GOAT #3

Northside Church

Important pictures #3 upper room/God’s heart

Jamey Mills

3/19/23

Good morning…. My name is Jamey Mills, I’m the lead pastor here at NS.

Always look forward to seeing you guys… and sharing with you…

Are you all ready for spring break??

We are in the 3rd week of our series “the greatest pictures of all time” (SLIDE)…

We all have them… these important moments… frozen in time…

Pictures that are deeply meaningful… important… life changing… maybe some are world changing pictures.

Incredible pictures… sometimes incredibly joyful and victorious and other times… incredibly hard…

As a part of the series, each week I am inviting one person to come and share a picture that is meaningful to them and to tell us why…

This week I’ve invited Sharla Baker to come and share…

(SLIDE: Sharla’s Picture)

Thanks…

Some pictures that matter in history…

Exxon valdez

Hurricane Katrina

SF Earthquake

Space shuttle challenger explosion

We see these pictures… and for a lot of us it brings back memories… and thoughts… and feelings..

Here is today’s picture…(Slide: Washing Feet)

What is it?

When you see it, what comes to mind?

Why is it important?

What do you really believe about it?

What difference if any, as it made in the way you live your life?

What difference if any does it make in the way you will face today?

There’s sort of a dumb word that I used to hear a lot…

You’ve probably heard it… the word “posser”.

It usually goes along with someone who is trying to be something they aren’t….

So there is some dishonesty and identity stuff involved with it…

It usually involves acting, dressing, and talking in a certain way… to fit in, to impress, to cover up… the idea is… we are sorta faking it…

It’s something that Christians get accused of a lot… and it sort of makes sense…

Two angles to look at it from…

What we see in the apostle Paul… in Romans 7:15-20… the sense is he’s frustrated… in that he doesn’t always do the good He wants to do… that sometimes he ends up doing those things he knows he shouldn’t…

The other is… largely about the person… I want people to think this about me… so I am going to say the right things… occasionally do the right things… say the right things… in front of the right people…

And so what’s the difference… One is a person who is authentically, passionately, but imperfectly seeking Jesus…

The other… is sort of seeking to hide from and promote itself at the same time.

And it’s interesting… because at times… they may look similar… at least I feel like they might in my life.

It reminds me of this passage in James…

James 1:21–27 (NLT)

James 1:21–27 NLT

So get rid of all the filth and evil in your lives, and humbly accept the word God has planted in your hearts, for it has the power to save your souls. But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves. For if you listen to the word and don’t obey, it is like glancing at your face in a mirror. You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like. But if you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don’t forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it. If you claim to be religious but don’t control your tongue, you are fooling yourself, and your religion is worthless. Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you.

21 So get rid of all the filth and evil in your lives, and humbly accept the word God has planted in your hearts, for it has the power to save your souls.

22 But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves. No one else… not even God.

23 For if you listen to the word and don’t obey, it is like glancing at your face in a mirror. 24 You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like. 25 But if you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don’t forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it.

26 If you claim to be religious but don’t control your tongue, you are fooling yourself, and your religion is worthless. 27 Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you.

Part of the difference is…

The way we hear, approach and come to God’s truth, His teaching, and what it is that He commands in our lives.

James is saying… it was never intended just be heard…

Hearing is important… it does play a role… but if all it does is make us feel good, encourage us, or convict us in the moment… we never act on it… it's like looking into a mirror, seeing a huge booger on your face… and then walking away and doing nothing about it.

For the sake of humanity… don’t be that guy.

God’s intention is that we have this relationship with Him that leads us to hear Him and desire to obey Him.

(Slide: Washing feet)

This picture is incredibly important. It’s one of the very last interactions Jesus has with those who were closest to Him… and a place where we see the heart of God.

John 13:1–5 (NLT)

John 13:1–5 NLT

Before the Passover celebration, Jesus knew that his hour had come to leave this world and return to his Father. He had loved his disciples during his ministry on earth, and now he loved them to the very end. It was time for supper, and the devil had already prompted Judas, son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus. Jesus knew that the Father had given him authority over everything and that he had come from God and would return to God. So he got up from the table, took off his robe, wrapped a towel around his waist, and poured water into a basin. Then he began to wash the disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel he had around him.

Before the Passover celebration, Jesus knew that his hour had come to leave this world and return to his Father. He had loved his disciples during his ministry on earth, and now he loved them to the very end. 2 It was time for supper, and the devil had already prompted Judas, son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus. 3 Jesus knew that the Father had given him authority over everything and that he had come from God and would return to God. 4 So he got up from the table, took off his robe, wrapped a towel around his waist, 5 and poured water into a basin. Then he began to wash the disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel he had around him.

Several times in Jesus' early ministry, you hear the phrase… the time had not yet come… (6 times in John). But now everything shifts… the time is here… the main thing that Jesus came to do… is here..

The time has come…

God’s timing is perfect…

Jesus gathered His disciples to celebrate the passover… this sacred day and meal that celebrates the day and way God delivered the Jews from the oppressive captivity of Egypt.

It was customary… part of what people did in that day.

Sharing a meal in that day was different… far more important… and I think we miss out on it today.

It was deeply personal… there was a closeness… eating from the same pot or loaf… was unifying… made us like family.

They wore sandals… everywhere… and between the dust and livestock…

Washing feet before sharing this really personal experience… made sense.

It was expected… the host would provide someone to wash the feet of their guests… it was the job of the lowest ranking servant…often, not even a Jew…

Trying to put yourself in that room… It was awkward. They all knew something had to happen…

It gets worse when we realize (Luke 22) that Just before this they were arguing about who would be the greatest Christian… and in Heaven

It’s one of those places we see this idea that people refer to as the upside down Kingdom of God… Jesus tells them a truth that we need to hear…

If you really want to be great in the eyes of God… Serve.

Serve each other… and others well.

How frustrating… they didn't get it. You can almost see the wordless argument happening… looks back and forth, crossing arms, Jockeying for position… unwilling to lower themselves to this role…

I’m not doing it… it's gross… it’s beneath me… it's not my job.

How crazy would it be… in that moment… to Jesus get up, wrap a towel around his waist… taking on the look and the role of the lowest of servants… and then one by one… wash their feet and wiping them clean with the towel around His waist.

I’d bet it was dead silent… almost offensive.

The creator of it all… the most high… making Himself low…

Showing them the full extent of His love… (idea is complete nature of it… even the nasty parts)...

Jesus knew who He was, that the time was here, where He was going, that He holds all authority, yet we find him here.

That all authority had been given to Him… but yet… THIS… is where we find Him.

EVERYONE else in that room should have done it first… NO ONE expected this.

It’s hard to imagine… what it would have been like to sit… and look down at Jesus… the creator of it all… as He serves you in the most humiliating way.

And that… right there…

This is a picture of the heart of God toward you and toward me.

John 13:6–11 NLT

When Jesus came to Simon Peter, Peter said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?” Jesus replied, “You don’t understand now what I am doing, but someday you will.” “No,” Peter protested, “you will never ever wash my feet!” Jesus replied, “Unless I wash you, you won’t belong to me.” Simon Peter exclaimed, “Then wash my hands and head as well, Lord, not just my feet!” Jesus replied, “A person who has bathed all over does not need to wash, except for the feet, to be entirely clean. And you disciples are clean, but not all of you.” For Jesus knew who would betray him. That is what he meant when he said, “Not all of you are clean.”

6 When Jesus came to Simon Peter, Peter said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?”

7 Jesus replied, “You don’t understand now what I am doing, but someday you will.”

8 “No,” Peter protested, “you will never ever wash my feet!”

Jesus replied, “Unless I wash you, you won’t belong to me.”

9 Simon Peter exclaimed, “Then wash my hands and head as well, Lord, not just my feet!”

10 Jesus replied, “A person who has bathed all over does not need to wash, except for the feet, to be entirely clean. And you disciples are clean, but not all of you.” 11 For Jesus knew who would betray him. That is what he meant when he said, “Not all of you are clean.”

One by one… in silence… washing the feet.

He comes to Judas… and He knows.

He knows what Judas did… He knows that Judas just betrayed Him… it’s likely the money was in his pocket at the time…

One author pointed out how easy it would have been for Jesus to stick it to Judas… to make him do it… but that's not what we see at all.

How hard… would that be. To wash the feet of the one who would betray you to death…

He came to Peter… and it's not surprising… Peter had a problem with it.

Emphatically… NO… you won’t ever wash my feet.

In a sense… it feels like Peter said what they were all likely thinking…

This… humble act of service from who He knew Jesus to be… was hard to understand let alone accept…

Peter had a hard time accepting Jesus humble act of service. Do you?

Jesus said… you don’t understand now… but you will.

Most scholars agree that Jesus is referring to what would happen in a very short amount of time… which is the cross… where Jesus died… once and for all… for the forgiveness of sin… Something that like Peter, we often have a hard time understanding… let alone accepting…

Jesus said… unless you accept this… you can’t belong to me.

And I love Peter’s response… then cover me… whatever it is you're doing, I want all of it.

The next part is a little confusing… I think the best translation reads like this…

If you have already bathed… you only need to wash.

Idea of the whole vs a part.

Jesus is referring to this important truth that once we come to this place of saving faith… we can trust Him with it.

It is secure in Him.

But we won't always get it right along the way…

1 John 1:9 (NLT)

1 John 1:9 NLT

But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.

9 But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.

Like Paul we will seek him imperfectly… and there will be times that we don’t get it right… and even though we have saving faith… we still need God’s help… his cleaning work in areas of our life.

John 13:12–17 NLT

After washing their feet, he put on his robe again and sat down and asked, “Do you understand what I was doing? You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and you are right, because that’s what I am. And since I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash each other’s feet. I have given you an example to follow. Do as I have done to you. I tell you the truth, slaves are not greater than their master. Nor is the messenger more important than the one who sends the message. Now that you know these things, God will bless you for doing them.

12 After washing their feet, he put on his robe again and sat down and asked, “Do you understand what I was doing? 13 You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and you are right, because that’s what I am. 14 And since I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash each other’s feet. 15 I have given you an example to follow. Do as I have done to you. 16 I tell you the truth, slaves are not greater than their master. Nor is the messenger more important than the one who sends the message. 17 Now that you know these things, God will bless you for doing them.

Jesus was teaching…

You call me Lord and teacher… rightly so…

But what is his point?

I don't think that Jesus is commanding us to wash feet…

Jesus’ command is that we be humble, faithful, and available people in our everyday lives.

Serving others well is part of what it means to truly belong to Him.

It’s not just what God calls us to do, but who He calls us to be.

Jesus… with all that He is… wasn’t above it, was faithful to it, and available for it…

And

Jesus calls to be an everyday, humble person that is willing to give of ourselves for the benefit of others.

In ways that drive us to pray for, stay up for, sacrifice for, build bridges to and in loving and mostly gentle ways… points them to the cross.

And it’s profound… but in all that Jesus did, this example… wasn’t walking on water, or sending a storm, or building an arch… it was a simple… humble… faithful… thing…

God uses everyday humble, faithful, and available people…

God takes our small, feeble, and often imperfect attempts… in humbling and powerful ways.

….

Every sunday… I come here and as I turn around to preach… I see tons of kids from our youth groups through the years… I didn't do it perfectly, right Cody… but i tried hard… prayed hard

Do you even know what it means… every sunday… to see them.

To know that one of them said… way back then… If Jamey ever plants a church we are going… and… He meant it.

Justin… a kid that has some pretty big challenges, was picked on, have few friends… he was a tough one… I prayed every sunday before YG… God help me love him well and not push him away… I didn't feel like I did well…

I’ll never forget this handwritten, incredibly thought out letter he gave me… about how much I meant to him… and how God has used me in his life.

I just trying to be kind.

Leslie… a young lady who wanted to be baptized… I met with her and her parents… and 1\2 though I turned to her parents and said… She needs you… she needs your example and your support… she needs you to model this…

Not long after, we resigned there and took a job at Suburban.

As NS was starting… we went back to that church to share… some 20 years later… and i learned that God used that conversation in ways I never could have imagined… they were no leading in the church.

Ryan… the summer after my first year at BC… I went back home to the job I’d had since I was 14… I ended up helping at a camp and as I was taking the LONG walk from the cabin to where everyone was meeting I noticed a young man off on his own… embarrassed and crying… eventually he told me he was homesick… and I told him how hard the last year had been and that I was too… eventually… he whipped his face clean and we headed out.

One year later… I had no idea what I was going to do… so picked up the phone to call this church that had been supporting me at school… to see if they needed help that summer… there was no dial town… eventually I just said hello… there was someone on the other end… it was that same church… we both were shocked… they offered me a job and I took it. I’ll never forget this… the very first time I pulled into the parking lot… Ryan was the first to greet me. He went back and told the church what happened…and what it meant to him… crazy.

I ran into a guy named Mark… rough around the edges… he found out what I did and help me at arms length… but I kept praying and trying… he pushed me away for years… but eventually… little by little… we became friends. Recently… within the last few months… when his world wasn’t right…he reached out to me…

I could never tell you how much that meant to me… God isn't finished…

This isn’t about me… I don’t even know what I’m doing.

It’s about what God does through faithful and available people who are authentically… lovingly… and often gently… trying to serve people toward the cross…

It’s part of what following Jesus means.

And there is no substitute for it and the molding and development that God does in your life in that process.

And it's missing from so many in the church.

It was never intended to be something we just here…

If we like the disciples, decide… that’s not me… I’m not doing that… it’s not my job…

We are robbing others and ourselves.

Jesus tells us you’ll be blessed if you do it… and the blessing… is one our culture does not celebrate.

You want to see change in your life?

It starts with humility… with taking our eyes off of ourselves… and become a servant…

How can living this out change your life?

In our marriage

With our kids

To our parents

Friends

Within our community

In the church

And to God Himself.

There is no part of your life that will be untouched by what that does…

And the first life that God often changes is yours.

It’s part of what the Church does…

By design it cannot function well without you.

God’s heart, His design, and intention… is that you would be engaged… involved and invested… in serving within His church… and the community.

And I need you to catch His vision…

If we want to see lives encouraged… lives changed… if we want to see people come to know and experience the true fullness and freedom that is found in Christ alone… if we really want to glorify God… IT INVOLVES THIS!

Knowing that it will cost you… it’s supposed to.

Serving people always involves sacrifice. It always involves humility.

Here is today’s picture…(Slide: Washing Feet)

What is it?

When you see it, what comes to mind?

Why is it important?

What do you really believe about it?

What difference if any, as it made in the way you live your life?

What difference if any does it make in the way you will face today?

Most dangerous place to be…

Not my job…