This evening at Central we did foot washing during out Maundy (Holy) Thursday service. I preached a little sermon about the weirdness of footwashing, so I'll share a few thoughts from that.
Jesus washed the disciples' feet in John 13, though at least one (Peter) was intially unwilling. Maybe Peter thought it was yucky, weird and demeaning that one such as Jesus should was his feet.
Maybe we think of feet as pretty yucky too. And private, intimate. We'd generally rather not get our feet wet. Literally or figuratively.
But Jesus says unless he (Jesus) washes Peter's feet, Peter will have no part with him. Put another way, Peter must recieve the grace of Christ to be in the full community, the full relationship. It's hard to be in relationship with someone who won't let you in.
When we get our feet wet (literally, figuratively), we allow the grace of God, the goodness and forgiveness of God to wash over us, restoring us to relationship with God. When we get our feet wet, figuratively, by getting involved in the world and its suffering, we build authentic community, gathered, nourished and sent out by the Spirit.
This is our life's purpose, to be washed and wash others! Why would we miss out on the life, the big wild life with Christ!
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