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the vessel through which the giving continues.
Theme (“Why” we serve can make a great deal of difference)
Jesus continues to be of humble service to disciples of every time and place. His teaching continues to reverberate in the life of the Christian Community as Jesus teaches us today the meaning of his service to us. Our Baptism continues to have its impact by rippling on into our lives and learning. The washing of Baptism is where it all begins, but the ongoing work of Jesus is carried on in this washing into even more lives.
Everything we need is brought, given and washed into our lives from the living activity of Jesus. Sometimes we want what Jesus has to give us, but we resist. It is a curious humility which allows ourselves to be served by one whom we honor. And sometimes we don’t allow the washing to move us to service; to melt the barriers that inhibit our moving from being sent to actually serving others as Jesus served us.
Prayer
May the service and washing mercy of your Son, humble, empower and embolden us to serve and share mercy with all to whom you send us. Let the service and example of Jesus washing our feet fill us, and send us. May the relationship that Jesus creates with us, also powerfully send us into each other’s lives.
( click on the link to read the text) John 13:1-17, 34
Bible Study
1) Are you shocked or inspired by this story of Jesus and his disciples? Why?
2) What is this gift/work that Jesus does in washing his disciples feet?
3) What in this story, can help us understand why we too should serve as Jesus served us?
4) How might being washed by Jesus help us in being of service to others?
5) What additional sense of community might there be among the Disciples of Jesus after they have seen Jesus wash all their feet?
6) Do the words of Jesus, explaining his actions help motivate or direct you in being of similiar service to one another? (vs 34, “As I have loved you, so you must love one another.”) why or why not?
7) Whom do you think is included in this “one another” direction from Jesus? Are there those that are excluded or who might be harder to serve in this way?
8) Who’s feet would you be willing to wash? What would washing their feet look like?
9) How would you know or recognize someone whom Jesus would want YOU to wash the feet of, for him? Give an example of when you recognized and followed through or later realized you missed the opportunity, to be of this kind of service.
10) Have you ever felt too proud to bow down and serve like Jesus does in this story?
Objective
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Find our own motivation for serving those whom Jesus gives us to serve as he served us, washing the feet of his disciples.
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Letting Jesus’ example fill us, and send us to serve as he serves..
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To have an experience of serving another as Jesus has served us.
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Make room within ourselves to be of this kind of service whenever the Spirit urges to to serve another in this way.
Action Step
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Prepare ourselves to serve, exploring how Jesus has served us. Plan to respond when next we see an opportunity to serve as we have been served. Directed by the Spirit, find one person or encounter where we are able to move into the servant role (offering humble care and mercy to another). Then tell someone what happened, what you experienced, what you think it means.
Sermon on Sept. 15, 2013 “…as I Have Loved You.”
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Reflection/Devotion
Have you been served by another in the way that Jesus serves his disciples by washing their feet? How might you recognize this washing in your life? Do you think you have been washed with the kind of washing that Jesus did for his Disciples in that upper room? How did it happen?
Foster Pierce Camp Story:
Our family had the pleasure of witnessing and experiencing firsthand the sharing of “one to another.” It took place at a Cub Scout day camp open house on the last day of the camp. We are a large family of six, and the children are all close in age (four children spanning less than five and a half years). Our oldest is a boy, 9-yr, and has been in Cub Scouts since he was in first grade. He plans on transitioning into Boy Scouts once he is old enough. This summer he decided he would participate in the annual Cub Scout summer day camp. At the camp, the cub scouts arrived each morning, grouped together by their age and Cub Scout rank. There were many adult helpers there to organize the camp and its events, as well as chaperone the scouts and lead the many activities that were planned. Many of the adults had worked on the planning efforts months leading up to camp week. That, in and of itself, is a very obvious example of “one to another” evidenced by the adults and parents giving of themselves; their time and talents, to provide the leadership, supervision, and instruction for the cub scouts.
In addition to having adult helpers, there were also Boy Scouts there to help out with the events. The boy scouts wore “Staff” shirts, and helped show the younger cub scouts how to run through an obstacle course that had some challenging parts. The boy scouts would help the cub scouts balance, or make sure their feet were properly placed on the rope bridge.
Families were invited to the last day of camp to come and see all the cool things the boys had been doing over the past week. As always, when our whole family comes to an event, there tends to be moments of yelling, wrestling, competition, and conflict between the children. When we first arrived, it was the same old thing. Enter the obstacle course. We all saw it at the same time. There was the usual competition to see who would go first, who was the fastest, who knew how to tackle the obstacles best, etc., but this time there was something noticeably different. Instead of our oldest racing to the front of the line and showing his younger siblings how fast and good he was at the obstacle course, this Cub Scout helped each of his siblings carefully make it over the obstacles. He helped them place their feet on the rope bridge and showed them where to hold to keep their balance. He was doing for his younger siblings what the older scouts had been doing for him earlier on the week. He became of service to them, instead of in competition with them. You could see that he was fulfilled by his caring acts. It was a glorious experience to behold for all of us.