Embracing Humility: The Heart of the Lord's Supper
Summary
Today, we gathered to reflect deeply on the meaning of the Lord’s Supper, not as a ritual tacked onto our service, but as the very heart of our worship and our calling as followers of Jesus. We began by looking at John 13, where Jesus, knowing all power was given into His hands, chose to humble Himself and wash the feet of His disciples. This act of humility, performed by the Creator for the created, is a profound example of the kind of servanthood and love we are called to embody. Jesus’ willingness to take the lowest place, even washing the feet of Judas who would betray Him, reveals the depth of His love and the radical humility that marks true greatness in the Kingdom of God.
We also examined Paul’s words in 1 Corinthians 11, where he warns the church against approaching the Lord’s Supper with entitlement, division, or as a mere tradition. The early church had lost sight of the Supper’s true meaning, turning it into a self-centered practice rather than a remembrance of Christ’s sacrifice. Paul calls us to self-examination, unity, and repentance, reminding us that the Supper is a proclamation of Jesus’ death and a call to live in the humility and love He demonstrated.
The Lord’s Supper is not about us; it is about Jesus—His body broken, His blood shed, the price He paid for our sin. It is a call to remember, to humble ourselves, to serve one another, and to be united under the banner of Christ. We are reminded that our capacity to love is directly tied to our humility, and that we must never let the gospel become routine or lose its power to break and humble us. As we took the bread and the cup together, we were called to reflect, repent, and recommit ourselves to serving God and one another with the same sacrificial love that Jesus showed us.
Key Takeaways
- True greatness in God’s Kingdom is found in humility and servanthood. Jesus, though possessing all authority, chose to wash His disciples’ feet, even those of Judas. This act calls us to examine what we do with the power and resources God has placed in our hands, challenging us to use them in humble service to others, not for our own glory. [13:12]
- The Lord’s Supper is a sacred reminder of the immense price Jesus paid for our redemption. His body was broken and His blood was shed, not because of our worthiness, but because of His unfathomable love. We must never let this become a mere ritual or lose sight of the cost of our salvation. [48:59]
- Unity in the body of Christ is essential when we come to the Lord’s Table. Paul rebuked the Corinthians for their divisions and factions, reminding us that we cannot honor Christ while harboring bitterness or disunity. The Supper calls us to reconcile with one another and to approach God together, as one family. [47:43]
- Self-examination and repentance are necessary before partaking in the Lord’s Supper. We are warned not to approach the Table in an unworthy manner, but to let the Holy Spirit search our hearts, soften us, and lead us to repentance. This is a time to let go of entitlement, pride, and callousness, and to return to a posture of humility and dependence on Christ. [55:27]
- The Lord’s Supper is a call to action, not just reflection. As we remember Christ’s sacrifice, we are compelled to serve, to care for our community, and to bear one another’s burdens. The humility and love we receive from Jesus must overflow into our relationships and our mission in the world, so that others may see and experience the love of Christ through us. [01:15:47]
Youtube Chapters
[00:00] - Welcome
[01:10] - Introduction and Greeting
[03:05] - Setting the Context: John 13 and the Lord’s Supper
[07:22] - Jesus Washes the Disciples’ Feet: The Example of Humility
[13:12] - The Connection Between Humility and Glorification
[18:40] - Servanthood as an Intentional Pursuit
[22:55] - The Power and Call of Being a Servant
[28:30] - Paul’s Warning in 1 Corinthians 11
[34:15] - Entitlement and Division in the Church
[41:00] - Remembering the Price Jesus Paid
[48:59] - The Lord’s Supper: Not a Ritual, but a Call to Repentance
[55:27] - The Necessity of Self-Examination
[57:03] - Approaching the Table with Reverence and Fear
[59:34] - Invitation to Repentance and Reconciliation
[01:05:16] - Taking the Lord’s Supper Together
[01:13:52] - Final Reflections and Warnings
[01:15:47] - The Call to Serve and Suffer for Christ
[01:17:22] - Praying for the Body: Bearing One Another’s Burdens
[01:24:18] - Closing Prayer and Blessing
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide: The Lord’s Supper—Humility, Unity, and Sacrificial Love
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### Bible Reading
- John 13:1-5, 12-17
(Jesus washes the disciples’ feet, demonstrating humility and servanthood.)
- 1 Corinthians 11:17-34
(Paul’s instructions and warnings about the Lord’s Supper, calling for self-examination, unity, and remembrance of Christ’s sacrifice.)
- Luke 22:14-20, 24
(Jesus institutes the Lord’s Supper and the disciples argue about who is the greatest.)
---
### Observation Questions
1. In John 13, what did Jesus do for His disciples, and how did He explain the meaning of His actions?
(See John 13:1-5, 12-17)
2. According to 1 Corinthians 11, what problems did Paul see in the way the Corinthian church was taking the Lord’s Supper?
(See 1 Corinthians 11:17-22) [47:43]
3. What does Jesus say the bread and the cup represent during the Lord’s Supper?
(See 1 Corinthians 11:23-26 and Luke 22:19-20)
4. What were the disciples arguing about during the Last Supper, according to Luke 22?
(See Luke 22:24)
---
### Interpretation Questions
1. Why do you think Jesus, knowing He had all power, chose to wash His disciples’ feet—including Judas’? What does this teach about the kind of love and humility Jesus wants from His followers?
[13:12]
2. Paul warns the church not to take the Lord’s Supper in an “unworthy manner.” What does it mean to approach the Table in an unworthy way, and why is self-examination so important?
[55:27]
3. The sermon said, “We will never understand Christ’s glorification until we fully embrace Christ’s humiliation.” What does this mean for how we view greatness and leadership in the church?
[13:12]
4. Why is unity so important when we come to the Lord’s Table? How does division or bitterness among believers affect our worship and witness?
[47:43]
---
### Application Questions
1. Jesus used His power to serve others, even those who would betray Him. What “power” or resources do you have in your hands right now, and how could you use them to serve someone this week? Be specific.
[13:12]
2. The sermon challenged us to examine our hearts before taking the Lord’s Supper. Is there any area of pride, entitlement, or bitterness in your life that you need to confess or make right with someone? What step could you take this week to pursue reconciliation?
[55:27]
3. The Lord’s Supper is a reminder of the price Jesus paid for our sin. When was the last time you truly reflected on the cost of your salvation? How can you keep the gospel from becoming “routine” in your life?
[48:59]
4. Paul rebuked the Corinthians for turning the Lord’s Supper into a self-centered ritual. Are there any spiritual practices in your life that have become empty routines? What could you do to bring fresh meaning and intentionality to them?
[47:43]
5. The sermon said, “Our capacity to love is directly tied to our humility.” Can you think of a relationship where you need to show more humility or sacrificial love? What would a humble, servant-hearted action look like in that relationship this week?
[13:12]
6. The Lord’s Supper is a call to action, not just reflection. What is one practical way you can serve or care for someone in your church or community this week as a response to Christ’s love for you?
[01:15:47]
7. The early church was warned against division and factions. Is there someone in the church you need to forgive or reach out to? What’s holding you back, and how can you take a step toward unity?
[47:43]
---
Closing Prayer Suggestion:
Invite the group to pray for humility, unity, and a renewed sense of awe at the sacrifice of Jesus. Ask God to help each person serve others with the same love and humility Christ showed.
Devotional
Day 1: Embracing Christ’s Humility
Jesus, though possessing all power and authority, chose to humble Himself by washing His disciples’ feet, taking on the role of the lowest servant. This act was not just a lesson in service, but a profound demonstration of the humility required to truly follow Him. We are called to reflect on what we hold in our hands—our resources, our influence, our time—and ask how we are using them to serve others, just as Christ did. True understanding of Christ’s glory comes only when we fully embrace His humility, recognizing that the path to greatness in God’s kingdom is through selfless service and surrender. [13:40]
John 13:1-5, 12-16 (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. ... 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.
Reflection: What is one practical way you can humble yourself today to serve someone in your life, even if it feels inconvenient or unnoticed?
Day 2: The Lord’s Supper—A Call to Unity and Self-Examination
The Lord’s Supper is not just a ritual or tradition, but a sacred moment that calls us to unity, humility, and honest self-examination. Paul warns that when we approach the table with entitlement, division, or a lack of love for others, we miss the heart of what Jesus intended. This is a time to reconcile with one another, to lay down pride, and to remember that we come together under the banner of Christ alone. Let the Lord’s Supper be a moment where you examine your heart, seek forgiveness, and pursue unity with your brothers and sisters in Christ. [47:43]
1 Corinthians 11:17-29 (ESV)
But in the following instructions I do not commend you, because when you come together it is not for the better but for the worse. For, in the first place, when you come together as a church, I hear that there are divisions among you. And I believe it in part, for there must be factions among you in order that those who are genuine among you may be recognized. When you come together, it is not the Lord’s supper that you eat. For in eating, each one goes ahead with his own meal. One goes hungry, another gets drunk. What! Do you not have houses to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God and humiliate those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I commend you in this? No, I will not. For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes. Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty concerning the body and blood of the Lord. Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself.
Reflection: Is there someone in your church family or community you need to reconcile with before you come to the Lord’s table? What step can you take today toward unity?
Day 3: Remembering the Price Jesus Paid
It is easy to let the Lord’s Supper become a routine, but we must never forget the massive price Jesus paid for our salvation. His body was broken, His blood was shed, and He became our Passover Lamb—not because of our goodness, but because of His perfect love and sacrifice. This remembrance should humble us deeply, reminding us that our forgiveness and hope are found only in what Christ has done. Let this truth break through any callousness or entitlement, and lead you to gratitude and awe for the cost of your redemption. [48:59]
Luke 22:14-20 (ESV)
And when the hour came, he reclined at table, and the apostles with him. And he said to them, “I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. For I tell you I will not eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.” And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he said, “Take this, and divide it among yourselves. For I tell you that from now on I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.” And he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood.”
Reflection: As you reflect on the cross, what specific area of your life do you need to surrender in gratitude for the price Jesus paid for you?
Day 4: Repentance and Reverence—Approaching God with a Soft Heart
The Lord’s Supper is a call to repentance, not just a religious ritual. We are invited to examine our hearts, to let God soften us, and to approach Him with reverence and holy fear. When we become self-absorbed or callous, we risk missing the transforming power of Christ’s sacrifice. God disciplines and convicts us not to condemn, but to draw us back to Himself, so that we might walk in righteousness and not fall into the ways of the world. Let this be a time to let go of bitterness, pride, or anything that keeps you from a right relationship with God and others. [55:27]
Psalm 139:23-24 (ESV)
Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!
Reflection: What is one area of your heart that needs to be softened before God today? Will you take time to honestly confess and repent, asking Him to lead you in His way?
Day 5: Serving and Caring for One Another as the Body of Christ
The true mark of Christ’s followers is not just in what we believe, but in how we love and serve one another. Just as Jesus washed the feet of even the one who would betray Him, we are called to care for our community, bear each other’s burdens, and walk together in humility and compassion. The church is meant to be a place where no one carries their burdens alone, where prayer, support, and practical care are offered freely. Let us be a people who are broken for our community, rejoicing in what Christ has done, and empowered to serve as He served. [01:18:03]
Galatians 6:2 (ESV)
Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.
Reflection: Who in your life or church community needs encouragement or support today? How can you reach out and bear their burden in a tangible way?
Quotes
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