Christ Jesus on his knees isn’t just an example, a model. It’s an offer of shared servanthood with you for the sake of the world.
Pr. Joseph G. Crippen
Maundy Thursday
Text: John 13:1-17, 31b-35
Beloved in Christ, grace to you, and peace in the name of the Father, and of the + Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen
“Do you know what I have done?” Jesus asked.
Obviously, he’d shockingly acted like a slave and knelt and washed the disciples’ feet. What more was there to know?
But Jesus asked, “do you know what I did? Why I did it?” He then went on, “I’ve set you an example. You call me Teacher and Lord, and yet I’ve just served you. Do you get it?”
Maybe we understand all too well what Jesus has done.
See, all images of the faithful path we see this week involve loss.
Jesus on his knees, washing the feet of his disciples and saying, “do this.” Let go of protecting your dignity and pride, get on your knees and serve each other.
Jesus giving bread and wine and calling it his body and blood, joining the meal to his death. Every Eucharist tells this sacrifice, is shaped by this death.
Jesus in the garden tonight, setting aside what he wants and willingly choosing his Father’s way. Refusing to call down angelic armies, rejecting the use of violence.
And Jesus tomorrow on the humiliating cross of Rome, enduring suffering and death to love all.
And each of these losses was a chosen loss, an intentional path.
So tonight Jesus looks at you, at me, and asks, “do you get it? Do you know what I have done? Do you see what lies before you?
If you wish to follow Jesus, your calling is to take the same path of loss, every time. Not necessarily being asked to literally die for another person. That may never be a choice before us. But Jesus says kneeling before his friends is his example. Yes, Jesus died on a cross, the ultimate end of the path he chose. But before then, he was on his knees, washing filthy feet. He considers them the same sacrifice. And asks, “Do you get it?
But that question is far deeper than you think.
It’s not just about following an example. See, this is God-with-us, the face of the Triune God, kneeling at your feet as a servant. You think you look up to see God, and it turns out God is kneeling at your feet, washing them, offering God’s own life to you in love.
That’s the thing to understand tonight. You’re not asked to follow as a servant as if it were a job to do. God-with-us, kneeling at your feet, asks, what if you joined me here?
God-with-us, dying on a cross, asks, what if you joined me here?
Jesus is still doing sacrificial love now, and invites you to join in it. To live your life, starting in your closest relationships, losing yourself for the sake of the other. Dying, even. Dying to getting your own way. Dying to “being yourself” and acting however you feel like acting. Dying to being centered on yourself that you might focus on others.
You could be a part of God’s transforming love, too, Jesus says.
When you get what Jesus is doing. Jesus, God-with-us, on his knees saying, “trust me – this is how we’ll make the world new together.” This is only working plan God has for the healing of all things. The ending of oppression and hunger and homelessness. The stopping of war and violence.
And this is the risen Christ’s job even now. Even if you don’t join Christ on the floor in self-giving love, Christ is still on his knees. Even if I refuse, Christ will still be loving this way, transforming hearts, serving through someone else. Through many others. And this servant way will bring about God’s new creation, one kneeling servant at a time.
Now do you know what Jesus has done? And what will you do now?
In the name of the Father, and of the + Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen
