Maundy Thursday – April 5, 2007
John 13:1-17, 31b-35
When I was a young girl and hit
that age where parents had to start talking to their kids about healthy
“dos” and “don’ts” of life, my dad was a smoker. He tried not to
smoke around me and my little sister. He never smoked in the
house. But we knew.
So, when Mom and Dad had the “no smoking” talk with me, my first response was, “But, Dad smokes.” I think my dad’s quick reply was, “Do as I say, not as I do.”
“Do as I say, not as I do.” His comment was enough to help me choose not to smoke, but not enough to keep me from using my same logic when another issue I wanted to get out of came up. You see, I hated going to Sunday School. My sister and I went to church with my mom and then we were expected to go to Sunday School after church while Mom went grocery shopping or out to coffee or home.
One day, I must have really thrown a fit about Sunday School to the point where my mom had to get really strict with me, telling me that I had to go. Maybe you can already anticipate my reply. “But, you don’t go, Mom.” She went a different route than my dad did with the smoking issue. Instead of giving me a “Do as I say, not as I do”, she decided to begin her Sunday morning adult education regiment that day. Not having a leg to stand on anymore, I diligently went to Sunday School from then on out.
“Do as I say, not as I do” is a human expression to cover up some of our downfalls. Our integrity isn’t perfect, so every single one of us has days where our actions just don’t match up with our words. Once in a while, we get caught being hypocritical as we say one thing, but do another. And we get by – just like my dad with the smoking issue.
Words are powerful, especially when they come from someone we love and respect. But words together with action – words affirmed with an example – are powerful and unforgettable. Jesus was aware of this as he ate his last supper with his disciples. He knew he was going away and wanted to leave them with a life map they could use to get through the days ahead without his presence, teaching and first-hand guidance.
Words alone could have sufficed for Jesus to tell what he expected of his disciples. “Serve one another. Love one another,” he could have simply said. And it would have been powerful because of who he was and the relationship he had with his disciples. But, he went into this Passover meal, his last supper, knowing he could do more. He knew the impact adding action to his words would have. “Do as I say, and do as I do,” he told his disciples.
Jesus’ actions sent him to the floor. They put him in the position of a slave as he tied a towel around himself and washed the feet of his followers. They created a powerful experience for his disciples. And because it was so far outside the bounds of what any Teacher or Lord would do, it was also unforgettable. What Jesus did and what he said during that last supper created a life map – a way of life – for his disciples. Not just his disciples there with him that night, but the disciples from all times and places. Disciples who are in this room tonight.
Jesus is heading towards Good Friday. That day is about what God did for us through Christ. No one else could have done what Jesus did for us on the cross. That suffering, that salvation securing death, was Jesus’ task – alone. It is Maundy Thursday that guides us in our tasks. It is this night that Jesus puts before us our life’s work. “Do as I say, and do as I do.”
Jesus, in words and action, calls us to serve one another – to put another person above ourselves. To many of us, this doesn’t sound so hard or like anything new. Parents, you might say that you serve your kids every day. Kids, you might say the same thing about your parents. The fact is, there is a lot of service going on in our lives – within our families, at our places of work and in our congregation. This kind of service is full of a lot of give, but a lot of take as well.
I wonder, though, if Jesus isn’t pushing us a little further. The Gospel tells us that Jesus washed the feet of his disciples. Period. No one washed his feet in return. This was not a deal made - “Peter, I’ll wash your feet and then you wash mine."
For Jesus, this was an all give and no take experience. As his disciples, we are called into this kind of service as well, but it is much more difficult. It’s difficult to serve people who can’t give back or who we feel take what we give for granted. It’s hard to be in situations where we feel like it’s all give and no take. Yet, that is what Jesus modeled for us at the last supper. That is the kind of service to which we are called.
We’re also called to love. “Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another”, Jesus said. His greatest show of love was still to come on the cross, but in the course of his ministry, Jesus gave countless examples of loving people for his disciples to follow. Maybe the most interesting aspect of this command that Jesus gives us is the purpose behind it. “By this – by showing love for one another – everyone will know that you are my disciples,” Jesus said.
We’re called to love not just because it’s a nice thing to do. We’re called to love as a witness to Christ. Our loving actions are the best way to paint a picture of Christ in this world.
St. Francis of Assisi is attributed with saying, “Preach the Gospel. And if necessary, use words.” Maybe you’ve also heard the popular saying, “Actions speak louder than words.” Words are powerful. But words together with action are powerful and unforgettable.
Jesus knew that, and tonight we have received a shining example of how we are to live as his disciples in the world. May his Word sit powerfully in you tonight and in the days to come. May the action of service towards another he took at the last supper and his countless examples of love inspire you towards the same. Amen.
So, when Mom and Dad had the “no smoking” talk with me, my first response was, “But, Dad smokes.” I think my dad’s quick reply was, “Do as I say, not as I do.”
“Do as I say, not as I do.” His comment was enough to help me choose not to smoke, but not enough to keep me from using my same logic when another issue I wanted to get out of came up. You see, I hated going to Sunday School. My sister and I went to church with my mom and then we were expected to go to Sunday School after church while Mom went grocery shopping or out to coffee or home.
One day, I must have really thrown a fit about Sunday School to the point where my mom had to get really strict with me, telling me that I had to go. Maybe you can already anticipate my reply. “But, you don’t go, Mom.” She went a different route than my dad did with the smoking issue. Instead of giving me a “Do as I say, not as I do”, she decided to begin her Sunday morning adult education regiment that day. Not having a leg to stand on anymore, I diligently went to Sunday School from then on out.
“Do as I say, not as I do” is a human expression to cover up some of our downfalls. Our integrity isn’t perfect, so every single one of us has days where our actions just don’t match up with our words. Once in a while, we get caught being hypocritical as we say one thing, but do another. And we get by – just like my dad with the smoking issue.
Words are powerful, especially when they come from someone we love and respect. But words together with action – words affirmed with an example – are powerful and unforgettable. Jesus was aware of this as he ate his last supper with his disciples. He knew he was going away and wanted to leave them with a life map they could use to get through the days ahead without his presence, teaching and first-hand guidance.
Words alone could have sufficed for Jesus to tell what he expected of his disciples. “Serve one another. Love one another,” he could have simply said. And it would have been powerful because of who he was and the relationship he had with his disciples. But, he went into this Passover meal, his last supper, knowing he could do more. He knew the impact adding action to his words would have. “Do as I say, and do as I do,” he told his disciples.
Jesus’ actions sent him to the floor. They put him in the position of a slave as he tied a towel around himself and washed the feet of his followers. They created a powerful experience for his disciples. And because it was so far outside the bounds of what any Teacher or Lord would do, it was also unforgettable. What Jesus did and what he said during that last supper created a life map – a way of life – for his disciples. Not just his disciples there with him that night, but the disciples from all times and places. Disciples who are in this room tonight.
Jesus is heading towards Good Friday. That day is about what God did for us through Christ. No one else could have done what Jesus did for us on the cross. That suffering, that salvation securing death, was Jesus’ task – alone. It is Maundy Thursday that guides us in our tasks. It is this night that Jesus puts before us our life’s work. “Do as I say, and do as I do.”
Jesus, in words and action, calls us to serve one another – to put another person above ourselves. To many of us, this doesn’t sound so hard or like anything new. Parents, you might say that you serve your kids every day. Kids, you might say the same thing about your parents. The fact is, there is a lot of service going on in our lives – within our families, at our places of work and in our congregation. This kind of service is full of a lot of give, but a lot of take as well.
I wonder, though, if Jesus isn’t pushing us a little further. The Gospel tells us that Jesus washed the feet of his disciples. Period. No one washed his feet in return. This was not a deal made - “Peter, I’ll wash your feet and then you wash mine."
For Jesus, this was an all give and no take experience. As his disciples, we are called into this kind of service as well, but it is much more difficult. It’s difficult to serve people who can’t give back or who we feel take what we give for granted. It’s hard to be in situations where we feel like it’s all give and no take. Yet, that is what Jesus modeled for us at the last supper. That is the kind of service to which we are called.
We’re also called to love. “Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another”, Jesus said. His greatest show of love was still to come on the cross, but in the course of his ministry, Jesus gave countless examples of loving people for his disciples to follow. Maybe the most interesting aspect of this command that Jesus gives us is the purpose behind it. “By this – by showing love for one another – everyone will know that you are my disciples,” Jesus said.
We’re called to love not just because it’s a nice thing to do. We’re called to love as a witness to Christ. Our loving actions are the best way to paint a picture of Christ in this world.
St. Francis of Assisi is attributed with saying, “Preach the Gospel. And if necessary, use words.” Maybe you’ve also heard the popular saying, “Actions speak louder than words.” Words are powerful. But words together with action are powerful and unforgettable.
Jesus knew that, and tonight we have received a shining example of how we are to live as his disciples in the world. May his Word sit powerfully in you tonight and in the days to come. May the action of service towards another he took at the last supper and his countless examples of love inspire you towards the same. Amen.