We can train every day to be God s servants.

Jesus Washes the Disciples Feet Jesus Washes the Disciples Feet Lesson 3 Bible Point We can train every day to be God s servants. Bible Verse Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically (Romans 12:11). Growing Closer to Jesus Students will n realize that Jesus humbled himself to be like a servant, n identify ways they can train to be God s servants, and n commit to being God s servants as a way of life. Teacher Enrichment Bible Basis n Jesus washes the disciples feet. John 13:1-17 In examining this passage, it s interesting to reflect on what Jesus knew was coming. He knew that one of his disciples was going to betray him, that another would deny him three times, and that all of them would scatter and desert him. Still, he was determined to show them his love. It is especially significant that Jesus washed the disciples feet because none of the disciples were willing to stoop below the others to do this demeaning task. The washing of feet, necessary because people in Jesus day all wore sandals, was customary before the beginning of any meal and was normally done by a servant as guests entered the house. However, since this was a private meal, there was apparently no servant there. The water, the basin, and the towel were there, and certainly the disciples thought about the fact that no one had washed their feet. But none of them took the initiative to do the washing before the meal. After the food had been set out, Jesus took action. Peter s resistance to allowing Jesus to wash his feet revealed that Peter didn t understand what was really happening. Peter didn t yet understand that Jesus came to serve, not to be served. Peter s rejection of Jesus act was based on an understanding of the Messiah that didn t allow for such a humble, servantlike action. Through his actions and words, Jesus commands us to serve one another as he served his disciples. To claim to be exempt from such service would be to claim to be greater than Jesus himself. Other Scriptures used in this lesson are 1 Thessalonians 5:17; 1 Timothy 4:6-10; 2 Timothy 2:24; and Hebrews 10:25. Prayer Read Romans 12:9-11. Who can you serve this week? Pray: Lord, help me to serve you and others faithfully. And help me to serve my students by 31

Lesson 3 Before the Lesson n Collect the necessary items for the activities you plan to use, referring to the Classroom Supplies and Learning Lab Supplies listed on the chart. n Make photocopies of the Hands-On Fun at Home handout (at the end of this lesson) to send home with your students. n Pray for your students and for God s direction as you teach the lesson. This Lesson at a Glance Attention Grabber What Students Will Do Classroom Supplies Learning Lab Supplies Tools of Service Come up with and act out some creative ways to serve others with interesting objects. Gardening gloves Bible Exploration & Application Closing Choose a Chore Mime each other s least-favorite chores, and then read how Jesus performed a humble task in John 13:1-17. Superservants Read Romans 12:11, visit four training centers and identify ways to train as servants by reading 1 Thessalonians 5:17; 1 Timothy 4:6-10; 2 Timothy 2:24; and Hebrews 10:25. A Winning Serve Think of a fun way to serve snacks to others. Bibles, paper, scissors, pencils, damp paper towels, wastebasket Bibles, Training Record instructions (p. 38), scissors, pencils, paper, tape, CD player Snacks Welcome As kids arrive, ask them about ways they put last week s lesson into action. Ask questions such as How did you show God s love by helping others? or What did you do to help others? Who did you help? Tell the kids that whenever you sound the hand groan tube, they are to stop talking, raise their hands, and focus on you. Explain that it s important to respond to this signal quickly so the class can do as many fun activities as possible. 32

Jesus Washes the Disciples Feet n Module Review Use the casual interaction time at the beginning of class to ask kids the following module-review questions: Who did you encourage to grow in Jesus? How did your encouragement help that person? In what ways have you showed God s love to others? How has praying helped you to be a better helper? What s your favorite thing you ve learned in the past couple of weeks about the Christian life? How is your life different because of what we ve been talking about recently? It s important to say the Bible Point just as it s written in each activity. Repeating the Bible Point again and again will help kids remember it and apply it to their lives. Attention Grabber n Tools of Service SUPPLIES: gardening gloves As kids arrive, help them form four groups. Say: Today we re going to explore some creative ways we can serve others. Hold up the pair of gloves. Ask: What are some ways we could serve others using these gloves? (Work in a neighbor s yard; help my mom pull weeds; help someone who is moving.) Say: Your group will receive an object. When you get that object, come up with as many ways as you can think of to use the object to serve others. Then you ll choose one of those ways and act it out, making sure everyone has a part to act out. Distribute the maracas, bongo stick, animal noses, and hand groan tube to separate groups. Give groups five minutes to brainstorm and compose their skits. Then bring the groups back together, and have each group act out its object of service for the other groups. Say: You all created some great ways to serve others! Ask: What did you have to do to turn these objects into tools of service? (We had to get creative; we had to think of strange ways to use them.) How do we become good servants? (We work hard; we find ways to help; we trust God.) Say: It took some work to turn your objects into good tools of service. The same goes for us. We don t become great servants overnight. It takes time and training. But we can train every day to be God s servants. Let s find out more. 33

Lesson 3 Bible Insight In biblical times, most people wore open sandals. And since most travel was accomplished on foot, it was customary for a host to provide water so his guests could wash their feet. At times, a servant performed this menial task. When Jesus washed his disciples feet at the Last Supper, he was teaching them a lesson in humility and service. If you have girls in your class who are wearing tights, allow them to remove just their shoes. Also, if some kids are uncomfortable, don t force them to remove their shoes and socks. If boys and girls are uncomfortable washing each other s hands, have kids form same sex partners to wash their partners hands. Bible Exploration & Application n Choose a Chore SUPPLIES: Bibles, paper, scissors, pencils, damp paper towels, wastebasket Before class, dampen some paper towels, and set them aside. You ll need at least one towel per student. Distribute pencils and slips of paper. Say: Being a servant might not sound like a lot of fun. Think of some jobs you have to do that aren t a lot of fun. Write your least-favorite job on your slip of paper. Then fold it, and put it in the basket. Write a household task of your own. Give kids a few seconds to write, and then say: You re going to have a chance to do someone else s least-favorite job for that person. Well sort of! Take turns drawing one of these papers from the basket and silently acting out the chore written on it. The rest of us will try to guess what chore you re doing. I ll start. Draw a slip of paper from the basket, and silently act out the chore. When someone guesses the task, have that person draw the next slip of paper. Continue until everyone has had a turn. Then have kids form a circle, and ask: Why are these chores your least-favorite things to do? (Because they re so gross and dirty; because I hate reaching into the toilet or taking out the garbage; because they re smelly.) What if no one did these jobs? (The toilet would never get clean; the trash would pile up all over the house; the cat box would stink up the whole house.) Who benefits from your doing this job? (Me; my whole family; anyone who comes to our house.) Say: There were unpleasant jobs to do around the house in Jesus day, too. Usually they were done by servants and slaves. But one evening, Jesus surprised his followers and did one of these tasks himself! Let s read about it in John 13:1-17. To get in the mood for this story, take your shoes and socks off, and stretch your legs out so your feet are in the middle of the circle. Distribute Bibles, and choose three readers. Have each one read a different part aloud that of Jesus, Peter, or the narrator while others follow along in their Bibles. Then say: In the Bible, foot washing was done only by servants. Remember, people wore sandals and walked on dusty roads, so their feet were very dirty! Look around at all these feet. Then ask: What do you think it would be like to wash people s feet? (Dirty; smelly; humiliating.) How do you think the disciples felt when Jesus washed their feet? (Uncomfortable; surprised because Jesus was their leader, not their servant.) If foot washing was a servant s job, why did Jesus do it? (To give his disciples an example of how to serve others; to help his disciples understand about being servants.) What do you think Jesus wanted his disciples to learn from the experience? (How to serve others as Jesus had served them.) What can you learn from Jesus actions in this passage? (If even Jesus served others, so can I; doing chores can help other people know about Jesus.) 34

Jesus Washes the Disciples Feet Say: We can train every day to be God s servants. Let s practice being servants right now. Take a damp paper towel, turn to the person on your left, and wash that person s hands. Then throw the paper towel in the waste basket, and put your socks and shoes back on. When everyone has his or her shoes on, ask: What was it like to have someone else wash your hands for you? Explain. (Strange; nice; I m not used to it, but it made me feel special.) What was it like to wash someone s hands? Explain. (Strange; it made me feel like I was waiting on them or serving them.) How is this experience like the story you read about Jesus? (Jesus washed his disciples feet, and we washed each others hands; I felt uncomfortable at first, like the disciples must have felt when Jesus washed their feet.) Say: Jesus gave us a great example of how to serve. We can train every day to be God s servants. Let s take a closer look at things you can do to practice your serve! Put the basket in the Learning Lab. Ask: Can you imagine Jesus washing your dirty feet? How do you think you would feel? (Embarrassed; surprised.) If you really want to be more like Jesus, what does his example of servanthood teach you? (That we help each other in big and small ways; that the way we help might be kind of yucky.) Say: Jesus was willing to be a servant because he loves us. And his ultimate act of servanthood was dying on the cross for our sins. Without that act of love, we could never have forgiveness for our sins. But because of it, we can be with Jesus forever in heaven if we believe in him. Not only that, we can have him as our very best friend here on earth. Cool, huh? n Superservants SUPPLIES: Bibles, Training Record instructions (p. 38), scissors, pencils, paper, tape, CD player Before class, photocopy the Training Record instructions. track 8 Cut the instructions into four sections, and tape each section to the wall in a separate corner of the room. Set a pencil, a sheet of paper, and a Bible in each corner. Place a bendy pencil at Station 4. Cue the CD to Training Music (track 8). Say: Most of us would rather be served than serve others. Being a servant takes practice. Right now, you re all in training to become superservants for God! Ask: What other things do people train for? (The Olympics; the Super Bowl; the World Series; the World Cup.) Why do people train for these things? (To be the best; they want to win.) 35

Lesson 3 Capitalize on your students strengths. Learn to let your students shine by drawing on their strengths and allowing each of them to make positive contributions to the class. When you re forming groups, include active students with quiet, thoughtful ones. Try pairing children who know the Bible story with children who are hearing it for the first time. Let your students teach each other. Do you think it s possible to be really good at something without training or practicing? Explain. (It s possible to be really good naturally, but in order to be the best, you have to train; if you re lazy, you ll never be the best.) Say: Turn to someone near you, and tell that person who your favorite sports hero is. Give kids a few moments to talk. Now tell that person how long you think your sports hero trains each week. Give kids a moment to share, and then ask: Why do you think sports heroes train so hard? (They have to train hard in order to be the best; the competition is so tough, and they want to win.) What do you train or practice for? (Sports; music; homework.) Distribute Bibles, and have students turn to Romans 12:11: Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically. Ask for a volunteer to read the verse aloud enthusiastically while the rest of the class follows along in their Bibles. Then say: Let s do some training of our own right now! There are four training centers in our room. As your group visits each one, you ll find a training record with instructions to follow. You ll also find a Bible, a sheet of paper, and a pencil for recording your discoveries. You ll have only one minute at each station, so start as soon as you get there. I ll play some music to help you as you train. When the music stops, take your sheet of paper with you to the next station, but leave the pencil and Bible. Help students form four groups, and send each group to a different training center. Have each group choose a Reader, a Recorder, and a Warm-up Leader who will start the warm-up exercises at each station. Begin playing Training Music on the CD. At the end of the track, have kids move to the next training center, and play the track again. When kids have visited each station, have each group form a circle. Have the Reader from each group read aloud the group s response to the question asked at each station. Then have kids discuss the following questions in their groups. After groups discuss a question for a minute or so, ask each group to share its answers. Then move to the next question. What would the physical exercise at each station help you train for? (Swimming; playing piano; basketball; running a relay.) How is physical training like training to be a servant? (Both require hard work and lots of practice; both take time and repetition of certain actions; the more we practice, the better we get.) How would the training you read about help you prepare to be a superservant for God? (If we practiced being kind, it would start to come naturally; if we prayed and did other spiritual exercises, we would be more ready to serve others.) What are some specific ways you can do these training tasks this week? (Be patient with my younger brother or sister; be nice to kids at school; encourage my parents; pray for my teacher.) What happens when we serve others? (The more we serve others, the better we get at it; we please God.) Say: As you ve discovered, we can train every day to be God s servants. In your groups, share one way that you ll practice being a servant of God this week. Remember what we read in Romans 12:11: Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically. While kids are sharing, collect the papers and pencils. Return the bendy pencil and CD to the Learning Lab. When kids finish sharing, gather them back together, and encourage them to follow through on their plans to serve others in the coming week. 36

Jesus Washes the Disciples Feet HANDS-ON BIBLE Give each student a pencil or pen. Make sure children have their Hands-On Bibles. Say: Open your Hands-On Bible to the Service With a Smile activity found near John 13. Students will plan ways to serve others in the coming week. When kids finish writing, ask them to share one of the ways they plan to serve others. Encourage everyone to follow up during the week on the plans he or she has made. Closing n A Winning Serve SUPPLIES: snacks Before class, prepare two plates of snacks. Help students form two groups. Say: We can train every day to be God s servants. Let s practice our serves! Give each group a plate of snacks. Say: You ll have one minute to come up with a fun way to serve this plate of snacks to the other group. You may want to call each person forward, give him or her a round of applause, and then offer that person a snack. Or you might decide to give each person in the group a high five before you pass out the snacks. You decide! I ll start the time right now. After one minute, have groups serve the snacks to each other. As kids are enjoying the snacks, say: We can train every day to be God s servants. Have someone in your group say a short prayer, asking God to help all of you be his servants. After one person in each group has prayed, I ll close our class in prayer. When each volunteer has prayed, pray a prayer something like this one: Dear God, thank you so much for sending Jesus to be an example of how we can be your servants. Give us the strength and love to be the best servants we can be. We don t want to be lazy; we want to serve you enthusiastically. In Jesus name, amen. Encourage kids to bring their Bibles to class with them next week. Bringing their own Bibles will help kids become familiar with using and turning to the Bible. Growing closer to Jesus extends beyond the classroom. Photocopy the Hands On Fun at Home handout (at the end of this lesson) for this week, and send it home with your kids. Encourage kids and parents to use the handout to spark meaningful discussion on this week s topic. 37

Training Record Station 1 Warm-up: Do 10 giant backward arm-circles. Training: Read 1 Timothy 4:6-10. What does this verse say to do? Station 2 Warm-up: Place the palms of your hands together. Then slowly push your palms apart, leaving your fingertips touching. Repeat four times. Training: Read 1 Thessalonians 5:17. What does this verse say to do? Station 3 Station 4 Warm-up: Reach for the ceiling, and then reach for the floor. (Don t bend those knees!) Repeat five times. Training: Read 2 Timothy 2:24. What does this verse say to do? Warm-up: Run in place for 15 seconds while passing the bendy pencil among your group members. Training: Read Hebrews 10:25. What does this verse say to do? 38 Permission to photocopy this handout from Group s Hands On Bible Curriculum Grades 3 & 4 granted for local church use. Copyright Group Publishing, Inc., 1515 Cascade Avenue, Loveland, CO 80538. group.com

LESSON 3 We can train every day to be God s servants. Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically (Romans 12:11). Serving others and being served often makes a lasting impression depending on the circumstances and the quality of service. Describe the best service you ever received. What was the worst? What service-related jobs have you done? Describe your most memorable experiences. Read Matthew 20:25-28. How would this verse help you serve if you were a boss? a team captain? a baby sitter? a student? Read Philippians 2:6-8. Name some of the ways Jesus was a servant while he lived on earth. Make a favorite family snack. Have each person write his or her name on a slip of paper, fold it, and put it in a bowl or cup. Have each family member draw a name and then serve the snack to that person. When everyone has been served, eat together and talk about how it feels to serve others. Read 1 Timothy 4:12. Who comes to your mind when you think of people who are servants of God? Why do you think of them? How can they be examples to you? Get a large bowl of warm, soapy water and lots of towels. Have your family sit in a circle while you wash a family member s feet and then pray for that person. Then have that person wash someone else s feet and pray for him or her. When everyone s feet have been washed, pray together. Thank God for loving your family and giving you Jesus to be an example of love and servanthood. As a family, volunteer to do a ministry everyone can take part in. For example, you might help in the church nursery, collect goods for a community food program, do yardwork for a neighbor, or clean up a local park. Permission to photocopy this handout from Group s Hands On Bible Curriculum Grades 3 & 4 granted for local church use. Copyright Group Publishing, Inc., 1515 Cascade Avenue, Loveland, CO 80538. group.com 39