The Life of Jesus Advent Calendar - Day 19: Jesus Washes the Disciples' Feet

Introduction

The scene portrayed in John 13:1-30 always invokes a sense of wonder in me. Jesus, God himself, the King of kings, kneels down to wash the grimy feet of his disciples, including the one who is about to betray him. It is almost impossible for me to fathom such humility from the one through whom the world was made. On the very night when his suffering is about to begin, Jesus does not demand worship or praise, but stoops to serve.

This moment points us beyond itself to the greater cleansing Jesus would soon accomplish. Just as the disciples’ feet were washed, so we - filthy with sin - are washed clean by Christ. Not because we deserve it, but because he willingly lays aside his glory to take our place. And more than that, he clothes us in his own perfect righteousness, so that we may stand before God holy and blameless. Having been so graciously served, we are then called to follow his example, humbly loving and serving one another, not to earn salvation, but as those who have already been made clean.

Assembling your stocking

You had a little practice using these templates with stocking no. 16. Your challenge this time is to fit all twelve disciples and Jesus around the table. I have four of my disciples standing at the back just to achieve this, but be as creative as you like to fit them in! I flip the template around a few times so that the disciples can recline facing different directions.

Once you have cut out all your felt pieces, start by laying them all out so you can figure out who needs to be stitched down first. I start with the three standing at the back, then the four reclining behind the table. I add one standing at the right hand end of the table. Then, I stitch the table down. I give all those sat or stood behind the table faces, facing forward.

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I then add the four disciples who are sat this side of the table. I haven't given faces to the middle two disciples, but I have given side faces to the disciples either end of the table. I chose to put Judas (dark grey) as the disciple getting his feet washed. I then add Jesus and his water basin, before finishing by adding a loaf of bread and a cup of wine on the table, nodding ahead to the Lord's Supper. It probably warrants its own stocking, but it's hard to know which other stocking to omit!

If you would prefer to do the Lord's Supper, I would just arrange your disciples so Jesus stands centrally behind the table, holding a loaf of bread cut in two like you did for stocking no. 12. Leave the cup of wine on the table, and arrange your disciples around the table however you can.

Finish your stocking by blanket stitching the back to the front of your stocking.

You can watch a brief video of this stocking being assembled on my Facebook or Instagram.

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