Maundy Thursday – Pr. Anderson sermon
St. John 13:1-15 “Renewed Through the Gospel”
April 17, 2025 | Christ Lutheran Church
In Nomine Iesu
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We thank You, O Lord Jesus Christ, the Savior of all men, that You have given Yourself into death for us to make atonement for our sins and have also left us an example of mutual service by humbly washing Your disciples’ feet; and we heartily ask You, govern and direct our hearts by Your Holy Spirit that we may in true faith firmly cling to You as our Savior, faithfully serve our neighbor with works of love, and obtain eternal salvation through Your merit; who lives and reigns with the Father and the Holy Spirit, ever one God, now and forever. Amen. (The Lutheran Liturgy, companion altar book for The Lutheran Hymnal, p. 98)
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. (Rom. 1:7, etc.)
The sermon text for today is taken from the 13th chapter of the Gospel according to St. John. We read selected verses in Jesus’ name:
When he had washed their feet and put on his outer garments and resumed his place, he said to them, “Do you understand what I have done to you? You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you.
These are Your words, heavenly Father. Sanctify us by Your truth, Your Word is truth. Amen. (Joh. 17:17)
In Christ Jesus, who understands the will of His Father, and teaches us to understand His love, the only source of hope we cling to, dear fellow redeemed:
Over the past few years, I’ve noticed a growing trend of posts and videos on social media of people talking about how they are going to focus on themselves and getting themselves into a new and positive mind. On the surface, there are aspects of our lives that we could probably make changes to. Maybe we have a list of bad habits, such as mindlessly scrolling on social media into the late hours of the night. On the surface, we can make some changes that would overall, make us feel better. When we do a deep dive into these videos however, there is a big problem if we decide we are only going to focus on ourselves. Even when we think we are being wronged by the whole world, focusing on me, me, me, in the end will not help our situation. Scripture teaches us we already do a great job having our focus on ourselves and that is why we have many of our problems. We do need renewal, but that renewal can only come to us through the Gospel. The message where we hear and see our Savior renewing and cleaning our hearts.
Today is the day we watch as Jesus is putting a focus on the renewal that comes through Him. The part that stands out is His institution of the Supper. Before we get to the climax of the evening, Jesus does something we sometimes can’t even fathom. Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. During supper, when the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot Simon’s son, to betray him, Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going back to God, rose from Supper. Setting the stage for our Gospel text, do you hear what is going on in Jesus’ life right now? Not only does He know what He will face tomorrow, He is carrying the burden of knowing the devil is in the room tempting one of those He has loved to the end. Add to the stress the disciple’s previous conversation. A dispute also arose among them, as to which of them was to be regarded as the greatest (Luke 22:24).
After learning so many life lessons, the disciples are lacking understanding during this crucial week. Jesus isn’t giving up on them as He hears and sees all of this. He is going to instruct them. Jesus answered him, “What I am doing you do not understand now, but afterward you will understand.” As this can be applied to most of His teaching, Jesus’ specifically tells them this for what He is about to do. In washing His disciple’s feet, He is doing something the lowest servant would do. For the Jews, it would have been a gentile. Most people wouldn’t want to touch someone else’s feet let alone wash them. As Jesus knows His disciples were not going to like Him doing this as their teacher, this points to a bigger picture that Jesus was feeling. He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him (John 1:11) His own were going to flee and His people were going to turn Him over to die. Knowing this, then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him.
As the one who speaks his mind, Peter said to him, “You shall never wash my feet.” Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no share with me.” Simon Peter said to him, “Lord not my feed only but also my hands and my head!” Jesus said to him, “The one who has bathed does not need to wash, except for his feet, but is completely clean. And you are clean, but not every one of you.” Peter’s reaction seems justified. He is the one who confessed Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. As Jesus stated, Peter does not understand what is happening. What Peter thinks is derogatory, it is the humblest of service. Jesus teaches how our love and care for others is put before ourselves. Sometimes like Peter, we can think that we don’t need Jesus to serve us, we can handle it on our own. Other times like Peter, we can want Jesus to scrub everything down and then I will feel like everything is alright. Both thoughts miss the spiritual mark. And we don’t even want to think about washing the feet of our enemies. Where do we find renewal? Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us (Hebrews 12:1) Jesus is teaching the focus shifts from us to those who put us over themselves and their example.
We start off by hearing with the disciples the One who put all of us before Himself and His perfect example. He said to them, “Do you understand what I have done to you? You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you. This is not the leader the people wanted. The disciples have even admitted it and we heard it with Peter denying Him at first. A leader shouldn’t do the job of the lowest servant. Jesus leads by revealing to them the love of God. The love of God that loves even when He knows His creation of mankind can’t love Him on their own. They lack understanding. Some will turn into His enemies. And here He kneels with the basin of water, knowing He will wash more than feet.
Jesus explains to Peter something He has already explained before. He had told them, “For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45) He was going to go from washing their feet to washing away their sin. Sin that clings to the feet of the believer who is bodily clean in faith. Jesus teaches this through His entire ministry. The disciples will find renewal through the Gospel. While it eludes them in the moment, they will understand when they are called back to their Savior after His resurrection. For them to see the full picture, Jesus must live it out before them. So, He washes their feet in humility and lays down His life to save them.
He does this because, He knew that his hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. He went to the end, knowing His disciples would flee and not understand, His people would forsake Him, and His enemies would strike His heal. He prevails where you have fallen. He walks the path of caring for everyone but Himself. He walks the path of not dwelling on His feelings of anguish and hurt, but accepting the Father’s will. He loved man, His enemy, so much He gave up His life on the cross. This is the perfect humility of serving others first. He lived out the washing of feet with His death in your place. This message renews you because Jesus does what you cannot. It is only through His perfect life in your place that you can therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God (Ephesians 5:1-2)
You can never thank Him enough for this walk of love in your lives. This love that has been passed down to you through Him from those who have loved and gone before you. And while their memories may fade away, their teaching to you of God’s holy Word is timeless. You know it isn’t going to be easy to put others first. The world loves to point out all of your faults. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God (1 Corinthians 6:11) Jesus put you first by giving Himself up. And He keeps His promise to give new life. He renews you, spiritually washing your feet every day. As He comes to you in His Word and sacraments, you can be certain you will find relief, comfort, and hope from the problems of life. The self-service you have is found in the self-service of the One who loves and saves you. Through Him, you are clean. Amen.
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