"Serving God by Serving Others" Discussion Guide

Recap

  1. How did you think, act, or become more like Jesus over the past week?

Main Thought

God commands His followers to love Him and others. One of the most powerful and effective ways to demonstrate love is through acts of service. Jesus took on the role of a lowly servant by washing His disciples’ feet. He set the ultimate example for us. If we want to follow Jesus, then we must also practically serve as He did. God uses things like our gifts, personalities, passions, and experiences to shape us for service. Many use their God-given talents and opportunities to serve themselves, but that’s a fool’s venture. Actions driven by selfishness don’t last forever. Only our service to God - and other people with God’s love - can have an eternal impact.

Main Passages

3 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. 4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. 5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.
- Philippians 2:3-7

10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
- Ephesians 2:10

13 their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work. 14 If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward. 15 If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved—even though only as one escaping through the flames.
- 1 Corinthians 3:13-15

Discussion Questions

  1. What holds you back from serving God? Why?

  2. How can you practically and passionately serve God? Is there anything that you enjoy that you’d be able to use to serve others?

Application:

  1. Do something outside your ordinary routine to demonstrate God’s love and serve someone else this week.