Food For the Journey

Food for the Journey
Much to the disciples’ dismay, Jesus washed their feet. Now, there are certainly some who would be uncomfortable with that now, not just Jesus washing our feet, but foot washing in general. I mean we usually keep our feet covered with shoes and socks of some kind…And many people have ticklish feet…Some people have smelly feet…Some people go to great lengths so that their feet look good—pedicures, lotions, polishes…
In Jesus’ time they didn’t really have spas or salons where people could get pedicures, but they did have people who washed feet. It was the servant’s responsibility to wash the feet of the guests and the master. This wasn’t as easy as it may be for us today…If you go to a spa or a salon for a pedicure, you’ve had shoes & socks on and your feet have been somewhat protected…Well, in Jesus’ time they wore sandals. And they didn’t have cars, they walked…And they didn’t have nice sidewalks or pathways…They had dirt…So, feet in Jesus’ time would have been stinky, sweaty, very dirty, and just not taken care of very well.
So imagine the disciples’ surprise as Jesus gets down to wash his disciples’ feet. He was literally lowering himself because he was on his hands and knees at the feet of the disciples…He was becoming the servant of the disciples…He was placing his hands on his disciples’ stinky, sweaty, very dirty feet and washing them…
Peter, always wanting to do the right thing, argues with Jesus and doesn’t want Jesus to wash his feet. Then he wants Jesus to wash his whole body…But, Jesus tells him that’s not necessary.
After Jesus washes the feet of the disciples he tells them that just as he washed their feet, they should also wash one another’s feet. They should humble themselves as servants as well. Jesus wasn’t just washing their feet so that they would feel humbled or to do a grand gesture, he was also teaching the disciples and showing them what it means to be a servant. Sometimes it means sticking your hands in dirty water or washing someone’s stinky, sweaty, very dirty feet.
There’s a quote that says, “Sometimes in order to be a leader, you must first be a servant.” Jesus was a servant to his disciples, but he was also their leader…
As we began Holy Week on Sunday with Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem riding on a donkey and with shouts of Hosanna and Glory to God…This is a much different scene and much different attitude…It’s not a jubilant party with the disciples, but what will be the last supper of Jesus and his disciples. It is this night that Jesus will be betrayed and arrested…Not the jubilant party from earlier…And one of Jesus’ last acts is to wash the disciples’ feet…One of Jesus’ last acts was that of a servant, not just to the disciples, but to all…
After the disciples feet were washed, it was time for dinner…Little did the disciples understand that this was the last meal that they would be spending with their friend and teacher, Jesus. It was the last time that they would break bread together…The last time that they would share the Passover meal together…
The Passover meal was traditional for the Jewish people…It was their festival remembering when they were slaves in Egypt and Moses was telling Pharaoh to let God’s people go. The Passover feast remembers when the angel of death passed over those homes with lambs blood on the door. In their feast, they recalled the stories with food, song, and prayer…
Jesus’ connection to the Passover feast is not only as the participant and one who remembers, but also…As the connection between Jesus being the Lamb of God. The lambs blood who was a sacrifice…Jesus needed food for his journey which would end in his death…As we continue on our journey to the cross with Jesus, may we be filled with food for the journey…As we come to the table tonight, may we be filled with the physical bread and juice and filled with the grace of God to sustain us through our journey…