I am still not sure what to do about the dirty feet

'I am still not sure what to do about the dirty feet'. This was the title of my sermon preached at Leslie Baptist on Sunday night. I thought it up - the title not the sermon - on the way over in the car.

The sermon structure was: stuff and a story. This is not a form recommended in many books.

The passage read for preaching - John 13. I was not following the lectionary you may gather.

Talk about footwashing as an act in church services makes my feet curl in discomfort. The 'threat' that we might actually do it - increases my discomfort. Just ask those in my reading group. Thank goodness a basin could not be found the night this subject came up in the kreider and kreider book on mission and worship!!!!

Yet I have continued to reflect upon this passage and this practice ever since that night. I am suspicious enough of my own reactions to question them (doctrine about sin going on here) and Jesus made footwashing an issue of importance related to his passion and offered it as an example (dangerous memory of Jesus thing going on here).

Some groups practice footwashing as part of worship services. Indeed there are grounds to claim that it should be treated as an 'ordinance' (ordained by Christ) like Baptism and the Lord's Supper - and perhaps indeed like them a 'sacrament' - whatever we mean by that.

Others respond by saying that the act and practice of footwashing itself relates to the cultural context and the important thing that Jesus was teaching was the importance of the having a loving and servant heart.

I get this response but it troubles me:

Jesus did not simply teach an attittude or principle but demonstrated it in a particular act and practice. So - what does a servant heart of the footwashing type look like in practice? What actions can we point to - in our services and beyond about which we can say 'this is that' which Jesus enacted in the footwashing thing. Surely it means more than middle class politeness?

Furthermore there is the whole argument that it is the practices of our worship that shape our behaviours and beliefs so that those who practice footwashing in worship are more likely to engage in similar acts of sacrificial service and love. (I need to follow this up).

I know that some times folks today practice hand washing - I don't have the same hang ups about this and it can certainly be meaningful but I still don't know what I think, no feel, about the dirty feet thing.

What I do know is that Jesus exampled  a servant kind of love that is prepared to get close and physical in its engagement with others in a way I find uncomfortable. 

 

 

 

Comments

[Rob]

I haven't had my feet washed, but I have washed feet in a house group worship setting. The reason was for the same reason we do anything, to roughly model Jesus. 'I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you'. The memory of the 'feet washing night' doesn't fill me with cringe, too much. Indeed, I can remember the people's and my response as being positive and we warned them in advance to give them the chance to opt out; all of them came out that night. I am not sure I would do it again though, I certainly don't feel compelled to do so. Stuart I like your summation that Jesus' example of servant-hood is about having a 'close and physical' engagement with people, though I find I am now less comfortable with that prospect than I used to be and that causes me some discomfort in the light that it is exactly what I know I need to do in my present context. Why am I now so reticent to the prospect of doing what I once would have willingly and unquestioningly done to follow Jesus' example, albeit roughly? Thanks for opening up that can of worms mate, seriously thanks for the opportunity to do some honest reflection. 'May the wind always be at your back'