Sun, Mar 20th - 9:20PM
BRETHREN DOCTRINES
The Feet Washing Ceremony
In doctrine and practice the love feast has been regarded as a whole evening's ceremony which consists of three main parts: the preparatory ceremony of feet washing, the central ceremony of a fellowship meal called the Lord's Supper, and the climaxing ceremony of the communion or eucharist.
What is the meaning of the feet washing ceremony? The most obvious meaning of a washing ceremony is that of cleansing or purifying. It does not refer to the actual feet, or else it would have been performed by Jesus at the disciples' entrance into the room. It is obviously a symbol of that continual cleansing of the heart without which we, like Peter, would have no part with the Messiah. Baptism refers to that original washing of regeneration whereby we are justified before God and are born again. That aspect of our conversion is "once for all." We became a member of the family of God. But after that initial act and experience of regeneration, there is necessary a continual cleansing and purifying from sin in order to keep ourselves in the love of God. This is the process of sanctification or growth in grace. It is much like a bather who walks home from the bath house, and, though he was thoroughly bathed, needs still to wash the dust of the journey from his/her feet. "He that is bathed needeth nt save to wash his feet (John 13:10)"
Foot washing is also symbolic of love humbling itself for service. This applies particularly to the one who is doing the washing of another's feet and is of unusual significance to the entire love feast. For it is the particular sin of pride, superiority, striving for place, which is the chief barrier to Christian fellowship and which requires the cleansing mentioned above. It was this which disturbed Jesus on that last evening with His disciples, and it was in order to eliminate this that He instituted this realistic and amazing drama. The besetting sin of the disciples was this overwhelming desire for status. A recurring question among the disciples was which of them was greatest and, according to Luke, it broke out anew on that very evening at the dinner table. Over against their yearning for position Jesus' humility stands in strong contrast. He who counted not the being on an equality with God the Father a thing to be grasped, and who came not to be ministered to but to minister, used an instrument fitting to His Spirit-He took a towel. He might have taken a scepter or a sword, He might have taken a political majority or a radio hookup, but He took a towel, the symbol of love humbling itself for service.
Indeed, this is our own burdensome sin, not drunkenness, not lust, not bitter hatred, but the pervasiveness and incessant concern about status. It is one of the most subtle forms of temptation and is the ever-present barrier to our growth in grace as individuals and to our growth in fellowship as brethren. We are familiar with this pride as it shows up i the ambitious folk who are forever elbowing their way forward or upward. Their fevered pushfulness irritates us all and always. If they are unable to get on themselves, they are busy pushing others down and back so that they appear to be getting ahead. We are familiar with this pride also in the form of the smugness which marks those who have attained some eminence or status. They do not shout about it. They are very polite and quiet and seemingly gracious. But the air they carry is stifling because underneath their poise is that cold smugness whose prayer is ever and always "I thank thee that I am not as other men are." This is less easily detected than ambitious pride, but it is just as great a barrier as that to personal growth in grace and fellowship.
We are usually less aware of the pride and the desire for place which are exemplified among those who lack status and do not seem to desire it. It shows up in their jealous judgments and carping criticism of others It has an air of self-effacement and humility. But its very very concern with the concern of others for position stems from its own concern for position. Why were the disciples so incensed, so filled with indignation at the sons of Zebedee, whose mother pushed them forward? For the same reason we are indignant. We would like to have had that same position for ourselves, but they thought of it first and somebody had the boldness to ask for it! Too often our lack of assertiveness is not the fruit of lowliness and simplicity but is due rather to lack of enterprise and courage The true antithesis of the proud Pharisee is not the jealous judge of the proud Pharisee, but rather the truly humble publican who is so burdened with his own sin that that he is not bothered by the pride of others.
Now all these forms of pride are barriers to growth in grace and, in particular, barriers to fellowship. The significance of the feet washing ceremony is that it excises this inordinate pride and opens the flood gates of grace and allows fellowship to flow unhindered. Thus Jesus gave us, as He clearly said, an example that we should do to one another as He had done to His disciples when He washed their feet. Rather than calling for a regular servant to come and wash all of their feet, Jesus lead by example, humbling Himself and kneeling while He washed and dried their feet. ~from The Brethren Love Feast, by William Beahm
Perhaps we all ought to take time during this remembrance of the Passion Week and ask ourselves "Why do I criticize those in leadership roles within my congregation?" "Why am I frequently doubting God's Word as being true?" "Why can't I forgive and forget, just as Jesus has forgiven and forgotten my sins?" Perhaps we too frequently are tempted to desire to be the "right-hand person" to the pastor or priest. Truth be told, we could become that person, if only we would become a servant to everyone else first. As an American, I can admit that our culture inhibits us from freely embracing the truth that we all must become bond-servants to Christ Jesus before we can ever become adopted sons and daughters of God. Americans tend to fiercely defend their liberty, to not take kindly to others attempting to dominate them, to lord it over them. So we have a much more difficult time surrendering ourselves and accepting Jesus Christ as our Lord and Master. We tend to chaff against being told that we have been bought for a price: the shed blood of Jesus upon that cross on a hill called Calvary. What, don't we know, that we are not our own anymore?
To God be all of the praise, honor, power, and glory!
~Eric
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Mon, Mar 14th - 7:52PM
BRETHREN DOCTRINES
The Fellowship Meal
What is the meaning of The Last Supper? Beyond any doubt, it is a ceremonial dinner of intimate fellowship, of social interaction at the highest level. At its most fundamental level, a meal is the consumption of energy for our biological systems. But all of our eating of food has taken on a social and symbolic character. It has become so much so, that to do it alone on a frequent basis causes health problems. Any social group is more intimately knit together by sharing a common table of food. This is even more intensely true among those simpler cultures where they share a common dish. Our most intimate friends are those whom we invite to eat with us. Think about that for just a minute. On that last night with His disciples, Jesus chose to eat a sacred meal with them. It was a meal that very closely resembled the Passover, but it clearly was transformed into a new thing which He instituted as an occasion of exquisite fellowship. The atmosphere was electric, intensified by the impending doom of the cross and the presence of the betrayer. Jesus sought to bind His disciples to Him in everlasting bonds. He appears to have made a special effort to win Judas Iscariot back into the fold of love and light. Conversation at the table was beautiful and loving, so courageous and true, so penetrating and revealing, that it as if a certain glow emanates around the record of it in John 14-17. The heart of God is clearly revealed as Jesus prays to the Father in heaven for those dearest to Him. The name given to these meals in early times was agape. This was a Greek word for love, but it was a distinctively Christian type of love which finds its highest joy not in what it gets but in what it gives. It is a love given without any strings attached, no conditions required in order to receive it. The early Brethren at Schwarzenau helped to revive this practice as its claims and significance became clear to them. For them, the church was primarily a fellowship of people bound together intimately by their common redemption and their living Lord. It was not simply a togetherness, but togetherness of the deepest level and of the intensest quality. This is the essential meaning of the Lord's supper. It is probably the most characteristic sacrament of a congregation of believers which holds the name of Brethren. This meal therefore is more a reflection of the bare bones meal that the Israelites were forced into eating in Egypt the night that the Angel of Death passed through Pharaoh's lands. At the Last Supper of the Lord it was not a banquet, but more of a simple meal which helped its participants prepare themselves for the coming Sabbath Day. It is not a time to gorge oneself but rather to stop and reflect upon that Last Supper and the immediacy of the cross on Calvary. Thus, this meal normally consists of fruits, perhaps some cheese, and a simply made soup consisting of rice and beef. There can be rolls provided as a means to sop up the juice in the soup. Water is the only beverage offered. Of course, there are Scriptures and some singing involved immediately before sitting down to the meal, which actually follows the first part of a Brethren Love Feast. Next time I shall backtrack and write about Feet Washing.
Grace and peace be yours during this season of Lent!
~Eric
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Name: E J Rajaniemi
