Day 4 : Jesus Example of discipleship

John 13 1 - 16
Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus
knew that His hour had come that He should depart
from this world to the Father, having loved His own
who were in the world, He loved them to the
end. And supper being ended,[a] the devil having
already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot,
Simon’s son, to betray Him, 3 Jesus, knowing that
the Father had given all things into His hands, and
that He had come from God and was going to
God, 4 rose from supper and laid aside His garments,
took a towel and girded Himself. 5 After that, He
poured water into a basin and began to wash the
disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel
with which He was girded. 6 Then He came to Simon
Peter. And Peter said to Him, “Lord, are You
washing my feet?” Jesus answered and said to
him, “What I am doing you do not understand now,
but you will know after this.”
8
Peter said to Him, “You shall never wash my feet!”
Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you
have no part with Me.”
9
Simon Peter said to Him, “Lord, not my feet only,
but also my hands and my head!”
10
Jesus said to him, “He who is bathed needs only
to wash his feet, but is completely clean; and you
are clean, but not all of you.” 11 For He knew who
would betray Him; therefore He said, “You are not
all clean.”
12
So when He had washed their feet, taken His
garments, and sat down again, He said to them, “Do
you know what I have done to you? 13 You call Me
Teacher and Lord, and you say well, for so I
am. 14 If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have
washed your feet, you also ought to wash one
another’s feet. 15 For I have given you an example,
that you should do as I have done to you. 16 Most
assuredly, I say to you, a servant is not greater
than his master; nor is he who is sent greater than
he who sent him. 17 If you know these things,
blessed are you if you do them.

 Jesus did not just speak publicly. He gave His

disciples the possibility to observe His life and
service.
 In Christian discipleship, there is a responsibility
on the teacher or discipler to live what they teach
ie to be an example and model what they teach

 He did not just preach but also lived His message.

It was His example that truly transformed His
disciples.

 “In the training of the disciples the example of the

Savior’s life was far more effective than any mere
doctrinal instruction.

 Discipleship is not just instruction and teaching.

Effective discipleship involves the discipler
modelling what He teaches. In fact Paul instructs
Timothy on the qualifications of being an Elder in
the church – One's life must be exemplary first
before they can assume the responsibility of
leading and discipling believers ( 1 Timothy 3 v 3-7
& Titus 1v 6-10),

 These days a lot of emphasis is placed on teaching

 and instructing while very little emphasis is placed
on being an example. The Pharisees did the same
and Jesus called them Hypocrites

 Look at Jesus reaction to those that do not Live/

practice what they preach

Matthew 23 v 1-3,13

Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his

disciples, 2 “The teachers of religious law and the
Pharisees are the official interpreters of the law of
Moses.[a] 3 So practice and obey whatever they tell
you, but don’t follow their example. For they don’t
practice what they teach. 4 They crush people with
unbearable religious demands and never lift a finger
to ease the burden…… “But woe to you, scribes and
Pharisees, hypocrites,

 Effective discipleship involves the discipler

modeling by example what he teaches!

 Jesus calls those that do not disciple by example –

 Hypocrites!

 The effectiveness of Jesus discipleship was that

the disciples saw him model by example the things
he taught!

 Jesus was balanced. Though Jesus said he had

“nowhere to lay down his head,” he did not practice
or advocate an austere lifestyle. (Matthew 8:20)
He attended banquets. (Luke 5:29) His first
recorded miracle— ​ changing water into fine wine at
a wedding feast—s​ hows that he was not antisocial
or an ascetic. (John 2:1-11) Yet, Jesus made clear
what was most important to him. He said: “My food
is for me to do the will of him that sent me and to
finish his work.”​—John 4:34.

 Jesus was approachable. The Bible portrays

Jesus as a man who was warm and affable. He was
not annoyed when people approached him with
problems or perplexing questions. On one occasion
when a crowd surrounded him, a woman who had
been suffering from an affliction for 12 years
 touched his garment, hoping to get relief. He did
not rebuff her for her seemingly presumptuous act
but kindly said: “Daughter, your faith has made you
well.” (Mark 5:25-34) Children too were
comfortable in his company, without fear of being
ignored. (Mark 10:13-16) His dealings with his
disciples were marked by open, friendly
conversations. They did not hesitate to draw close
to him.​—Mark 6:30-32.

 He was empathetic and compassionate. One of

Jesus’ greatest virtues was his ability to put
himself in the place of others, to share their
feelings, and to respond with helpful action. The
apostle John relates that when Jesus saw Mary
weeping over the death of her brother, Lazarus,
Jesus “groaned in the spirit and became troubled”
and “gave way to tears.” Onlookers could easily
perceive the great affection Jesus felt for that
family, an affection that he was not ashamed to
manifest openly. And what compassion he showed
when he then brought his friend back to
life!​—John 11:33-44.
 On another occasion, a man suffering from
leprosy​—a dreadful disease that made him live in
isolation—​begged Jesus: “Lord, if you just want to,
you can make me clean.” Jesus’ response was truly
heartwarming: “Stretching out his hand, he
touched him, saying: ‘I want to. Be made clean.’”
(Matthew 8:2, 3) Jesus did not cure people simply
to fulfill prophecy. He wanted to wipe away their
tears. Everything he did was governed by one of
his most often remembered sayings: “Just as you
want men to do to you, do the same way to
them.”—​ Luke 6:31.

 Jesus was understanding and

discerning. Although he was a man who committed
no error, Jesus never expected perfection of
others or assumed an air of superiority; nor did he
act with a lack of understanding. Once, a woman
“known in the city to be a sinner” showed her faith
and appreciation by washing Jesus’ feet with her
tears. Jesus allowed her to do so, to the surprise
of his host, who judged her harshly. Understanding
her sincerity, Jesus did not condemn the woman
for her sins. Rather, he said: “Your faith has saved
you; go your way in peace.” As a result of Jesus’
 warm response, that woman was very likely moved
to abandon her former way of life.​—Luke 7:37-50.

 He was impartial and respectful. Perhaps

because of a certain affinity of personalities and a
possible family connection, Jesus had special
affection for his disciple John.* Nevertheless, he
did not show any partiality toward him, or favor
him over the other disciples. (John 13:23) In fact,
when John and his sibling James asked for
privileged positions in God’s Kingdom, Jesus
answered: “This sitting down at my right or at my
left is not mine to give.”​—Mark 10:35-40.
Jesus was always respectful to others. He did not
share in the prejudices of the people in his day.
For example, women were commonly treated as
inferior to men. Yet, Jesus accorded women due
dignity. The first time that he openly declared
himself to be the Messiah, it was to a woman who
was not a Jew but a Samaritan, whom the Jews in
general would disdain, much less greet. (John 4:7-
26) And it was to women that Jesus granted the
privilege of being the first witnesses of his
resurrection.​—Matthew 28:9, 10.
 He was a dutiful son and brother. Apparently,
Jesus’ adoptive father, Joseph, died when Jesus
was still a youth. Most likely, Jesus supported his
mother and his younger brothers and sisters by
working as a carpenter. (Mark 6:3) During his last
moments of life, he entrusted his mother to the
care of his disciple John.—
​ John 1926, 27.

 Jesus was a true friend. As a friend, Jesus was

outstanding. How so? He did not reject his friends
just because they made mistakes, even the same
mistakes repeatedly. His disciples did not always
act as he would have liked. But he proved himself
their friend by concentrating on their good
qualities rather than imputing bad motives to them.
(Mark 9:33-35; Luke 22:24-27) While not imposing
his viewpoints on them, he invited them to express
themselves freely.—​ Matthew 16:13-15.
Above all, Jesus loved his friends. (John 13:1) To
what extent? He said: “No one has love greater
than this, that someone should surrender his soul
in behalf of his friends.” (John 15:13) Could anyone
offer his friends something more
 He was courageous and manly. Jesus was far
different from the weak, passive person portrayed
by some artists. The Gospels present him as a
strong, vigorous man. Twice, Jesus drove
merchants, with their goods, from the temple.
(Mark 11:15-17; John 2:14-17) When a mob came to
arrest “Jesus the Nazarene,” he courageously
stepped forward to identify himself and to protect
his disciples, declaring firmly: “I am he. If,
therefore, it is I you are looking for, let these go.”
(John 18:4-9) It is no wonder that when Pontius
Pilate saw Jesus’ courage under arrest and
mistreatment, he declared: “Look! The man!”​—John
19:4, 5.

 These and other outstanding qualities make Jesus

the perfect model for us. If we allow ourselves to
be influenced by his conduct, we will be better and
happier people. It is for this reason that the
apostle Peter urged Christians to follow Jesus’
steps closely. Do you try to follow Jesus’ steps as
closely as possible?

 He lead through servanthood:

 He was a servant to all even though He was master
(Mark 10 v 45)

 He went about doing good as He was lead of the

Spirit:
He demonstrated that the anointing was for the
benefit of others ( Acts 10 v 38)
He was able and willing to help those in distress.
He reached out and touched and healed the man
with Leprosy ( Luke 5 v 13).
He demonstrated that He was The Priest of God
and was willingto restore those who were cast out

 He modeled forgiveness:
His death of the cross was the ultimate act of
forgiveness. He forgave those who persecuted and
Killed Him – His last words were father forgive
them for they know not what to do

 Jesus was humble. Perhaps this was His most

outstanding characteristic. Imagine if you were
God—equal with the Father, sharing glory with
Him, having every privilege of being God—and then
you became a man and laid aside all those
 privileges. "He is the image of the invisible
God" (Colossians 1:15). Imagine becoming the
servant of all and being God hidden in the
obscurity of humanity.
His humility was expressed most when He
became a man and died on the cross. He never
insisted on His rights and privileges to be honored,
understood or viewed rightly, but he emptied
Himself of His reputation. He was content to be
seen as ordinary and did not seek esteem. Think
about embracing a life of weakness, poverty,
shame, homelessness, rejection, and pain. We
realize this when we study Isaiah 53 and see Jesus
as the suffering servant. Jesus had lowliness of
heart.

 Jesus modelled obedience

Jesus obeyed God even unto death, He learnt
obedience by the things He suffered. He obeyed
God when it was convenient and when it wasn’t He
yielded Himself to God’s will to death on the cross
(Hebrews 5 v 8)

 Jesus modelled submission

He submitted to the authority of the day. He
 submitted to Pilate
He submitted to His Parents
He reverently submitted to God. His prayers were
heard because of His reverent submission to
God.(Hebrews 5 v 7)

 He modelled Sonship and unity with God

He did His bidding and revealed the heart of the
Father to them by doing the will of the Father –
My food is do the will of Him who sent me! ( John 4
v 34)
He completed that which the father assigned to
Him
He took non of the glory upon Himself but
deferred the Glory upward to His Father whom He
asked that He be glorified and united with ( John
17)
He modelled an on going relationship with through
prayer and devotion. This we will discuss in more
detail below:

 Jesus example deeply impacted the lives of His

disciples. We learn best when shown what to do
and doing it. Jesus modelled what He taught (Show
 me , don’t tell just me). When they were
separated from Him, every look and tone and word
came back to them. Often when in conflict with
the enemies of the gospel, they repeated His
words, and as they saw their effect upon the
people, they rejoiced greatly.“ - LUKE 10 casting
demons at His name

Jesus modelled a lifestyle of Prayer

Jesus began His ministry with prayer:

Matthew 4 v 1-2
Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness
to be tempted by the devil. 2And after He had fasted
forty days and forty nights, He then became hungry.

 After being anointed Jesus was led to overcome

temptation – Most struggle with this scripture in
terms of the Spirit leading Jesus to be tempted?
Remember Jesus had both the divine nature and
human nature – had Jesus not overcome temptation
in His human form we would not have right to do
the same.
 Did Jesus need to Pray? After all He was anointed
, God had just called Him His son? If prayer is
simply talking to God, it shouldn’t surprise us that
Jesus prayed. In John 11:41 we see Jesus
thanking his Father for hearing him. In Mark 14:36
we find Jesus praying for a way out of the cross.
Clearly it was Jesus’ custom to pray. But this
raises an interesting question: why did Jesus pray?

 The answer is found in the fact that Jesus is both

God and man. As the eternal Son of God, Jesus
prayed out of his divinity—serving as a display of
communion with his Father (John 10:30). Being one
with the Father, there is no reason to be surprised
that the Son communicated with the Father. In
that sense, Jesus’ prayer life is rooted in his
divinity. But not only that, Jesus prayed out of his
humanity as well—serving as a model for us of what
dependence on the Father looks like.

 This provides a model for us – Prayer is evidence

of our communion and dependence on God. Note
from the scriptures above Jesus prayed and
fasted for 40 days before He was tempted –
 prayer strengthens and equips us for what is go
come – He also prayed in the garden of gethsemane
before going to the cross!

 When the devil came to tempt him, he was weak in

the flesh (hungry) but strong in spirit – He
overcame temptation by speaking the Word by the
strength of His spirit. Jesus fed His Spirit with
the word when he didn’t need it, and His spirit
feed his mouth the Word when He needed it (the
mouth is the gate of feeding – eating for pHysical
strength and speaking the word for spiritual
strength ) . Man shall not live of Bread alone but
every word the proceeds from the mouth of God to
our Spirit to our mouth!! The word of God is close
to you , its in your heart and in your mouth (Rom
10)

1 Corinthians 10 v 13
No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common
to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be
tempted beyond what you are able, but with the
temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that
you will be able to endure it
  We are in trouble when the devil who preys like a
lion attacking the weak (in the flesh) comes and we
are also weak in spirit – we will see the way of
escape God has provided!

 You are not too anointed to Pray – the more

anointed you are the more temptation awaits
you – the more you should pray.

 The Holy Spirit leads you into situation you are to

over come to strengthen your faith and of those
who follow as they witness you overcoming! You
choose to strengthen yourself with prayer and
fasting as Jesus did
Prayer for the 12 Disciples
 This opens a door into some fascinating questions:
Did Jesus know which disciples would be his
apostles before he prayed to the Father? Did
Jesus need to pray in order to make the right
decision? Suffice it to say that the implications of
the incarnation are too numerous and deep for our
small minds to grasp. But this much is clear, Jesus
 lived a life of trust in and dependence on his
Father to lead him—including leading him to the
twelve men preordained by God to represent Jesus
on earth.

 Jesus did not randomly call His disciples. He

prayed to God and asked for His leading before
choosing the twelve.

 In Luke 6:12 we encounter something

extraordinary. Jesus prayed: “In these days he
went out to the mountain to pray, and all night he
continued in prayer to God.” And when day
came, He called His disciples to Him and chose
twelve of them, whom He also named as apostles

 It appears that Jesus was praying for wisdom to

know whom to select as his twelve apostles. The
first thing Jesus does after praying is gather
together his disciples and choose the twelve (Luke
6:13-14). Not only that, in Matthew’s account,
before settling on his apostles, Jesus exhorted
the disciples to pray. And notice what he told them
to pray for: “The harvest is plentiful, but the
 laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the
Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his
harvest” (Matt. 9:37). Given that Jesus told his
disciples to pray for workers, it seems likely that
Jesus was praying for workers, too, specifically,
the workers who would be his apostles.

 In the same breath He was also teaching and

modelling to the disciples that they were to pray
and ask for wisdom for those that would come
along side them as co workers

 The Savior knew the character of the men whom

He had chosen; all their weaknesses and errors
were open before Him; He knew the perils through
which they must pass, the responsibility that would
rest upon them; and His heart yearned over these
chosen ones.

 He often prayed for them, He told Peter he was

praying for him that faith would not fail as the
devil wanted to sift him as wheat (Luke 22 v 31-34)
 He prayed for them when He sent them out on
missions (Luke 10)

 He prayed for them when He was departing (John

17)

 Alone upon a mountain near the Sea of Galilee He

spent the entire night in prayer for them, while
they were sleeping at the foot of the mountain.
(Matthew 26 v 36-41). He said to them keep watch
and pray so they do not fall into temptation for it
will surely come.

 On many occasions, the disciples witnessed Jesus

going off alone to pray. When close by, Jesus
prayed loud enough that His disciples could hear
what he was praying about. He also prayed
together with them.

 In every situation the disciples experienced Jesus

in prayer. Jesus’ personal example helped them to
become men of prayer much more than any sermon
on prayer could have without a living example.
How did the disciples react when they witnessed
Jesus in prayer?

They asked Him to teach them how to Pray Luke 11 v 1

Here is what He taught them:

OUR FATHER:

 We can invoke God as “Father” because he is

revealed to us by his Son. When we pray the Our
Father we personally address the Father of our
Lord Jesus Christ; we recognise that all his
promises of love are fulfilled in the new and
eternal covenant in Jesus Christ. We have become
his people and he is henceforth our God , Our
father in as much as we are His son in Christ

WHO ART IN HEAVEN:

 Heaven does not refer to a place but to God’s

majesty and his presence in the hearts of the just.
Heaven, the Father’s house, is the true homeland
towards which we are heading and to which we
already belong, (1 Jn 5:1).

HALLOWED BE THY NAME:

  When we say “hallowed be thy name”, we ask that
his Name should be sanctified by us and in us, and
also in every nation and person ( Ezek 20:9, 14, 22,
39; 1 Cor 6:11; Lev 20:26; Jn 17:11).

THY KINGDOM COME:

 Refers primarily to the final coming of the reign of

God through Christ’s return. The Kingdom will come
in glory when Christ hands it over to his Father.
We also pray for the growth of the Kingdom of
God in our own lives today (Rom 14:17; Tit 2:13).

 We also pray that his kingdom come on earth in and

through us

THY WILL BE DONE, ON EARTH AS IT IS IN

HEAVEN:

 We ask insistently for the will of God (fulfilled in

Christ) to be fully realised on earth as it is already
in Heaven. Jesus teaches us that one enters the
Kingdom of Heaven not by speaking words but by
doing the “will of my Father in Heaven” (Mt 7:21).
By prayer we can discern “what is the will of God”
and obtain the endurance to do it (Rom 12:2; 2 Pet
3:9; Mt 18:14; Heb 10:17).
GIVE US THIS DAY OUR DAILY BREAD:

 “Bread” refers to the earthly nourishment

necessary to everyone for subsistence and also to
the ‘bread of life’ that is, the Word of God and the
Body of Christ received in the Eucharist (material
and spiritual food). “This day” not only refers to
that of our mortal time but also the ‘today’ of God.
Even when we have done our work, the food we
receive is still a gift from our Father. (Jn 6:26-
58).

AND FORGIVE US OUR TRESPASSES AS WE

FORGIVE THOSE WHO TRESPASS AGAINST US:

 Forgiveness is the fundamental condition of the

reconciliation of the children of God with their
Father and of humans with one another: “so also my
heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you
do not forgive your brother from your heart” (Mt
18:23-35). With the example and help of Christ
every Christian can forgive even his/her enemies

AND LEAD US NOT INTO TEMPTATION:

 We ask God not to allow us to take the way that

leads to sin. We are engaged in the battle between
 flesh and spirit. This petition implores the spirit of
discernment and strength (; Gal 5:21, Mt 6:21, 24;
1 Cor 10:13).

BUT DELIVER US FROM EVIL:

 The last petition to our Father is also included in

Jesus’ prayer: “I am not asking you to take them
out of the world, but I ask you to protect them
from the evil one” (Jn 17:15). When we ask to be
delivered from the evil one, we pray as well to be
freed from all evils, present, past and future, of
which he is the author or instigator. In this final
petition, the Church brings before the Father all
the distress of the world ( Jn 8:44; Rev. 12:9; Jn
5:18-19).

 We must not view life from a perspective of being

led into temptation but deliverance and overcoming
the evil one

Jesus prayed for others. In Matthew 19:13, we read,

"Then little children were brought to Jesus for him to
place his hands on them and pray for them." Despite
the fact that "the disciples rebuked those who brought
them," Jesus said the children should not be hindered
"for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these"
(v. 14). In John 17:9 we read, "I [Jesus] pray for them.
I am not praying for the world, but for those you have
given Me, for they are Yours." This underscores the
need for intercessory prayer.

Jesus prayed with others. Luke 9:28 reads, "[Jesus]

took Peter, John and James with Him and went up onto
a mountain to pray." Jesus prayed alone, as we'll read
below, but He also knew the value of praying with
others. Acts 1:14 underscores the importance of
Christians praying with one another: "They all joined
together constantly in prayer …"

Jesus prayed alone. Luke 5:16 reads, "But Jesus

often withdrew to lonely places and prayed." As much
as Jesus understood the value of praying with and for
others, He also understood the need to pray alone.
Psalm 46:10 reads, "Be still, and know that I am God."
Sometimes it's important for us to "be still" before
God, but the only way to do this, especially in our
hectic culture, is to do so alone with God.

Jesus prayed in nature. Psalm 19:1 reads, "The

heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim
the work of his hands." What better place to commune
with our Creator than among the wonders of nature?
Luke 6:12 says, "One of those days Jesus went out to a
mountainside to pray ..." He could have gone to a home,
a synagogue or if He were near Jerusalem he could
have gone to the temple to pray. But there were times
when Jesus made the decision to pray where He was,
which often happened to be in nature. We are
surrounded by so much that is "man made" that
sometimes it's difficult for us to remember that this
is not our world, but God's world (Genesis 1:1, Psalm
24:1) full of wonders for us to enjoy.

Jesus could pray as a sprinter or a marathon

runner. The Lord's Prayer is full of wisdom, but it is
short enough to be easily memorized and serve as an
example of a sprint rather than a marathon prayer. But
Jesus also knew how to dedicate long periods of time
to prayer. As we read in Luke 6:12, Jesus "spent the
night praying to God." We, too, need to be able to
offer short prayers, as well dedicate long periods of
our lives to prayer.

Jesus prayed regularly. This insight is gleaned from a

passage cited earlier, Luke 5:16: "Jesus often withdrew
to lonely places and prayed." The word "often" is not
hidden, but makes it obvious that Jesus prayed
regularly. Throughout the Gospels whenever we read of
Jesus and prayer, it comes up regularly and naturally.
It was simply a part of His worldview, integrated into
every aspect of Christ's life. Can we say the same
about prayer in our life?

The prayers of Jesus were heartfelt. Jesus did not

pray in a cold, distant manner, but in heartfelt
supplication, demonstrating empathy and a genuine love
for God. This is demonstrated clearly in John 17, where
Jesus prays for Himself, His immediate disciples, as
well as for all believers.

Jesus prayed based on His knowledge of God and

His truths. The prayers of Jesus were based on God's
revealed truths and, as such, were in line with a solid
biblical worldview. In John 4:24 Jesus said, "God is
spirit, and His worshipers must worship in spirit and in
truth." He also said, "the truth will set you free" (John
8:32), underscoring the importance of truth in the life
of Jesus and, in turn, our lives. Proper prayer requires
us to have a truthful understanding of God and what
He has revealed to us through His Word.
Jesus taught persistence in prayer. "Then Jesus told
his disciples a parable to show them that they should
always pray and not give up" (Luke 18:1). The parable
Jesus shared is not meant to depict a pestering
disciple who finally bugs God enough that He chooses
to respond, but about persistence in prayer and waiting
on God and His timing.

Jesus knew that not all his prayers would be answered

as expected. This is a difficult prayer lesson to learn,
but the fact of the matter is that not all our prayers
are answered in ways we expect. Even Jesus knew this
hard lesson as he cried out to God the Father from
Gethsemane (Matthew 26:36-44). Three times Jesus
prayed for God to allow an easier path, but Jesus knew,
"Yet not as I will, but as You will" (26:39).

Jesus taught to prayer for God’s Will :When Jesus

prayed in Gethsemane, "Yet not as I will, but as You
will," He offered a tremendous but seemingly simple
insight into prayer: God is in charge. As we learn from
the prayer life of Jesus – and there is much to learn –
we need to keep this overarching principle in mind. A
disciple asked Jesus, "Lord, teach us to pray," (Luke
11:1) and in response was taught the Lord's Prayer. But
by studying the prayer life of Jesus, we can learn not
only the important truths of the Lord's Prayer, but so
much more.