Return to the Lord
Who Washes You
Grace to you and peace from God our
Father, and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.
They had often wondered who among
them was greatest. James and John had asked for places at our Lord’s right and
left, and the others had been indignant. But Jesus would teach them a lesson
about greatest and least. Jesus grabbed the bowl and the towel, dropped to His
knees, and began to wash their feet. When Peter tried to stop Jesus, our Lord
told him, “If I do not wash you, you have no part with me.”
Peter didn’t understand why this foot washing was so important.
And then Jesus gave the lesson. “If I then,
your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one
another's feet.” That was a dagger into their proud hearts. For all
their desire to be the greatest, none of them could believe that the Lord, the
One who had told them that He was the very Son of God, would want His chosen
disciples to be common servants, much less that God Himself would be a servant.
We should not be surprised at their
reaction. We should not be surprised because none of us do what we should. If
we had been in that room that night, who among us would have jumped up to wash
everyone’s feet? Jesus told His disciples that night, “Love
one another as I have loved you.” But we can’t even love God as we
should. We can’t love our neighbors as ourselves. How can I love others as Jesus has loved me?
So it’s not just about foot washing;
it’s about how Jesus demonstrated His love—to His disciples and to us. Jesus knew
what was coming. He has said to them: “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his
friends.” That was a love and
service even greater than foot washing. He was about to lay down His life on
the cross. He was about to serve us by dying for us. There is no love greater
than that.
And because He lay down His life for you, you have been washed.
You have been washed by His the watered blood that flowed from His side. You
have been Baptized, a washing that has made you clean. Every time you hear the
words of Holy Absolution, you return to those bloody waters. Jesus offers to
wash your feet every day. He wants to speak that word of forgiveness to you
constantly. He wants to feed you that blood along with His body every time you
gather in His name. Washed by Him, you have a part with Him. You belong to Him.
Forgiveness is the key to everything, every day of our lives. The people would
know that those twelve men were His disciples by the forgiveness they would
proclaim in His Name. They know that we are His disciples by the forgiveness we
receive in His name and by the forgiveness with which we love and serve our
neighbor.
We will also receive that forgiveness
here tonight as we receive the Body and Blood of our Lord in His Supper, given
and shed for you for the forgiveness of sins. “As
often as we eat this bread and drink this cup, we proclaim the Lord’s death
until He comes.” We proclaim His undying love in the shedding of His
blood that washes us clean from every sin. Maybe you think you are unworthy of
this gift. Maybe you think that you might be more worthy of it if you receive
it less frequently. But think of it: those twelve disciples, wondering who was
greatest among them: they not only have their feet washed by Jesus; not only do
they hear His word of forgiveness; they eat His Body and drink His Blood. He
does not withhold this from them. They are not worthy. Neither are we. But
Jesus gives us this Supper because we are sinners in need of forgiveness. We
need this gift. We need His forgiveness and life in us and upon us.
It is time. Your feet have been
washed. You have returned to those bloody waters today. The Supper is ready.
His blood has been shed, His body given. This is His loving service for the
life of the world. This is His loving service to you. In the name of the Father
and of the Son (+) and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
The peace of God which
passes all understanding will keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus
always. Amen.
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