040214: Do You Understand What I Have Done For You?

Do You Understand What I Have Done For You?

I.                    Introduction

a.       Our goal this year is to see you get more rooted in Christ as we grow together

b.      One way we are doing this rooting is through sermons about questions found in the Bible.

II.                 Body

a.      Read John 13:3-12 – “Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist.  After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet,  drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him. He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?” Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.” “No,” said Peter, “you shall never wash my feet.” Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.” “Then, Lord,” Simon Peter replied, “not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!” Jesus answered, “A person who has had a bath needs only to wash his feet; his whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you.” For he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said not every one was clean. When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. “Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them.”

b.      Washing Feet

                                                             a.      Washing feet was a slave’s or servant’s job.  It provided a needed service (in a time when shoes were sandals and most transportation was walking)

                                                            b.      It provided a needed service, but also showed social status (how important you really were)

                                                             c.      Jesus, who had been sitting on the throne of heaven being worshipped by angels, came to earth, lowering himself to become a man

                                                            d.      Jesus leads a group of men around for 3 years: teaching, preaching, and healing.  They all expect that he is in Jerusalem to claim his throne as the descendant of David, and show himself to truly be the Messiah, God in flesh.

                                                             e.      So what does he do:  He dresses down to look like a servant and begins to wash their feet…God of the Universe is lowering himself to slave.

                                                             f.      Then he asks our question for the night: Do you understand what I have done for you?

                                                             g.      Do you?

c.       John 13:13-17 – “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am.  Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.”

                                                             a.      If Jesus, God of the universe was willing to lower himself to serve, we should as well.

                                                            b.      Being a servant is accomplished when we provide a needed service with humility.  Meaning I do something to help without thinking it below me.

d.      How could you serve me?

                                                             a.      I’m a lot like Peter in this story, I would have had a hard time allowing Jesus to wash my feet, I could do it myself.  I still have a hard time allowing others to serve me, instead I show pride and don’t allow many to do anything for me. 

                                                            b.      Maybe you are this way too, never letting people in on what is going on, and when they offer help saying no thanks to it.

                                                             c.      So how could you serve me?

                                                                                i.      Pray – I’ve been hiding it but I could really use prayer

                                                                              ii.      Encouragement – Call, email, notes, facebook, talk to, tell me when a message is meaningful

                                                                            iii.      Don’t be a destroyer – Stop taking apart chairs and pens, pick up your messes

                                                                            iv.      Help out – video, sound, event clean-up/set up, event ideas, kid’s ministry, opening videos, call and invite/remind people about things, etc…

III.               Conclusion

a.       How could I serve You?

                                                             a.      You won’t be able to help me in everything I just said, and I won’t be able to help you in everything you need help with.  But I am willing to be a servant, but I need to know how I can serve you.

                                                            b.      During our last group time you will have a sheet to fill out, just turn it in after you fill it out and I and the other leaders will do the best we can to be your servants

b.      Who can you serve?  How can you serve them?

                                                             a.      You can be a servant, and you can start tonight, think of who you can serve, and how you can serve them, then go and do it!

Worship – Communion

·         Jesus came to serve and one way he served was by dying for us.  Taking our place and our sin on the cross with him.

·         Tonight we are going to take communion together.  Communion is a reminder of Jesus’ death and the new covenant he made with us, until he returns.  It is something that should only be taken by believers (as it is meaningless to those who don’t believe) and by those who have examined their own lives (correcting areas where they have drifted away).

·         It has two elements (the bread and the juice). 

·         The Bread is a reminder of his body, which was broken and hung on the cross, where he sacrificed his life for ours.  It is a reminder that though we are broken and sinful we can be made whole because he was broken for us.

·         The Juice is a reminder of his blood, which was spilled as he died.  This blood was able to cleanse us from our sin, reestablishing the broken relationship between us and God.

·         Tonight as we take communion we are going to go through 3 steps: Examination, Bread, Juice

·         Examination: During this part I want you all to look at your life and write down any area where you see that you are broken, maybe it is a sin, maybe an addiction, maybe it is emotional pain.  After writing it down, confess it to God and ask him to make you whole.

·         Bread: During this part we will take the bread together.  Come and take a piece and as you do throw away your paper, reminding you that you are now whole because he was broken.  Then we will eat it together.  Pray and thank him for making us whole

·         Juice: During this part we will thank him for forgiving us.  As part of this we are asked to also walk in his steps and forgive those who have hurt us. So grab your juice but as you do take a moment and forgive anyone who you haven’t forgiven yet.  We will drink it together.  Pray and thank him for forgiving us.