Looking Out for Number One
March 16, 2008
Matthew 21: 1-11; John 13
Part One (kid’s sermon)
Let me tell you about the most memorable day of my life. There I was living this average conditions with no one recognizing my worth. No one really could see the great potential that I had when suddenly everything change. All of a sudden, out of no where, I taken from my dirty, filthy barn and people began treating me in the way that I truly should be treated: like royalty.
First a host of attendants bathed and groomed. I was truly pampered. I hadn’t ask for it but finally someone, somewhere had seen that I didn’t belong in the wretched conditions that I was in. I was fussed over and treated like I never had before. And it felt good. And I know that I looked good. You know what I mean? A day spa has nothing on this because I had at least a half a dozen people taking care of the details for me.
Then I was given the softest and most beautiful material to cover up in. It was truly magnificent. “Fit for a king,” as they would say. And then I given a personal attendant. This guy was going with me and he was going show everybody just how important that I am. Now everyone as we walked along the road would see me and treat me with the respect that I deserved and that is exactly what happened.
The attendant and I began walking toward the middle of city. People were lining the roads just to get a glimpse of me. They shouted praises to me. They shouted their joy and praised God because I was finally arriving. It was truly miraculous. People flocked alongside of the streets and were so concerned about me and my feet that they covered the road with a cushion of leaves. It was truly a momentous event. People were worshipping God and probably being a little extreme because, I’m a little embarrassed to say, it was almost as if they were worshipping me. No matter! I did deserve the recognition.
It took quite a while to get to the middle of the city and people’s enthusiasm didn’t wane one bit. In fact, the closer that I got, the more excited people got. They cheered and shouted. I guess they knew what great things that I was capable of doing.
Finally we arrived at this great building. I had never seen so many people gathered together in one place. My attendant rubbed head briefly but affectionately and proceeded to go into the building. I was guessing that he was going to prepare some special treat for me. I began to imagine that what would happen might be the greatest thing that had ever happened to me.
Except the strangest thing happened. The cheering crowd pushed by me to follow my attendant. It was almost as if they were ignoring me. Me!! What was going on? Didn’t they realize that I was the center of their attention? I was the one that was being honored. I was the one that they had gathered to see.
They pushed past me. I stamped my hooves and cried, “Hey look at me! Hey over here! What are you dong? Where are you going?” I couldn’t believe it. Almost as quickly as it had begun, it was over. I tried to go into the building too but someone grabbed the leather strap that the use to hold on as I sometimes am forced to carry and pulled me away from the party. Sure I had gotten a sweet bath and they had brushed my coat. Sure I had gotten a nice soft blanket but they that was taken off of me too. The palm leaves that I had walked on to get here were even beginning to be blown away.
Who am I?
Sometimes we have tendency as humans to think we are more important than we really are. We even think we are more important than others. So we might say, “It’s not fair” meaning “It’s not fair to me.” So we act more self-centered than God-centered.
What are some self-centered things? And what might be a way to changed that attitude or action into something God-centered?
(Discussion)
Summary: Palm Sunday is a reminder for us to focus on God because Jesus is the reason for Easter. Jesus died for us. But Jesus also rose for us as well. So Palm Sunday encourages us to think about something this week: What is most important in my life? Is it really Jesus?
Part Two
Earlier I played a role, a character. I assumed the perspective of a donkey. Well, the donkey that brought Jesus into Jerusalem and fictitiously assumed something that I think we struggle with as humans. As the donkey, I failed to recognize that it was really all about Jesus all along. This is sometimes what we forget. It really isn’t about me. Life is about God and God’s ways and God’s agenda.
Did you know that an eleven-year-old named Sajani Shakya officially retired three weeks ago? It was reported by Reuters. She retired after nine years of being the Kumari. The Kumari is a young girl that after a rigorous cultural process to be the incarnate Hindu god, Kali. Literally Kumari is “living goddess.” So this living goddess officially retired which is required when the Kumari reaches puberty.
As I thought about this story in relation to today’s message, I thought about how sometimes even in churches, we can get caught up in an exaggerated self-importance. “I’m the pastor.” “I’m the chair of the board.” “I’ve been attending here since 1859.” “I’m the head of the household.” “I’m the adult and you’re the child.”
And we forget that all we are is supposed to reflect the glory of God in us. People aren’t supposed to see us but see Jesus. We need to make ourselves less so that Jesus can become more. And really, that is what looking out for number one is all about.
In our culture number one is all about me—my needs, my wants, my security, my money, my work, my ministry, my choice. Me, me, me!!!
But Jesus came to show us that the real number one is supposed to be God. “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.”
One of the most beautiful and powerful expressions that Jesus gives us lies in John 13. Here Jesus reminds us that in order to look out for number one (will the real number one please stand up), then we have to put ourselves on equal footing (pun intended) with everybody else.
It was the Passover meal and right in the middle of it, Jesus gets up and gets a basin of water. With a towel wrapped around his waist, he begins to go around and wash all the feet of his disciples. He even washes Judas’ feet even though John makes it a special point to tell us that Jesus already knew of Judas’ betrayal. Jesus already knew that Judas would fail Jesus and fail himself and fail his brothers. Jesus did it anyway.
Now remember, a Rabbi sought to reproduce himself in his disciples. And a Rabbi was treated with respect and honor. This meant that menial tasks such as washing a person’s dusty feet would be done for the Rabbi and not the other way around. It was as common as when we wash our hands. Except they didn’t have basins with infrared sensors that filled the basin with water when you put your feet in front of it. You got your hands dirty. The same hands that you would be eating with. Remember this was in the middle of the meal.
So when Jesus comes to Peter, Peter knows all this. He knows the tradition. He knows that this is ridiculous and probably assumes that this is some sort of test to see Peter understood the huge social faux pas that Jesus was doing and of course want Peter to stop Jesus. But Jesus tells him that unless Jesus washes Peter’s feet then Peter can have no part of Jesus. So Peter (and I love Peter) says, “Hey, if that’s the case, then wash my head, my feet, and everything between. Jesus I want it all.” Now Jesus had said that they won’t get what he was doing until later. So Jesus explains, “If you’ve been washed (meaning baptized) then you don’t need to do it again. This will do. Even though there are some of you (and Jesus was referring to Judas) who are not clean.”
After Jesus was done, Jesus then explained that as their “Rabbi” he did this so that they would learn to serve one another. They should do this for each other. They should treat each other with respect and dignity that should be given to Jesus. When doing this, Jesus says, you are showing honor and respect for me. When doing this, you show that you do not think of yourself as better than the next guy. When doing this, you are giving each other the opportunity to heal and be healed.
Paul said in Philippians, “Do not look only to your own interests but look also to the interests of others.”
Washing each other’s feet is a beautiful way that God calls us to worship to put us back on the same ground. You cannot wash someone’s feet that you cannot forgive. Jesus said, “Forgive as God has forgiven you but if you refuse to forgive, then God will not forgive you.” I have seen miraculous reconciliations take place at the basin. The basin is located at the foot of the cross. I have seen relationships healed. I have heard the stories of people that have been set free sometimes suddenly and sometimes quickly because they chose to be obedient to the words of Jesus, “As I have done this for you, you ought to do this for one another.”
There were two brothers that had had an argument and decided to never speak to the brother until the other one apologized. They went to the same church but never in several decades spoke more than three words to each other. However, God began working on their hearts. They each had always ignored foot washing but on a special renewal weekend without realizing the other would be there, they attended a foot washing service. The men were seated in a circle as the two brothers sat almost across from one another. They wouldn’t look at each other in the eye. Always avoiding the other’s glances but each quickly sneaking glances at the other trying to read the other.
After a few songs, the men were given their instructions and men began moving toward the basins. After just a moment of hesitation, both brothers stood up and met each other in the center. At first nothing was said. They looked at each in the eye and embraced. The tears began to flow freely. They wept and apologized. Then they sat down and washed each other’s feet healing the rift that had ruled their lives for decades.
I know it is sort of scary. For some of us who didn’t grow up in the church, frankly, it down right weird. It almost seems cultish. “I knew there was some sort of freakish thing you guys were hiding.” Been there. I know what you’re talking about.
Except for me, even though I wasn’t sure, I had also experienced too many beautiful things of God to pass at least trying it. I also learned that trying something once is usually not enough.
Come, taste and see (not literally of course). Ughh. If you just can’t do it right now, come and watch. There was a couple in New Castle who had spent most of their married life in another church before feeling a call to leave that church eventually feeling led to the Church of God. Their first Maundy Thursday service, they pretty much ignored although they wondered about it. The next year after hearing people talk about what a beautiful time that they had, they decided to come and watch.
There the tradition was that the men and women separate into different rooms. It is purely a cultural practice that began with the concerned of impropriety between mixed sexes especially in a time when women wore dresses all the time. Here we’ve been in recent years not worried about it as much preferring to focusing on the unity within community that sharing this time together brings.
Anyway, this couple each went with their different groups and both of them observing the love that was shared about halfway through started stripping off their socks and shoes to be a part of it. They later testified that they had never realized how much they had missed in their previous tradition by not observing this time of worship.
Jesus calls us to look out for number one and this is not ourselves. It is God. It is God’s ways. Jesus shows and instructs us to do this by serving one another. As you serve one another, you serve God. You show your love for God by the love that you show one another. Foot washing is a powerful way to worship to act out this way of life that God calls us toward. Even if this is just too weird, come and watch. Come and see. This is only a part of the worship that takes place on Maundy Thursday as we mark and remember the death of our Lord.
