Come Alive: Head Held High

Let us pray…Gracious and loving God, as we gather this night to remember the night your Son was handed over to those who would crucify him, help us to open our hearts, help us to clear our minds, and gather us into your loving embrace that we might hear your voice over all the other things that draw our hearts, minds, and spirits away from you, Amen.

Typically, we start this night on a high note and end it with sorrow. This night is unlike any other in our Christian calendar. It takes us through nearly all the emotions and thoughts that we can encounter in our human existence. We celebrate the joy in sharing a meal for the first time in many weeks and seeing the love that comes from knowing Christ in our lives. We move into greater joy and ultimately the wonder of having someone serve us in an ultimate show of love. And we end this evening knowing that even though we shouted Hosanna to the King this past Sunday, in the early hours of tomorrow, we will see the sorrow that comes from knowing the inevitable…Christ will be tried in a false trial and sent to the cross.

While our hearts may be uplifted in this moment, we will be hanging our heads in sorrow before this night is through. But I want to challenge us tonight to see this night as something to give us hope and a reason to keep our heads held high because we know that even though Jesus will die, he died that day for the forgiveness of sins. And isn’t interesting that in knowing what he will soon face that he spends his final moments with his disciples and, by extension, us, doing something for them that would be remembered for eternity. To me, this is a foreshadow of what we should be doing throughout our lives…looking up to the cross as a symbol of great joy rather than sorrow.

So, as we move through this time of reflection tonight, I want us to focus on the things that will help us to always keep our heads held high rather than be downtrodden. Now, do not mistake what I am saying, tomorrow is a difficult time in the life of our savior and it is a reason to have great sorrow, but we call it Good Friday for a reason…many believe that we call it Good Friday because over time God’s Friday transitioned into Good Friday just by the mere fact of how it was pronounced in certain areas of the world. But for me, it is Good Friday because it represents the goodness of God in having someone willing to lay down his life so that I may be reconciled and in relationship with God. And ultimately, isn’t that what forgiveness is about any way…restoring relationship?

2 Thessalonians 1:3 NLT

Dear brothers and sisters, we can’t help but thank God for you, because your faith is flourishing and your love for one another is growing.

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John 13:1 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.

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For the next few moments, I want to take us through a couple of the verses before us tonight so that we can see where there is hope and restoration, a really good reason for us to hold our heads high and look upon the cross as the symbol of restoration that it is…so, let’s start at the first verse...

The means of developing spiritual vitality

John 13:1 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.

Abiding in Christ

Right at the outset of this evening, John tells us that Jesus loved his disciples from the beginning and right up to the very end. Here’s the thing, if we look at the whole of the story of the last supper, John reveals to us the most important piece of Jesus’ ministry. What is this piece? Service. Did you know that John is the only one of the four Gospels that tells us about how Jesus loved his disciples by washing their feet? To be honest, I think it is also the greatest example of relationship building that anyone can experience.

John 15:4 NLT

Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me.

Seeking to imitate Jesus Christ

Think about it from this perspective…who really wants someone to touch their feet? The feet are typically one of the most sensitive parts of our bodies. The feet hold the nerve endings for the entirety of our nervous system. The feet, for most people, are also the ugliest part of their bodies, at least in our own minds. But there is another reason for this…the feet in Christ’s time also represented one of the most intimate parts of the body. For the people of Jesus’ time, only your spouse would touch your feet, aside from the servant who would wash them when you came in from outside. So, for Jesus to do this intimate act was unheard of, period.

Ephesians 4:15 NLT

Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church.

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The other part of this story that is important for us is Peter’s objection to having his teacher, the man he looked up to for the last three years, do something so degrading and below his status. But, there was a point to Jesus doing this...Jesus did this out of love. Now, I don’t know about you, but some of the most memorable and precious memories I share with people in my life relate to something that someone did for me out of love. From just reaching out to me at a time when things were tough or when there was great stress or if someone reached out to ask if there was anything that person could do for me. Memories of those who have stepped up and said, I can do that for you…these are the things that keep me moving forward and holding onto hope because they represent, for me, this same kind of act.

But here’s the thing…Jesus did this out of love. Now, I don’t know about you, but some of the most memorable and precious memories I share with people in my life relate to something that someone did for me out of love. From just reaching out to me at a time when things were tough or there was great stress, to ask if there was anything that person could do for me. Memories of those who have stepped up and said, I can do that for you…these are the things that keep me moving forward and holding onto hope because they represent, for me, this same kind of act.

Resisting temptation

1 John 2:14 NLT

I have written to you who are God’s children because you know the Father. I have written to you who are mature in the faith because you know Christ, who existed from the beginning. I have written to you who are young in the faith because you are strong. God’s word lives in your hearts, and you have won your battle with the evil one.

Now, I want to move us toward the end of the story...

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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.

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Developing discipline

1 Timothy 6:12 NLT

Fight the good fight for the true faith. Hold tightly to the eternal life to which God has called you, which you have declared so well before many witnesses.

For me, this is one of the most prolific teachings that Jesus did in his earthly ministry. In this part of our story, Jesus is explaining to the disciples and us that we may not ever understand all that he did for us but what he just did is an example of what we are called to do in this world. If we follow the example of not being so arrogant or have such a great ego that we cannot look beyond the end of our noses, we can be blessed. How much more do we need to know? There it is…the greatest reason to hold our heads up…God will bless you for doing the things that Jesus did for the disciples in washing their feet.

I think for me, the piece that has really struck me this year is the idea that none of us are greater or bigger than anyone else. We are all the same. We are all equals in God’s sight. The best way to show people we love them for who they are is to serve them in some way. We are doing a great job of serving some but are there more that we can serve. I have to be honest, it is hard right now but I want to challenge us to think about the ways that we can still be reaching out and serving. While we may not be comfortable in being close to others, we can still provide, we can still serve.

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As we move toward the crucifixion tomorrow, remember that God sent the Son to be the ultimate servant for us. This servant bowed before all of the disciples, including the one that sold him to be crucified, and then did the ultimate in service by dying on the cross so that we have something to look upon. Jesus did not exclude Judas Iscariot because he knew what Judas had already done. No, he still washed Judas’ feet. I know that none of us will be called upon to die on a cross, we are still called to be servants for others. Ultimately, if we do this, we will be blessed and I can see no greater reason for us to hold our heads high amid all that is happening. So I leave you with these words…God bless you in the coming days as we continue to look for ways to serve one another because it is in service that we will truly be blessed, Amen.

Exhorting others

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Being filled with the Holy Spirit

Ephesians 5:18 NLT

Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit,

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Obstacles to spiritual vitality

Lack of sound teaching

2 Timothy 4:1–3 NLT

I solemnly urge you in the presence of God and Christ Jesus, who will someday judge the living and the dead when he comes to set up his Kingdom: Preach the word of God. Be prepared, whether the time is favorable or not. Patiently correct, rebuke, and encourage your people with good teaching. For a time is coming when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear.

A failure to progress beyond basic teachings

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Examples of individuals with spiritual vitality

Samuel; John the Baptist

The young Jesus Christ:

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Paul

The consequences of spiritual vitality

Spiritual growth

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Loving others

1 John 3:23 NLT

And this is his commandment: We must believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as he commanded us.

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Rejoicing in the Lord

Philippians 4:4–7 NLT

Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice! Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do. Remember, the Lord is coming soon. Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

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Spiritual perseverance

Hebrews 6:12 NLT

Then you will not become spiritually dull and indifferent. Instead, you will follow the example of those who are going to inherit God’s promises because of their faith and endurance.

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