment.  His humble service bears witness to some other familiar words of the New Testament:  “Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it.”  (Heb 13:2)

            Humbling oneself in service to others, however, is NOT always received in the spirit in which it is given.  Peter strongly objected to Jesus’ ‘lowering’ himself to such a subservient position.  Washing feet was far ‘beneath’ a man of Jesus’ standing.  And yet, when Jesus told Peter that if the disciple would not let him wash his feet, He could have no part of the Lord, Peter quickly changed his tune.  To not just stop at feet, but whole body.  Jesus then said that the washing of the feet was all that was necessary… for Peter had already “had a bath.” 

            Popular thought on this verse is that this is a reference to baptism.  That those who have been ‘washed,’ or baptized, in Christ, do not need to be fully washed again.  Once baptized as a believer in Jesus, He has taken away once and for all the penalty, the stain, of our sinful natures.  … It IS necessary, tho, that we continue to wash those feet that daily come in contact with the dirty roads we walk on.  That is why it is important to come before God regularly… not merely for a few minutes on Sunday morning… and confess the sin that soils our daily ‘walk’ with Christ.  As we come to him in humility and truth, Jesus will wash away the dirt on our spiritual ‘feet,’ keeping us healthy and clean (remember the rubber ducky?).  And as we are cleansed through the blood of Christ, it enables us to go out and help others to know that same relief and comfort.  Washed by the nail-scarred hands of our Lord, we become His hands to wash the feet of others.

Sinful creatures though we be, however, God does not wish for us to live in bondage to that sin.  We must not lose sight of our overall ‘bathed’ status because of our ‘dirty feet.’  “Therefore, there is now NO condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death.”  (Rom 8:1-2)  The blood of Jesus washes away even the darkest stain of our sin…  His eternal life setting us free from our earthly death.

            The service of Christ… the forgiveness of Christ… is embodied in the example of Christ.  Sure, we can be amazed by the miracles He performed; given hope by the healing He offered; inspired by the teachings He proclaimed; but most of all, we must seek to be a follower of Jesus by following His lead!  His admonition in verse 16 is pretty clear:  “I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.”  In his exposition for The Interpreter’s Bible,   A. J. Gossip puts it this way:  “Hence the imitation of Christ is a very real and central part of Christianity.  Our business is to put on Christ; to grow into his character and mind and ways; to think what he would have us do, and do it; to take him as our model and goal, and press toward it.”  This reminds me of Paul’s classic words in Phil. 3:14: ^“ I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”  As Paul writes earlier in this letter, “to live is Christ; to die is gain.” 

            For complete fulfillment of this earthly life… which prepares us for eternal life… we must live by the example – character – mind – ways – of Jesus Christ.  Fully human.  Fully divine.  To fully live IS Christ.  In Him, to die is gain.

While I was in Jacksonville, I got a LOT of time to bond with our 2 year-old grandson Anders.  Not unlike most 2 year-olds, that cute little curly-haired boy loves life.  With a broad smile and chuckling laughter that starts deep in his stomach to make his whole body shake, the boy’s joie de vivre is infectious.  And, also like most 2 y.o. boys, he can be mischevious… defiant… doing things even when told not to.  Like, for instance, playing in the dirt. 

            Early one morning we were out on the back patio washing off some furniture.  Well, he decided it would be fun to take the sprayer nozzle, and hold it about six inches from the sandy soil.  And then, of course, he had to jump around in his new ‘creation.’  Needless to say, his feet and legs got a ‘bit’ dirty.  As he had had his bath just the night before, all that really needed to be cleaned off was his lower legs and feet, so I carried him inside to the bathtub to wash off.  Not exactly sure why I just didn’t just hose him off outside… guess I didn’t want to give him the idea that spraying another person with the hose was a good thing to do…

            Anyway, I went in and sat Anders on the side of the tub, turned on the water, grabbed a washcloth, and proceeded to wash his feet.  And, to my surprise, he sat there quite well!  He giggled a bit, enjoying this new experience.  He gave me a big grin as I lifted him up and set him on a towel to dry his feet off.  And then we set off for the next adventure… probably another round of golf on the lanai with his “Little Tykes” golf set.  And that one’s not nearly so messy…

            As I was leaning over the tub, washing those precious little feet, it occurred to me that I was participating in a ‘holy moment’… a ‘God-time,’ if you will.  A time to put another person’s needs ahead of my own.  A time to dwell not on misbehavior, but on the joy of life given by God.  A time to humble myself in washing the feet of a little child.  A time to remember the example of Abraham and Jesus. 

            Friends, if you want more out of your Christian life, I encourage you to follow those examples.  Put others first by lending a hand… serve.  Allow God to clean up those soiled parts of your life, confident that by God’s grace you are forgiven…your whole body washed, and saved, through Christ.  May others see in your actions not merely human kindness, but the Spirit of the One who dwells in you, Jesus Christ.  Our ‘business’ is to ‘put on Christ’… to take him as our model and goal.  To show the world “the full extent of his love” … so let’s ‘jump in’ to that world…FEET FIRST!  Amen?