The church I belong to has a unique but incredibly scriptural tradition for this time of year.  Most Christians know the stories of the night Jesus was betrayed and “The Passion” by heart , but many (including me for a long time) never took the time to read it in detail.  From the scriptures, we can see exactly when Jesus was betrayed, when the Last Supper (Passover) took place, and when Jesus died and was resurrected.  It all revolves around the spring Holy Days of the Old Testament, or, more appropriately, God’s Appointed Times.  You can see a video series on these days here.

From the scriptures, we know that Jesus was betrayed on the Hebrew calendar day Nisan 13 at evening as the sun fell and the day Nisan 14 began.  This happened on 4/7/09 evening this year.  Every year on this night our congregation gets together and does exactly what Jesus commanded His followers to do.  You can read about this in John 13 and 1 Cor 11 starting around verse 23.  Jesus commanded us to wash each others feet and also to take what is commonly referred to as communion.  Since He said to do this just before he was sacrificed as the ultimate Passover Lamb, we do the same.

It’s necessary to bring a bucket and a towel for someone else to use to wash your feet at a New Testament Passover observance.  Since this is only the third time I have observed the New Testament Passover properly, my bucket is still shiny and new.  But the gentleman whose feet I got to wash had a very old bucket.  He has been observing Passover in this manner for a long time and I bet if that bucket could talk, it would be able to tell us of a lot of history.

In many ways, I am jealous of that old bucket.  So much faith, repentance, and wisdom are symbolized by that bucket while mine is still new and shiny.  I bet that door swings both ways, though.  I bet those who have followed in the footsteps of the first Christians for a long time reminisce romantically of the time when their buckets were shiny and new.  I bet they remember the passion and the zeal they had for the faith back when they had to buy that bucket and that their maturity in the faith has not diminished that passion one iota.  I bet they remember how awkward it used to be to wash someone else’s feet for the first time.

As for me, I wonder what changes and challenges will come as the shine dulls on my bucket.  My children will grow bigger, get baptized, and get shiny new buckets of their own.  The church will grow, our country will change, wars will be fought, debts will be incurred and paid off, and the world will generally keep on spinning.  But what won’t change is Christ’s atoning sacrifice.  While we have to grow, learn, and change, Jesus doesn’t.  He is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow and His sacrifice is always there for us to remember year after year, both for those with shiny new buckets and for those with the older ones.