Sunday Scripture

 

Each Sunday I'm continuing to share from the Made for Community reading plan from Love God Greatly that I worked on back in 2015.  With this study, as I have often done, I used the SOAP method of Bible study.  Just a quick reminder that the S is for Scripture, O is for Observation, A is for Application and P is for Prayer.  As you will see, I went a bit more in-depth with this study. 

The first section was Made for Community with God.  So here we go with the Scripture for the fifth -- and last -- day of that section.  

S=  "If I, then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet, ye also ought to wash one another's feet.  For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you."  (John 13:14-15)

O= After partaking of the Passover supper with His disciples, Jesus girded Himself with a towel and washed their feet. When finished, He seated Himself again and asked, "Know ye what I have done unto  you?  Ye call me Master and Lord, and ye say well; for so I am."  He then went on to say that if He, their Lord and Master, had washed their feet, that they also ought to wash one another's feet.  He had just given them an example of  how they should do as He had done to them."

Several cross-references are given for the words "Master and Lord": 

Matthew 23:8-10 -- "... for One is your Master, even Christ, and all ye are brethren ... for One is your Father, which is in heaven.  Neither be ye called masters: for One is your Master, even Christ."

Ephesians 6:9 -- "Your Master also is in heaven, neither is there respect of persons with Him."

For the phrase, "ye also ought to wash one another's feet", cross-references are:

Romans 12:10 -- "Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love, in honor preferring one another."

Galatians 6:1-2 -- "Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye who are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.  Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ."

1 Peter 5:5 -- "Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility; for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble."

For the word "example", several cross-references are given:

1 Peter 2:21-23 -- "For even hereunto were ye called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that we should follow His steps; Who did no sin, neither was guile found in His mouth; who, when He was reviled, reviled not again; when He suffered, He threatened not; but committeth Himself to Him that judgeth righteously."

1 John 2:6 -- "He that saith He abideth in Him ought himself also to walk, even as He walked."

Philippians 2:5 -- "Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus."

For the phrase "do as I have done to you", a comparison verse is:

Matthew 7:12 -- "Therefore, all things whatever ye would that man should do to you, do ye even so to them, for this is the law and the prophets."

A=  Jesus has given us the same example that He did to the disciples.  He took on a task that would ordinarily have been done by a servant.  If He did this for His followers, He also wanted them to be serving one another.  I'm reminded of the last phrase of Galatians 5:13 -- "By love serve one another."  The cross-references suggest some ways to do this -- be kindly affectioned to our fellow believers with brotherly love; restore erring brothers with meekness; bear one another's burdens; be subject one to another; be clothed with humility.  And there are many other practical ways in which we can serve one another.

In general, I find that I usually have a heart to serve -- and I am not one who needs to be thanked or even noticed for what I do.  Yet there is always room for improvement, and there are some brethren who are more difficult to love than others.

P=  "Lord, I thank You so much for the practical instruction in Your Word.  I love it when You state clearly that You are giving an example of how Your people ought to live.  There is no excuse for us not to work at making this a reality in our lives, with Your help.

"I pray that You will help me to live out this instruction to serve my fellow believers, even those who are abrasive and tend to rub me the wrong way.  Thank You that in general You've helped me to have a servant's heart, and given me strength to do the right thing even when I don't feel like it.  I thank You for all you have done, and all you will do, in Jesus' name, Amen."

That's our study for this week!  I pray it will be a blessing to someone.