The King's Table

If you were here last Sunday, we spoke about the anointing of Jesus. He was baptized in the Jordan river by the prophet John the Baptist, and by his baptism, the Holy Spirit filled Jesus with the power to do his earthly ministry and declared him to be king of Israel. Then by the prompting of the Holy Spirit, Jesus was led into the wilderness for forty days and tempted by the devil. Christ was victorious and proved himself not only a king but the worthy king worth followings.

After his temptation in the wilderness, Jesus retreats to complete solitude and mediates and prays for the Father to guide him to select the disciples. These men witnessed the baptism of Christ and knew he was someone worth following (Acts 1:21). So when Jesus comes around and tells them to "Follow me." They drop whatever they're are doing and pursue a relationship with him.

The definition of a disciple is someone who followers after another. To imitate everything that they are and to replicate it in their own lives. In essence, Jesus invited the men to become like him, and these men accepted the invitation.

Yet, the twelve were not always great imitators of Christ. Countless times recorded in the gospels, we see the disciples begin to squabble over who was the greatest. The disciples constantly wanted to know who was going to be the greatest in Jesus' kingdom. They all knew one day he would inherit a throne, so they want to position themselves in a place of authority.

We're told from Mark's gospel that two disciples wish to usurp this authority and become the greatest among the twelve. We hear about this conversation right after Jesus predicts his death for the third time.

And James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came up to him and said to him, "Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you." And he said to them, "What do you want me to do for you?" And they said to him, "Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory."

James and John state the request in a way that tries to point the focus the glory on Jesus, but in all reality, the two brothers are concerned about where their position of authority lies. They want to be the greatest in the entire kingdom! How do we know this? Look at what they're asking Jesus. "Can we sit next to your throne and be counted as second in command?" Their wish was to be known as the greatest next to Jesus.

Jesus said to them, "You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or to be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?" And they said to him, "We are able." And Jesus said to them, "The cup that I drink you will drink, and with the baptism with which I am baptized, you will be baptized, but to sit at my right hand or at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared." And when the ten heard it, they began to be indignant at James and John (Mark 10:35-41).

The trouble found in the text is not only pointing at the disciples of James and John, but it includes them all. The twelve were battling this heart issue of trying to gain an authoritative position. Why? They wanted to be the master—someone who's in control. The person is in charge of everyone else, basically to be the boss. In their mind, it's better to be on top and be the master than be lowly and be the servant of all.

When you do some soul searching within yourself, I imagine you can sympathize with James and John. We all can relate to their request to be in an influential position. We want to go out on top rather than be on the bottom of the dogpile. However, their question is driven by their sinful behavior. Their pursuit of authority is rooted in insecurity, fear, and pride.

Yet, we realize this sinful behavior of usurping authority is found every in our culture. The trouble is seen clearly in the United States when governors are overstepping their executive powers. Big tech giants oppress and suppress anyone who disagrees with them, eliminating anyone from the internet. The local agencies in our communities are dictating what is allowed and prohibited. And we want to believe we don't have this same issue as those folk, but that's far from the truth.

This sinful trouble is not only outside the wall of our homes, but it's trap inside of you and me too. We are like the disciples more than we care to admit. Our sinful hearts tell us that's it fine to be in charge, rule the house, set the standards, and dictate to others what they should do. We desire to be the master and everyone else to become the servant.

I could guess we echo James and John's exact words when talking to our family, friends, co-workers. "We want you to do for us whatever we ask of you." These emotions flare-up when we seek to become the greatest in wherever we are located: our household, place of employment, status in the community. We are tempted daily to shout out to others and say, "I am the greatest, and because of this, you will come and serve me."

On the contrary, grace, what God offers, is different compared to the world demands—continuing with the conversation between Christ and the disciples.

And Jesus called them to him and said to them, "You know that those who are considered rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. But it shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many" (Mark 10:42-45).

Jesus emphasizes what it means to be great! First, it is never about lording over others. Kings, governors, and rulers are known for wielding power and controlling the masses, but not in the kingdom of God. To be great is, as Jesus mentions, to become a slave to all. People living in lofty buildings and possess tremendous wealth are poor and weak compared to the greatest in the kingdom.

Finalizing his statement, Jesus says that he embodies this type of spirit - a servant spirit, which is quite odd because we know from his ministry and what others knew his status as the king. How can king Jesus show the world he came to serve? Not many days later, he will declare he came to serve and become an example for his disciples.

Leading up to the Passover, he commands his discipleship to prepare the Passover meal to keep the customs of the Jews to celebrate the victory of when God delivered Israel from Egypt. He calls them to come together and eat this celebratory meal. At this moment, Jesus works grace into their power struggle by not the means of a king's crown but with the simple tools of a slave.

Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. During supper, when the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray him, Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going back to God (John 13:1-3).

Apostle John is telling us the backdrop of what's happening at the Last Supper. But what happens next is unique.

Rose from supper. He laid aside his outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around his waist. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him. He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, "Lord, do you wash my feet?" Jesus answered him, "What I am doing you do not understand now, but afterward you will understand." Peter said to him, "You shall never wash my feet." Jesus answered him, "If I do not wash you, you have no share with me." Simon Peter said to him, "Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!" Jesus said to him, "The one who has bathed does not need to wash, except for his feet, but is completely clean. And you are clean, but not every one of you." For he knew who was to betray him; that was why he said, "Not all of you are clean" (John 13:4-11).

What Jesus performs for the twelves is out of the ordinary. Jesus takes the position of a slave and washes the feet of the disciples. Peter, at first, was taken back by Jesus' posture. Then he refuses to be cleaned by Christ. Jesus comments that I cannot be apart of your life unless you allow me to serve you. After the disciples are washed, Jesus tells us about the one who is to betray him. The disciples had no clue who would betray Christ.

The God of the universe who holds all things together came down and served his creation, giving them more than what they deserved.

When he had washed their feet and put on his outer garments and resumed his place, he said to them, "Do you understand what I have done to you? You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you. Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them. I am not speaking of all of you; I know whom I have chosen. But the Scripture will be fulfilled, 'He who ate my bread has lifted his heel against me.' I am telling you this now, before it takes place, that when it does take place you may believe that I am he. Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever receives the one I send receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me" (John 13:12-20).

Jesus washes their feet no because they needed it but to be an example for them. The foot-washing refers both to Jesus and to his disciples, for it is a Christological depiction of what Christ has done for us and what we must do in and for Christ. That is, it is both a reflection of the hospitality of God toward us and our preparation for service in the mission of God...In fact, to make too much of a distinction between "moral" and "spiritual" applications is to separate two things that belong together.

In short, to understand and to do service exemplified by Jesus is to experience the goodness of God, even more, the grace of God. Blessedness is a divine gift...Similarly, when a disciple of Jesus serves others, he or she is not experiencing a demotion but a promotion to the kind of "life" God offers his children.

First, the most superior died for those who are clearly inferior; the inferior-those normally suited only for the role of servant-were in need of this Servant.

When Jesus washed the feet of his disciples, he initiated their role as his servants, as those anointed for the specific "task, experience, and relationship" they now have by means of their relationship to Jesus.

The foot-washing by Jesus is to be applied to the Christian as the means by which a person sees Christ as his or her Servant, as the one who enacted the cross on their behalf. Christ has washed your feet!... In a sense, rather than having the foot-washing serve as a reflection of the Christian life, our life is to serve as a reflection of-as the enactment of-the foot washing of Jesus.

...one passive (receiving the washing of Christ) and one active (following the example of the washing of Christ).

"We [serve] because he first [served] us" (cf. 1 John 4:19)

We come to the king's table with clean hearts, washes by Christ by his blood in baptism, and now we go into the world living for his glory.