Washing Your Feet
Children's sermon
Object:
A bowl and a towel
The evening meal was in progress, and the devil had already prompted Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus. Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him. (vv.2-5)
Hi, everyone! (Let them respond.) I have a question for you. Have any of you ever had guests come for dinner? Maybe a friend or someone comes to your house and stays for lunch or dinner sometime? (Let them respond.) When that happens, are there things you do to make those people feel more welcome? (Let them respond.) Like maybe give them a special place to sit, or get out the nicer dishes, or serve them their food first? (Let them respond.) Okay.And when you have guests for dinner, do you always remember to use warm water when you wash their feet? (Let them respond.) What? You don’t? You don’t wash their feet? (Let them respond.) Really?
Okay, I’m kind of playing with you a little bit. I don’t imagine any of us wash other people’s feet when they visit us for dinner anymore. But back in Jesus’s day they did! (Show everyone the bowl and towel.) When people had a party, or guests for dinner, after everyone sat down at the table one of the servants went around the room with a bowl of warm water and a towel and washed everyone’s feet. (Let them respond.) They really did. It was something they did to show the guests they were happy to have them there and to help them relax and be more comfortable. Remember that people didn’t have cars then, so most people walked everywhere they went. So if someone came to dinner from a long way away, their feet were probably dirty and sore, so the warm water helped them feel better. And sometimes if the guest was really special, the servant would pour some expensive oil or perfume on the guest’s feet and give them a nice little foot massage. And then, after everyone had clean and nice-smelling feet, they would all eat dinner. Do you think you would like that? (Let them respond.)
This is the day we remember the night that Jesus met with his disciples for the very special dinner called the Passover Seder. It was one of the biggest holiday celebrations they had, and they were all excited to be together in Jerusalem to celebrate it. They got together in a big room and all sat down at the tables. And what do you think happened next? (Let them respond.) They all looked around for the servant to come in with the bowl and towel, but when she came in something happened. Jesus got up from his seat, took the bowl and towel from the servant, and Jesus walked over, and knelt down, and started washing Peter’s feet. Well, what do you think happened next? (Let them respond.) Yes, Peter jumped up and said, “What are you doing Lord? Why are you washing my feet?”
Jesus told him to sit still but Peter said, “No way! You are the Lord, not a servant. There is no way I am going to let you wash my feet!” Jesus told Peter to either sit down and let him wash his feet or he could just leave. So, Peter sat down, and Jesus went all around the room washing everyone’s feet with the bowl and towel.
Now, I have a question for you. Why do you think Jesus did that? (Let them respond.) If he was the Lord, the Son of God, why did he take the bowl and towel from the woman and do the things only a servant would do? (Let them respond.)
I think Jesus was trying to remind his disciples what God really wanted them to be like. Ever since they had come to town, they had been treated like rock stars. Everywhere they went the crowds followed them, and cheered for them, gave them expensive gifts, and treated them like they were super special. I wonder if they had started to get a bit proud of themselves and had forgotten what Jesus had been teaching them for the past three years about what it meant to follow God.
In Latin, the word for “command” is “mandatum”, and that is why we call today “Maundy Thursday”, to remember the night that Jesus commanded his disciples to serve others.
Following Jesus does not mean being treated like a rock star, or getting things, or having people treat us like we are something special. Following Jesus means doing the things we need to do to take care of other people and to let them know they are loved. It means acting less like a rock star and more like a servant with a bowl and towel.
It doesn’t mean we have to get on our knees and wash everyone’s feet before we eat our dinner. And boy, I’m glad, aren’t you? (Let them respond.) But it means that if we want to follow Jesus we need to remember to always try and do things we can do to show people around us that we love them, just like God loves them.
Let’s say our prayer and ask God to help us remember.
Prayer:
Dear God, thank you for reminding us how much you love us. Please help us remember that you love all of the people you have created and help us let the people around us know that we love them just like Jesus loves us. Amen.
Hi, everyone! (Let them respond.) I have a question for you. Have any of you ever had guests come for dinner? Maybe a friend or someone comes to your house and stays for lunch or dinner sometime? (Let them respond.) When that happens, are there things you do to make those people feel more welcome? (Let them respond.) Like maybe give them a special place to sit, or get out the nicer dishes, or serve them their food first? (Let them respond.) Okay.And when you have guests for dinner, do you always remember to use warm water when you wash their feet? (Let them respond.) What? You don’t? You don’t wash their feet? (Let them respond.) Really?
Okay, I’m kind of playing with you a little bit. I don’t imagine any of us wash other people’s feet when they visit us for dinner anymore. But back in Jesus’s day they did! (Show everyone the bowl and towel.) When people had a party, or guests for dinner, after everyone sat down at the table one of the servants went around the room with a bowl of warm water and a towel and washed everyone’s feet. (Let them respond.) They really did. It was something they did to show the guests they were happy to have them there and to help them relax and be more comfortable. Remember that people didn’t have cars then, so most people walked everywhere they went. So if someone came to dinner from a long way away, their feet were probably dirty and sore, so the warm water helped them feel better. And sometimes if the guest was really special, the servant would pour some expensive oil or perfume on the guest’s feet and give them a nice little foot massage. And then, after everyone had clean and nice-smelling feet, they would all eat dinner. Do you think you would like that? (Let them respond.)
This is the day we remember the night that Jesus met with his disciples for the very special dinner called the Passover Seder. It was one of the biggest holiday celebrations they had, and they were all excited to be together in Jerusalem to celebrate it. They got together in a big room and all sat down at the tables. And what do you think happened next? (Let them respond.) They all looked around for the servant to come in with the bowl and towel, but when she came in something happened. Jesus got up from his seat, took the bowl and towel from the servant, and Jesus walked over, and knelt down, and started washing Peter’s feet. Well, what do you think happened next? (Let them respond.) Yes, Peter jumped up and said, “What are you doing Lord? Why are you washing my feet?”
Jesus told him to sit still but Peter said, “No way! You are the Lord, not a servant. There is no way I am going to let you wash my feet!” Jesus told Peter to either sit down and let him wash his feet or he could just leave. So, Peter sat down, and Jesus went all around the room washing everyone’s feet with the bowl and towel.
Now, I have a question for you. Why do you think Jesus did that? (Let them respond.) If he was the Lord, the Son of God, why did he take the bowl and towel from the woman and do the things only a servant would do? (Let them respond.)
I think Jesus was trying to remind his disciples what God really wanted them to be like. Ever since they had come to town, they had been treated like rock stars. Everywhere they went the crowds followed them, and cheered for them, gave them expensive gifts, and treated them like they were super special. I wonder if they had started to get a bit proud of themselves and had forgotten what Jesus had been teaching them for the past three years about what it meant to follow God.
In Latin, the word for “command” is “mandatum”, and that is why we call today “Maundy Thursday”, to remember the night that Jesus commanded his disciples to serve others.
Following Jesus does not mean being treated like a rock star, or getting things, or having people treat us like we are something special. Following Jesus means doing the things we need to do to take care of other people and to let them know they are loved. It means acting less like a rock star and more like a servant with a bowl and towel.
It doesn’t mean we have to get on our knees and wash everyone’s feet before we eat our dinner. And boy, I’m glad, aren’t you? (Let them respond.) But it means that if we want to follow Jesus we need to remember to always try and do things we can do to show people around us that we love them, just like God loves them.
Let’s say our prayer and ask God to help us remember.
Prayer:
Dear God, thank you for reminding us how much you love us. Please help us remember that you love all of the people you have created and help us let the people around us know that we love them just like Jesus loves us. Amen.
