My last microsermon at Selwyn?

[emperor]

On Tuesday, I gave another microsermon (three minutes or less / around 300 words); I doubt I'll do that again in Selwyn for a very long time, and possibly no-where ever again...

The readings were Ezekiel 33: 1-20 and John 13: 12-20. I found this harder to write than some of my previous efforts, but it seems to have been well-received. Joe (the chaplain) particularly liked it. Below the cut is the text I wrote, which will have been roughly what I said...

"Do you know what I have done to you?" This evening's New Testament reading follows on from one of the better-known episodes from the Gospels: Christ washing the disciples' feet at the Last Supper. Simon Peter's reaction illustrates how shocking the idea of Jesus washing their feet must have been for the disciples. Nonetheless, Jesus commands them to submit to this, before he will explain why he has done so: "Unless I wash you, you have no share with me".

It's easy to overlook quite how menial (not to say unpleasant) washing the disciples' feet probably was. Their feet will have been sweaty, and probably filthy from a day walking around outside. Foot-washing was a job left to the lowest of the servants. And yet, Christ gets up to do this in the middle of dinner. I suspect that few of us would like to get that close to someone elses' feet while eating! Bear in mind, also, that Judas has decided to betray Jesus by this point, and that Jesus knows that. Imagine what that must have been like - both for Jesus, to wash the feet of a man who he knows has decided to betray him to a painful death, and for Judas.

With that in mind, Jesus' teaching of humility, that we should "wash one another's feet" becomes even stronger. It is not just that we should seek to serve one another, selflessly, without seeking reward, but that we should treat everyone that way, not just our friends, and even those who may intend us harm. A community of Christians behaving in this way would be truly exemplary in our age of self-seeking, selfish, self-advancement. If Christ, very God made man, freely stoops to wash the feet of Judas his betrayer, how can we remain aloof from the problems of our fellow men?

There's another point to be made, briefly, about the foot-washing, however. Jesus' remark to Simon Peter tells us that it was not just about cleaning their feet, but that there was a spiritual dimension to his actions, too. That tells us that we should look to each others' spiritual needs, as well as giving more mundane help. Christ washes Simon Peter's feet so that he may share with Christ; his command to us is to nuture each other as we try and follow his teachings and example. Furthermore, we should be open to such support from each other - Christ's message is not one of self-sanctification, but that we should strive together to build the Kingdom of God on Earth.