Serving

Sermon Discussion April 2, 2017 John 13:12-17 Short Review Briefly summarize the message: 1. What did Jesus do? 2. What keeps us from humble service? 3. What is a servant? Some Questions for Discussion: Focus the discussion on: serving like Jesus is different in character from all kinds of serving; it sets us apart as Jesus’ disciples and brings Him glory. 1. Ask if anyone in the group has been in a culture where there were servants? What was the role of servants, how were they treated, what was expected of them? 2. Why was Jesus’ act hard for the disciples to receive? 3. Comment on John 13:3,4 and 13,14. a. Does serving like this contradict/stand in distinction to Jesus’ glory and honor as the Son of God, or is it a part of the nature of the triune God? b. Are there examples in the O.T. where God acts like a servant to His people? [e.g. Ps. 50:15 and “Call on me…” – is He a butler? Or Isa. 64:3-4 – Is God a bodyguard, or a ‘bearer’ who carries His people?] 4. We often think of grand gestures of love, but what are examples of the simple, ordinary and frequent circumstances of life when we are called to show love to – friends, parents, spouses, children, people in church, neighbors. 5. What is challenging about acting like a servant in these cases? 6. 13:13, 14. Jesus did the duty of a servant even though He was lord and God – how do we apply this to our lives? How does who we are before God help us to serve others? 7. Does doing humble tasks lower us in the eyes of others? a. What might be the challenge to someone very talented asked to do something which overlooks that skill (E.g. accomplished musician asked to clean up sheet music; great speaker asked to check bathroom for toilet paper; great teacher asked to be a helper instead of teacher in a class)? b. Comment on this quote: You can tell if you have a servant heart by the way you react when someone treats you like one. 8. What possible blessing (13:17) is there in doing such menial/lowly/humble acts for others?