Reclaiming Your Sanity-A Byproduct of Serving  

Ice Breaker: Describe a time when you received the most joy, serving someone else.  

Matthew 20:17- 28   Now Jesus was going up to Jerusalem. On the way, he took the Twelve aside and said to them, 18 “We are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and the teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death 19 and will hand him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified. On the third day he will be raised to life!” (NIV)  20 Then the mother of Zebedee’s sons came to Jesus with her sons and, kneeling down, asked a favor of him.21.  “What is it you want?” he asked.  She said, “Grant that one of these two sons of mine may sit at your right and the other at your left in your kingdom.”  22 “You don’t know what you are asking,” Jesus said to them. “Can you drink the cup I am going to drink?”  “We can,” they answered.  23 Jesus said to them, “You will indeed drink from my cup, but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared by my Father.”  24 When the ten heard about this, they were indignant with the two brothers. 25 Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. 26 Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, 27 and whoever wants to be first must be your slave— 28 just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (NIV) 

1.What did Jesus tell the disciples? (v17-19) Does it make any difference that this is the third time that He has told them that He must suffer?  Why would Jesus tell them over and over?  

2. Jesus is at the end of His earthly ministry. At this point, do the disciples seem to understand the mission of Jesus or the mission that they are shortly going to receive? (v18-19, 22)  

3. How well do you think that the Christian church today understands the mission of Jesus and the mission of the church?  

4. Why do you think that their minds would go to what they get out of the coming events?  What does this suggest about the disciples?  

5. What was the disciple’s mother asking for? (v 21) 

6. Why did Jesus say to the mother, “You don’t know what you’re asking for”? 

7. Why do you suppose the other disciples were indignant with the two disciples? (v24)  

8. What is Jesus’ principle for greatness? (v25-28). 

9. In his introduction, Pastor Brian described serving as very undervalued by some.  How does our culture view serving? 

10. What is the relationship between pride, humility and service? 

11. Pastor Brian calls serving a discipleship practice.  What do the following passages say about being a disciple and serving? (Mark 10:45, John 13:34-35, 1 Peter 4:10) 

Mark 10:45 For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”  

John 13:34-35“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” 

1 Peter 4:10 Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. 

12. How can we change our own perspective and mind to embrace Jesus’ command to serve one another? (Romans 12: 1-2) 

Romans 12:1–2 Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. 

13. What do you suppose would happen if everyone in the church started serving each other with their whole heart.  

Ephesians 6:7 Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not people, 

14. How does serving help us reclaim our sanity in our spiritual walk?  So, what is it that is causing our insanity?  

Pastor Brian- “Serving is the battleground of humanity where we win or lose the fight against self-centeredness.”