SCRIPTURE REFERENCE
John 13:1-20
ICE BREAKER
How do we, in this group, bring life to the world? List as many examples as you can.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
- We can bring life by loving and serving others.
We can think of our lives in regard to two circles: the circle of concern and the circle of influence.
The circle of influence is where Christ wants us to focus.
Group leaders: below are two questions to reflect on regarding the circle of influence.
You can ask your group members to take some time before group to answer these two questions or during group time.
Consider asking them to write down their answers.
- What roles has God put me in? Think of the 5 Ps for some clarity.
The “5 Ps” are: person, priest (as a priest we each mediate God to the world around us), partner/spouse, parent, and profession.
- Who has God put into my life through these roles?
In addition to the 5 P categories we are also neighbors, friends, sons/daughters, coach, and teacher etc.
To be pro life we begin here! I give life to those closest to me.
It is not primarily about a cause down the road somewhere.
Invite each person to share any observations they noticed or new roles or new people that they thought of as they wrote out their roles and the list of people within those roles.
- Ask the group to work through the following two questions about their circle of influence. Invite them to share their answers.
- After writing out their list of people within their circle of influence ask this: Who am I missing and how can I give life to them?
Now go back to the previous question and review once again who the people are that God has placed in your circle of influence.
See if you missed someone.
Maybe it’s a coworker you don’t like. Remember, Jesus washed Judas’ feet.
- What blocks me from seeing and/or caring for the people already in my life?
This is where Jesus is inviting Peter to go and this is where He invites us to go.
Why do I give life to certain people and withhold it from others?
Share your answer with the group.
Peter withholds because of his ambition.
Perhaps we withhold because we wrestle with loving the glory of man more than the glory of God.
- The painting by Mary Cassett is a powerful image of motherhood(see the slides for this painting) .
Someone with power brings herself down and is totally present and gives life to her child.
Don’t make the mistake of maximizing yourself in the eyes of man-–this takes us away from the circle of influence that God has entrusted to us.
Rather, be present, transfer life.
This should drive every Christ followers’ life.
We are life givers.
This is the foundation of being pro life.
Share with the group who has poured life into you.
What impact did this person have on your spiritual journey?
Ask God who’s next in your life. Share with the group if you have someone in mind at this point.
NOTES AND QUOTES
Based on Mary Casetts’ painting, who has the most power in the picture?
How is she using her power?
This Mom is capable, she has gifts…she could use her gifts in very public ways perhaps.
We have this idea that we must maximize the capacity of what we can do and this focus is usually not in line with God’s calling.
Is the woman in the painting maximizing her power?
Jesus loved His own disciples until the end.
As Jesus is nearing His own death and the agony of His suffering He continues to love His disciples. This is extraordinary.
While having supper Jesus rose and began to wash the disciples feet.
How is Jesus using His power?
The answer is that Jesus is bent over at their feet.
The image of feet washing and taking a bath are important theological categories.
The first category is justification–we are made righteous through Christ dying on the cross to forgive all our sins. This is our new standing.
There is nothing we can add to it; it’s done. We are pure, without wrinkle and cleansed.
This is what Christ means by saying to Peter that he is already washed.
But, we still sin as believers so we need a type of cleansing.
This is what Christ refers to when saying Peter needs his feet washed.
This cleansing is Sanctification.
Peter calls Jesus Lord but he still thinks he’s in charge.
Peter is trying to advance himself above the other disciples.
Peter is after power.
What is the difference between Peter and Mary(who anointed Jesus’ feet with perfume)?
Peter is proud; Mary is truly worshiping Christ.
Jesus tells the disciples that they are correct to call me Teacher and Lord.
Then He says that He, as Lord and Teacher, has washed their feet so they too ought to wash one another’s feet.
Each one has an opportunity to give life by washing another’s feet.
Often the one we can serve is right in our midst–often it is the one who irritates us the most.
We honor Jesus by giving life to the people around us.
We all have gifts and position and a certain level of power/influence.
We have power in our family, workplace, or by our wealth.
Take our work for example.
We have gifts to do the job we are doing.
The question is, “Will we give life to the world through our work?”.
Then we think about the people we work with and for.
Are we seeing them as opportunities to give life or do we view them as a frustration?
One way to think about our lives is to think in two circles: the circle of concern and circle of influence.
The one person we influence the most in our circle of influence is ourselves.
The circle of concern is where we tend to expend a lot of our energy but we have no control over.
In our culture we get truckloads of stories and information that we have no influence over.
We can influence by loving and serving others.
