Where is your head at?

“Where is your head at?”

It was a fair question.

My parents and I were having a difficult discussion over my grades my first semester of college. I had just revealed my grades which consisted of a B- and 5 C’s

Oh boy…where was my head at that semester?

New friends?

a breakup?

sports?

intramurals?

Any of those answers might have been true through out that semester. I had not focused the way I should have. I had treated my first semester of college with the same effort I had put into in high school. That effort had always gotten me mostly A’s and a few B’s, but college was a different ballgame altogether.

In order to change the course of the trajectory I was heading into, i was going to need to make some changes in priorities.

“Where was my head at?” It wasn’t where it should have been, that is for sure.

I wonder if Jesus, ever asked the disciples, or maybe some of them individually, “Where is your head at?”

Today we are going to look at some examples of the disciples journey and apply their lessons to our present.

Body:

Those with your Bible’s with you please turn to

Matthew 8:23–24 ESV

And when he got into the boat, his disciples followed him. And behold, there arose a great storm on the sea, so that the boat was being swamped by the waves; but he was asleep.

Matthew 8:23–27 ESV

And when he got into the boat, his disciples followed him. And behold, there arose a great storm on the sea, so that the boat was being swamped by the waves; but he was asleep. And they went and woke him, saying, “Save us, Lord; we are perishing.” And he said to them, “Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?” Then he rose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. And the men marveled, saying, “What sort of man is this, that even winds and sea obey him?”

Matthew 8:

Matthew 8:23

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Jesus must have had quite the day, to be able to sleep through a storm while in a boat. He has had a full day. But can you put yourself in the shoes of the disciples? They are bailing water as if their lives depended on it. They are in the center of a great storm.

Mrs. White comments in desire of ages:

“Absorbed in their efforts to save themselves, they had forgotten that Jesus was on board.”

Think about that for a second:

obviously they are in quite a predicament, what was their mistake? They were trying to rely on their own experience on the sea. As the water crashed in over the boat…they just tried bailing faster.

Eventually they realized their efforts were in vain, and they do what we all do. They cried out for Jesus.

Desire of Ages adds that those cries weren’t immediately heard.

These men, these disciples, these the greatest followers of Christ…were calling out into the night for Jesus.

Of course where was Jesus? He was asleep!

Matthew 8:25–27 ESV

And they went and woke him, saying, “Save us, Lord; we are perishing.” And he said to them, “Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?” Then he rose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. And the men marveled, saying, “What sort of man is this, that even winds and sea obey him?”

Matthew 8:25

Their fear in the time of danger revealed their unbelief. In their efforts to save themselves, they forgot Jesus; and it was only when, in despair of self-dependence, they turned to Him that He could give them help.

If Jesus had asked: Where is your head at?.....Their minds were clouded by fear and anxiety.

Jesus was teaching them to trust him above themselves. He was teaching them, he was there and always would be, he was teaching them reasons for bravery knowing they had the master with them.

Let the Children come to me

Another, “where is your head at?” moment is found in a short blurb in .

Mark 10:13 ESV

And they were bringing children to him that he might touch them, and the disciples rebuked them.

Mark 10:

Why do you think the disciples rubuked those mothers, for bringing their children to Jesus? (wait for answers).

It was because they thought the children as not important enough, and to a degree the mothers.

It wasn’t the children or the mothers, Jesus was displeased with. It was the disciples.

(Have a child read the rest of the passage)

Mark 10:14–16 ESV

But when Jesus saw it, he was indignant and said to them, “Let the children come to me; do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God. Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.” And he took them in his arms and blessed them, laying his hands on them.

Mark 10:14–17 ESV

But when Jesus saw it, he was indignant and said to them, “Let the children come to me; do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God. Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.” And he took them in his arms and blessed them, laying his hands on them. And as he was setting out on his journey, a man ran up and knelt before him and asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

Now, mothers who are here, for that matter, grandmothers, and mothers to be: I want you to hear this encouragement as quoted in desire of ages.

Mark 10

“Let mothers come to Jesus with their perplexities. They will find grace sufficient to aid them in the management of their children. The gates are open for every mother who would lay her burdens at the Saviour’s feet.”

Jesus was making a point to everyone, the disciples included…children and mothers should never be blocked when they need a one on one with the savior. The same Jesus willing to give a healing touch to any child, offers that same relief to overwelmed mothers who need Jesus’s peace.

Again though, say Jesus asks the disciples, “Where is your head at?” Prideful thoughts, crowing Jesus king against his will, arrogance.

Mary Anoints Jesus at Bethany

Jesus didn’t have to ask the question one particular instance, he knew where his disciple Judas’s head was at.

John 12:1–3 ESV

Six days before the Passover, Jesus therefore came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. So they gave a dinner for him there. Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those reclining with him at table. Mary therefore took a pound of expensive ointment made from pure nard, and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped his feet with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.

John12:

Jesus had referred to his coming death several times to the disciples many times, but they either had not believed or had not listened, as the time was quickly approaching. One person Jesus had blessed, whose life had been resurrected every bit as much as her brother Lazarus, was Mary. Mary had listened to Jesus warnings of what was to come, and she sought show him honor and blessing. Jesus had not asked for much, but as this time was approaching, it was very much on His mind. Mary sought to give her savior and healer, a great blessing. This I believe is where Jesus desired his disciples minds to be at. This was not the case.

John 12:4–8 ESV

But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (he who was about to betray him), said, “Why was this ointment not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?” He said this, not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief, and having charge of the moneybag he used to help himself to what was put into it. Jesus said, “Leave her alone, so that she may keep it for the day of my burial. For the poor you always have with you, but you do not always have me.”

John 12:4-6

Judas, as the treasurer of the group, was already being used for the devil’s purposes. Judas criticism against Mary, and to a degree at Jesus, was deceitfully coming from a moral vantage point. The very thing he was criticizing of he was guilty of. Secretly, he resented how much of their treasury bag was used on helping the poor. He had stolen and stashed portions of it for his own use.

“Judas had a high opinion of his own executive ability. As a financier he thought himself greatly superior to his fellow disciples, and he had led them to regard him in the same light. He had gained their confidence, and had a strong influence over them. His professed sympathy for the poor deceived them, and his artful insinuation caused them to look distrustfully upon Mary’s devotion. The murmur passed round the table, “To what purpose is this waste? For this ointment might have been sold for much, and given to the poor.”

Mary heard the words of criticism. Her heart trembled within her. She feared that her sister would reproach her for extravagance. The Master, too, might think her improvident. Without apology or excuse she was about to shrink away, when the voice of her Lord was heard, “Let her alone; why trouble ye her?” He saw that she was embarrassed and distressed. He knew that in this act of service she had expressed her gratitude for the forgiveness of her sins, and He brought relief to her mind. Lifting His voice above the murmur of criticism, He said, “She hath wrought a good work on Me. For ye have the poor with you always, and whensoever ye will ye may do them good: but Me ye have not always. She hath done what she could: she is come aforehand to anoint My body to the burying.” DA

Mary’s act was a stark contrast with Judas. Her mind was on her saviour.

Judas’s head was filled with greed.

“Judas had indulged in greedy bahvior until it overpowered every good trait of his character. He grudged the offering made to Jesus. His heart burned with envy that the Saviour should be the recipient of a gift suitable for the monarchs of the earth. For a sum far less than the box of ointment cost, he betrayed his Lord.”

As Mary was on the one side, and Judas the other, the other disciples minds were somewhere in the middle. They were not like Judas, They truly loved Jesus, but they had not appreciated his exalted character. They were confused by this act. They could have brought about a similar comfort to Jesus, but their minds began to show some of the same greed Judas had displayed. They were so concerned who was the greatest among them.

The upper Room

It was merely a few days later that Jesus wanting to celebrate passover with his disciples in a very intimate fashion. He desired they come with their hearts open, and their minds focused on Him.

Unfortunately, who was the greatest had their highest attention.

John 13:2–11 ESV

During supper, when the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray him, Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going back to God, rose from supper. He laid aside his outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around his waist. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him. He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, do you wash my feet?” Jesus answered him, “What I am doing you do not understand now, but afterward you will understand.” Peter said to him, “You shall never wash my feet.” Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no share with me.” Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!” Jesus said to him, “The one who has bathed does not need to wash, except for his feet, but is completely clean. And you are clean, but not every one of you.” For he knew who was to betray him; that was why he said, “Not all of you are clean.”

John 13

These words mean more than bodily cleanliness. Christ is still speaking of the higher cleansing as illustrated by the lower. He who came from the bath was clean, but the sandaled feet soon became dusty, and again needed to be washed. So Peter and his brethren had been washed in the great fountain opened for sin and uncleanness. Christ acknowledged them as His. But temptation had led them into evil, and they still needed His cleansing grace. When Jesus girded Himself with a towel to wash the dust from their feet, He desired by that very act to wash the alienation, jealousy, and pride from their hearts. This was of far more consequence than the washing of their dusty feet. With the spirit they then had, not one of them was prepared for communion with Christ. Until brought into a state of humility and love, they were not prepared to partake of the paschal supper, or to share in the memorial service which Christ was about to institute. Their hearts must be cleansed. Pride and self-seeking create dissension and hatred, but all this Jesus washed away in washing their feet. A change of feeling was brought about. Looking upon them, Jesus could say, “Ye are clean.” Now there was union of heart, love for one another. They had become humble and teachable. Except Judas, each was ready to concede to another the highest place. Now with subdued and grateful hearts they could receive Christ’s words.

White, E. G. (1898). The Desire of Ages (Vol. 3, p. 646). Pacific Press Publishing Association.

It was through this act, this first acted ordinance of humility, that he began the process of getting his disciple’s heads back on track. It was by demonstrating a humble spirit, the same spirit, he knew they would need to take with them afterward.

My friends, my church, my family…the same motivations: fear, pride, arrogance, and greed can take away from the great wonder it is to behold our savior. The same Jesus who washed His disciples feet encourages us to do the same. Not while worried who is the greatest, or preoccupied with distractions.

Lately I have felt our church to greatly mirror our country. Deeply divided. So many are concerned about apostacy, ordination policies and practices, worship music wars and this list goes on. My concern, no matter what camp you find yourself in on these issues are. Has our desire for those issues to be resolved trumped our desire for Jesus in our hearts? I’m not saying these issues are not important, but let us not compromise our loving spirit, for the sake of winning debate. My sense, is the Holy Spirit desires calling us away from getting sidetracked and seduced into the obsession with being right and the other side wrong.

Shame on us. If we are to be apart of accomplishing God’s mission in this world, we need to come together again in spreading Christ’s love and message throughout the world. Men and women, young and old alike. God has a mission for us all. But if we are going to do anything great like the disciples, who became apostles, we must find a surrendur as they did and get our head at the right place. I think a footwashing is a great start. Let our minds be on nothing else but Jesus as we begin this humble action:

once we have finished please remain reverent as, the message is not over, and then we begin communion.

Communion

Christ is still at the table on which the paschal supper has been spread. The unleavened cakes used at the Passover season are before Him. The Passover wine, untouched by fermentation, is on the table. These emblems Christ employs to represent His own unblemished sacrifice. Nothing corrupted by fermentation, the symbol of sin and death, could represent the “Lamb without blemish and without spot.” .

“And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is My body. And He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it; for this is My blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father’s kingdom.”

Prayer

In partaking with His disciples of the bread and wine, Christ pledged Himself to them as their Redeemer. He committed to them the new covenant, by which all who receive Him become children of God, and joint heirs with Christ. By this covenant every blessing that heaven could bestow for this life and the life to come was theirs.

It is ours now! Lets remember it every day!

song,

pray.

Where is your head at?

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