January 6, 2018 - Church at Worship

Protestants have historically recognized two sacraments: baptism and the Lord’s Supper. A sacrament can be loosely defined as a physical act that symbolizes a deep spiritual meaning. As such, baptism uses water as a symbol of spiritual realities such as cleansing, forgiveness, rebirth, and new life. And the Lord’s Supper uses simple physical symbols such as unleavened bread and grape juice to symbolize, first, the broken body and spilled blood of Christ, and second, the spiritual nourishment each disciple needs if he or she is to grow in Christ. Adventists might add one more “sacrament” to the list: the washing of feet. While not officially defined as a sacrament, some have thought of it as a “mini re-baptism.” After all, on the night that he instituted the washing of feet as an act with spiritual meaning, Jesus told his disciples: “Those who have had a bath need only to wash their feet; their whole body is clean” (John 13:10, TNIV). While he was literally referring to someone who had bathed and then walked in sandals to a dinner party—thus getting their feet dirty, while they remained otherwise clean—many have seen a deeper spiritual meaning in what He said: once baptized, the washing of feet provides a periodic reminder of the cleansing that we all enjoy because of Jesus’ grace. Today, we come to participate in both the washing of feet and the Lord’s Supper. Such acts offer us powerful reminders of the deep realities of the life Jesus offers us. In participating in these acts, we give evidence of our choice to live our lives within the kingdom that Jesus came to establish. When our feet are washed as well as when we wash the feet of another, when we chew the unleavened bread, when we taste the grape juice on our lips, we are affirming that what Jesus offered is true and real, and we are stating our choice to accept it with joy. My invitation to you, then, is simple: on this first Sabbath of 2018, would you join us in these acts, these sacraments of the church? By so doing, you join the rest of us in proclaiming the life and death and burial and resurrection of Jesus until the day He returns. May God bless you in rich ways today and all through the year! Randy Roberts, Senior pastor