Week #6

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family devotionals ACTIVITY:

Week #6: Serve One Another

Gather index cards and markers or colorful pens Read Galatians 5:13. What does it mean to serve? What does humble mean? To make it a bit more active have them do some research. They can “Google” the words, ask “Alexa”, or dig out an old dictionary. Pick out, as a family, the description you like best. Memorize Galatians 5:13. Have each family member who is able to write, write the verse on an index card. Then each family member should pick a “high traffic” spot to display the card they made. Try on the fridge, on the bathroom mirror, in the car or by your bed so family members can work on it as they go about their day. (For younger family members have them work on the part of the verse, “Serve one another humbly.”)

FOCUS: STEP IT UP:

(if you are able to make more time in your week)

God wants people in the church to serve others. Put your service into action. Have one family member take notes as other family members suggest ways you could serve one another. Or really step it up to serve a neighbor. IDEAS: Help Mom with the dishes. Help Dad make dinner. Help my sister make her bed. Help my brother walk the dog. Weed our neighbor, Mrs. Smith’s garden. (Maybe you have items on your Random Acts of Kindness list from Week #1 you didn’t get to do. Now is your time to love others through service.)

GO DEEPER:

(have older kids or are just ready for more?)

Read Acts 11:19-30 and Galatians 5:13 again. In our culture of North Jersey it can be difficult to think about serving others. Talk about as a family why you think this is the case. What does it mean to serve humbly? (not expecting anything back) Why would God ask us to “humbly serve”? We have so many freedoms in this country. How can we enjoy what we have been blessed with but still serve and help others?

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ADULT DEVOTIONALS

WEEK 6: MONDAY “Nevertheless, more and more men and women believed in the Lord and were added to their number.” - Acts 5:14 Peter must have been shocked at the response he got to his first sermon. Cut to the heart, the people said, "What should we do?" “Repent and be baptized,” Peter replied, “every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.” (Acts 2:38-39) Three thousand accepted his message, were baptized, and joined the others. Most of these people had come to Jerusalem to celebrate Pentecost. Normally, visitors were received with hospitality at such times, but just for a limited time. These people were going to stay, and they had no homes or jobs there. Not only were they welcomed, but the believers “sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people.” All the believers freely, generously shared everything they had; they sold things and gave the money to the apostles to distribute. The apostles continued to preach and God's grace was so powerfully at work in them all that there were no needy persons among them. Still, the Lord kept adding to their number—up to five thousand! (Acts 4:4, 32-35) We have the same problem the early church had as described in Acts. We’re bursting at the seams! God continues to draw more people to The Chapel. We’ve added to the number of services and launched new sites. Still God sends us more people. And the needs are growing as well. People are hurting—in marriages, in their personal lives, and in the needs of our children and youth. We’ve increased our staff, but they can’t do it all. Our leaders are doing as the Apostles did: calling others to come serve. It’s the Lord our God who’s calling us. Are you willing to come serve his people?

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ADULT DEVOTIONALS

WEEK 6: TUESDAY “You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: "Love your neighbor as yourself." If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.” - Galatians 5:13-15 As the number of believers increased, the Hellenistic Jews complained against the Hebraic Jews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food. The twelve Apostles decided, “It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the Word of God in order to wait on tables.” (Acts 6:1-2) The word translated distribution in Acts 6:1 and ministry in 6:2 quoted above is the same Greek word from which we get the words deacon and deaconess. Those titles are used today in many churches for their helpers. The interesting thing is that those serving daily hot meals and those preaching the Word were all called deacons, “ones who minister to meet the needs of others.” The twelve Apostles knew their own priority. They couldn’t neglect their own study and meditation on the word of God. This is what they were called to do. However, they saw a potential fight brewing between two groups and didn’t want them to “bite and devour one another,” eventually destroying each other. So, the Apostles told the people to select “seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word.” Note the seven should be “from among us” and “full of the Spirit and wisdom.” Even if they were just supervising pouring coffee and serving food. Under these seven men were hundreds of helpers serving the thousands of new believers. Many unseen bakers prepared the bread they broke daily. Various people did laundry, bought the groceries, washed the dishes, cleaned the bathrooms, watched the young children, and taught the youth. What talents and abilities has God given you to use in serving the needs of others?

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ADULT DEVOTIONALS

WEEK 6: WEDNESDAY “Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God's grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ.” - 1 Peter 4:10-11 Piles and piles of presents fill the table and floor. Larger ones lean against the wall nearby. The mother sits in a rocker with a beautiful hand-quilted baby blanket across the back. She opens the gifts, but few, if any, are for her. Similarly, the Holy Spirit gives gifts to us, but they are not for us. They are for the Holy Spirit to use through us for others. When we become Christians, we receive the Holy Spirit. He lives inside us and brings us gifts.* We all have at least one gift. 1 Corinthians 12:7 says, “Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.” These gifts are supernatural—beyond natural abilities. Some are leadership gifts: apostles (missionaries, pastors), prophets (presenting God’s Word to the people), evangelists, and pastor/teachers. Other gifts include encouraging, contributing to others’ needs, showing mercy, wisdom (knowing how best to apply knowledge), helping, knowledge, faith (beyond what every believer has), and administration. In Acts, we read about Peter, the leader (chapter 1), the preacher/evangelist (2), healer (3), miracle worker (4), man of faith (5), missionary (8), prayer warrior (9), and prophet (10-11). Some gifts, rare since the early church, may become more common as we reach the last of the last days. In Acts 2, Peter quotes the Old Testament prophet Joel when he says: “In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy.” (Acts 2:17-18) Do you use the Spiritual gift(s) God has given you? *See lists in Ephesians 4:11, Romans 12:4-8, and 1 Corinthians 12:7-11, 27-30.

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WEEK 6: THURSDAY “God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him.” - Acts 10:38 Jesus laid aside some of his divine attributes when he left heaven and became a tiny baby. He submitted himself to doing only what the Father gave him to do (John 5:1921). Jesus defined his Mission when he read Isaiah 61:1-2 in the synagogue in Nazareth, “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.” (See Luke 4:16-21.) He came to preach, free from bondage, heal, and declare the coming of the Kingdom of God. And he submitted to doing these things the same way we can do them: by using the power and gifts of the Holy Spirit. Jesus applied the gift of Knowledge when he met Nathaniel and surprised him by saying, “I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you” (John 1:48). Jesus used the gift of Discernment when he saw the work of the Father in Peter’s confession, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God,” and the work of Satan when Peter tried to dissuade Jesus from going to the cross (Matthew 16:16-17 and 22-23). Jesus used the gift of Healing for many—including those with leprosy, blindness, and paralysis. He used the gift of Miracles to change water into wine, and to multiply five small barley loaves and two fish into enough to feed five thousand people. He drew on the gift of Faith to walk on water (as did Peter until he doubted), and the gift of Wisdom and gift of Knowledge to deal with the woman at the well and rich young ruler. He Prophesied the destruction of Jerusalem and the Last Days yet to come (Matthew 24). Do you only do what you see the Father doing and what the Holy Spirit enables you to do?

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ADULT DEVOTIONALS

WEEK 6: FRIDAY “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God–this is your true and proper worship.” - Romans 12:1 I know some of you are saying I haven’t room in my schedule for anything else! It’s been said that 20% of the people in a church do 80% of the work. What would happen if everyone did what God wanted them to do? To keep in tune with what God wanted him to do, Jesus went off to pray alone, sometimes all night. He didn’t succumb to the demands of the crowds. He set limits on his life. He didn’t become a leader in the local synagogue, he had little time for his family, he didn’t marry and have children, and he allowed others to support his ministry so he wouldn’t have to earn a living. But how do you know what God wants you to do? Pray. Ask him. Look at yourself. What are your natural abilities, your Spiritual gifts? Where’s your heart? Look at your experiences—where has God given you a victory over something? Who do you most like to help? What do you feel strongly about? At the end of your life, in what area(s) do you hope you’ll have made a difference? When you’ve determined your purpose, develop a personal “mission statement”. Then do only those serving things which contribute to your mission, and let others do the rest. Your serving should be joyful, not something no one else is doing, or something you must do so God won’t be angry. And don’t worry if you think you don’t have the ability. Jesus’ disciples were mostly uneducated men who went on to preach to great crowds, to turn their world upside down, and to write books we still read today. Need ideas on how to implement your mission statement? Go to thechapel.org and click on “Serve,” “Care,” and any of the groups you’d like to serve. Match a ministry to your experiences, gifts, talents, and heart. “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me” (Matthew 25:40). Go! Serve wholeheartedly, for you are serving the Lord, as you serve his people.



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ONE ANOTHER

WEEK 6: SERVE ONE ANOTHER OCTOBER 22, 2017

DISCUSSION GUIDE

MAIN POINT Christians are called to serve one another.

INTRODUCTION How would you summarize our culture’s general attitude about serving others? Is it something our culture values and promotes, or something it belittles? Explain your thoughts and give some examples.

Why do you think most people would rather be served than serve others? How does the gospel challenge our thinking?

What makes you the most uncomfortable about the thought of serving others? What about having others serve you?

The Bible makes it clear that we are to serve one another. In American culture, people place a strong emphasis on being served rather than serving others. But as Christians, our identity and self-worth is not found in being served or waited on by others. Our identity is found in Jesus. And since our identity is found in Jesus, we have nothing to prove, and that gives us the freedom to serve others as the Bible commands us to.

UNDERSTANDING > READ GALATIANS 5:13-15.

In verse 13, Paul said that Christians are called to be free. What did Paul mean by that?

Have you ever been enslaved to a sin that threatened your freedom and consumed your time and energy? How does Christ set us free from enslaving sins?

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DISCUSSION GUIDE

Paul taught that freedom is the privilege and right of every Christ follower. Before coming to Christ, all people were slaves to sin. Paul warned his readers not to fall back into a lifestyle of slavery. On the other hand, Paul made it clear that freedom in Christ should not be viewed as a license to sin but, rather, as an opportunity to serve others. Christian liberty is not to be used for selfishness; the true goal of a Christian’s freedom from sin should be to love other people. Paul quoted Leviticus 19:18 and summarized the law: “love your neighbor as yourself” (Matt. 22:39).

Glance back at verse 13. How did Paul instruct his readers to serve one another?

Do you think the term “humility” has a positive or negative connotation in our culture? Explain why you feel the way you do.

How would you describe humility?

It has been said, “True humility is not thinking less of yourself; it is thinking of yourself less.” It’s human nature to often think of ourselves first, but the gospel calls us to a new way of living. The culture we live in promotes a mindset of entitlement and selfpromotion that is anything but humble. In fact, the Bible’s command to serve others is countercultural to modern-day society. One of the ways pride manifests itself in our society is through an unwillingness to serve in menial tasks. However, the gospel calls for a different way of living. If we are living with the intention of being served, we have missed the core of what it means to live as a Christ follower. Christ’s entire life and ministry destroys the notion that Christians are to be served. Like Jesus, we are to take on the role of servant. > READ EPHESIANS 5:21.

What does it mean for believers to “submit” to one another?

According to Paul, what should our motive be for submitting to each other?

The Greek word for submit is “hupotasso,” which means “to place under, “ or “to subordinate.” Submission is a word that people in our culture often find unpleasant to talk about. But submission does not in any way mean inferiority. Paul goes on to say that we are to submit out of reverence for Christ. Jesus often taught His disciples that they were not to throw their weight around or take advantage of their authority. In Christ, we can look to the perfect model of humility and sacrificial living.

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DISCUSSION GUIDE

> READ JOHN 13:2-17.

When Jesus washed the disciples’ feet, how did He destroy the notion that Christians are to focus on other people serving them? What message did the foot washing send to His followers?

Glance back at verse 14. What did Jesus instruct His disciples to do? How does this relate to modern-day believers?

In this passage, Jesus models what it means to serve one another. Jesus said in verses 13-14, “If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet.” As the Son of God, and Savior of the world, Jesus had the least reason among any living man to be humble. Yet Christ modeled a life of perfect sacrificial humility and taught His disciples to do the same.

Re-read John 13:3. How did understanding His identity and purpose empower Christ to serve others without reservation?

How does knowing who we are in Christ free us to serve others?

It’s likely that the disciples had no issue with washing Christ’s feet, but did not want to wash one another’s feet. Yet in verse 14, Jesus made it clear that we are to serve one another. Judas Iscariot was undoubtedly among the men at the foot washing. It’s hard to imagine, but Jesus was willing to wash Judas’s feet, knowing that only hours later Judas would betray Him. Jesus’ jaw-dropping act of humility demonstrates that our service to others should not be contingent on their behavior, but should be motivated by our love for Christ.

APPLICATION Are you serving others on a regular basis? If not, what steps can you take to find a place to serve?

As a group, how can we offer ourselves to serve the greater church community of The Chapel?

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DISCUSSION GUIDE

What reservations do you have about serving others? What is holding you back? What next steps do you need to take to overcome these obstacles?

PRAY Father, thank You for giving us the perfect model of sacrificial service in our Savior Jesus Christ. We pray we will be people who revere Christ and dedicate our lives to the service of others.

MEMORIZE “You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love.” – Galatians 5:13

COMMENTARY GALATIANS 5:13-15

5:13-14 Paul expressed concern about the behavioral opposite of bondage: licentiousness (an opportunity for the flesh). He also expanded his initial reference to love. While it is foolish to “submit again to a yoke of slavery” (v. 1) in trying to keep the law, it is right to be servants to other believers “through love.” Paul said that to love your neighbor as yourself fulfills the entire law. 5:15 The phrase bite and devour one another probably looks back to “an opportunity for the flesh” (v. 13) and looks forward to parts of the listing of “the works of the flesh” (vv. 19-21). Paul had apparently heard that there was serious dissension in the churches of Galatia. He warned them that such attitudes and behavior would destroy (Gk analisko; “to consume, eat up”) them. EPHESIANS 5:21

5:21 This verse serves as a hinge to connect what is prior with what follows. Grammatically, the participial phrase (lit “submitting yourselves”) goes with verses 18-20. The content of verses 22-33, however, depends on the principle of submission in verse 21. JOHN 13:2-17

13:1. The time had come, and Jesus would soon leave this world. This term for “world” appears 185 times in the New Testament; 8 times in Matthew; 3 times in Mark, 3 in Luke; but 78 in the Gospel of John. The other two key words are time and love.

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DISCUSSION GUIDE

13:2. Judas typifies a society in rebellion against God, but the Lord’s treatment also demonstrates God’s grace and compassion with that society. Though the disciples never grasped Judas’ true nature until after the betrayal in the garden, Jesus knew it from the beginning. Yet He gave Judas every opportunity to turn from his wicked ways, repent, and follow his Lord. John pulled no punches in his description of the betrayer and his evil master. In a few more verses (v. 27) we read that “Satan entered into him.” 13:3–5. Verse 3 reminds us that Jesus was the omnipotent God. Jesus allowed the full scenario to play out as the errant disciple made choice after choice leading to his suicide. Some interpreters take these words symbolically, making the water equal to the Word, the towel demonstrating righteousness, and so forth. That hardly seems necessary in light of the culture of the first century. An old proverb says, “Actions speak louder than words,” and the Lord’s willingness to wash the feet of His disciples, even Judas’s, reflects servant leadership at its best. People who are familiar with first-century culture will immediately recognize how socially inappropriate this behavior was. Never in Jewish, Greek, or Roman society would a superior wash the feet of inferiors. 13:6–7. Little discussions with Peter fill the synoptic Gospels, and John enjoys recording them as well. Shocked by the cultural reversal as he literally looked down at his Lord, Peter said in effect, “What’s going on here?” And Jesus replied, “You have no idea, but some day you will.” Presumably Jesus began the foot-washing with Peter, so he was the first to be shocked. 13:8–9. Peter was too humble to have his feet washed, but not too humble to command the Lord. As soon as Jesus emphasized that this symbolic act united the disciple with the Lord in some significant way, Peter took the full plunge. Let us not miss the practical theology of these verses. There is no place in the body of Christ for those who have not been cleansed by the Lord. Washing in this symbolic context cannot refer to baptism, but the atoning cleansing of sin. 13:10–11. Here we have a beautiful picture of forgiveness and one of the most important theological texts of the New Testament. How often does a person need to be saved? Once? Every time he or she sins? Just before death to make sure? These verses tell us that a person who has been completely cleansed once will only require regular washings after that. A full bathing depicts initial regeneration; the repeated washings symbolize forgiveness of ongoing sinful behavior. 13:12–14. The washing not only demonstrated humility and servanthood to the disciples, but also laid an experiential foundation for the teaching of verse 10. When the foot-washing ended, Jesus taught an important lesson about the relationship of believers—you also should wash one another’s feet. Jesus emphasized the words Teacher and Lord in contrast with the way they had behaved toward Him. The Lord reminded them that He washed their feet as their leader. 13:15–17. Throughout the New Testament, we learn the importance of example, never more so than when Jesus refers to Himself. But here we are not focused on some great spiritual reality or doctrinal truth; the passage deals with how we treat other people. Since Jesus loved His disciples and loves us in the same way, we need to do for others what He has done for us.

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