Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
5th March 2017
This Week — ‘S’ is for
We are almost at the end of developing our blessing strategy. In order to be a
part of the Jesus Mission—to reach those who are lost, restore them (helping
them find their way back to God!) and reproduce this mission in others—we need
to begin with prayer, listen, eat —and then, ‘serve.’
There’s something I’ve noticed about serving others—we often associate the idea
of serving, with the picture of hands—hands reaching out, hands holding other
hands, hands giving something to someone, hands stretched high in the air, as if
to say, “I will! I volunteer! Pick me!” Don’t these images so perfectly capture so
many essences of service?! Serving is a means of connecting—offering part of
ourselves to others. Serving is an action—an intentional choice to volunteer
yourself, for the sake of meeting others’ needs.
Aspects of serving that Dave Ferguson, author of ’Called to BLESS,’ highlights are:
Proximity — Start with those you are near to! You are (almost without exception)
where God wants you to be—start serving here!
Perceptively — We need to understand how to serve others with understanding.
Remember, it’s not about giving them what we think they need—but
listening so that we are able to understand their real needs.
Personally — Make it personal. Feel the needs of those you are serving.
Powerfully — We can and should access God’s power in serving others.
Remember to pray and ask God for miracles—He certainly can bring
them about as you bless others!
Next Week:
We wrap-up with Story!
about how the Bible passages relate to your highs and lows, or
ideas from your further reading.
Did you pursue opportunities for eating with others last
week? Talk about your experiences.
What did you find encouraging, challenging & surprising
about your prayers, listening, eating and your life?
What is something that you heard today, that
challenged your perspective, or helped you to see
something in a new light?
Where do you already serve others? How do these acts
of service affect your relationships?
Do you actively seek more opportunities to serve others?
for your highs and lows, for your family, and for the world.
Pray for willingness to meet challenging needs, and to hear the
needs of those around you. Pray for opportunities to serve, and
for boldness in making these opportunities, realities.
one another—in your words, listening, eating and serving
this week!
your highs and lows.
a verse or passage of scripture in your Bible.
This week has a focus on Jesus washing the disciples’ feet
in John 13:1-17, illustrating Mark 10:45
According to 1 John 3:16-18, with what actions should we love others?
How does great sacrifice affect acts of service?
In light of these verses, do you think that it is the “little things” that matter, in serving
others — or do you think there is a challenge to engage with real, radical sacrifice,
for the sake of blessing others?
What are the biggest obstacles and hesitations you have about serving others?
How are you going to overcome these this week?
One of the principal rules of religion is, to lose no occasion of serving God.
And since He is invisible to our eyes, we are to serve Him in our neighbour: which He receives
as if done to Himself in person, standing visibly before us. — John Wesley
