Campus Community | Deeper Week 7
Overview:
Tonight we continue our “Deeper” series. As a reminder, the spiritual disciplines exist to foster intimacy & transformation. The spiritual discipline that we’re focusing on this evening is the idea of “service”. Service defined is, “the sacrificial giving of self. This includes our time, talent and treasure as an act of worship”. Jesus turns this world’s definitions of leadership, power, influence, authority, greatness & being in charge on its head when He declared, in Mark 10:45, “For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Jesus is saying “If you want to lead like me, become a sacrificial servant”.
- Superficial service is only interested in the Majestic task, but sacrificial service takes joy in the mundane
Verses:
John 13:1-17
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.[a] 2 It was time for supper, and the devil had already prompted Judas,[b] son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus. 3 Jesus knew that the Father had given him authority over everything and that he had come from God and would return to God. 4 So he got up from the table, took off his robe, wrapped a towel around his waist, 5 and poured water into a basin. Then he began to wash the disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel he had around him. 6 When Jesus came to Simon Peter, Peter said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?” 7 Jesus replied, “You don’t understand now what I am doing, but someday you will.” 8 “No,” Peter protested, “you will never ever wash my feet!” Jesus replied, “Unless I wash you, you won’t belong to me.” 9 Simon Peter exclaimed, “Then wash my hands and head as well, Lord, not just my feet!” 10 Jesus replied, “A person who has bathed all over does not need to wash, except for the feet,[c] to be entirely clean. And you disciples are clean, but not all of you.” 11 For Jesus knew who would betray him. That is what he meant when he said, “Not all of you are clean.” 12 After washing their feet, he put on his robe again and sat down and asked, “Do you understand what I was doing? 13 You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and you are right, because that’s what I am. 14 And since I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash each other’s feet. 15 I have given you an example to follow. Do as I have done to you. 16 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. 17 Now that you know these things, God will bless you for doing them.
Quotes:
“The flesh whines against service but screams against hidden service. It strains and pulls for honor and recognition. It will devise subtle, religiously acceptable means to call attention to the service rendered. But when we refuse to give in to this lust of the flesh, we crucify” –Richard Foster
“There are many of us are willing to do great things for the Lord, but few of us are willing to do the little”. –DL Moody
“How utterly terrible is the current idea that Christians can serve God at their own convenience.” –A.W. Tozer
“God is not looking for famous people! He’s looking for faithful servants! Not for people that will get a big head, just a deeper heart for Him.”
“Everybody wants to save the earth. Nobody wants to help mom do the dishes” –PJ Rourke
“Many of you would be willing to take a bullet for God, but are you willing to wake up tomorrow and do the mundane. Not so much that you would die for Him; you’re just willing to live for Him”.
“Service never presumes; services come in and ask, “How may I serve?”
“Where we can reflect servanthood on a deeper level with Christ is my coming to Christ and saying to Him that He is the Great Servant and say we want to be a reflection of Him, for His glory.”
Questions:
1. In what ways have you seen your spiritual life grow from the moment that you first dedicated your life to Christ?
2. What are some ways that you have allowed service to be your act of worship?
3. Have you ever found yourself thinking that a job/task that you were doing was beneath you?
4. Have you ever truly examined the motives behind your service? What was the outcome of that examination?
5. How have you allowed Jesus’ approach to service invade your own?