Ministry Of Towel And Basin

Read Luke 22: 1-46

Pastor David Stoker

Luke 22 records the events of the last night of Jesus’ life. He and His disciples were sharing a
meal together. Jesus knew that within 24 hours He would be dead. It was a very special night
for Him. And yet, look at what happened on that occasion. The disciples got into an argument.
Surely this must have broken Jesus’ heart. They were bickering among themselves about
which one of them was the most important. Peter probably said, “I’m the most important
because I once walked on the water with Him.” John then tried to one-up him by saying, “Well,
I am actually the most important because I am the one who gets to sit right next to Him all
the time.” Andrew couldn’t let that pass, so he jumped in, “You seem to forget, I am the one
who introduced all of you to Him in the first place!”
And on and on it went. What did Jesus do to stop the arguing? Did Jesus suddenly stand up
and slam his fork down on the table and cry out, “ENOUGH!”? That is probably what most of us
would have done. But Jesus didn’t do that. What He did do is extraordinary.
Understand please, that in those days the streets of cities were dirty and very dusty. The
sandals that the people wore were thin and offered little protection for the feet. It was
customary that beside the front door of each home there would be a basin, a towel and a
pitcher of water. When a person entered the house, a servant would kneel down and gently
wash the hot, tired feet of the guest. It was a job reserved for the servant. The problem was
that the house where Jesus and His disciples were dining was an upper room in a borrowed
home. The owner of the house had made available his upper room, but he had not made
available his servant. Jesus had borrowed the room, not the servant. As all the disciples
entered the upper room, they all noticed the towel and the basin standing beside the door,
but nobody touched them. Nobody wanted to stoop so low. Nobody wanted to serve
the others.
We don’t understand this thing about feet in our culture. Remember several years ago, as they
were pulling down the statue of Saddam Hussein, the young men in Iraq put their feet on the
statue’s face? In the Mideast culture, feet are repugnant.
Well, right in the middle of this argument about who is the greatest, with all this bickering
going on, suddenly Jesus gets up and He takes the towel and basin. He proceeds to kneel
down and wash the disciples’ feet. It was an absolutely incredible moment, and it must have
stunned them to the core.
Scott Peck believes the washing of the disciples’ feet is one of the most significant events
in the life of Jesus. He writes, “Until that moment the whole point of things [in the world]
had been for someone to get on top, and once he had gotten on top to stay on top or else
attempt to get farther up. But here this man already on top - who was rabbi, teacher, master -
 DAY 66
suddenly got down on the bottom and began to wash the feet of his followers. In that one act
Jesus symbolically overturned the whole social order.”
Have you ever had someone wash your feet? Reverend Peter Barnes shares his experience.
I remember a few years ago during Holy Week a young man in our college ministry named John
made an appointment with me. When he arrived, I noticed that he had brought with him a
thermos of warm water, a plastic basin and a towel. He announced to me that someone once told
him that Holy Week was the busiest time of the year for a pastor, and he wanted to wash my feet
as an expression of His support for my ministry. I was blown away. Immediately I started thinking,
“But my feet are dirty! I hope they don’t smell too much. Oh no, my feet are really ticklish, too!”
But how could I decline such a kind offer? So I let John wash my feet, and I took in the experience
with a renewed appreciation for what Christ did here for the disciples. This young man’s kind act
ministered to me in a great way during that Holy Week. When he was finished, John said to me,
“You know, you should wash your wife’s feet on Mother’s Day.” And I did, for I had come to see what
a blessing John had been to me, and I wanted to give that blessing to Lorie, as well.

QUESTIONS
What would it look like for you to “Take a towel with you” as you go into your home with
your family? “Take your towel with you” tomorrow as you go to your place of work, or study,
or play. “Take your towel with you” as you sit down to share a meal with someone and share
the ordinary things of life together. “Take your towel with you” as you drive the streets of
Honolulu, when you see the needs of the poor, when you speak with those who live in your
neighborhood.

MY REFLECTIONS
Does any particular verse (SCRIPTURE) in today’s reading speak to you?

OBSERVE what this verse is saying to you:

How can you APPLY this verse to your life today?

My PRAYER for today is: