[I am not blogging this week. So I thought it would be a good opportunity to put up a longer article I wrote in 2007 that was published in the Gospel Advocate. It makes a great sermon or Bible class, and hopefully, a pretty good article. May God bless.]
Clay Feet by Lolie Smith at www.flickr.com
How do you picture the feet of Jesus? Most likely, the thought of Jesus’ feet hanging on the cross, nail-pierced, dirty, and blood-trickled crosses your mind. This rendition of Jesus’ feet by artists has made indelible impressions on our minds. Possibly your mind also thought of Jesus’ feet wearing sandals and dirty from much walking on the streets of Israel. Interestingly, the Bible writers reference the feet of Jesus specifically sixteen times. When these passages are studied, they reveal five themes found at the feet of Jesus.
Instruction
Once Jesus was at the house of Martha, who obviously felt a great since of obligation with Jesus in her home, and thus was “distracted with much serving” (Luke 8:38-42 NKJV). But Mary, her sister, “sat at Jesus’ feet and heard his word.” Mary chose to stop and listen to Jesus’ instruction and the Lord, when encouraged by Martha to rebuke Mary, said she had “chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.”
Earlier in Luke, the demon-possessed man known as Legion is described as “sitting at the feet of Jesus” after Christ cast the demons into a herd of swine (8:26-39). Don’t you know the Lord was instructing, comforting, and ministering to this man whom he had just given a new life.
Even today we use the phrase “sitting at the feet” to describe receiving instruction from a teacher. Today, we need to be reminded that at the feet of Jesus is found instruction for life and salvation (John 6:68). Sadly we, like Martha, often miss opportunities to sit at the feet of Jesus, because we are distracted with much activity.
True Worship
When we go to the feet of Jesus, we can also find true worship. Truly the essence of worship is bowing at the feet of Jesus. The one leper, who returned out of the ten healed, “with a loud voice glorified God, and fell down on his face at His feet, giving Him thanks” (Luke 17:15-16). Mary, the same who had sat at his feet earlier, comes in John 12 and anointed his feet and wiped his feet with her hair. The disciples fall at the feet of the resurrected Lord in worship (Matthew 28:9) and John in witnessing Jesus again falls at his feet in worship (Revelation 1:17). These were acts of adoration and worship.
All of these stories challenge our worship attitude! They were free-will actions. They were a natural response from grateful, adoring hearts. The heart of worship, its’ essence, is found and experienced at the feet of Jesus. Worship should be an experience of falling at the feet of Jesus in humility, adoration, and devotion. Is our worship like these who fell at His feet?
Burdens Are Lifted
People in the gospels came to the feet of Jesus when they were in dire need. They were broken and desperate. The lame, blind, mute, maimed, and many others were laid down at Jesus’ feet (Matthew 15:30). The prominent ruler of the Synagogue, Jairus, comes and falls at the feet of Jesus begging for the life of his little daughter (Mark 5:22). A mother with a daughter who had an unclean spirit came and fell at his feet (Mark 7:25). Mary falls at Jesus feet venting her frustration that Jesus let Lazarus die (John 11:32).
We learn from these stories that desperate people don’t focus on cultural image, their reputation, or even criticism, but they get radical and surrender all pride at the feet of Jesus. We need to take our burdens to the feet of Jesus. In each gospel case, Jesus acts. He heals! He comforts! When we are burdened, we need to spend time at the feet of Jesus. He will give us peace, healing, and power.
Submission
Outside the gospel accounts, the feet of Jesus are associated with the virtue of submission. Paul says, “He must reign till He has put all enemies under His feet. The last enemy that will be destroyed is death” (1 Cor. 15:25-26). In Ephesians, Paul states, “He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church” (1:22). These references to his feet flow naturally in these passages, because Christ is the reigning King of His Kingdom and Head of His church. He has all power and authority (Matthew 28:18).
The very act of falling at someone’s feet indicates submission. At the feet of Jesus our mind and heart say, “Not my will, but Thine.” At the feet of Jesus we say like Samuel of old, “Speak Lord, for your servant hears” (1 Samuel 3:9). You do not look up when bowing at the feet of Jesus and give requirements, doctrines, stipulations, and conditions to Jesus. You listen, accept, submit, and obey. Questions like: Which church should I be a member of? Is baptism necessary? Do I really have to love my brethren? How should I worship God acceptably? Are all answered with humble, submissive hearts at the feet of Jesus!
Forgiveness
Jesus’ feet are prominent in the story of a sinful woman coming into Simon the Pharisee’s house to wash and anoint them (Luke 7:36-50). She washes his feet with free flowing tears motivated by her guilt and wipes them with her hair. She then anoints his feet with fragrant oil. Because of her demonstrated faith, He gives her forgiveness. By coming to the feet of Jesus in faith and love, this woman found forgiveness.
David had long ago prophesied, “They pierced My hands and My feet” (Psalm 22:16). In discussing the feet of Jesus we cannot overlook the nails that pierced them and the blood that flowed from and over them, dropping to the dirt of Golgotha. These nail-pierced feet offer us forgiveness. The sinful woman was desperate, guilty, and condemned because of her sin. At the feet of Jesus she found forgiveness. If we go to the feet of Jesus, we likewise find forgiveness, cleansing, and a new life! At the feet of Jesus we can hear him say, “Your sins are forgiven” (Luke 7:48).
Conclusion
What tremendous blessings are found at the feet of Jesus. Yet, one other gospel story involves the feet of Jesus. In the upper room before his betrayal, Jesus teaches the disciples a lesson in servanthood by washing their feet (John 13:1-17). Jesus washed all of the disciples’ feet, yet no mention is made of his own feet being washed. Quite possibly, he had the only dirty feet in the room. These five blessings are found at the feet of Jesus: instruction, true worship, burdens lifted, submission, and forgiveness. When we obtain these blessings at Jesus’ feet, what do we give back to Jesus? Do we also leave his feet dirty? Let us be motivated at the feet of Jesus to obey and serve in His Name.
