BASIN THEOLOGY
Matthew 20:20-28
Bruce Thielemann, pastor of First Presbyterian Church in Pittsburg, tells of a conversation he had with a member of his congregation who said, "You preachers talk a lot about ‘do unto others,’ but when you get right down to it, it comes down to basin theology." Thielemann asked him what in the world was "basin theology." The layman said, "Remember what Pilate did when he had the chance to acquit Jesus? He called for a basin and washed his hands of the whole thing. But Jesus, the night before His death, called for a basin and proceeded to wash the feet of the disciples. It all comes down to basis theology: Which one will you use?"
This morning I’d like for each of you to consider this same question. If it all boils down to basin theology, which basin is it you are more prone to use? Before you come up with your final answer, let’s think about it for a moment.
We all know the story of Jesus crucifixion and how a matter of hours before it happened he was led before Pilate. The angry Jews were insistent that Pilate use his Roman authority to pronounce a capital sentence upon Jesus. The crowd wanted him dead and they needed Pilate’s help to bring this about. Pilate questioned Jesus and determined that there was no reason for him to be put to death. Still the crowd persisted, "Crucify him, crucify him!" Finally Pilate, sensing things were getting out of control, released Jesus to be nailed to a cross. Before doing so he called for a basin of water so that he might wash his hands of the whole mess. He told the crowd, "I am not responsible for the death of this man! This is your doing!" (Mt. 27:24)
So here we see the first basin, a basin the Roman governor used to avoid responsibility . He knew what he should have done but he took the easy way out; he totally passed on to others the responsibility which should have been his.
I don’t think I have to tell you that Pilate’s type of theology is alive and well today. In almost every walk of life there are those who seek to avoid the responsibility which is actually theirs. Like Pilate they continue to pass the buck, to blame others, to wash their hands clean of everything they can. You see it in the workplace, at school, and, yes, at church as well. In fact you probably see it more in church than you do anywhere else. If you refuse to take responsibility at work you are either demoted or fired. If you refuse to take responsibility at school you flunk out. If you refuse to take responsibility at church, nothing happens. Not to you anyway. Never mind that the Body of Christ suffers tremendously, but the important thing is nothing happens to you.
We claim in our bulletins each and every week that every member of the church is a minister. How many do you think really take that seriously? How many of our members actually assume this responsibility? Not all that many, I’m afraid. We are far better at Pilate’s game, at passing on our responsibility. Oh, sure we know we’re supposed to be ministers but we’re busy, we have other interests, we don’t have the time. Somebody else will do it.
I came across a humorous poem this week I want to read for you. It’s called "Somebody Else."
There’s a clever young guy named Somebody Else,
There’s nothing this guy can’t do.
He is busy from morning till way late at night,
Just substituting for you.
You’re asked to do this or you’re asked to do that
And what is your ready reply?
Get Somebody Else to do that job,
He’ll do it much better than I.
So much to do in this weary old world–
So much and workers so few,
And Somebody Else, all weary and worn,
Is still substituting for you.
If the message of the poem wasn’t so true it would sure be a lot funnier.
If we as a church are going to prosper and be faithful to the Great Commission we are going to have to have people going out into the community inviting others to church and sharing the plan of salvation with the lost. Or are we going to let Somebody Else do it?
If we are going to keep the programs going we now have intact and are going to maintain this beautiful old building we are going to have to have people who are committed to the Biblical principle of tithing and who will volunteer to help out around here from time to time. Or are we going to let Somebody Else do it?
If we are going to be a church that takes ministry seriously we are going to have to have people visiting our shut-ins on a regular basis, going into the nursing homes, spending time with patients in the hospital. We will have people bringing food for the Food Closet and cooked meals to the homes of the bereaved. Or are we going to let Somebody Else do it?
Far too many people have been content to let Somebody Else do the work they should be doing themselves. And I have news for you; there aren’t that many Somebody Elses’ out there. And those there are have grown pretty weary and discouraged.
Having Christians choose Pilate’s basin must surely be Satan’s secret for destroying the church. It’s happening all over this country; it’s happening right here amongst us. I shudder to think what the outcome will be if we do not catch on soon. It’s time we wake up and realize what’s happening. Pilate’s basin is the wrong choice. It leads to death and destruction. It did in his day and it does in ours. But thank God, there is another choice.
There is another basin we read about in the New Testament. Interestingly enough it was picked up and used just a few hours before Pilate picked up the other one. We read about it in John 13. Surely you remember this story too. Jesus and his disciples are gathered in the Upper Room. They were sharing the Passover meal together when Jesus "rose from the table, took off his outer garment, and tied a towel around his waist. Then he poured some water into a washbasin and began to wash the disciple’s feet and dry them with the towel around his waist." (Jn. 13:4-5)
It’s rather interesting what happened next. One of the disciples protested that Jesus shouldn’t be doing that; it wasn’t his responsibility. Why washing another person’s feet was the job for the lowest of all slaves.
By what Jesus did here, and what he went through a few hours later, he revealed that servanthood is, in fact, his responsibility and that of those who would follow him. While his disciple’s feet were still moist and clean Jesus told them, "I have set an example for you, so that you will do just what I have done for you."
Jesus’ basin serves as quite a contrast to that of Pilate’s. Whereas Pilate uses his to avoid his rightful responsibility, Jesus uses his basin to take on responsibility which most would have said was not his at all. He used his basin to make clear God’s intention. If we are going to be associated with Him, we will not be shunning responsibility but looking for opportunities to be more than responsible. We will be looking for opportunities to serve.
Folks, I’m going to be real honest with you. I don’t see many people around here seeking out responsibility. I don’t see a whole lot of people who are eager to be servants. Apparently it’s just not our style. We’d rather let Somebody Else do the servant stuff.
A student at a Bible school in the Philippines became disturbed over the condition of the men’s rest rooms, since they always seemed to be neglected in the cleaning routine. When nothing was done to eliminate the filth, he took matters into his own hands and complained to the principal of the school. A little later, the student noticed that the problem was being corrected, but he saw with amazement that the man with the mop and pail in hand was the principal himself! Later the student commented, "I thought that he would call a janitor, but he cleaned the toilets himself. It was a major lesson to me on being a servant and, of course, it raised a question in my own mind as to why I hadn’t taken care of the problem!"
What a wonderful example this principals set. Which basin he had chosen is unmistakable–he had chosen the basin of Christ. The student, however, had chosen Pilate’s basin. He had no intention of being responsible for the problem at hand. His choice was to complain, to expect someone lower than he, to take care of it. The question he raised at the end is, in fact, the one which deserves to be asked more often.
When we see things we don’t like we can complain–many do–and we can look for someone beneath us to do something about it–again, which many already do–or we can ask the more appropriate question, "What can I do to make matters better? How can I be of service here?"
D. L. Moody once said, "We may easily be too big for God to use, but never too small." I fear that he may be on to something here. Some of us have gotten to big for God. This servanthood stuff is beneath us. Who wants to work in the church kitchen? It’s a messy job. Who wants to go see those folks in the nursing home? It stinks out there. Who wants to go visit that prospective church member? They don’t live quite like we do.
Yes, it does happen. Sometimes we get too big for our britches. We lack the humility that was so beautifully demonstrated in the life of our Lord. We do not exhibit the same servant-like attitude he demonstrated over and over again.
If you were a part of our study of the Book of Philippians on Wednesday nights here recently you know that one of the reasons Paul wrote to that church was that there were problems within it. There were some folks there who couldn’t get along with each other. Some folks who had gotten too big for their britches. In the second chapter of Philippians we find that beautiful hymn where we are told to "let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus." There’s probably not a more beautiful and inspiring passage in the N.T. than in the hymn which follows these words. But apparently somewhere along the way we have failed to see that Paul’s reason for including these words here is to tell the Philippians that if they are going to be able to get along with each other and be a good and faithful church they were going to have to take on the same attitude or mind of Christ. And just what is this attitude. Look at it if you will. Paul says "He always had the nature of God," but he "took the nature of a servant." Paul adds, "He was humble and walked the path of obedience all the way to death–his death on the cross."
Here it is again. To be a Christian, to be a follower of Jesus Christ, we must refuse Pilate’s basin and take up that of Jesus. In God’s kingdom we must be humble and willing to serve wherever we are needed. Jesus indicated that servanthood is the true path to greatness. Now obviously that is not what the world teaches us, but tell me, who are you going to listen to? Jesus or the world? If the Son of Man came "not to be served but to serve" what in the world are we thinking when we choose Pilate’s basin over that of Christ?
Today we set apart two men from our church who have been selected by you to serve as deacons. The word "deacon" means servant and in ordaining Willard and Charlie we are appointing them to serve in a special way. But I cannot emphasize enough that each and everyone of us are called to serve, to be servants, just as well. Unfortunately, over the years, in most churches the office of deacon has come to be more a title of honor or prestige than anything else. There are even people who long to be a deacon so they can have this title. But the truth of the matter is no deacon is a true deacon unless he lives and acts like a servant, unless he rejects Pilate’s basin and takes up that of Christ. Without the same humility and servant heart they are useless.
But then, the same thing can be said for any of us. We must all strive to be servants whether we ever get a title like deacon or not. The true Christians does not worry about titles.
Our churches would be so much stronger if we quit worrying about the things the world worries about. In our text from Matthew today that seems to have been a problem for the church from the very beginning. Even Jesus’ disciples argue about which of them is the greatest and who will have the places of honor in Christ’s kingdom. If we serve only to get recognition or honor, somehow we have missed the whole point.
Let me close with a short piece I came across earlier this week. It is called "I Wonder."
You know, Lord, how I serve You, With great emotional fervor, In the limelight.
You know how eagerly I speak for You, At the women’s club.
You know how I effervesce when I promote a fellowship group.
You know my genuine enthusiasm at a Bible study.
But how would I react, I wonder, if You pointed to a basin of water
And asked me to wash the calloused feet of a bent and wrinkled old woman
Day after day, month after month,
In a room where nobody saw and nobody knew.
The layman is right; it all boils down to basin theology. Which one will you use? Will you shirk your responsibility like Pilate? Or will you choose in all earnestness to take up Christ’s basin and leave here today with a commitment to serve–truly serve–in Jesus’ name?
