Christianity Today Article highlighting Footwashing (and Eastminster)

Christianity Today article on Footwashing

Maundy Thursday Thoughts

 

Maundy Thursday Eastminster 3/28/24- Sanctuary
Ex.  12:21-27;  John 13:1-17, 31b-35  Rev. Dr. Ben Sloan

The word “Maundy” in Maundy Thursday has some mystery to it.  We are not absolutely sure what it means.  I can remember one of my kids a long time ago asking, "Daddy are we going to church on Monday Thursday?"  Some speak of Maundy money- as a way to give alms or gifts to the poor;  Some say it has to do with anointing with oil.  Some say it has to do with washing the feet.  But most think the word comes from the French Mande- and the Latin Mandatum- meaning the mandate or command to love one another.
Tertullian recorded the washing of feet in the 2^nd century;  But Maundy Thursday services go back to at least 1250 AD- about 800 years ago.  Of course on this day, Jesus celebrated the Passover- the Last Supper- with his disciples.  He washed their feet.  They went out to the Garden where Jesus prayed so hard he dripped blood as He said, “Not my will but yours be done.”  He was betrayed by a kiss and arrested and taken to Caiaphas’s house.
      [Read Scripture]

A sacrament is a visible sign of God’s invisible grace.  It is something that you can see that reminds you of something bigger that you cannot see.  Much like this ring on my finger is a visible sign of my invisible relationship and love for my wife.  Everytime I look at this ring, I think of my promises and my covenant of love with her. 
The Roman Catholics thus had seven sacraments:  1) Baptism, 2) Eucharist (or Lord’s Supper), 3) Confirmation, 4) Penance/Reconciliation, 5) Anointing of the sick/Last rites, 6) Marriage, 7) Ordination  These are all means of grace- that is tools to enhance the Christian life and help us to grow.  But some of them are not for everyone- marriage is not for everyone- Jesus did not get married.  Ordination is not for everyone.  Luther said there were only two of these that were biblical.  There were only two of these that all people were commanded to do- 1) Baptism- Jesus said go and baptize;  and 2) Communion/Lord’s Supper- where He said, “Do this in remembrance of me.”  Baptism has an Old Testament equivalent in circumcision.  Both are initiation rites of cleansing.  Communion has an Old Testament equivalent in the Passover.  Both of these were to be done remember salvific acts- the exodus’ salvation from slavery and the Lord’s deliverance from our sins on the cross. 
      But I want to say using Luther’s standard, there is a third sacrament.  It is not found in the Old Testament as a sacrament- but it is a new commandment an ordinance.  This new commandment is not as clear.  But Jesus says it clearly, “A new commandment I give you that you love one another.  As I have loved you- so also you should love one another.  By this shall all the world know that you are my disciples- by your love for one another.”  Love is the new commandment- the new sacrament.  What is the visible sign of this sacrament.  Here he says, “You call me Master and Lord for that is what I am.  Now that I your master and Lord have washed your feet, so you should also wash one another’s feet.”  The visible sign of the new commandment- the new sacrament is foot-washing.  But it is not just washing feet, that would be too simple and constrictive.  His emphasis was on the Master doing the work of a servant.  In other words- visible service is a sacrament of God.  The standards of Luther and Calvin are met here- it is biblical- and it is commanded to all the followers of Christ- love one another by washing one another’s feet.  Or to translate it once again- love one another by visibly serving one another.  
       In the Reformed faith- Zwingli said that baptism and communion were just ordinances.  Just commandments- nothing special happens with them.  But the word “sacrament” means mystery.  It is in experiencing these visible ordinances that we experience the invisible presence and grace of Christ.  Calvin emphasized that when we are baptized and take the supper the Holy Spirit was especially tied or present in these things.  Sacraments are more than just something we’re supposed to do.  We have experienced God working through them.  So many people talk about their baptism or their baby’s baptism as a way that God really drew them to Himself.  It is a milemarker for them- a memory place holder- kind of like an event monument that helps them to remember.  Similarly the Lord’s Supper is a moving experience in which we remember Jesus giving Himself for us on the cross.  But service to others (especially when God gets the glory) is also a placeholder for when God drew close to us.  A sacrament is special- and I would say that service out of love for Christ is a sacrament. 
     So I want to say that when we serve other people in Christ’s name- His love, His Holy Spirit is especially present.  When you feed the hungry- it is a heart warming experience.  When you read a book to a child (like at Bradley) who has no one else to read to him or her- it is a heart warming experience- not just something good to do- but a spiritual experience.  When you do Salkahatchie or Habitat or Homeworks- and you know by hammering nails or patching holes you are helping someone else- it is not just a good thing= but a spiritual thing. 
       The Mennonites are often talking about a third way.  The Mennonites are known for their service- coming in when there is a disaster to help rebuild.  The third way- as Walter Wink speaks of it is that when someone slaps you on one cheek- you don’t 1) slap them back, or 2) run away, but 3) turn the other cheek.  When someone asks you to carry their load one mile- you don’t 1) throw their load in their face, or 2) begrudgingly carry it one mile but you 3) carry the load an extra mile.  The third way is not just rebelling against injustice as some would put it, but it is the way of love- the way of service.  It is not the way of comfort or pride or consumerism.  But it is the way of humility, gentleness.  Faith alone brings us into relationship with God, but James says this, “What good is it if you have faith but no deeds?  Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food . If one of you says to him, “Go I wish you well, keep warm and well fed, but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it?”  You could say that once you have experience the love of God by faith, you can’t help but want to get outside of yourself and serve others. 
      We are familiar with St. Francis prayer- “Lord make me an instrument of your peace- where there is hatred let me sow love, where there is injury pardon…”  But the story of St. Francis has to do with his encountering Jesus through service- I think this third sacrament.  As a young strong, handsome man, Francis of Assisi hated and was scared of lepers.  There were two leper hospitals near Assisi.  One day a leper asked him for alms.  Francis passed by him thinking he was too good to help him. But then he felt God was telling him to turn around and help the leper.  He turned his horse around, went up to the leper, game him money and then he kissed him on his wound.  Then Francis got back on his horse.  He turned back around to say goodbye and the leper had vanished.  Francis believed that the leper was Jesus in disguise.  It was a holy, changing moment for him- and really the order of the Franciscans began with this act of service or love.  It wasn’t washing feet, but kissing a leper is similar in sentiment.  Washing the feet of the homeless at Central Christ church on Tuesdays, feeding the hungry at Washington Street Soup Kitchen, or Transitions, or Habitat build, or volunteering at Cooperative Ministries are all ways of washing feet, of this third way- the third sacrament of service.  Jesus said, “When you have done it to the least of these you have done it to me.”  The Bible says, “When you welcome strangers, you may welcome angels unawares.” 
     We have a new mandate- that makes this Holy Thursday “Maundy Thursday.”  It is to show love in service to others.  Amen. 

 

 

 

JOHN 13:1It was just before the Passover Festival. Jesus knew that the hour had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.

2The evening meal was in progress, and the devil had already prompted Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus. 3Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; 4so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. 5After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.

6He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?”

7Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.”

8“No,” said Peter, “you shall never wash my feet.”

Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.”

9“Then, Lord,” Simon Peter replied, “not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!”

10Jesus answered, “Those who have had a bath need only to wash their feet; their whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you.” 11For he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said not every one was clean.

12When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. “Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them. 13“You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. 14Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. 15I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. 16Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. 17Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.

Psalm 30- Joy comes in the Morning

 A Psalm. A song for the dedication of the temple. Of David.

1I will exalt You, O LORD,

for You have lifted me up

and have not allowed my foes

to rejoice over me.

2O LORD my God, I cried to You for help,

and You healed me.

3O LORD, You pulled me up from Sheol;

You spared me from descending into the Pit.

4Sing to the LORD, O you His saints,

and praise His holy name.

5For His anger is fleeting,

but His favor lasts a lifetime.

Weeping may stay the night,

but joy comes in the morning.

6In prosperity I said,

“I will never be shaken.”

7O LORD, You favored me;

You made my mountain stand strong.

When You hid Your face,

I was dismayed.

8To You, O LORD, I called,

and I begged my Lord for mercy:

9“What gain is there in my bloodshed,

in my descent to the Pit?

Will the dust praise You?

Will it proclaim Your faithfulness?

10Hear me, O LORD, and have mercy;

O LORD, be my helper.”

11You turned my mourning into dancing;

You peeled off my sackcloth and clothed me with joy,

12that my heart may sing Your praises and not be silent.

O LORD my God, I will give thanks forever.

THOUGHTS: This Psalm is a call for perspective.  Hard times will come.  Weeping may remain for the night.  There is mourning in life.  But joy and dancing comes in the morning.  God is able to turn things around.  For Christians, this is always our perspective.  We know who will win in the end, and we know He loves us with an everlasting love.  No one can thwart God's plans.  Even after the cross there comes the resurrection.  If this Psalm was used for the dedication of the Temple- a time of great celebration and joy- then it is a reminder that we can pray to the Lord in our darkest valleys and He will hear us.  In good times, we can remember God saved us from the bad ones.  He is the lifter of our heads and our hearts.  

Prayer: Lord, thank you that with you there is victory over bad times.  In every cross there is the halo of the resurrection.  

Sermon: Nothing is So Strong as Gentleness

 “Nothing is So Strong as Gentleness” Eph. 4:1-6 (unison); Prov. 15:1; Phil. 4:5

Preached by Rev. Dr. J. Ben Sloan at Eastminster Presbyterian 3/11/2024

The fruits of the Spirit: Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control- all compliment and support one another beautifully.  Today we will look at the fruit of gentleness. 
Prov. 15:1- “A gentle answer turns away wrath- but a harsh word stirs up anger.”
Phil. 4:5 “let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.” 
Eph. 4- “Be completely humble and gentle; be patient bearing with one another in love.  Make every effort to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace- one Lord, one faith, one baptism…

In 1991 I went to the brand new Walmart to buy diapers in Asheville NC.  When I arrived I saw an old beat up pickup with an old guy in overalls leaving and a few Walmart employees waving goodbye.  Turns out it was Sam Walton, the richest guy in America at the time and founder of Walmart. He liked to visit his stores incognito.  His vision was to help people save money so they could live better.  He and his wife were elders at First Presbyterian, Bentonville AK where he taught high school SS. earlier that year they had left the equivalent of 12 million to the PCUSA Foundation to start new churches.  In another year he would die of leukemia.  He was smart, creative, and a meek humble guy.  

Our fruit of the Spirit today is gentleness. Sometimes translated meekness.  Jesus was God but he was described and even described himself as gentle and lowly in heart.  You don’t have to be weak to be meek. God in Jesus was not weak. In fact, I would argue it takes Great Strength to turn the other cheek, to love your neighbor as yourself- even when they are not lovable, or love your enemies, deny self, bear a cross while living, or die a sacrificial death on the cross.

Matthew 5:5 says, “God blesses those who are gentle- the whole earth will belong to them.  The KJV says, “Blessed are the meek for they will inherit the earth.”
1)  We often don’t understand the Christian concept of meekness, gentleness or humility.  In fact the word “humility” was not even in the ancient Greek- it is a new Christian standard that other religions and people had not heard of.  But you cannot understand the person of Jesus or even the idea of the incarnation of God if you cannot grasp that humility is not antithetical to power.  Almighty God can accommodate to our level by stooping gently down.  Some have rightly said gentleness is strength under control- like bridled power.  A horse that is able to be ridden is still as strong as it was before it was a wild kicking bronco- but its strength is now under control.  The opposite of this is being egotistical, self-aggrandizing, or even bullying.  The story of Beauty and the Beast is one of my favorites.  A Prince is turned into a beast because he is harsh and not gentle toward a stranger.  He can only be softened by love.  It seems impossible that gentle love could be found toward a harsh beast before the pedals of life run out.  But the beauty of gentle love tames the beast and he softens and turns into a prince again.  It was not the raging beast, but the gentle beauty who had the power.  We each have our pedals dropping.  Life is to precious to not live it with gentleness. 
2) OUR WORLD needs Gentleness today.  We live in a bullying age.  One in five students say they have been bullied at school, 30% of report they have been bullied at work.  60% of kids and 40% of adults report they have been cyberbullied on social media.  In this political mud slinging year- we might do well to remember Christ’s call to us to be gentle through scripture.  Remember King Rehoboam.  He inherited a unified, wealthy kingdom under Solomon. The people went to Rehoboam and asked for some tax and work relief.  The older advisers said if Rehoboam would 1) Serve them and 2) Answer them gently- they would follow him.  The younger advisers said he needed to show them who is boss.  He returned and said, “My father used whips to keep you in line- I will use scorpions.”  The kingdom split then and never came back together.    Proverbs says a “Gentle answer turns away wrath.”  Washington, Lincoln, MLK Jr, Ghandi, Mandella, Moses were great leaders who were gentle yet strong.  Moses was said to be the most humble man alive at that time.Of course we could add Jesus to that list too.  Jesus said he is gentle and lowly in heart.  We see that in how he gently healed people who were hurting, and how terribly patient he was with his disciples.  Jesus said the gentle or meek shall inherit the earth.  Certainly He did.  Today He is the most popular figure in all the world.  He is the only religious figure who has adherents in every country in the world today.  Gentle Jesus.  The One who didn’t bring an army into Jerusalem, but rode on a humble donkey. Jesus said, “Foxes have holes, birds of the air have nests but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head. Yet.  He inherited the earth!  The root of gentleness- as all the fruits of the Spirit is found in God Himself.  

3) This, by the way would apply well to our HOMES.  Colossians 3:19- says “Husbands, love your wives and be gentle with them.”  1 Peter 3:4 says to the women that an unfading beauty is found in a gentle spirit.  Do you remember the story of Boaz and Ruth?  Boaz was a wealthy businessman, Ruth was a foreigner and had nothing, but she had a great humble heart caring for her widowed mother-in-law.  Boaz saw her on his land- he could have told her to get off.  Instead he gently allowed her and encouraged her to stay.  Ruth told him, “You have made me feel better by speaking gently with me.”  Guys- we can learn from that!  One pastor [Rick Warren] said, “If Boaz had been ruthless, he would have been Ruth-less.”  Of course, Boaz and Ruth are the great grandparents of King David and ancestors of Jesus.  So without his gentleness there would be no King David.  The Bible also encourages us to be gentle discipliners of our children and to not be overly harsh with them (Eph. 6:4).  A gentle answer to our spouse and to our children and to our parents goes a long way.   
4) OUR NEIGHBORS & CHURCH NEED IT- An old saying goes “love your neighbor as yourself-sometimes use words.”  Eph 6:4- be comepletely humble & gentle. EPC is that way. In our First Steps Class the new comers talk about how welcoming and gracious the church is.   I am grateful for Eastminster’s concrete way of helping others motivated by our love for God who calls us to love neighbor.  What we did on March Out missions day was amazing.  Our Habitat work is a way to love a stranger in Jesus’ name.  One of my favorite Habitat workers was a guy named Don Mabe in Georgetown.  He was the former CEO for Perdue Chicken.  He lived in Debordieu, had a plantation in Maryland, two beach houses.  But every time the church built a Habitat House he was both a major donor and a guy who came out and worked on the house.  Millard Fuller, who founded Habitat,  was a millionaire.  He had 2,000 acres of land, horses, cows, speed boats, luxury cars.  But he didn’t get to see his wife at all.  She left him and went to New York.  He flew there and said, “I have failed in my relationship with God and my relationship with you.  Let’s give it all up and start over.  She agreed.  They became missionaries to Zaire (now the Democratic Republic of Congo) for three years. People thought they were crazy.  They came back and started Habitat for Humanity in 1976- with the idea that a home helps families.  So the homeowner doesn’t have to pay a downpayment, and they pay 0% interest on the building materials and their money goes to fund the next home.  Each homeowner gets a Bible along with their keys.  Almost a million homes in 92 countries have been built with these concepts.  But it started with a meek and gentle swallowing of ego- a giving up of all they had to save their marriage and to save others from homelessness in Christ’s name. 
5) THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT IS GENTLENESS-  Rather let the Spirit of Gentleness flow through you.  Embrace gentleness. Do not quench the Spirit of gentleness with your pride or ego.  Do not grieve the Spirit by turning away from His prompting to be gentle.  Rather, be filled with the Spirit of gentleness in your heart.  Open your heart to Him.  This stained glass says, “Come to me.”  That is the main point.  But the full verses says, Come to me  all you who are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest for your souls.    Take my yoke upon you and learn from me for I am gentle and humble in heart and you will find rest for your souls.”  (Mt. 11:28-29)  Do you want more gentleness?  The God of the Universe has this controlled, gentle power and He can give you just a taste of it and transform your life.   I like what Rick Warren said about applying gentleness:  when someone is helping you at a restaurant this week- seek to be Christ to them- by being understanding not demanding.  When someone disagrees with you this week be tender without surrender.  You can listen to those who disagree with you without stomping on them or stomping out of the room.  When someone disappoints you this week be gentle not judgmental.           
     I want to close with another concrete example of gentleness.  Billy Graham’s last remaining sibling died this past week- Jean Graham Ford.  She married Leighton Ford, who also was an evangelist.   She was a steady, peaceful, example of unity in the church to that family.  She was a member of Myer’s Park Presbyterian in Charlotte.    Not too many people knew about her.  She had polio and unlike her brother, could not speak loudly.  She suffered physically her entire life, but she led a gentle faith-filled life impacting her brother, her husband, and those around her.  Someone in her family said she was a peacemaker, and a gentle, faithful person who loved reaching others for Jesus.  The Bible says, “Let your gentleness be evident to all.”  What I am saying is that it is possible to see gentleness in others.  Look for it, and seek to be filled with the gentleness of God.  Amen. 

 

[Some of this was taken (not verbatim) from a sermon from Rick Warren 5/27/2014]