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Maundy Thursday
Scripture: John 13: 1-17
Don’t you just love Peter? He’s always so impetuous. When Jesus asked his disciples if they knew who he was, Peter said: “You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God.” When Jesus told the disciples that he must suffer and die, Peter shouted out: “No, Lord!” When Jesus told Peter that Peter would betray him, Peter said: “Never! Even if I have to die with you, I will never betray you.”
And here, at the last supper, good old impetuous Peter is at it again. Jesus washes the feet of his disciples, but when he gets to Peter, there is protest: “You will never wash my feet!” Quick draw Peter doesn’t keep his mouth shut until he understands. He quickly opens mouth “A” and inserts foot “B." Jesus said to him: “If I don’t wash your feet, you have no part in me.” One would think that Peter would have bowed his head and let Jesus do his thing, but not Peter! He blurts out: “Then not just my feet! Wash my hands and my head!” Wash all of me!
None of the other disciples raised a peep with Jesus about his foot washing. Washing someone’s feet was a pretty menial task, normally done by a servant. The disciples called Jesus “Master”, “Lord”, “Rabbi” – titles of honor and respect. Yet, when Jesus takes on the role of a servant, only Peter objects. The other eleven don’t even flinch at the idea!
“You shall never wash my feet, Lord.” Peter is saying: “You aren’t my servant. I should be serving you!” “If I don’t wash your feet, you have no part in me.” “Then not just my feet, Lord! Wash all of me!"
But isn’t this the goal of Christian living? Peter wants all of Jesus. He doesn’t want just a little bit of washing, he wants all of it. He doesn’t want a halfway faith, he wants it to be all the way. “Not just my feet, Lord!” Bold, impetuous Peter wanted his faith to be whole, complete. If he was going to be part of Jesus, he wanted to go all the way!
It was a communion Sunday. There was a little girl in the congregation, maybe five or six years old. She came to the altar with her parents for communion. We were using communion wafers and cups. The little girl ate the wafer and drank the juice. Then she was impetuous like Peter! She turned the cup upside down above her head and licked the last drop of juice from the cup! She wanted all of it!
How about you? Do you want all of Jesus, or just a little bit?
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