What stood out most in the story of Jesus washing the disciples feet? Why?

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1 Serve Everyone, Always Week 4, November 12/13, 2016 Steve Carter Quick-Connect Guide Use the questions in this section if your group is already studying something else and won t be using the full discussion guide. What stood out most in the story of Jesus washing the disciples feet? Why? Share a time you saw someone act with humility and go last when they could have gone first. What impact did that act have on you? Discussion Guide In this section, you will find an opening prayer, discussion questions, next steps, and a closing prayer. The discussion questions are separated into three categories Getting Started, The Basics, and A Little Deeper and are designed to allow the group discussion to deepen as you move through them. Use the prayers, questions, and next steps in whatever manner you find helpful based on your group s needs. The Message Recap might help you and the group to prepare or to remember key points. Opening Prayer Father in heaven, thank You for Jesus that He came to us, as us, and for us. We are so grateful for the way He modeled servanthood from His birth to His death. May we follow Him in every way, serving everyone, always. Guide us now in our time together. Amen. Getting Started Ice Breaker: Share a high and a low from this last week. What s one word to describe how you re entering the group gathering today? If anyone in your group got baptized this past weekend, ask them to share their

2 experience. How can our group help you to continue growing? Share a time you saw someone act with humility and go last when they could have gone first. How did that act impact you? The Basics Which of the three essential elements of serving everyone, always mindset, heart posture, or action is most challenging for you? Share why you think that is. Read John 13:1 17 aloud as a group. What stood out most to you in this story? Why? Take some time to imagine what you think Jesus might have said to His disciples as He washed their feet. Share whatever comes to mind. What do you think it would be like to have Jesus wash your feet? How do you think you would have felt as one of His disciples in that situation? What would you want Jesus to say to you as He washed your feet? A Little Deeper Gather what you need a basin and towel to allow the members of your group wash each other s feet. Introduce the topic by reading both Philippians 2:5 11 and John 13: As the leader, go first as a way to model the humility it requires and also the humanness involved (it is awkward and not something we are used to). Invite someone to be the first to have their feet washed and as you wash each foot, you could say your own blessing over them or use one of the following: Numbers 6:24 26 The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace. Psalm 115:14 15 May the Lord cause you to flourish, both you and your family. May you be blessed by the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. When every person in the group has had their feet washed, talk about how it felt to be the washer and how it felt to be the receiver. What was stirred in each person s heart as they served or were served? 2

3 Next Steps Review the next steps below and consider which one or ones each member of the group would like to commit to for the upcoming week (and beyond). Pray and Journal. Take some time this week to ask God to show you how you can serve everyone, always. Ask yourself the questions Steve provided: Who will I serve? Where will I serve? How will I serve? When will I serve? Journal about your experience. Serve! Start serving wherever you find yourself. How can you practice humility? How can you go last when you have a right to go first? And how can you extend love in practical ways? Willow Creek Care Center. If you are looking for a way to serve those in need, consider serving at the Care Center. They are always looking for volunteers and have a place for you! Closing Prayer Pray for whatever difficulties or needs were shared during your time together and have someone close by reading the prayer below. God, thank You for Jesus and the fact that He took on human flesh, becoming one of us, so that we could share in His life and resurrection. Form us into people who follow Him in His humility and servanthood. Give us the mindset, heart posture, and actions of Christ so that we may, as He did, serve everyone, always. Amen. Message Recap Steve Carter Scripture: Philippians 2:5 11; John 13:1 17 This week, Steve Carter taught us the three essentials to being able to serve everyone, always. To start, though, some background: in the Roman Empire, which was expanding during Jesus day, there were seven classes of people. Caesar he was called lord and people thought he was a god Senate 600 politicians who governed the expanding empire Equestrians men with money who bought themselves into power Decurion the city politicians Citizen one who held certain privileges Freedmen formerly a slave Servant lowest of the low 3

4 In the Roman society, one could climb from one status or class to another. So, when Jesus entered the world, He entered a culture in which title, status, and climbing mattered. But He didn t enter at the top of the ladder. He entered at the bottom. He entered as a servant. First Essential Element to Serving Everyone, Always: Have the Mindset of Christ In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death even death on a cross! Philippians 2:5 8 As we read in this hymn, Jesus had all the power but humbled Himself, took on human flesh, and became even lower than the lowest person in the Roman Empire not just a servant, but a servant who suffered the public humiliation of death on a cross. Jesus path, and the path He calls His followers to is not one of ascent, but of descent. The key question is: how low can you go? Second Essential Element to Serving Everyone, Always: Have the Heart Posture of Christ The evening meal was in progress, and the devil had already prompted Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus. Jesus know that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him. John 13:1 5 In this scene, the meal had already been served and the disciples sat around the table, probably talking about various things. Normally, a servant or Gentile would go around the room and wash the feet of guests for this meal. But Jesus does something totally surprising and different. He shows us a new heart posture one that desires not to go first, but to go last. This is particularly remarkable when we consider who was at the table with Jesus: a betrayer (Judas), a doubter (Thomas), a traitor (Matthew), and a denier (Peter). Our lives are filled with these same kinds of people. When was the last time we served them? Peter didn t want Jesus to wash his feet, but Jesus told him, Unless I wash you, you have no part with me (John 13:8). In other words, Jesus was telling Peter that He saw him, knew what 4

5 he had done and what he would do, but that it didn t matter. Jesus did not play by Rome s rules. His posture was always to serve. Third Essential Element to Serving Everyone, Always: Have the Action of Christ When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. Do you understand what I have done for you? he asked them. You call me Teacher and Lord, and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them. John 13:12 17 Here, Jesus tells His disciples to do what He does. This is critical for the church: if Jesus did it, we must do it. And, Jesus says that if we do what He does, we will be blessed. The Hebrew word for blessed means that we will have deep levels of satisfaction and the favor of God. In summary, Jesus invites us to Go Low (mindset), Go Last (heart posture), and Go Love (action). This material is protected by U.S. Copyright Law and is for your own personal use. Any further use requires permission. Contact Kellye Fabian at Willow Creek Community Church with your request. 5