“The blood of Jesus, God’s Son, cleanses us from every sin.”
1 John 1:7
On the evening of May 5th, our church family celebrated Love Feast; the service that remembers the final meal Jesus shared with his disciples before he died. Love Feast is an event in the life of God‟s people that strengthens bonds of unity and love between each other and with God. We ate a simple meal, prayed, sang, took bread and cup communion, and washed feet…
Ah yes! Feet washing! The weirdest, scariest, and most offensive act in the Church of the Brethren; and dare I say, one of the most important. When Jesus washed his disciples feet, he was powerfully show-ing them his dedication to serve with humility as well as the lengths he would go to love them. We reenact that symbolic act in order to teach ourselves humility, service, and compassion; virtues that are not always clean and easy.
My experience during feet washing was somewhat different than most that night. Because of the way the men started moving the basin of water around our semicircle, I found my own feet washed, but with no one else‟s feet for me to wash. This made me feel awkward, ashamed, even guilty; even though I had done nothing. I found that, strangely enough, I was tend to be more comfortable washing another‟s feet, than allowing my own feet to be cleansed. That‟s how I learned an even deeper lesson in humility. It is easy to allow someone to wash my feet, knowing I will take my turn as the servant. But sometimes in life, we receive blessed service from someone and we are unable to reciprocate. My spirit had to learn to accept blessings freely, rather than earn them.
As the grace of Jesus cleanses our lives of sin and guilt, we must all learn that lesson. As Christ serves us, so we must serve others, but the gift of Jesus Christ is greater than anything we could give in return and do in
response. That is grace. May we receive it in humility. In Grace for the Moment, a devotional book of excerpts, Max Lucado describes the symbol‟s meaning, “Our Savior kneels down and gazes upon the darkest acts of our lives. But rather than recoil in horror, he reaches out in kindness and says,
„I can clean that if you want.‟ And from the basin of his grace, he scoops a palm full of mercy and washes away our sin” (170).
-Pastor Andy
I love you, Dad
Andy’s June Worship Schedule:
2 -- Graduation Sunday 6 Reasons NOT to Go to Church: "Because That's
What Makes Us Christian!"
9 -- 6 Reasons NOT to Go to Church: "So We Can Hear the Expert!"
16 -- Father's Day 6 Reasons NOT to Go to Church: "So We Can Get Our
Needs Met!"
23 -- 6 Reasons NOT to Go to Church: "So We Can Perform!"
30 -- Annual Conference-Janet Sell preaching
Life Lessons :
3) Growing old beats the
alternative…..dying young.
4) Frame every so-called disaster
with these words “In five years
will this matter?”
