Sermon: March 28, 2024 Maundy Thursday
Reading: John 13:1-17, 31b-35
After Jesus washes the feet of every disciple, he says to them, “So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have set you an example, that you also should do as I have done to you. Very truly, I tell you, servants are not greater than their master, nor are messengers greater than the one who sent them. If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them.”
Jesus was trying to show them that as members of the Body of Christ, one member is not above another, no one member is better than another or is more important than another, no matter if you are a ditch digger or a doctor, born with a silver spoon or born in a stable, we are all equal in the body of Christ.
Jesus never said to show agape to someone only if they are the right nationality or only if they are Americans, or if they have the right skin color, the correct sexual orientation, or belong to the right political party. It is not for us to set one group above another and determine who is more deserving of housing, food, love, mercy, and compassion. What Jesus does say is to “love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another.” Jesus also tells us that whatever “you do to the least of these who are my sisters and brothers, you do to me.” When we act as a conduit for God’s love, we share in the ministry of Jesus Christ of answering humanity’s mournful prayer: “Hosanna to the Son of David, save us, O lord our Messiah.”
If our Savior Jesus Christ is humble enough to take the form of a human and serve humanity as a lowly servant, how can we not do likewise? How can we not lovingly and humbly serve our fellow human beings? Jesus humbly loves the disciples even while knowing that in a few hours, they will betray him, deny him, and abandon him. Something that we admit to doing on a daily basis in our confession of sin. We betray, abandon, and deny Jesus in thought, word, and deed by things we have done and things we have left undone. And yet Christ still humbly kneels before us, forgiving us and washing the grit and grime, the dirt and crud of this world from us, answering our prayerful cry of “Hosanna to the Son of David; Save us O Lord our Messiah.”
Today, the Son of God kneels before you and all humanity, humbly demonstrating agape the sacrificial love that God has for all creation. We, too, are to approach agape in the same way, with humility and grace, loving all people with the same love that God has for us.
On this Maundy Thursday, Jesus says to us, “I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another.” As our lord and Savior continues his journey to the cross, answering our prayer, how can we not follow his new commandment and embody agape, humbly loving others as Christ loves us?
