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- Preaching the Living WORD through
the Written WORD - 2 Tim 4;:2 - |
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ECCLESIASTICAL
VIEW OF THE CHURCH: THE LORD’S
SUPPER (2) & FOOT WASHING (Jn 13:1-17;
Lk 7:36-50; 1Ti 5:10) 11/04/12 Grace Bible Church, Gillette, Wyoming Pastor Daryl Hilbert I.
THE
SIGNIFICANCE OF THE LORD’S SUPPER A.
Remembrance
of the Lord’s Death 1. The word “remembrance” comes from the
word ana,mnêsis
and means to bring up
for recall and weigh well or consider. (Lk 22:19; 1Co 11:24, 25). The church
is to corporately and regularly remember the sacrifice of Christ for them.
The Lord’s Supper is a remembrance of the blood of Christ applied to the doorposts
of the believer’s heart at the moment of faith in Christ. 2.
This
remembrance coincides with the regular participation of a memorial and an ordinance
(cp. Ex 12:14). Baptists and Bible Churches have historically maintained that
the Lord’s Supper is a memorial and not a sacrament dispensing grace, as do most
denominations. B.
Proclamation
of the Lord’s Death 1.
Jesus
stated that the Lord’s Supper was a “proclamation” (kataggéllō)
or a making known of a message (1Co 11:26). 2. Believers are making known the message
of Christ’s death to the world every time they partake of the ordinance of
the Lord’s Supper. C.
Proclamation
of the Lord’s Coming 1.
The
Lord’s Supper is a proclamation of the Second Coming of Christ (1Co 11:26). 2. We will partake of the Lord’s Supper
with Christ in His kingdom (Mt 26:29). 3. Therefore, the Lord’s Supper is an
anticipation of communion and reunion with Christ at His coming. D.
Self-Examination
of the Believer 1.
The
context of 1Co 11:28ff is about the believers in Corinth who would have a Love
Feast while they partook of the Lord’s Supper. However, Paul notes their
abuses in that some were getting drunk, eating all the food leaving nothing
for others, and participating in divisions (1Co 11:20-21). 2. The Corinthians were warned about
ignoring such unspiritual and self-serving behavior while partaking of the
Lord’s Supper (1Co 11:27). 3. The consequences for such behavior was discipline
from the Lord in the form of weakness, sickness, and even death (1Co 11:30,
32). 4. The Lord’s Supper, and the symbolism of unleavened
bread, is an exhortation to believers to remain pure and holy. 5. Therefore, the Lord’s Supper reminds us
to continually take close self-examination of our Christian lives (1Co 11:28,
31). II. FOOT WASHING: AN ORDINANCE OR SYMBOL? A. Some Support Foot Washing With The Words And Example
Of Jesus 1. To those who adhere to the ordinance of foot
washing, Jn 13:1-17 would be their strong biblical basis. They argue that
Jesus stated that He gave them an example they should follow (Jn 13:14-15)
and that His disciples would be blessed if they followed this example (Jn 13:17). a) Nevertheless, there are many points, which would argue
against this as an ordinance for the church. First there are no other
explicit references in Scripture that foot washing was to be practiced as an
ordinance similar to the Lord’s Table in 1Co 11:23. b) Secondly, Jesus does not command His disciples to
practice this as an ordinance like He does with the Lord’s Table (1Co 11:24,
25). (1) In 1Co 11:24, 25, the command to “do this” is the
present imperative of poieō (to
do or make; lit. “you must keep on doing” this). (2) In Jn 13:14, Jesus said the disciples “ought” (ophei,lō - lit.
owe, Ro 13:8; fig. a strong obligation, cp. Heb 5:12; 1Jo 4:11) to wash one another’s feet, but this is not the
same as a command or an imperative in the Greek. (3) In Jn 13:15, Jesus exhorted that the disciples “might
do this” (present subjunctive - poie,ō).
The subjunctive mood gives an exhortation but not a command. The imperative
mood would be expected if foot washing was to be an ordinance. c) Jesus does not call foot washing a command but an
“example” (hupo,deigma - example, model, or likeness), which suggests he was speaking of washing each
other’s feet figuratively in the sense of humble service to one another (cp.
1Ti 5:10). An exhortation is consistent with the idea of an example. B. Some Support Foot Washing With Passages From The Bible 1. In the passage from Luke 7:36-50, a “sinful woman” (Lk
7:37; possibly a prostitute) came and washed Jesus’ feet with tears and
perfume (Lk 7:38, 44, 45). Jesus rebuked the Pharisees for their lack of
worship (Lk 7:45, 46) and forgave her sin (Lk 7:47, 48). a) However, at no time did Jesus say that she was
following an ordinance of the church. Nor did He remark that this was to be
an ordinance to be repeated in the church. In fact, this was a different type
of foot washing altogether from the example of Jesus in Jn 13:1-17. b) Jesus stated that this was an act of faith and
repentance on the part of the sinful woman for which she was forgiven (Lk
7:50). 2. In the last passage on foot washing in 1Ti 5:10,
Paul regarded widows who had “washed the saints’ feet” eligible for financial
support. a) Paul was not referring to an ordinance of the church
but practical instructions toward taking care of widows (1Ti 5:8-9). When he
mentioned that she “washed the feet of saints,” Paul was not referring to
faithfulness to an ordinance; otherwise, he would have mentioned the Lord’s
Table. b) Paul was in fact referring to her godly
characteristics such as a “reputation for good works,” “child rearing,”
“hospitality to strangers,” and humble service to the saints (i.e. “washing
the saints’ feet”) which made her eligible for assistance (cp. Jn 13:1-17). C. Some Support Foot Washing With The Example of the
Early Church 1. Many use the example of the early church of
performing the ordinance of foot washing for support. a) However, there is scanty evidence of an early
ordinance of foot washing. b) Other than Tertullian’s ambiguous mention in De Corona 8 in A.D. 211, we do not see
the practice of foot washing mentioned until A.D. 380 in the Church at Milan.
c) In either case, we have no record of the apostles
continuing foot washing as an ordinance, including the Didache (A.D. 100). II. THE SIGNIFICANCE OF FOOT WASHING? A. It was the Symbol of a Humble Servant (Jn
13:12-17) 1. Because of the arid and dusty conditions
in Israel, washing the feet was done before entering a house for cleanliness
and refreshment (Ge 18:4; 1Sa 25:41; So 5:3). It was usually performed by the
individual themselves or by a servant of house. 2. Jesus performed His final earthly
example of His character and will for His disciples (Jn 13:1-4). The example
was that of a humble servant meeting the needs of others. a) Jesus was called “God’s Servant” in
Isaiah (Is 42:1; 49:3; 50:10; 53:11). b) Jesus’ purpose was to serve and give His
life as a ransom (Mk 10:45). c) Jesus is the ultimate example of a
servant in His sacrificial death (Php 2:6-8). 3. Jesus’s disciples were to emulate His
example as a servant (Jn 13:1-7; Php 2:5). a) Jesus’ disciples’ greatest quality is
being a servant of all (Mk 10:43-44). b) Jesus’ disciples were to serve one
another through love (Ga 5:13). c) Jesus’ disciples are to serve others by
sharing the Gospel (1Co 9:19). d) Jesus’ dare to serve others through
edification (1Co 9:19). B. It Included the Symbol of Sanctification (Jn 13:5-11) 1. Peter refused to let Jesus wash his
feet. Jesus responded by saying that Peter would have no part with Jesus and simulation
His character (Jn 13:8). Believers must emulate a servant spirit. 2. In which case Peter accepted and said to
wash him all over. However, Jesus said that one who has been “completely” (ho,los
- whole or complete) cleansed
need not be cleansed again. Jesus was referring to the total and eternal cleansing
(cf. security) of a sinner from all his sins through faith in the shed blood
of Christ (Jn 13:10b). 3. Jesus again remarked that even one
completely cleansed still needed to have his feet washed. The symbolism Jesus
was referring to was that a believer does not need to accept Christ
repeatedly; his sins were forgiven. 4. When a believer sins he does not lose
his salvation, his relationship with the Father, or his position in Christ.
However, when a believer sins in his Christian walk, in order to continue
fellowship with the Lord, he needs to confess his sin (1Jo 1:9a). The Greek
word “confess” is homolege,ō and means to say the same thing, i.e. to
admit or acknowledge one’s sin before
God. It is the death of Christ that has already eternally cleansed the
believer, i.e. positional cleansing. The believer’s fellowship with God
continues by admitting and acknowledging his sin before God. The believer
then has God’s promise of conditional cleansing (1Jo 1:9b). 5. The act of foot washing has great
symbolic value for the believer in that he is exhorted to emulate Christ’s
character of servanthood. Though servanthood is expected in the life of every
true believer, literal foot washing is not. Therefore, foot washing is not an
ordinance for the church. 6. The purpose of this study is not to
condemn the practice of foot washing, but to give the biblical reasons why we
as a church do not practice foot washing as an ordinance. 7. Sometimes there is no earthly reason why
we should show humility and serve a particular person(s). In fact there might
be many earthly reasons why we should not. Nevertheless, there is a heavenly
reason why we should show humility and serve others. It is the example and
exhortation of our Lord. 8. In all honesty, we might think of the
ordinance of foot washing a difficult thing to do. However, I tell you that
following its symbolism of humility and servanthood is even more difficult,
yet eternally more important. |
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