August 13 2006 Lectionary Reading

Reading: “ Jesus asked the disciples: Do you understand what I have just done for you ?” John 13.12 (NIV)

A few weeks back, I had dinner in Cranbury, a beautiful little old town in New Jersey. It was one just like those you see in films – with open, green, wooded countryside round about, the main street lined with white, wooden houses. The older houses with their green shutters and porches where people sit in the summer. The whole town is built old-style like this, the post office, the restaurants, and the Church. The town is famous for its unspoilt quietness, and the houses, shops and the Church that speak of centuries gone by. For me, part of the fascination of Cranbury is that nearly three hundred years ago, a man called David Brainerd was minister here, very briefly. And David Brainerd, was one of the leading inspirations for the very early days of missions. He was a man imbued and inspired by Jesus Christ, and in turn this man’s labours, alone, in the 1740s inspired many to follow in his footsteps, taking the gospel to those who had never heard.

Born in 1718, near Albany in New Jersey, David Brainerd started at the age of 22 as a young minister in the presbyterian church. At the age of 25, he felt an intense call to work among the native Americans, still living in the great forests only a few miles to the west. David Brainerd wanted to use their language, and live in the same way they did. He began at a place called Kaunaumeek, where a group of native Americans lived. He lived in the forest, eating boiled corn, and corn-bread baked in ashes, sleeping in a rough shelter on some straw.

He walked each day through the forest to visit the Indians, and learned to speak in their language. Together they translated Psalms and hymns, and started a school.

After a few months, it is recorded, David Brainerd noticed that the native American men and women were listening intently, taking in all that he was saying about Jesus. When David Brainerd died four years later, he left behind him a little native American church, and a diary. And from this we know something of his life, his short life, as a servant of the living God, a life of selfless service. ……a servant of the living God, a life of selfless service

That is our theme for this morning,

and both passages we read from the Bible, from John’s gospel and from the letter to the Philippians speak to us of Christian life, as a servant life, of service to others.

First, the gospel of John,

In John 13 tells us that Jesus and the disciples were gathered in the Upper Room in Jerusalem.

And that Jesus knew he was about to leave the disciples.

The years lived as a human being, in healing, and teaching, …….a perfect life in communion with the living God are drawing to a close. Years uniquely significant for human life and human history. We are told in verse three, that Jesus knew that all things were under His power, in the great unfolding times and seasons, hours and moments of all that God was doing, we are told in verse three, that Jesus knew that all things were under His power, nearing fullness and completion.

The gospel tells us that Jesus knew He was now returning to the Father.

So these moments with the disciples in the Upper Room, this little band of believers, as William Temple pointed out,

the only ones in the whole world.

are moments of great intensity.

and deeply significant.

What happens in these moments ?

In these moments,

Jesus reveals something of who He is, and shows

what life is like following Him

Here through what Jesus does, we see, in great, shining intensity,

the great pattern, the deep ground of life in Christ,

the great pattern, the deep ground of Christian life.

Where and when do we see this ?

We see this when Jesus takes a towel, and a basin of water and washes the feet of the disciples.

By the year 400, in the Early Church, foot washing had become part of the annual Easter celebrations, though there was some controversy about what it meant.

Some thought it was a bit like baptism, purifying, cleansing those whose feet were washed.

By the middle ages, foot washing in the Church had become an elaborate ceremony with silver basins, where 10 or so specially selected poor people had their feet washed by the bishop.

But what does John’s gospel show ?

In John’s gospel, in the words of Jesus, we see, we hear, that this is the way we are to live. In taking upon Himself the lowliest task, the work left always for the lowest servant in the house, Jesus puts before us the pattern of Christian life, the pattern of life for the Church.

For Jesus, John records for us, knew that He had complete power, for the Father had given that power to Him – but this is what He chooses – to wash the feet of the disciples in lowliness.

The One who is Lord, the Son, has taken upon Himself loving lowliness and serves others.

And we realise that what we gaze upon here - what Jesus is doing here in the Upper Room - washing the feet of the disciples in lowliness - speaks to us of the living God. For God Himself has come into this world, in lowliness, in Jesus. God Himself has come in love upon the earth, to serve

to pour out His life for us in Jesus.

These are the words of Jesus: I your Lord and Teacher have just washed your feet, You then, should wash one another’s feet. I have set an example for you so that you will do just what I have done for you

Clear enough, you would think………..

But even Peter cannot grasp the meaning of what is happening, as Jesus washes the feet of the disciples. Jesus says to Peter, You do not understand now what I am doing, but you will understand later.

As Christians, can we understand a little more of what this means ?

Like the disciples, we might be slow to understand, but what we learn is that

here, Jesus holds before us the life of the Church,

its pattern, its deep ground,

which is to be loving service of one another,

loving service of those outside the Church,

neighbours, friends, family.

Loving service is the way of Jesus, and the way of life for us.

Rooted in Christ, our lives grow into service, loving care for others.

Just as deep, life giving roots bring blossom to the tree

so our life in Christ, our roots in Jesus,

blossom and flourish in loving service, loving servanthood.

And in Philippians chapter 2, Paul says, think on Jesus Christ….

Of His own loving free will the Lord gave up all He had in heaven, in the Father’s presence, and became a servant, He became like man.

Jesus was lowly and walked the path of obedience all the way to death, His death on the cross: for this reason, God raised Him to the highest place above.

Because this is the pattern of Jesus’ life,

This is the pattern of life in Jesus for us……….

loving service of others, in His name…………

When He had finished washing their feet, the gospel of John tells us,

Jesus asked his disciples: Do you understand what I have done for you ?

It was later, much later that Peter understood,

And reading the diary of David Brainerd we can see that he understood in his short life, the meaning of what Jesus has done

May we ourselves, understand ever more deeply, as the days of life draw on…..

what Jesus has done for us, and may the loving service of our own lives be the fruit of lives rooted in Jesus Christ

AMEN