A Children’s Sermon on John 13:1-17 — Washing the Disciples’ Feet

Preface for Pastors and Parents

This children’s sermon on John 13:1-17 may be useful when Maundy Thursday rolls around, or in Year C when it comes up for the 5^th Sunday of Easter. 

But hey, Christ’s message of humble service as the model of discipleship is a good one any time. Christ tells us that willingness to serve another in a lowly way defines how he loves us. Then he says, a little later on, that his New Commandment is that we love one another the way he loved us. So it’s a big deal. 

By the way, these particular Mennonites are part of a conference called “Mosaic.” They live out a pretty stunning model of Christian community and service, with genuinely collegial shared leadership from many cultures. Color me impressed.

You can find my “Monday Meditation” on this same text through this link.

A Children’s Sermon on John 13:1-17

Good morning, kids! I am so glad to see you. I think it is just fantastic that you are here in worship this morning.

Our story from the Gospel this morning comes from a very important time. It was the last week of Jesus’ life on earth. 

We remember that special time every year. We call it “Holy week.” 

It starts on Palm Sunday, when we remember Jesus riding onto Jerusalem on a donkey — the crowd wanted to make him king! 

It goes through Good Friday — when Jesus showed that he loved us with all his heart, because he was willing to suffer and die on a cross to save us. 

Then comes the great good news of Easter Sunday, when Jesus was alive again — he conquered death so we don’t have to be afraid any more. 

Our story today comes from Thursday of that special, holy week. Jesus and his friends were about to have their very last Supper together. Here’s what happened.

An Upper Room

Even if this had not been Jesus’ Last Supper with his friends, it would have been a very important meal. It was the celebration called “Passover.” Every year Jewish people gather for the passover dinner to remember how, long ago, God rescued their ancestors from 400 years of slavery in Egypt.

Jesus planned ahead for their Passover celebration. He found a big upstairs room in a house where they could all gather. He sent some of his friends ahead to prepare the meal. And when evening came, Jesus and the rest of them arrived.

Jesus knocked on the door. 

*Knock* *Knock* *Knock*

Martha answered — she was a good cook, so she was one of the disciples sent to prepare the dinner.. 

“Hello Jesus!” she said with a big smile. “Welcome! Thanks for finding us this great room.” 

They came in but everyone was in a bunch by the door.

“What’s wrong?” Martha asked. 

“It’s our sandals!” said Peter. “Our feet are all dirty from the dusty roads. Where should we put our sandals?”

“Oh, just toss them there by the door” Martha said. “Come in, sit down — the food is all ready.”

“Too bad there’s no servants on this place,” Peter said. “It would be nicer if we could sit down with clean feet.”

A Surprise

So they sat down. They started to eat. 

Now, a Passover feast gets served slowly, bit by bit, while people read out loud the story of being saved from slavery long ago. The foods are all part of the story, so they come in one by one. In between people eat, and listen, and talk. 

In one of the pauses during the meal, Jesus stood up. Then he took off the robe he was wearing. Jesus was standing there on his underwear!

“Jesus!” said Peter, “what are you doing? Put your clothes on!” 

“You’ll see,” Jesus said. Then he said, “Martha, could you bring me a big bowl and a pitcher of water? And a towel?” 

She did. 

Jesus wrapped the towel around his waist. Then he knelt down before John and said, “I’m going to wash your feet now.” 

“But that’s a servant’s job!” said John. 

“I know,” said Jesus. “I want to serve you. That’s why I wrapped this towel around my waist. See? I’m dressed like a servant! And remember? We were all servants — slaves, really, in Egypt.” 

So one by one Jesus knelt down and washed each of his friends’ dusty dirty feet.

Peter Objects

Jesus washed John’s feet. He washed Martha’s feet. He washed Judas’s feet. And then he got to Peter. 

“No way!” said Peter. “You can’t wash my feet!”

 “Why not, Peter?” Jesus asked. 

“Because you’re the Lord!” said Peter. “You’re my teacher! I should be washing your feet!”

 “Peter,” said Jesus, “You’re right that I’m the Lord. And I am your teacher. But if you won’t let me wash your feet, you haven’t even started to be my disciple.”

 “Okay fine!” said Peter. (He almost sounded angry, but mostly he was confused). “Then wash all of me! Give me a bath! Wash my head too!”

“Now Peter,” said Jesus, “you don’t need all that. You’re mostly clean already. You just need to let me wash your feet.”

 So Peter let Jesus wash his feet. But he didn’t like it. I think it was kind of embarrassing for him.

Jesus Explains

When Jesus had washed everyone’s feet, he put his clothes back on. He sat down. The meal continued.

Jesus asked them, “Do you know why I did that?” 

They all thought about that. 

Then Peter spoke up: “Because our feet were dirty?”

“Yes, Peter,” Jesus said, “all our feet were dirty. But I did it for another reason too. I wanted to teach you something. I’m your Lord and your teacher. But I’m willing to care for you like a servant. So you should do that too. You should wash each other’s feet. I want you to love each other the way I’ve shown you.

Wondering

I wonder how it felt to have Jesus wash their dirty feet?

I wonder how Jesus felt when he acted like a servant and wash his friends’ feet? 

I wonder what you and I might do to love the way Jesus loved?

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