Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all thingsinto His hands, and that He had come from God and was going to God, rose from supper and laid aside His garments, took a towel and girded Himself. After that, He poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe themwith the towel with which He was gird...So when He had washed their feet, taken His garments, and sat down again, He said to them, "Do you know what I have done to you? You call Me Teacher and Lord, and you say well, for soI am. If I then, yourLord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you.

I know that my memory is getting overloaded and often, important lessons slide into the fog of ancient memory, but I do not ever recall a teaching or sermon where the speaker offered to wash the feet of the assembled congregation.

This is not just an important lesson, it is a very, very important lesson for it demonstrates graphically the underlying relationship between the Lord Jesus, the Christ and His flock. To bring it right home to our ministry, Betty and I are called to serve the assembled saints at Southern State Correctional Facility.The title, pastor, does not carry any connotation of boss.

Readings:

Morning Psalm 88, Noon Psalm 119:161-168, Evening Psalm 39