Sermon -- Maundy Thursday (April 1, 2021)

JOHN 13:1-5,12-17

HANDS OF THE PASSION:

Hands of Humility (Jesus)

 In the name + of Jesus.

     When Abraham Lincoln was president, a cabinet member came into his office to find him with a rag polishing his shoes.  Of course, presidents have greater things to worry about than taking the time to polish their own shoes.  That task can be handed down to anyone.  Surprised by this sight, the cabinet member asked, “Mr. President, why are you polishing your shoes?”  Lincoln responded matter-of-factly, “Who else is going to do it?”  Lincoln may have been President of the United States, but he refused to think that a menial task was beneath him.

     Our Lord Jesus Christ, on the night he was betrayed, demonstrated the very same thing.  Far greater than being the President of the United States, Jesus is, has always been, and ever will be true God.  His disciples confessed that, as Jesus noted: “You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am” (John 13:13).  Since Jesus was the Teacher, the Twelve were his catechumens; they were to learn from him.  Since Jesus is the Lord, they were to live as his servants.  As their Teacher and Lord, Jesus demonstrated that no menial task was beneath him.  In fact, there was nothing that was beneath Jesus when it came to doing good for his fellow man.  Jesus’ hands of humility were always seeking to serve and to save.

     The contrast between Jesus and his disciples on Maundy Thursday was appalling.  The disciples had had a lively debate about which of them was the greatest.  Having been Jesus’ disciples for a few years, they had much to talk about.  They all participated in handing out bread and fish to the 5,000.  They were all given authority over demons and drove unclean spirits out of those who were possessed.  I wonder who had the most hair-raising story.  Each made their case.  They all heard Jesus’ teachings and parables.  I wonder which of the Twelve gleaned the most from their listening.  Each made their case.  They all knew Jesus would usher in a kingdom as the Messiah.  What positions of prominence awaited them?  Each argued that he was worthy of higher honors, and two had earlier been bold enough to flat out ask for the highest places.

     Two to three years of listening, learning, and watching Jesus did not purge the Twelve of their worldly mind set.  You and I have been disciples of Jesus for longer, and that mind set still clings to us, too.  The first sin in the Garden of Eden was all about grabbing greater glory, even to become like God.  Ever since, the goal of every person is to exalt himself—whether by wealth, honor, or reputation, or through deception, crime, or war.  Pride lives in every sinful heart, and it comes out through boasting and self-promotion.

     Since we are about self-promotion, we tend to dismiss or despise those from whom we gain nothing.  There are many who suffer, who are lonely, and who are crushed by difficult circumstances.  To care for them, we have to expend time, energy, and money.  Sometimes, we don’t see any improvements.  It is draining on us—emotionally, financially, mentally, and physically.  I have seen Facebook posts which encourage us to cut these people out of our lives because they are holding us back and keeping us down.  “You are meant for something better,” so they say.  “Cut them off; then you can soar.”

     God be praised that he does not think or act like that!  While the Twelve were invested in making a case for who among them was the greatest, Jesus quietly removed his cloak and wrapped a towel around his waist.  Then he grabbed a basin of water and began to wash his disciples’ feet.  This is lower than a president polishing shoes.  This is more akin to a king scrubbing toilets.  Jesus assumed the job of the lowest slave by tending to the smelly, dirty, sweaty feet of the people who called him master.  They reclined at the table while he was on his hands and knees to serve them.  Such hands of humility!  Jesus showed that no task was beneath him if it was for the good of his fellow man.

     Then Jesus gave his disciples this instruction: “If I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet.  For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you.  Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him.  If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them” (John 13:14-17).  Jesus calls us to be his disciples.  We are learners, catechumens.  We listen to Jesus’ words, observe his demeanor, and follow his way of life.  We are not above our master.  We are to become like him, with hands and minds and hearts of humility.

     But this is where we recognize our sinful hearts and worldly ways.  We know we should do this, but we struggle to perform humble service for our families and for our fellow church members.  Pride causes us to remember every slight, every snub, and every sin.  Selfishness and laziness cause us to ask, “Why should I put in the effort?  What’s in it for me?”  If this is the way we are toward our family members and church members, what hope does a stranger or an enemy have of seeing hands of humility in us?

     Jesus humbled himself to wash the feet of his disciples.  He ate with prostitutes and tax collectors—not to prove anything, but because he loved them.  Even though he was slandered by them, Jesus accepted invitations to feast with Pharisees and scribes.  Even though they were Gentile invaders, Roman soldiers were treated favorably by Jesus.  Jesus did not have disdain for bigshots like the synagogue ruler, Jairus; and Jesus did not make himself too important for the anonymous peasant-lady who sought relief from flow of blood by touching his garments.  Whether people flattered him or fought against him, whether they were devoted to him or denied him, Jesus demonstrated a total devotion to saving them all.  Such hands of humility!

     Jesus showed that nothing was beneath him when it came to seeking the eternal good of sinners.  It cost Jesus dearly to do this.  He gave up heavenly glory to become a peasant.  He gave up heavenly honor to be defamed and despised by wicked men.  He opened himself up to people who lied to him, betrayed him, mocked him, and discarded him when it became expedient to do so.  And still Jesus did not cut these people out of his life.  Yes, he rebuked them and called them to repent.  He warned of weeping and gnashing of teeth to any who would not believe in him.  He even wept over Jerusalem because they would not receive him.  But he did not withhold his love and mercy from any of them.

     Jesus showed that nothing was beneath him when it came to seeking the eternal good of sinners.  It was not beneath Jesus to be arrested, to endure false witnesses, to be subjected to baseless charges, and to be wrongly condemned.  It was not beneath Jesus to be punched, spit upon, and mocked.  It was not beneath Jesus to be scourged, stripped, and killed by crucifixion.  Jesus could have put an end to this mistreatment at any time, calling on twelve legions of angels if he wanted to.  He did not, and he would not.  The writer to the Hebrews states that “for the joy that was set before him (Jesus) endured the cross, despising the shame, (Hebrews 12:2).  Rather than appeal to his pride or to invoke his divine glory, Jesus actually viewed the shame of the cross with scorn.  He despised the idea that this was too low for him to go to pay for your sins.  So even the shameful death by crucifixion was not beneath him.  Rather, it was his joy to pay the price for all your sins so that you would be redeemed from death and hell, pardoned for all your offenses, and free to be the children of God.

     See how Jesus lowered himself for the benefit of you.  His hands of humility and washing of his disciples’ feet were not merely a show.  Jesus was ever dedicated to humbling himself to serve for the good of sinners.  He took on our flesh so that he would exalt our humanity.  He bore our guilt and its punishment so that we don’t have to.  He went into death so that he would overcome the power of death and set us free from it forever.

     Now, Jesus is exalted.  He is risen and has ascended into heaven.  You might get the impression that Jesus is free from having to deal with sinners, as if Jesus did his time on earth and never has to deal with sinners again.  But it is still not beneath him to bind himself to you.  Our Lord Jesus Christ, on the night he was betrayed, took bread and the cup.  He blessed them and gave them to his disciples with this promise and decree: “This is my body given for you.  This cup is the new testament in my blood, shed for you, for the forgiveness of sins.  Do this in remembrance of me.”  So, he comes to sinners to give his disciples his living body and blood.  We ingest the body and blood of Christ by which we are strengthened in the true faith, by which he keeps himself united to us, and by which we become more like him.

     He who has hands of humility desires hands of humility in us.  Jesus said, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another” (John 13:35).  What Jesus commands of us, he works in us.  He has shown us that love is not dependent upon the worthiness of the one who is loved.  Rather, love flows from the lover because it is good, because it is beneficial, and because it is needed.  Jesus teaches us to practice what he preached and practiced.  It is this love that moved Jesus to come to us, to become the lowest slave, to bear our sins, to suffer and die for us, and to be our Savior.  He loved not only those who loved him, but even those who despised him.  This, because God IS love.

     Now you are God’s people.  You are Jesus’ disciples.  You no longer belong to the devil who has no love for anyone.  You no longer belong to the world which reviles those who believe God’s word and live according to it.  You and I belong to Christ.  He is our Teacher and our Lord.  We will never be greater than him; but it is our longing to be like him because we are his.  And that is enough.

     Jesus teaches us that true glory comes through humble service that seeks the good of others.  To this, he calls you.  For this, he came to you.  By this, he has saved you.

In the name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen.