Do You Get It?

John 13:2-8
"Jesus knew that the Father had put Him in complete charge of everything, that He came from God and was on His way back to God. So He got up from the supper table, set aside His robe, and put on an apron. Then He poured water into a basin and began to wash the feet of the disciples, drying them with His apron. When He got to Simon Peter, Peter said, "Master, YOU wash MY feet?"

Jesus answered, "You don't understand now what I'm doing, but it will be clear enough to you later."

Peter persisted, "You're not going to wash my feet—ever!"

"Jesus said, "If I don't wash you, you can't be a part of what I'm doing."

Calculus was almost the death of me. I was in advanced mathematics courses all the way through middle school, junior high, and then into senior high. First there was algebra in 8th grade, geometry in 9th, higher algebra in 10th, elementary functions (trigonometry and pre-calculus) in 11th, and then, the crème de la crème of high school math: calculus.

Mr. Swenson was our teacher. And truly, he wasn’t really a teacher. He was a purveyor of information. He was a college professor who would come to the slums…er ah, to our high school and teach one course. Just one. Calculus.

Ugh.

He would walk with the dignity of a British lord as he marched into our classroom. We met just a couple of times each week for one hour. He looked rather like Winston Churchill. Mr. Swenson was a bit pompous and aloof. To this day, I don’t know if he came to our class to convey information from on high or to inflict great pain. Maybe it was a combination of the two. Out of a classroom of twenty-three teenagers, maybe two really wanted to be there. I’ll bet you had them in some of your classes as well. They’re the ones who actually could speak Klingon, knew the limitations of dylithium crystals, and could tell you the maximum velocity which could be reached on “impulse power.”

They loved math. And not only did they love math, but they adored calculus and they got it.

I’ll never forget that class. Because as each day in Mr. Swenson’s class would go by, it seemed another person would get it. You could almost see the lightbulb turning on over each person’s head as they got it.

Sadly, not everyone did. I managed a passing grade. But the lightbulb moment never came for me.

I didn’t get it.

Neither did Peter. Over and over, the disciples just don't get it. They're standing right next to the Savior of the Universe and they don't get it. Daily they’re walking with the One who created the Universe and they don't get it.

They're with God Himself. And they don't get it.

There are times when I read these passages and I think "duh!" How do you not see who this Man is? How do you not see Jesus for Who He really is?

I think it has to do with the fact that maybe God wasn't done revealing Who He is. There was more about Himself that needed to be shown to the disciples so they could tell the world...so they would be motivated to tell the world and not just a few of their buddies. One of the final revelations to the disciples happens in this scene.

Jesus wants to show His disciples the true heart of His Father. He wants to show them His Servant heart. He wants to show them what true Godliness is.

Here, we see God as the Ultimate Servant.

In this scene, we see the Almighty God, humbling Himself before His friends to serve them. The Omnipotent God sets aside the Majesty we think of when we think of God, and redefines the word. True majesty is to serve out of a heart of love. But Peter doesn't want this. He doesn't want Jesus to serve him because he doesn't see himself as worthy. Because Peter, of all the disciples, was the one whom I think came the closest to getting it. He had a glimpse. Peter went to the mountain top with Jesus and saw Him shine with bright light. Peter walked on water with Jesus. Peter had an inkling of Jesus’ divinity and thus felt unworthy to receive the gift of His service. But unless Peter experiences what it is like for God Himself to serve him, he will never be a part of the great works of God. Because for God, it's all about a servant heart.

If you can right now, take off your shoes and socks and take a look at your feet. Feet are kind of weird. We keep them covered up all of the time. We hide our feet from the world. They're smelly. They're funny shaped. They're even kind of embarrassing. Most of us are pretty ticklish on the bottom of our lowest appendages. Feet seem sort of silly, and at the same time, there is an intimacy which is associated with our feet. I think this intimacy is part of the point. Because servanthood is intimate.

Now close your eyes and imagine Jesus kneeling in front of you. He kneels there all-mighty, all-knowing. As He kneels in front of you, He sees the depths of your heart in this moment. He knows with what you struggle today. He knows the burdens you have been carrying. He knows the sins you've tried to hide. He knows the shame you bear. He knows...and there He is, kneeling before you, this Almighty God, King of All Kings, Savior of the Universe--there He is, kneeling to serve you. He wants to wash your feet. How does it make you feel to know that God would kneel before you and wash your feet? Does it humble you? Does it shame you?

I must confess to feeling both of these. I feel humbled to know that God loves me this much. But I also feel ashamed because I know that I have not knelt nearly enough at the feet of others to serve them. And in this, I deny the true nature of the Father.

This Servant knelt in the dust to wash your feet, and then rose and carried our sin and shame upon His cross. He made our feet clean to show us the heart of the Father. He made our hearts clean upon His cross so that we will one day see the Father face-to-face.

God was willing to kneel at the feet of His children to teach them to kneel before others. God was not just willing to do this...He had to, because, after all, that's Who He is.

If the occasion were ever to arise, I would with all humility, kneel before Mr. Swenson and wash his feet. An unlikely event…to be sure. But wouldn’t it be just like Jesus to make it come about? That’d be pretty cool.

God bless you, Mr. Swenson. I hope I have the opportunity to serve you someday.

Be WILD For Christ!

Pastor Shane