Something extraordinary happened before the first Lord’s supper up in that room 2,000 or so years ago in Jerusalem. Or was it after the supper? You would think so from reading the account in the Gospel of John.
John is the only Gospel writer who records this event and who doesn’t actually give any real mention to the Lord’s supper. Instead he uses the next few chapters to share the teachings and the depth of what Jesus was communicating at this time rather than the raw events that unfolded.
This event, that John tells us about and the other writers don’t, that may have happened before or after the supper, though likely before, was – the ‘washing of feet’.
It’s intriguing to think that these disciples last thoughts as they take the sacred ‘Lords Supper’ the sacrement that Christians practice often weekly or monthly in their gatherings for thousands of years, was that of their master – their Messiah, getting on hands and knees and washing their dirty feet. And of course they would of been dirty in those days and environment!
So James, John, Peter and all the other disciples who each one have had their feet washed by Jesus..(can you imagine being there and having Jesus wash your dirty feet?) go to this most Holy of tables to symbolically eat of the Lord’s body and drink of his life giving blood, to remember and look forward as it were for them to the Messiah’s crucifixion for us. With the memory the touch the fragrance of their lord humbly serving them in the most menial of manners.
Forever implanting in them the knowledge of servant leadership of sacrifice of love. That is how, one can only imagine Jesus wanted his disciples to remember him, to position themselves as ones who serve, who lead through compassion and humility.
Not one of them thought to do this for the other or even for their master at the begining of their gathering. Not having a servant there to perform this common task – one of them should of stepped in. But no, they were too busy just before, arguing about who was the greatest amongst them. They completely missed it!
In their own strength they had very little to offer in terms of leadership. It was only when the communion meal that Jesus had left them the example of, made sense to them that they received the power to lead.
For all of us it’s only by eating and drinking in the power of Jesus and leaning on His Holy Spirit that we can step into servant leadership – stop bickering about our own position and take the form of the lowest servant to truely serve and love on others.
That’s what it’s about.
That’s what the world needs.
That’s what Abba is looking for in His Sons and Daughters.
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