Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, (27) and whoever wants to be first must be your slave — (28) just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." Matthew 20:26-28 NIV
Dear friend, it’s so good to have you back with us today for this lesson. Welcome!
Today we’re going to look at one of the most important reasons why God frees people from sadness and isolation, and that is, He frees us to serve in fellowship with others! Indeed, this change from sadness to service can be very freeing, as we begin to become “others centered” and “service minded.”
Jesus stated that He did not come to be served, but to serve and give His life as a ransom for many. Serving by giving His life was the main reason Jesus came to this earth. It is also one of the intentions Jesus has for us when He frees us by His Spirit that we might serve Him and His body (the church).
Today, I want us to look at an amazing story of service which perfectly illustrates the gospel of Jesus Christ, and then see the conclusion of that story which is a call for us to follow Christ into a life of service. Let’s look at it together:
Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. (2) During supper, when the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray him, (3) Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going back to God, John 13:1-3 ESV
The account in John chapter 13 is of the last supper that Jesus and His disciples would share together before Jesus’ arrest and crucifixion. The story is designed by God to highlight and illustrate for us an aspect of the gospel and to call us to follow Christ in serving others.
Question 1. According to John 13:1, what forms the basis of what Jesus was going to do next in this chapter?
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Jesus came to this world out of love for His people. And as He faced betrayal by Judas, false accusations by the religious leaders, a mock trial by Pontius Pilate and death by crucifixion, He wanted to make it clear that He is going through all of this because of love. “Having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end.” In other words, He did not love us only in life, He loved us clear to end; to the cross, to the grave and back. We must always remember that all that Jesus did for us was motivated by both the desire to honor and obey His Father, and of love for His people. Jesus "loved you and gave Himself for you!" (Galatians 2:20). In John 13:1, He makes love for His people the basis of what He was going to do next. Let’s watch!
(Jesus) rose from supper. He laid aside his outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around his waist. (5) Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him. John 13:4-5 ESV
Question 2. In John 13:4-5, how did Jesus show His love to His disciples?
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