You Were Blessed to BLESS - Week 5: “Serve with Love

Who is the most influential person in the world? It’s not the one with the biggest title, the most money, or the loudest voice. True influence, as Jesus demonstrated, belongs to the one who serves. The world measures greatness by status, but God measures it by service—by the towel, not the title. In John 13, on the night before the cross, Jesus gave us a living demonstration of this truth. As his disciples argued about who was the greatest, Jesus quietly rose from the table, laid aside his outer garment, and washed their feet—taking the role of the lowest servant. This act was not just about clean feet; it was a reenactment of his entire mission: leaving the glory of heaven, humbling himself, and serving us in our deepest need.

Everything Jesus did was motivated by love—agape love, the unconditional, undeserved, inexhaustible love that flows from the very heart of God. He didn’t serve to gain approval or status; he served because he was secure in the Father’s love and wanted to show that love to others. This is the foundation for all true service. We don’t serve to be loved by God; we serve because we are already loved by him.

But Jesus didn’t just serve those who deserved it. Around that table were men who would betray, deny, and doubt him—Judas, Peter, Thomas. Yet Jesus washed their feet anyway. The love of God is most powerfully displayed when we serve those who cannot repay us, who may not even appreciate it, who may not agree with us or even like us. This is the life-altering love that changes hearts—ours and theirs.

Jesus also taught that as we bless others, we ourselves are blessed. The world’s happiness is like a balloon—fleeting and fragile. But the blessedness Jesus offers is like an anchor—deep, steady, and enduring. When we follow his example and serve others with love, especially those who don’t deserve it, we experience a joy and fulfillment that circumstances cannot take away.

So, who is God calling you to serve? Maybe it’s the person you least want to serve, or the need you most want to avoid. Take action—grab a towel, step out in love, and watch how God uses your service to make an eternal difference.

Key Takeaways

• 1. True influence is found in humble service The world chases after power, recognition, and status, but Jesus redefined greatness by taking up the towel and serving others. Real influence is not about how many people serve you, but about how many you are willing to serve, especially in the messiness of real life. When we serve with humility, we reflect the heart of Christ and become agents of his transforming love. [05:31]
• 2. Serve from a place of being loved, not to earn love Jesus served out of the security of his relationship with the Father, not to gain approval or status. Our acts of service should flow from knowing we are already deeply loved by God. When we serve from fullness rather than emptiness, our motives are pure, and our service becomes a genuine expression of God’s love to others. [14:26]
• 3. The greatest test of love is serving the undeserving It’s easy to serve those who like us or agree with us, but Jesus washed the feet of those who would betray, deny, and doubt him. The gospel calls us to serve even those who cannot repay us, who may not appreciate us, or who have hurt us. This kind of love is costly, but it is also the most powerful witness to the reality of Christ. [29:54]
• 4. Blessing others brings deep, lasting joy Jesus promised that those who follow his example of humble service will be blessed—not with fleeting happiness, but with a deep, enduring joy that anchors the soul. When we step out to serve, especially when it’s hard, we discover a joy that circumstances cannot shake, and we become participants in God’s redemptive work in the world. [35:46]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [00:32] - Who Is the Most Influential Person?
• [01:40] - Dirty Jobs and Messy Service
• [03:54] - Converter or Blesser: Two Approaches
• [05:31] - Jesus’ Influence Through Service
• [09:34] - The Last Supper: Setting the Scene
• [10:59] - Serving Others Out of Love
• [13:50] - Jesus’ Motive and Security
• [16:27] - Jesus’ Act as a Reenactment
• [22:05] - Serving the Undeserving
• [24:20] - The Nasty Reality of Foot Washing
• [27:49] - Peter’s Resistance and God’s Heart
• [29:54] - Jesus Serves Betrayers and Deniers
• [33:04] - We Are Blessed as We Bless
• [35:46] - The Example and Promise of Joy
• [41:41] - Practical Ways to Serve
• [42:54] - The World Needs More Servants
• [43:27] - Prayer and Response

Bible Reading

John 13:1-17 (ESV) —
> Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. During supper, when the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray him, Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going back to God, rose from supper. He laid aside his outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around his waist. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him. He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, do you wash my feet?” Jesus answered him, “What I am doing you do not understand now, but afterward you will understand.” Peter said to him, “You shall never wash my feet.” Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no share with me.” Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!” Jesus said to him, “The one who has bathed does not need to wash, except for his feet, but is completely clean. And you are clean, but not every one of you.” For he knew who was to betray him; that was why he said, “Not all of you are clean.” When he had washed their feet and put on his outer garments and resumed his place, he said to them, “Do you understand what I have done to you? You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you. Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.”

Observation Questions

1. What actions did Jesus take during the meal in John 13, and what was unusual about them for someone of his status? ([10:07])
2. According to the passage, what did Jesus know about himself and his relationship with the Father before he washed the disciples’ feet? ([13:50])
3. Who were some of the specific disciples Jesus served, and what do we know about their actions later that night? ([29:41])
4. What promise does Jesus make to his disciples after washing their feet? ([35:46])

Interpretation Questions

1. Why does Jesus choose to wash his disciples’ feet, even though he is their Teacher and Lord? What does this say about his understanding of influence and greatness? ([05:31])
2. The sermon points out that Jesus served from a place of being loved, not to earn love. How does this change the way someone might approach serving others? ([14:26])
3. Jesus washed the feet of Judas, Peter, and Thomas—men who would betray, deny, or doubt him. What does this teach about the kind of people God calls us to serve? ([29:54])
4. Jesus says, “If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.” What is the difference between knowing about humble service and actually doing it? ([35:46])

Application Questions

1. The world often measures greatness by status, title, or recognition. In what areas of your life are you tempted to chase after these things instead of humble service? How can you shift your focus this week? ([05:31])
2. Jesus served out of the security of knowing he was loved by the Father. Are there ways you try to serve others to gain approval or recognition? What would it look like to serve from a place of being already loved by God? ([14:26])
3. Think of someone in your life who is hard to love or serve—maybe someone who has hurt you, disagrees with you, or can’t repay you. What is one practical way you could serve them this week, even if it’s uncomfortable? ([29:54])
4. The sermon described happiness as a balloon—fleeting and fragile—but Jesus offers a blessing that is like an anchor. When have you experienced the difference between these two kinds of joy? How might serving others deepen your sense of lasting joy? ([35:46])
5. Jesus’ act of foot washing was messy and lowly. Are there “dirty jobs” or needs around you that you tend to avoid? What is one step you can take to meet a need that feels beneath you? ([24:20])
6. The sermon challenged us to “grab a towel” and take action. Who is one person God might be prompting you to serve in the next 24 hours? What is stopping you, and how can you overcome that barrier? ([41:09])
7. Serving others can sometimes feel thankless or unnoticed. How can you remind yourself that your service is seen and valued by God, even if others don’t notice or appreciate it? ([15:04])