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SERMON ARCHIVES

Maundy Thursday 2003

One of the cool ministries that Julie and the youth team have introduced in the past year is the mentor program. The mentor program is where an adult and a youth are paired up and they spend time doing things together and getting to know each other, usually on a weekly basis. Some of our mentors and mentos (as they call themselves) have been together for two years and going on a third. In other words they take time to share in each others lives; connect at a deeper and more personal level. Over time there is a sharing not only of time, but life, experience, wisdom, love and faith.

I would suggest to you this evening that all mentors are role models, but not all role models are mentors. When I think of a role model I think of someone that I can admire and respect from afar. A person whom I consider a role model I don't necessarily have to get to know on a personal level. A role model could be a public figure, a character on T.V. or even a character in a book of non-fiction or fiction. A role model is a person whom I respect to the point that perhaps I choose to emulate and incorporate into my own life some of the behavior, attitudes and values that the person conveys. Role models are important. We all need to be aware that who we are, how we live and what we do makes a difference and has an impact, especially upon those who are at particularly impressionable stages in their lives, even those we may not know all that well or even at all.

However, not all role models are mentors. To me a mentor is someone who not only models behavior, values and attitude to others, but a mentor is someone who gets personally involved. A mentor is someone who makes themselves vulnerable to another. A mentor is someone who risks getting involved in the another person's life and opening their life to the other. A mentor and mento choose to share in other's lives.

When Jesus took the feet of his disciples in his hands and washed them, he was not merely being a role model portraying a certain kind of behavior, he was mentoring those men. He was opening up his life to them in a tender, loving and personal way. His personal action also presented an opportunity for them to reciprocate and open up their lives to him; to make themselves vulnerable to him.

I don't know about you, but the idea of washing someone's feet is not a particularly appealing thing to me. I felt very uncomfortable as I'm sure did the recipients, at least at first. However, back in those days foot-washing was not an unusual thing at all. In fact, it was a rather ordinary act of hospitality. It was an action that carried an affirming message of a warm and friendly welcome to one's house guests.

However, it was an act that was to be done, not by the master of the house, but by the servant of the house; the servant who waited by the door with that designated assignment. It was an act to be performed by one who was accustomed to being on their knees, running errands, performing tasks at the command of the master. It was to be done by one who knew his menial station in life, one who could assume it without protest or trouble. A contemporary parallel might be the shoeshine boys I see in the subway tunnels of Chicago when I go to visit my brother. That's what foot-washers were, shoe-shine boys in a land where feet, not shoes, had to be made to sparkle. It was expected of them.

Obviously this foot-washing Jesus was performing was not expected, and it had those disciples feeling vulnerable and uneasy, and it was creating a monumental crises with them. Peter often verbalized what everybody was thinking and this situation was no exception. Peter protested, "You will never wash my feet!"

What could any one of them been thinking as Jesus went about his task? Perhaps something like, "This isn't right! Someone else should be doing this! Maybe one of us should step forward and volunteer and do this humbling deed. But not me of course! You must understand! It would compromise my position in the group. I have my dignity and my pride to maintain. But surely one of the others will step forward. Maybe we can get somebody else to do this? Somebody step up and volunteer! Somebody get the Lord Jesus off his knees."

Peter tried to save the day with his protest, but instead he almost ruined the day. Jesus made it pretty clear that if the day was to be saved, and all of them along with it, then they would have to allow him to go through with this ego threatening madness.

You see my friends, tonight it's not merely the disciples who had their feet washed by Jesus, or Julie and Ginny who had their feet washed by the pastor. It's also you right there in your seat. Yes, it's Jesus kneeling before taking your feet into his hands, and he is washing your feet as surely as those first disciples. The question is can you accept it? Can you accept this amazing mentoring from the Lord? Can you accept this depth of mentoring. He is not merely being a role model from afar, he is mentoring you from very near. As you gaze down and see him there at your feet, bent low, can you believe, can you even begin to recognize that such a simple, unique, gentle act of humility discloses and reveals the very heart of God?

As we feel his touch and feel the cool water splash against our toes, do we see God down there? Do we see a God who knows all about the tensions, petty vanities and prideful egos that conflict us. Do we see a God who knows all about the self-erected walls of pride and fear that divide us? Do we see a God who understands that we can only be united and brought together by an action of great self-offering and self-denial, an act of which, if left to our own inclinations, we are not capable, so he instead takes the initiative and performs the necessary humbling deed himself.

But how hard is it for us? Is it even possible? Our egos are so fragile. Our pride is so brittle! There's nothing on the planet more delicate.

I heard a commentary about professional sports the other day. The commentator was remarking that it is more and more becoming the prevalent and accepted attitude to not only defeat your opponent, but when you do defeat your opponent, or even make a play on your opponent, to also humiliate your opponent. You beat your chest, stare him down condescendingly or trash talk in his face. We are now seeing this kind of behavior not only permeating most professional sports, but through the ranks all the way on down to the little leagues of children- and not only in sports but other walks of life as well. Child athletes look to the adult role models and tragically they emulate what they see.

Wherever do we find the strength? Wherever do we find the power to wash the dusty, bruised and bloodied feet of our sisters and brothers, our friends and neighbors, our rivals and adversaries and even all of those whose hands we would not wish to shake? Wherever do we find the courage? Wherever do we find the desire?

There's only one place that I know of and only one reason I can think of - from the same Lord who went on from this humble action and in the next three days became the ultimate mentor; he washed more than our feet. He washed our hearts. He washed our minds. He washed our souls. He washed away the sin, the anger, the despair, and the fear that rule us! It is he and he only that can truly change and transform us!

You see, Jesus is the ultimate mentor who desires to get involved in our lives.

He is the ultimate mentor. He takes a towel and he washes our tired feet... washes away the weariness we feel when we spend so much time and energy trying to outdo one another and keep up a front of strength.

He is the ultimate mentor. He took a betrayal and he washed away all the times we betray one another through by not following through, by not listening, by working behind the scenes with gossip and hearsay

He is the ultimate mentor. He took a flogging and a beating and he washed us... washed away our inclinations to strike back when we are struck, to respond out of impulse, revenge and a thirst to even the score.

He is the ultimate mentor. He took a mocking and he washed us... washed us of our inclinations to condescend over another one another and gloat at our successes over others failures.

He is the ultimate mentor. He took a kangaroo court and he washed us... washed us of the times we do not respond fairly and ignore the needs of those around us.

He is the ultimate mentor. He took a crown of thorns and he washed us... washed us of the times we selfishly and manipulatively impose our agendas on those around us.

He is the ultimate mentor. He took spikes through flesh and bone and washed us... washed us clean - heart, mind and soul.

He is the ultimate mentor. Gathered around a table with his friends on that last night before his death, he took the bread in his hands and he took the cup of wine in his hands, common symbols that now deliver the presence of his awesome grace and divine love for you - elements that remind us he can wash us clean and make us new so that we too, like him, through his power and his grace can also not only be role models, but mentors to the people around us; disciples of our Mentor, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.   Amen.