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Memory Verse

“DON’T DO ANYTHING ONLY TO GET AHEAD. DON’T DO IT BECAUSE YOU ARE PROUD. INSTEAD, BE HUMBLE. VALUE OTHERS MORE THAN YOURSELVES.”

PHILIPPIANS 2:3, NIRV

 

Bible Story

Palm Sunday / Jesus Washes His Disciples’ Feet

Jesus put others first.

John 12:9-16, 13:1-17

9 Meanwhile a large crowd of Jews found out that Jesus was there, so they came. But they did not come only because of Jesus. They also came to see Lazarus. After all, Jesus had raised him from the dead.
10 So the chief priests made plans to kill Lazarus too.
11 Because of Lazarus, many of the Jews were starting to follow Jesus. They were putting their faith in him.
12 The next day the large crowd that had come for the Feast heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem.
13 So they took branches from palm trees and went out to meet him. They shouted, “Hosanna! ” “Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!” (Psalm 118:25,26) “Blessed is the King of Israel!”
14 Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it. This is just as it is written in Scripture. It says,
15 “City of Zion, do not be afraid. See, your king is coming. He is sitting on a donkey’s colt.” (Zechariah 9:9)
16 At first, Jesus’ disciples did not understand all this. They realized it only after he had received glory. Then they realized that these things had been written about him. They realized that the people had done these things to him.
 
1 It was just before the Passover Feast. Jesus knew that the time had come for him to leave this world. It was time for him to go to the Father. Jesus loved his disciples who were in the world. So he now showed them how much he really loved them.
2 The evening meal was being served. The devil had already tempted Judas Iscariot, son of Simon. He had told Judas to hand Jesus over to his enemies.
3 Jesus knew that the Father had put everything under his power. He also knew he had come from God and was returning to God.
4 So he got up from the meal and took off his outer clothes. He wrapped a towel around his waist.
5 After that, he poured water into a large bowl. Then he began to wash his disciples’ feet. He dried them with the towel that was wrapped around him.
6 He came to Simon Peter. “Lord,” Peter said to him, “are you going to wash my feet?”
7 Jesus replied, “You don’t realize now what I am doing. But later you will understand.”
8 “No,” said Peter. “You will never wash my feet.” Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you can’t share life with me.”
9 “Lord,” Simon Peter replied, “not just my feet! Wash my hands and my head too!”
10 Jesus answered, “A person who has had a bath needs to wash only his feet. The rest of his body is clean. And you are clean. But not all of you are.”
11 Jesus knew who was going to hand him over to his enemies. That was why he said not every one was clean.
12 When Jesus finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes. Then he returned to his place. “Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them.
13 “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord.’ You are right. That is what I am.
14 I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet. So you also should wash one another’s feet.
15 I have given you an example. You should do as I have done for you.
16 “What I’m about to tell you is true. A servant is not more important than his master. And a messenger is not more important than the one who sends him.
17 Now you know these things. So you will be blessed if you do them.

Daily Devotionals

Read Mark 9:35

This month is all about humility, putting others first by giving up what you think you deserve. We feel like having things our way, all the time! But Jesus tells us to do the opposite. We need to serve others before serving ourselves. To serve simply means to pay attention to the people around you and find ways to help.


Write out the words Jesus gave to his followers from today’s verse in big block letters on a piece of paper. Decorate the page any way you’d like. Then cut the paper apart into four or five large pieces to create a puzzle. Shuffle the pieces into a stack. Ask a younger sibling or friend to put the puzzle together. Then read the verse aloud and tell them what it means to you.

Read Mark 10:45

Jesus gathered His friends for their last supper and showed them how to serve by getting down on his hands and knees to wash their dirty feet. This act of service, something usually done by the lowest ranking servant in a home, painted a picture of how He wanted them to treat others. Jesus knew that in just a few hours, he would be arrested, tried, convicted, and sentenced to death. Right up until the very end of his time on earth, Jesus chose to serve. And by doing so, He set an example for His disciples and for all of us.

So how can YOU serve? In the space below, write down the names of three people you see most every day. Next to each name, write one way you can serve them this week. Then pray and ask Jesus to help you serve just as He served, with a good attitude and a willingness to put others first.

  1. ______________________________________________
  2. ______________________________________________
  3. ______________________________________________

Read Romans 5:8

Jesus came to give us a forever relationship with God. He didn’t wait for you to stop messing up or get your act together. He chose to love and forgive us. Jesus humbled himself so that we can be forgiven. Putting others first is a way to show Jesus how grateful we are for all He’s done.

 

Memorize This!
Write down each word from Romans 5:8 on separate scraps of paper. Lay them out in order and say the verse aloud. Remove two cards and repeat the verse. Continue in the same way, removing two cards each round, until you can say the verse from memory.

Read John 15:13

No one loves you more than Jesus loves you. He proved His love for you on the cross. You don’t have to earn His love. And once you accept His love, you cannot lose it. Understanding just how much you are loved should lead you to love the people around you. Following Jesus means we love others like He loves us.


When you choose humility, you choose to lay down or give up what you want. That could look
like…

-Letting someone else pick the movie or TV
show you watch.
-Holding the door to let a friend walk through
first.
-Standing back so that others can get the first
choice.
-Listening instead of interrupting.

This week, look for opportunities to lay down your life – to put others first – just as Jesus put you first.

 

As your kid starts their day, find a way to do something extra special one morning this week (special breakfast, a note in the school bag, etc.).

At a meal, have everyone at the table respond to this: “Tell us about a time when you or someone else put others first.”

While on the go, make a game of how many places you can let someone in front of you— either in traffic or in line for the bus, in the drive-thru, or in the grocery check-out line.

Pray for each other: “Jesus, help us to love other people the way You love us. Help us to sometimes say ‘no’ to things we want to do and say ‘yes’ to the things others need.”