Holy Thursday

On Thursday, we gathered for a worship meal in which we shared a meal including Eucharist, while singing, praying, and hearing God's word among us.

Here are the pieces I wrote down. We read John 13:1-17, 31b-35.

Introduction/Words of Direction:
A meal, similar to this one. A group of Jesus’ followers gathered to be with him and with one another celebrating God’s goodness.
- Passover was a holiday or feast time celebrating God’s mighty acts of salvation of Israel from slavery in Egypt. And it was the tradition to go to Jerusalem at such feast times to offer sacrifices in the Temple.
o It’s called “Passover” because on the night before the people were led out of Egypt, the angel of the Lord killed all the first born males in the land except for those of the Israelites.
- So, from that time forward, the people always set aside a time for feasting and celebrating God’s saving work in their lives – historically as well as in the present and future.
- That’s why Jesus and his disciples had gathered in Jerusalem – to praise God over a meal, or set of meals.
o They’d gathered for their meal – whether it was the day before the Passover, or the Passover itself (John differs from the other gospels).
o At the meal, they probably sang, chanted, or spoke psalms – specifically, psalms 113-118. It was a meal of fellowship and worship
- That’s why we’ve gathered too, to praise God through the worshipful sharing of a meal.

Tonight, sharing a meal together is a real part of our worship, not just something we do with worship. Our conversation, our serving of one another, our fellowship – they all bring glory and thanksgiving to God. Some of the time, we’ll be focused on reading scripture, praying, singing, and listening for God’s Word among us. Other times, we’ll be able to talk with one another. Please do not wait until after everything’s done to eat; just eat throughout, but try not to sing with your mouth full – it never works well.

Table Blessing:
Blessed Trinity,
you’ve created all that is to share
in your loving relationship of Father, Son, and Spirit.
We give you thanks for this food, those who have prepared it, and our fellowship together.
Bless us in our fellowship that you may be glorified and we may be filled with your peace.
In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen.

Meditation:
- This passage from John’s gospel, recounting Jesus washing his disciples’ feet, is always the reading for Holy Thursday. On this night, we also celebrate Jesus instituting the meal we now call Holy Communion, but in John’s gospel, the focus is on Jesus’ actions before the meal even gets going. He gets up, wraps a towel around himself, grabs a basin of water, and starts washing his disciples’ feet.
- This is disgusting, repugnant. Of course, it was cultural that people would wash their feet when entering a home because of all the walking around in sandals and the like.
- We talk about it like Jesus is taking on the role of a servant. No. Jesus is stooping below that. Washing people’s feet was below even the servant’s duties. They didn’t even do it. They just brought the water for people to wash their own feet – not to do it for them. He is lower than low.
o That’s why Peter rejects it, and has to be convinced by Jesus.

- And then – I love this line – after Jesus finishes washing their feet, he asks, “Do you know what I have done to you?” (Jn13.12b).
o He’s set them up.
o He knows they call him “Teacher” and “Lord” and assures them – “you are right, for that is what I am” (v.13). Here’s the turn…
o But don’t you see what I’ve done to you? If your teacher and lord washed your feet, something even servants don’t do, what do you think that means you should do? Who should you be if your teacher and lord does such a disgusting, low, selfless thing?
o Jesus says, “For I have set you an example, that you also should do as I have done” (v.15).
- And then, he reiterates, “I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another” (v34).

- As John points out, Jesus knows that his human time with his disciples is coming to an end, and he wants to make sure they know how they are supposed to be in the world. He wants to make sure they understand that they’re to be his followers in living in the character of God. So he shows them, one last time, with explanation, what God’s character is like.
o Jesus washed their feet and then told them they should do the same.

- What are the connections for us – what’s foot washing for us? And how do we react to it?
o Is it hard to have other people serve you? to take your plate? To wash your hands? What about your hair, or your feet?
• It takes humility to receive such care. That’s what Peter had to learn, and us too.
• At first, you think Peter’s being modest, not wanting his Lord and Teacher to stoop to serve him. Yet, isn’t it also Peter’s pride, his arrogance, his need to control – No, Lord, don’t do that. I’d rather do it myself.
o When do you and I, or we as the church exhibit such pride, such distaste for Jesus’ offer to wash our dirtiest parts?
• No, Lord, I don’t need you to save me or heal me – I’ll just take a pill, go to the doctor, you know…
• Or, how many times have we turned down an offer for help, just because “I can do it myself”?
• Or, how often do we hear, “I’m a good person; I believe what I believe and that’s fine. That’s what matters, that I believe something about God and am a pretty good person”?
- That’s not what Jesus says. Jesus says, Sit down, give me your dirtiest parts, and let me wash them. You’ll never be fully clean if you don’t let me…let me.

- And then, Jesus says, Now you’ve seen it done. You see what I’ve done to you. You want to follow me, you know I’m the true Lord and Teacher, then do as I do.
- But what’s stopping us?
o Again, it’s pride – simple self-centeredness.
o Now, don’t get me wrong, there’s a great amount of good that we as a church, and individuals do. Thanks be to God.
o But what Jesus forces us to ask ourselves is, What consumes most of our thoughts, energies, focus, and resources?
• For us as a family, there are times that we don’t help people in need, people we know we could help, because we’re scared – scared that they don’t really need it and are scamming us, but more scared that we won’t have enough if we help them, if we go out on a limb for another.
• Isn’t that true of our state and our nation as well? There’s a lot of buzz around our state and national government about who should and shouldn’t receive public services and aid. Many people wrongly blame immigrants for draining public systems and say they should be barred from receiving any aid. Is that what Jesus would do? Is that what Jesus would have us do? Or would he instead stoop down, give all of himself to the other, and still be filled with more from the Father? We’re afraid that we don’t have enough to take care of ourselves, so we try to find ways to “legal,” “rational,” ways to exclude others.
• And don’t we as a church sometimes get caught in this same type of prideful, self-centered thinking? Where does most of our money and energy go? Building, insurance, pastor’s salary, utilities, upkeep. Yet, Jesus wrapped a towel around himself and washed feet and told us to be like him. Where’s a building come in, unless it’s got a big bathtub for washing feet, for serving people?
- What we’re doing as individuals, or as a church, is not bad, necessarily. What the disciples were doing with Jesus wasn’t bad. He’s just calling us to more, to be like him, to live and witness to the character of God – which is love, compassion, justice, and self-giving. That’s just who God is, as revealed in Jesus.
- “I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. By this, everyone will know that you are my disciples…” (v.34-35).
- Jesus calls us to love one another, to be servants of all, just as he made himself lower than servants. Jesus shows us how to love, so that we can be like him. And in our loving like him, others will come to see and know God’s love. Amen.