A group of Sunday School teachers were sharing the learning experiences of their students.

One teacher was describing how, in the Bible, Lot’s wife looked back and turned into a pillar of salt as Abraham’s nephew went with him to Canaan. Little Jason interrupted with “My Mommy looked back once while she was driving, and she turned into a telephone pole.”

Another Sunday School teacher asked, “Johnny, do you think Noah did a lot of fishing when he was on the Ark?” “No,” replied Johnny. “How could he, with just two worms?”

Then there’s the teacher who said to her children, ”We have been learning how powerful kings and queens were in Bible times. But, there is a higher power. Can anybody tell me what it is? –and a kid calls out, “Aces.”

The kids had a couple thoughts on prayer, too, that they shared. There’s the 6-year old who was asked, “So your mother says your prayers for you each night? That’s commendable. What does she say?” The little boy answers, “Thank God he’s in bed!”

And there’s the little girl, Kelli, who, when she said her bedtime prayers, would bless every family member, every friend, and every animal—current and past. For several weeks, after finishing the nightly prayer, Kellie would say, “And all girls.” Well, that phrase became part of her nightly routine, and curiosity got the best of her mother. She asked Kelli, “Why do you always add the part about all girls?” Kelli answered, “Because everybody always finishes their prayers by saying, “All men!”

Seriously, the perspectives of these children made me think about the disciples we read about in tonight’s scripture readings. As they took part in that “last supper,” with the Rabbi Jesus, they had that tremendous heritage of their Jewish faith, with all its traditions, that they had brought with them to the table.

They were thankful for the way in which God had saved their people at the time of that first Passover event, as they were passed over—saved from death-- with the blood of the sacrificial lamb on their houses, as God executed judgment on the gods of Egypt, at the time when Moses, Aaron and the Israelites were there… It was a time of remembrance that they would celebrate, over and over, as a festival to the Lord.

As the Psalmist relates, they could recall how, when they called on the Lord, he would hear them and respond to their needs. Because of this, they would be obedient to God… They would serve God and be thankful, praising the Lord all the time…

They loved the Lord; there was no question about that, and now they had Jesus who they had come to know and love in the same way… Jesus, a young man by all our standards of today, one they had chosen to follow and serve, in the brief time they’d had with him, yet one that, like the children whose stories we shared, they did not yet fully know or understand.

There was such a great mystery about this man called Jesus! He had done some very amazing things in the short time he had been with them. He had taught them so much and he knew so much. Yet there was an uncertainty about their situation, for there was much of the establishment that he contradicted… They had so many questions, so much that they still had to learn, in the midst of their strong, yet imperfect faith…One, especially, who appeared so strong, was so hesitant… and would betray Jesus.

The disciples were so much like the children of our stories, strong in faith but still limited in their understanding. In John’s gospel, verse 33 of chapter 13, they are even referred to as children, although mature, thinking adults… yet in his usual style, Jesus led them, once again, into an experience that would strengthen their faith and their understanding, all on the night in which he was betrayed.

You see, Jesus was a leader in building relationships. He knew how close the disciples were, from all the time they had spent together, learning and growing, and he knew how close he was to all of them. They had bonded, as a living entity, a spiritual body, and while he knew his time with them was limited, he took this moment to establish a new covenant with the disciples. They would share the bread and drink the cup together, an act that would take them to the Cross.

They were such imperfect people—people like you and me. There was Peter, the leader of the 12 who spoke for them, and a fisherman on the Sea of Galilee. Peter, who would deny Jesus three times, yet who confessed publicly that Jesus was the Christ—the living Christ, who was laughing, weeping, hoping, with them. And there was Judas, the betrayer.

Maybe the closest thing to this event that we call the Last Supper is an early morning, regular men’s coffee group, where the guys get together and shoot the breeze—dealing with the big issues in society and politics, and such. Or maybe it’s a bunch of women friends who go out to lunch together on a regular basis, who share their hurts, their joys, and their everyday lives together… I think it happens in the circles and many small groups in this church—especially after they’ve been together a while—and it happens in AA groups, certainly—those groups who’ve created bonds that strengthen their togetherness.

It’s brought out, in a dramatic way, when we, as a church family, share communion together, for we are honoring that great tradition as we choose to become a part of that amazing event of faith. We, as a congregation, can choose to become as the disciples, bonded in our faith, sharing our lives, and experiencing the reality of all that Christ means to us. We, who are still as little children in our faith. Yet we who choose to learn and go forward, asking forgiveness for the times that we have betrayed and fallen short, confessing that we, too, have denied Christ. What wonderful hope there is for all of us, friends. What a wonderful covenant, when we choose to experience that Last Supper of our Lord!

Steven Doughty reminds us that “the community gathered in Christ is a fragile and cracked vessel,” yet it’s also, by God’s grace, being sanctified. We are learning and we are being shaped. As it was when Jesus was the head of the table, so is it now. It takes time… We are blessed, even as we continue through the uncertainty and the pain. There are times when we join in a task that takes months, demands our best efforts, our patience and our petitions for a wisdom we do not possess; and suddenly we sense that we have been molded, refined…

I’m reminded of an experience my husband and I had while on the island of Maui last year. We had never been to Maui before, but actually received our week there as a gift from some friends who had planned to go and were forced to cancel, for reasons beyond their control. On the day we were to fly back home, we decided we wanted a special, last meal before returning. There was a restaurant we had heard about not far off the road from our route to the airport, one that was supposed to have purportedly the best chef on the island. The restaurant was situated in a rural area and was called—if I remember right, as you know how tricky Hawaiian names can be, the Hanapepe General Store. Maybe some of you have been there.

As we drove off the main highway to a secondary road, the most dramatic full sky rainbow appeared across the sky. The arch it made was so wide, it covered the complete sky, across the road right in front of us. It was spectacular—and long lasting, for it did not leave the extent of our trip.

When we arrived at the restaurant, we discovered it was closed. We had tried the door before we realized this and a cheerful person opened it to explain that this was a special night as the restaurant was hosting a charity fundraiser. The Maui food bank would receive all the proceeds from our meal, but it would require an entry fee of two non-perishable food items. We reflected on what we had left in our car on this last day of our trip, when we’d tried to finish up everything, and we still had an unopened bag of Maui potato chips and some bottled water. We brought the items inside and the hosts were delighted. I considered it holy communion on Maui, a last supper, even a love feast, for the nature of it. Certainly God led us there as he led the disciples where they were to go…

I realized further how even the most unexpected moments and situations are sacred, for they are times that we share with our Lord, wherever we may find ourselves…. There are times when we have left him out, yet Christ must be in the center of our community, very intentionally, for the covenant is everlasting…

Yes, Jesus reminds us of our togetherness and his centrality as we remember and honor that Last Supper, yet he did one more thing to dramatically illustrate what he was about and to give a critically important message to those who would be left behind…

He took off his outer robe, wrapped a towel around his waist and proceeded to wash the disciples’ feet. This was our scripture in John. In a most extreme and radical move, he demonstrated the servanthood of Jesus Christ. You see, footwashing was not simply an act of personal hygiene or of hospitality; it was much more than that, although everyone generally needed it because they usually wore open sandals and the roads were mainly dirt or unsurfaced, we’re told. Jesus could have been offered water to wash his own feet, for that was the accepted custom. Or a servant could have done it— a woman, even a child or non-Jews… but Jesus was the host in this situation and a host never did it to others; Jesus was a man and men did not do this.

It was such a radical reversal when Jesus offered it that Peter got confused and thought it was the water that made the difference, so asked for it over all of his body… wrong! It was the genuine act of servanthood, of equality among people, the demonstration of a relationship, of love in action, of self-sacrificing humility, that came through…

It was a new commandment, for all of them, for us, and for the whole world… a commandment for each of us to love one another as he has loved us. For as we serve each other, we serve him. You see, Jesus made that last supper a love feast, a time of coming together to celebrate and recognize all that we can be, even when his time on this earth had come! It’s a lifestyle change that we are to incorporate into our daily lives in every way, a change that is wrapped around all the purpose and promise of his kingdom…

This evening, you are given a new opportunity to participate in the building of that kingdom. In this sacramental moment, we are going to once again share in the great Thanksgiving, the remembrance of the Last Supper of our Lord that was shared with those early disciples and that is now passed on to us, today’s disciples, in our own love feast.

Now please listen carefully… After you have received the bread and the cup, you have the option of taking the name of a child out of the basket that is offered to you. I pray you will take one because all the children of the church are in these baskets, and we don’t want anyone left out! In a radical reversal of roles, much as Jesus would do when he reminded us that the disciples—and we—are as children, you are asked to then do some kind of demonstration of God’s love—perhaps just a simple act of kindness—for that child, in the next month. You might send them a prayer, or some other thoughtful item, or give them a meaningful gift of some kind; perhaps make a picture. What are your talents? Call on your creativity to send a message of Jesus’ love to a child.

There are just a couple conditions here. First, what you do for the child must be anonymous. And, you are asked to do it within the next month. Oh, you could do more things—send more messages—and over a longer period of time, if you choose… That’s up to you, but be creative! You can even leave items in the reception area; we’ll have a drop-off bin there, and we’ll notify the family, if you do, so you don’t have to mail anything. Call the parents first, if you believe they should know about what you are doing. You can tell the parents who you are, that’s okay; just be anonymous to the child. We ask for no personal contact with the child. Just let the child know that they are loved by God and that the surprise is from this church family. In this way, you are having a sacred moment of both communion and footwashing.

Did you listen closely to the words the choir was singing, as they gave their anthem? Jesu, Jesu, that endearing name for Jesus, sounds so much like “Yes, Yes!”

Say “Yes” to children, as Jesus said “yes” when he washed his disciples’ feet. Say “yes” to a renewed relationship with Jesus Christ and to the new commandment. As did the disciples, say “yes” to your pattern of discipleship. Say “yes” to Christ-centered relationships in this church and to a new covenant of humble service in the world. And be sure to pass on the message to your children!

On this Holy Thursday, we are now on the way to the cross, in a journey to the fulfillment of God’s eternal promise. To God be the glory, now and forever. Amen.

Sermon delived by Rev. Carol Mumford on April 9, 2009.