SERVING OTHERS

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Serving Others John 13:1-17 (Focus Verses) Philippians 2:1-11 Mark 10:45 GETTING STARTED Let’s do life together! This past week we began by discussing our reading through the book of John, well, let’s do that again. Who found their chair this week? Who accepted the challenge and have read John every day? How did God speak to you? (you may want to turn to the book of John). Last week we talked about influencing others, can anyone share who they have influenced lately? T.E.A.M. Signups: If needed, please discuss. Our Subject Today: “SERVING OTHERS” - we will look at how serving others makes us more like Jesus

VIDEO NOTES/QUESTIONS

1) What is the Passover Feast and how does this biblical illustration apply to us today? In the last part of this verse Jesus said “He loved them to the end”, what are your thoughts about that statement and does that apply to us?

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2) If Jesus lowered Himself to wash the disciples feet, He had to overcome any pride; how does our pride affect our every day life and how do we overcome a problem of pride?

3) Why do you think the disciples began the disagreement among themselves over who will be the greatest? Can you recall a time you argued or fought over something that just did not matter? Someone share how that went down and did you win?

4) After reading these 11 verses, let’s focus on vs. 5 - “Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:”; how can you do that in every day life and how are you showing that now?

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John 13:12-17 5) How can we as church members at FishHawk Fellowship pick up and hold a towel and then serve people around us in Jesus name?

6) What was Jesus’ service to us, how does He presently serve us and what does it motivate us to do?

SUMMARY (My Take-Away for This Week)

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WORK OUT (This Week’s Assignments)  Last week you were challenged to memorize 1 Corinthians 11:1; how did you do? Can anyone quote the verse?  Keep reading through the book of John, as you pursue God daily.  Keep looking for ways to influence others to follow Jesus.  Start praying and then start seeking a place to serve within our church. MY NEXT STEPS FROM THE WEEKEND WORSHIP 1. Today, I will participate in our church-wide survey using the FFC App or this link… bit.ly/Fishhawkchurchney4 2. Today, I will write “Ready to Serve” on my connection card and turn it in so that a ministry leader can reach out to me. 3. This week, I will memorize Mark 10:45, “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." HOW MY GROUP CAN PRAY FOR ME THIS WEEK

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COMMENTARY Question 1 John 13:1 Passover: During NT times large crowds gathered in Jerusalem to observe this annual celebration. Jesus was crucified during the Passover event. He and His disciples ate a Passover meal together on the eve of His death. During this meal Jesus said, “This is My body,” and “this cup is the new covenant in My blood” (Luke 22:17, 19–20 HCSB). The NT identifies Christ with the Passover sacrifice: “For Christ our Passover has been sacrificed” (1 Cor. 5:7 HCSB). (Chad Brand, Charles Draper, et al., eds., “Festivals,” Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary [Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2003]) The hour is that of Jesus’ “departure” (metabē) from this world (cf. the coming of the hour of glorification at 12:23). What is more, this departure is next interpreted by John in the context of the ultimate extent of love (lit., “he loved them unto the end”) evidenced in Jesus’ death for the world (cf. 3:16) and particularly here for those in the world who belong to him. (Gerald L. Borchert, John 12–21, vol. 25B, The New American Commentary [Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 2002]) Some interpreters have noted a change in John’s vocabulary beginning with this chapter. The life and light words that dominated the first half of the Gospel appear in some form a total of 82 times in chapters 1 through 12. But in chapters 13 to 17, life words occur only six times and light words not at all. The key word for the next five chapters will be agape (love). (Kenneth O. Gangel, John, vol. 4, Holman New Testament Commentary [Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 2000]) Question 2. John 13:2-5 As indicated in connection with the story of the Baptizer (John 1:27), touching feet was regarded as menial slave work and as such was primarily an assignment given to Gentile slaves and women. What is startling in this story is the vivid portrayal of the Messiah adopting a shameful/lowly posture in relation to his disciples. The evangelist makes clear that Jesus intended that he should be viewed in the posture of such a slave by removing or “laying down” (the same verb is also used of Jesus laying down his life, cf. 10:11, 15, 17–18; 15:13) his “outer clothing”. Then he tied a towel around himself in the fashion of a slave and actually used that towel to wipe the feet of the disciples once he had washed them. The humbling or dishonoring symbolism is unmistakable. (Gerald L. Borchert, John 12–21, vol. 25B, The New American Commentary [Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 2002]) Question 3. Luke 22:24-27 The betrayer is here at the table, he declared. What a shock for the apostles. Who could he be? They argued over which of them might betray Jesus. Deep down, they knew each one of them was capable of such betrayal. The argument spread from who was the worst among them to who was the best. The implication of this argument rested on who would receive the highest offices in Jesus’ kingdom, as the following response shows. Jesus’ kingdom was not like the earthly kingdoms they experienced. Jesus’ system was entirely different. The senior leader with the most experience must adopt an attitude as if he were the youngest with no experience, no leadership responsibility, and no honors expected. Whoever had decision-making responsibility should make those decisions as if he were a servant totally dependent on the decision maker. You do not seek for greatness or recognition, Jesus said. You seek for opportunities truly to be a doer of good for the rest of the “family.” Jesus turned the question on the disciples. You must make a choice. Will you accept the world’s oppressive way of honoring greatness? Or will you follow Jesus’ example of becoming a servant and seeking the best for the “family”? Will you be part of the last who will become first? Or must you be first now? (Trent C. Butler, Luke, vol. 3, Holman New Testament Commentary (Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 2000) Week #4– FEB 17/18 - WINTER 2018

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COMMENTARY Question 4. Philippians 2:1-11. In chapter 1, Paul speaks of his joy in prayer and joy in adversity as a Christian serving his God. He could rejoice in almost any circumstance. The key to this joy is a relationship with Christ. In Chapter 2, Paul explains how joy comes through another aspect of the believer’s life—humility toward others. He begins his appeal for humility by referring to the Philippians’ experience. Because they are united with Christ, believers are members of his body. We have special bonds to one another due to our relationship with Christ. Paul proceeds to give examples for the Philippians to emulate. The first is Christ. He is the supreme example of humility, love, and selflessness. As believers are united with Christ, we are to have the same attitude as Christ, one of humility. Paul expresses the same thought in Ephesians 4:2. All believers should share this humble, selfless mind-set of Christ. Jesus is the preeminent example of humility. He has always been God. John 1:1 speaks of Jesus. As God, he did not selfishly grasp hold of or tightly hold to his position as equal with God. Instead, he was willing to leave his high position in heaven temporarily and to give himself over to serving our needs. Although he set aside the rights and privileges of being God, he remained God . (Max Anders, Galatians-Colossians, vol. 8, Holman New Testament Commentary (Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1999), Question 5. John 13: 12-17 Christ at length explains what was his intention in washing the feet of his disciples; for what he had said about the spiritual washing was a sort of digression from his main design. Had it not been for the opposition made by Peter, Christ would not have spoken on that subject. Now, therefore, he discloses the reason of what he had done; namely, that he who is the Master and Lord of all gave an example to be followed by all the godly, that none might grudge to descend to do a service to his brethren and equals, however mean and low that service might be. Pride hinders us from maintaining that equality which ought to exist amongst us. He declares that they are happy, if they know and do these things; for knowledge is not entitled to be called true, unless it produce such an effect on believers as to lead them to conform themselves to their Head. We may infer from this that, until a man has learned to yield to his brethren, he does not know if Christ be the Master. Since there is no man who performs his duty to his brethren in all respects, and since there are many who are careless and sluggish in brotherly offices, this shows us that we are still at a great distance from the full light of faith. (John Calvin and William Pringle, Commentary on the Gospel according to John, vol. 2 [Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2010]) Question 6. Mark 10:45 The word translated “to be served” and “to serve” (diakoneō) is the verbal form of the noun inv. 43. The noun and the verb originally referred to menial service such as waiting on tables. Jesus did not identify the kind of service he performed but affirmed that his life was characterized by a servant attitude and by actually performing many kinds of service and ministry. By so affirming he set himself before the disciples as an example to follow—something that often has been forgotten by his followers. Again the possibility that Jesus understood his approaching death in terms of Isa 53 must be recognized. He viewed his death as a vicarious sacrifice for sin. In fact, the word translated “for” properly means in the place of and not merely on behalf of. No attempt should be made to limit how many are those for whom Jesus died. The word in context does not mean many but not all. Rather it is a Semitism that means all who are many. In the similar statement in 1 Tim 2:6 the word “all” is actually used. (James A. Brooks, Mark, vol. 23, The New American Commentary [Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1991]) (All quotations used by permission of the publisher)

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