You will be blessed if you do them!
“You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. 1Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them. (John 13)
On Saturday night we celebrated Jesus’ Last Supper at the Table Church. We began with a simple meal and moved into a worship experience that included songs, reading and teaching. The night was divided into four parts in remembrance of Jesus’ last night. We enjoyed food and fellowship, washed feet, received communion and prayed for one another.
It was a very special experience I was honored to have a young man wash my feet. We have traveled together for almost two decades. He has had some painful experiences and wonderful events in his life. We had the privilege and the pain to face these things together as friends. This was his first feet washing service. What a joy it has been to see how far God has taken this man and share the basin and the towel with him.
Next it was my turn to wash feet. Again it was a privilege to wash the feet of a man I have known for about the same amount of time. He, too, sewed some wild oats before receiving Christ into his life. He and his family have been instrumental in starting the Table Community Church. He is one of those people who is loved by everyone. He is like Nathaniel, of whom Jesus said, “Now here is a genuine son of Israel–a man of complete integrity.” It was his first feet washing service, too. He told me that he would never forget the first person who washed his feet. I was humbled.
I can remember the first man that washed my feet in 1978. His name is Paul Buckwalter. He is in a retirement village now. Back then, he was a deacon and pillar of the church. He was like a father to me. I can honestly say that I have been a pastor in the Brethren in Christ Church for 32 years now because of this gentle man’s life of integrity and powerful witness. I looked at Paul and said, “If that is what it means to be Brethren in Christ, then I want to be Brethren in Christ. Sign me up.
Feet washing is an amazing experience. It sounds so weird to people in the 21st century. It is not a part of our cultue, but there is something mystical about the experience. It takes humility to wash someone’s feet and it takes even more humility to let someone wash yours. We talk about connection at our church. Certainly feet washing is one of those experiences that create a deeper connection with one another.
Write back and tell about any good experiences you may have had on Saturday night’s service or feet washing memories from the past.
- Pastor Dan Houck
