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46

Winning disciples’ souls into service

John 13:1-11

  • Session: 46
  • Week: 7
  • Day: 6
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Introduction

In this session, John 13:1-11 Jesus focused on teaching his 12 disciples using a transformative learning method of first acting, then reflecting on the action done, and finally asking the students to attempt the action themselves.

Jesus washed the feet of the 12 disciples and then dried them with a towel. He asked them to do likewise. When Peter objected washing of his feet, Jesus told him that he is not part of his ministry. The washing of his feet symbolizes serving each other including the Judas within you.

Objectives

By the end of this session, the learner would have:

  • Understood the meaning of washing the feet of each other by following Jesus’s model
  • Appreciated teaching your disciples using Action, Reflection, and the Action methods Jesus used with his disciples. (learning by acting)

Outline

  • Learning by acting method
  • Washing of feet by Jesus
  • Jesus’ love demonstrated
  • Jesus Time has come

Group Study Time

John 13:1-11

Connecting

  • Gather with two or more people for a community discovery bible study session.
  • Start with a heartfelt prayer, inviting God to guide and bless your understanding.
  • Explore the passage by reading it at least twice, using different Bible versions if available, then retell the story together as a group.
  • Reflect and share the challenges and blessings you experienced from the previous study.

Comprehending

  • Read John 13:1. Discuss the three primary truths here.
  • Read John 13: 1-5. What is the meaning of foot washing? Why did Jesus wash their feet? How long will washing 12 disciples’ feet and drying them with a towel take? When did he wash them?
  • Read John 13: 6-11. Why did Peter object to the washing of his feet? What did Jesus tell him about the action of foot washing?

Committing

  • Engage with the Bible—read, study, memorize, meditate, pray, listen, and live it out.
  • List three lessons you have learnt as an agent of change that you would like to put into practice and teach others about.
  • Take time and worship Jesus with the attributes revealed about Christ.
  • Use the SPACEPETS model, to assist you in putting God’s word into practice. Look for:
    • Sin to confess
    • Promise to claim
    • Attitude to change
    • Command to keep
    • Error to change
    • Prayer to make
    • Example to copy
    • Truth to obey and
    • Something praiseworthy

Communicating

  • Identify one person you can connect with and share the valuable insights and lessons you gained from this session.
  • Reach out to a new believer—either in person or by phone—and pray with them to support them through their challenges, including any concerns about attending church.
  • Create a new group and guide others through this study to help them grow in their understanding.

Post Lesson Teaching Summary

Great job completing the study! Take a moment to listen to this summary to reinforce your group’s understanding of the text and ensure you’re all on the same page. We’re here to support your learning journey!

Winning disciples’ souls into service

John 13:1-11

John 13:1-11

  • Context:
    • Jesus concluded His public ministry (John 1-12), crying out: He and His Father are one; He is the light for a dark world; His words will judge unbelievers on the last day.
    • Words endure forever, still circulating to unbelievers; ministry shifts to believers (John 13-18).
  • Transition to Private Ministry (John 13:1):
    • Before Passover, Jesus knew His hour had come to leave the world for the Father, having loved His own (disciples who believed) to the end.
    • “Hour”: Time to die, fulfilling His mission—exchanging evil for good, fear for courage, shame for honor, poverty for riches, darkness for life.
  • Demonstrating Love (John 13:1-11):
    • Jesus loved His own by protecting, calling, substituting, and enlisting them; now, He’d show love to the end via the cross.
    • Entered a house; culturally, the least should wash feet, but disciples competed over greatness (Matthew 18), not serving.
    • Jesus took a basin, water, and towel, washing their feet—work of the least—breaking their pride and competition.
  • Winning Disciples into Service:
    • Peter objected: “You shall never wash my feet”; Jesus replied, “If I do not wash you, you have no share with me,” linking service to discipleship.
    • Peter relented, asking for a full wash; Jesus clarified only feet needed washing, symbolizing ongoing cleansing for believers.
    • Washed Judas’ feet too, showing love and service even to a betrayer, despite knowing his intent.
  • Purpose of Service:
    • Jesus: “I am among you as one who serves”; greatest service is giving His life, contrasting cultural norms of being served.
    • Command: “What I have done, do to each other,” urging loving service; higher blessing comes from doing, not just receiving.
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How to use these studies

These lessons are designed as short, 25-minute studies based on Bible truths, and meant for self-learning or small group study. The study sets systematically cover different books of the Bible. 

Each lesson follows a simple structure:

  • Introduction (Including the outline and objectives)
  • Step 1: Connecting
  • Step 2: Comprehending
  • Step 3: Committing
  • Step 4: Communicating

These sections include questions to help you reflect on the bible passage and how it applies to your life. 

Use these lessons to disciple others by journeying together over time and allowing God’s word to penetrate your heart and bring transforming change to your life. As a leader, pray for wisdom in leading and for modelling the truths in your own life.

Sharing offline

  • Mobile Friendly PDF
  • Print Friendly PDF
  • Full Study PDF

Each lesson has three buttons allowing you to download a easily saveable and shareable PDF version of the study. You can choose either a Mobile-friendly PDF version, and Print-friendly PDF version, or a print version of the Full Study PDF (for example all the lessons in the current book of the Bible).

These are free and can be easily copied and shared from one person to another!

Gathering a Small Group

Start small to build a safe space for sharing and growth.

  • Pray first: Ask God to show you 3-6 people who need encouragement in faith, like family, neighbors, or fellow believers facing hardship.
  • Invite personally: Meet one-on-one, explain how the lessons are designed to help people grow in their faith and knowledge of God and his Word.
  • Keep it simple: Meet in a home or quiet spot; no need for fancy setup – just willing hearts.
  • Aim for consistency: Suggest weekly meetings, but be flexible for busy lives or safety concerns in persecuted areas.

Trust helps everyone open up, reflect, and apply truths without fear.

  • Start with sharing: In the first meeting, share simple stories of your own faith struggles to show vulnerability.
  • Set ground rules: Agree to listen without judging, keep stories private, and focus on encouraging each other.
  • Build bonds: Begin each session with a short prayer or song inviting God to be present with you.
  • Be patient: Trust grows over time – encourage quiet members gently, and celebrate small steps of honesty.

Good preparation makes the lesson flow and helps discipleship.

  • Read ahead: Study the lesson before; pray over the Bible passage and think how it fits your group’s challenges.
  • Adapt for the group: Use simple words; if literacy is low, read aloud slowly and explain questions or stories.
  • Gather basics: Have a Bible (in your language) and paper for notes.
  • Reflect personally: Ask yourself the study questions first – lead from your own growth and experience.
  • Pray: Pray for your group members.

Guide the group through the lesson structure to encourage discovery and commitment.

  • Step 1 – Connecting: Start the group meeting by praying together. Thank God for his Word and ask for open hearts to receive it. Read the Bible passage together (Read it aloud twice; ask someone to repeat in their words.)
  • Step 2: Comprehending: Use the provided questions to help you grapple with the truth of the Bible passage.
  • Step 3 – Committing: Consider how the passage might apply to your lives and what simple steps of obedience you can commit to. The goal of these studies if life-change! Not just knowledge!
  • Step 4 – Communicating:  Think of who you can share the truths you have learned with.
  • Close with Prayer: Let group members pray short prayers of thanks or commitment. Pray for one another.

For many of the lessons, there is a short summary teaching voice-note at the end of the lesson (together with a text summary). This is designed to be a recap and reminder of the key lessons you should have learned through the lesson. 

As a leader, you might like to use these summary teaching resources to help you in preparation for leading your group, though ideally not before you have spent time prayerfully reflecting on the passage.

This is an ongoing discipleship journey aiming to transform lives and help people to live victorious Christian lives. Focus on growth, not just finishing lessons.

  • Meet regularly: Join together at least once a week. Review past actions at each start to build accountability.
  • Encourage reflection: Between meetings, urge personal time with the lesson – read, pray, and try complete commitments made.
  • Support one another: If your group members are facing challenges, use lessons to pray together and share burdens; become “agents of change” by helping others in your community.
  • Multiply groups: As trust grows, encourage members to start their own small groups with family or friends.
  • Keep it short: Stick to 15 – 25 minutes per lesson to fit busy, challenging lives.
  • Handle challenges: If fear or hardship arise, encourage members by always pointing back to God’s love. 
  • Stay safe: In persecuted areas, meet discreetly; focus on heart change over big displays.
  • Celebrate progress: Note how people have grown in faith; allow time for sharing testimonies of what God has done. Take note of what you pray for, and give thanks when God answers prayer.

Final encouragement

Leading these lessons is serving like Jesus – humble, loving, and truthful. As you journey together, God will build growing faith into each person’s life. Pray often, and watch lives transform!

If you would like to share stories of faith from your own communities, please get in touch with us!