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Community Group Discussion Guide John 13:1-20 – Weekend of April 28 & 29 I. Starter Question: What would you be doing if you knew you had less than 24 hours left to live? II. Discussion of Scripture: Background & Context: In his prologue (John 1:1-18) John tells us much about who Jesus is. He is the Word who was with God in the beginning. The Word Himself was God. All things were created through Him. Life was in Him, and this life was the light of man. His light shines through the darkness and the darkness did not even comprehend it. The great tragedy is that the Word became flesh, came into the world He created, to His own people, and they did not know Him or receive Him. But to all who did receive Him, who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God. John wrote his gospel so that we may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing we may have life in His name (John 20:31). John 13:1-20 (ESV) - Jesus Washes the Disciples’ Feet 13 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, 4 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. 6 He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, do you wash my feet?” 7 Jesus answered him, “What I am doing you do not understand now, but afterward you will

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Page 1:   · Web viewPray for our church and the elders and deacons that our leaders would humbly follow hard after Jesus and lead faithfully during this time between lead pastors. Pray

Community Group Discussion Guide

John 13:1-20 – Weekend of April 28 & 29

I. Starter Question:

What would you be doing if you knew you had less than 24 hours left to live?

II. Discussion of Scripture:

Background & Context: In his prologue (John 1:1-18) John tells us much about who Jesus is. He is the Word who was with God in the beginning. The Word Himself was God. All things were created through Him. Life was in Him, and this life was the light of man. His light shines through the darkness and the darkness did not even comprehend it. The great tragedy is that the Word became flesh, came into the world He created, to His own people, and they did not know Him or receive Him. But to all who did receive Him, who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God. John wrote his gospel so that we may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing we may have life in His name (John 20:31).

John 13:1-20 (ESV) - Jesus Washes the Disciples’ Feet 13 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, 4 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. 6 He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, do you wash my feet?” 7 Jesus answered him, “What I am doing you do not understand now, but afterward you will understand.” 8 Peter said to him, “You shall never wash my feet.” Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no share with me.” 9 Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!” 10 Jesus said to him, “The one who has bathed does not need to wash, except for his feet, but is completely clean. And you are clean, but not every one of you.” 11 For he knew who was to betray him; that was why he said, “Not all of you are clean.”

12 When he had washed their feet and put on his outer garments and resumed his place, he said to them, “Do you understand what I have done to you? 13 You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. 14 If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. 15 For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you. 16 Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. 17 If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them. 18 I am not speaking of all of you; I know whom I have chosen. But the Scripture will be fulfilled, ‘He who ate my bread has lifted his heel against me.’ 19 I am telling you this now, before it takes place, that when it does take place you

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may believe that I am he. 20 Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever receives the one I send receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me.”

Teaching Points and Questions for Discussion: 1. This passage takes place in Jesus’ fourth year of public ministry, on the night He was

betrayed. See #84 on the timeline above.2. This marks the beginning of what is called the Upper Room Discourse (John 13-16).3. Jesus knew His hour had come (v. 1) to depart from the world, and having loved them, He

loved them to the end. This can also mean he loved to completely, to the fullest extent (NIV), but more likely translated correctly in ESV.

a. What do you think this means when it says He loved them to the end? 4. In v. 2 it says that the devil put it in the heart of Judas to betray Jesus.

a. What did this look like? b. How can Satan put things in our heart today, and how can we recognize it when it’s

happening, and what can we do about it when it happens?5. Jesus washes His disciples’ feet

a. It was customary for a house servant to wash the feet of the guests. What lessons does Jesus teach us when He washed the feet of the disciples?

b. Word order is important in Greek (as opposed to English). In v. 6, Peter answers Jesus attempt to wash his feet the following way in the Greek… “You my wash the

Page 3:   · Web viewPray for our church and the elders and deacons that our leaders would humbly follow hard after Jesus and lead faithfully during this time between lead pastors. Pray

feet.” By putting the word “you” first, we see the shock that Peter must have had when the Master washes the disciple’s feet.

c. Jesus’ answer in v. 7 is very telling. There are two main words in Greek that mean “to know.” Jesus uses them both in this address to Peter. What He is doing now, Peter will not “understand” (ESV translates the Greek word oida) or “perceive intuitively through deduction.” But afterward Peter will “understand” (ESV translates the Greek work ginosko) or “experientially know.”

i. Why do you think Jesus uses both Greek words here in this way, and what does the statement then mean?

d. In v. 8 Peter refuses vigorously. He uses a double negative, which in the Greek adds an emphasis to the contrary. To paraphrase, Peter says, “You will never, ever, by any means through all eternity wash my feet!” That sounds like the Peter we know.

e. Jesus responds with grace and truth and says that unless He washes his feet, Peter has no share with Him.

i. What does Jesus mean when He say says “no share with Him?” ii. Can you be born again and have no share with Him?

f. In v. 9 Peter turns 180 degrees and asks for a bath. If he would need His feet washed by Jesus to share with Him, he wants it all.

i. In what ways are we like Peter in this dialogue? ii. We laugh, but was Peter wrong to ask this?

iii. What does this tell us about Peter? iv. What does how He handled Peter here tell us about Jesus?

g. In v. 10 Jesus says that the one who has bathed does not need to wash, only his feet, but is completely clean.

i. What does Jesus mean here? ii. Do we need our feet washed? How often?

iii. Can we be completely clean, and still need our feet washed? That’s what Jesus seems to be saying.

h. Obviously Judas was the unclean one at the table. But he was still chosen by Jesus (Luke 6:13-16). How could he be chosen and still be unclean?

i. In what ways is this foot washing an example for us (v. 15)? Is this then an ordinance of the church like baptism and the Lord’s Supper?

III. Responding in Prayer: Pray for your brothers and sisters in your Community Group that you all would follow

the example of our Lord Jesus and serve others within your group and in your communities as well.

Pray for yourself that God would chip away at any pride and ask Him to help you consider others and their needs more than your own.

Pray for our church and the elders and deacons that our leaders would humbly follow hard after Jesus and lead faithfully during this time between lead pastors. Pray also for Heath Thomas for perseverance and faithfulness to the Word in this season while he fills the pulpit each week, as he wraps up this semester at OBU. Pray also for our college students and college ministry as they head into finals.