WEEK 11 SERMON DISCUSSION QUESTIONS FOR GROUPS

The Future Church: Service

Introduction:

The Future Church series explores how the church can adapt and thrive in a changing world, often drawing inspiration from the Bible and the early Christian community. We will focus on topics such as cultivating intimacy with God, understanding how to follow Jesus, connecting with the church community, serving others, and giving in response to God’s grace.

Bottom Line:

Something To Talk About:

Serving in the church is where believers use their God-given gifts and resources to serve others, following Jesus’ example of humble service, which fosters spiritual growth, strengthens community, and expresses gratitude for God’s grace. It involves participating in various church activities, contributing time, talents, and treasures. It is a joyful responsibility and a practical way to live out one’s faith and make a difference in the lives of others.

Serve the weak even when it costs you something: Serving the weak is not optional for followers of Christ—it is at the very heart of His call to us. Jesus Himself showed us this when He stooped to wash His disciples’ feet and when He laid down His life for sinners who had nothing to offer in return. The Apostle Paul reminds us in Romans 15:1 (NIV) that “We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves.” True service means stepping into the needs of others even when it disrupts our comfort, costs us our time, or demands our resources. The world often measures love by convenience, but Christ measures love by sacrifice. When we give without expecting repayment, when we extend help to those who cannot help us back, we reflect the generosity of God who gave His only Son. Each act of costly service is a seed of the gospel planted in hearts that may be desperate for hope.
Serve your neighbor even when they’re different from you: When Jesus was asked, “Who is my neighbor?” He responded with the parable of the Good Samaritan. That story wasn’t just a lesson in kindness—it was a radical call to cross boundaries of culture, religion, and history to serve those who were different. The Samaritan and the Jew in the story came from groups that despised one another. Yet Jesus held up the Samaritan as the true neighbor, the one who loved sacrificially. Serving those who are different from us requires humility. It’s easy to help those who look, think, and live like we do. But Christ calls us to step beyond comfort and preference. The apostle Paul reminds us: “Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves” (Philippians 2:3). That includes the neighbor whose background, politics, or lifestyle clashes with our own. When we serve across differences, we mirror the love of Christ Himself. Jesus didn’t wait for us to become like Him before He loved us. Romans 5:8 says, “While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” That is the ultimate example of serving someone “different.” Serving your neighbor might mean listening without judgment, extending practical help, or simply showing up in love. It may cost time, energy, or pride. But it is in those costly moments that the light of Christ shines most clearly. Who is different from you today? That person may be the very neighbor God is calling you to love in His name.

Discussion Questions:

Your devotion to God is illustrated, demonstrated, and authenticated by serving others. Agree or disagree?
In what areas are you currently serving in your church community? Are there additional ways you feel called to serve? What is keeping you from serving?
What does it cost you (time, money, effort) to serve sacrificially, and is it worth it? When was the last time you served someone at great personal cost and didn’t keep track of the expense?
Are there people in your life that I am resisting serving due to selfishness?
Is my motivation for serving others guilt or the great love that I have been shown in the gospel?
Am I aware of needs in my community that God might have equipped me to help fulfill?
Take a moment today and ask yourself, when people interact with you, what do they think and feel? Are you a person of grace? Of intentionality?
What is one specific way that you can serve another person today?
Which relationship in your life can you improve this week as you serve the other person unselfishly?
What was your greatest takeaway or most significant thought from the sermon on serving?
What specific action or change will you be able to make this week because of this message?

Take one thing home with you:

It’s easy to become consumed with our own needs and desires, forgetting the importance of serving others. Yet, Jesus reminds us that true fulfillment is found in serving one another. Whether it’s through acts of kindness, lending a helping hand, or simply listening with empathy, we are called to imitate Christ’s servant-heartedness.

Look for ways to lift up those around us, to lend a helping hand, and to show kindness to all we encounter. In doing so, we can reflect the love of Christ and bring hope and healing to a hurting world. May we be inspired by Jesus’ example of love and service. Let us remember His words in John 13:14 and seek to follow in His footsteps, serving others with a heart full of love and compassion. May we seek opportunities to extend a hand of compassion, to lift the burdens of those around us, and to spread the love of Christ through our actions.