Maundy Thursday

Rev. Wesley Menke

Grace Lutheran Church

1 April 2021

Tonight we remember how Jesus showed us how to love and lead like servants. Jesus washed the disciples feet in humility, one of the lowliest jobs of antiquity reserved for servants. What is so interesting, however, is the exchange between Jesus and Peter. Peter doesn’t want Jesus to wash his feet. Jesus in response tells Peter in no uncertain terms to consider his choice carefully. Peter may choose not to have his feet washed, but in doing so, he will also be choosing to have no share, no inheritance, no continued participation with Jesus. Jesus said, “If I do not wash you, then you have no part with me.” Isn’t it ironic that at the same time Jesus extols his disciples to be humble like servants, he is so uncompromising with Peter?

Some people would say that a good Christian is somebody who goes out of their way to make other people happy. Some people would say that a good Chrisitan would never step on anyone’s toes or allow somebody to become emotionally distraught. They would say that just as Jesus was humble like a slave and washed feet, so Christians should do whatever it takes to make other people feel comfortable and happy. The only problem with this kind of thinking, is that it is not what Jesus did at all. For Jesus to wash feet would be queer and obviously made people like Peter uncomfortable. 

If good Christians are supposed to make other people happy and comfortable, then the Gospel lesson from tonight would have been very different. You can imagine how the exchange might have been if Jesus’ sole mission was to make people happy and comfortable. Imagine this:

“So he came to Simon Peter. He said to him, “Lord do you wash my feet?”

Jesus answered and said to him, “What I do you do not realize now, but you will understand hereafter.” Peter said to Him. “Never shall you wash my feet!” So Jesus quivered, bowed his head, rubbed his hands together, and looked down avoiding eye contact with Peter. Jesus said unto Peter:

“I’m sorry Peter. I didn’t want to make you uncomfortable. I had a really nice activity planned to teach servant leadership, but I can tell that I could have picked a better learning activity. It’s okay. You don’t have to participate if you don’t want to. In fact, let my total negation of self be a sign to you of what I meant by washing feet. Just do whatever it takes to make people happy.” 

That, of course, is not what it says in the Bible. Instead Jesus called Peter out on his acting childish and said, “If I do not wash you, you have no part with me.” So the real question is why would Jesus at the same time teach us to be loving humble servants and to have boundaries? Perhaps the reason is that you cannot authentically love anybody without having boundaries, and sticking up for yourself. Elsewhere Jesus said, “Love your neighbor as you love yourself.” To be a servant leader like Jesus means loving yourself and others even when it is different, atypical, or unusual. This should bring to mind all of the similar stories we have been remembering during Lent. 

Jesus loved people with boundaries. He never compromised on who he was. He maintained emotional differentiation with: Peter,