Jesus Washes the Disciples' Feet

Missions Station

Summary of Lesson Activities:

Project: Putting together "foot care" kits for special people.

Workshop-specific Goals

• Learn of Jesus’ love for the disciples and us
• Share God’s love with the recipients of our mission project
• Jesus cares about even the small details of our lives, like dirty feet.
• Children will learn that we are to serve others as Jesus served us.
• Service often involves sacrifice through humility or unpleasant work
• Realize that by serving others we are serving Jesus

Preparation

• Review Background notes.
• Read the scripture ahead of time.
• Refer to schedule and decide how you will make adjustments for the different ages.
• Prepare a bulletin insert about the mission project and ask for specific items to be donated. Make a deadline to receive items that is before your first class session.

Materials List:

• Bibles (supplied in teaching box)
• Information sheet on the Mission Project
• Supplies needed for mission project will vary depending on which mission you choose to give your supplies through. Check with them first.
  
  In general:
  Socks!
  Cleansing wipes
  Nail clipper
  Bandaids
  Lotion
  
  
• Prepare to show portions the following YouTube Video (https://youtu.be/_NcJrO4Y3js?si=XlD-DQ9telpbMPOY) about caring for the feet of homeless people. (It is too long for class, so only show certain parts of it. What's amazing is how CARING the workers are.)
  
  

Lesson Plan

Opening:

Make sure you have your nametag on. Introduce yourself to the students. Explain what they will be doing and what you hope they will learn.

Study:

SAY: When we think about the love that Jesus has for us, we often think of the biggest thing He did for us—dying on the cross for our sins. But Jesus showed His love in many ways. This month’s Bible story tells of the time that Jesus washed the feet of His disciples. It happened the day before Jesus died—when He was celebrating the Passover Meal (the Last Supper) with His disciples.

ASK: Why do you think Jesus wanted to wash the disciples' feet?  Would you have volunteered to DO that? Would you wash the feet of our students here today?

Have the students open their Bibles and read  John 13: 1-17 together.

Options for telling the story: having older students read aloud, teacher reads the Bible story, teacher tells the story in their own words or from a Children’s Bible.

After reading the story...

ASK: What do you think the disciples' feet smelled and looked like?
The disciples’ feet were covered in mud, sweat, and dust from miles of travel. It was customary to wash one's feet prior to eating dinner in someone's home. They didn't sit on chairs, but rather, reclined.

DO:  Let's lay on the floor like Jesus and his disciples and see what happens to our feet!

Normally, you rinsed your own feet, or a servant did it for you. Yet here is Jesus doing it. What was Jesus trying to show them?

ASK: Does this mean Jesus wants us to wash each other's feet all the time, like before every meal ??  (No, it was an object lesson, a message, to serve others and do not think you are "better" than anyone else.)

To remember this message we are....

• putting together foot-care packs for the guests of a homeless shelter
• (You may substitute an alternative project that reinforces Jesus' message of serving, doing the "dirty" or unglamorous work of caring for others.)

Activities:
The children can spend the rest of class time putting together the items that you are preparing. You may want each class to do the same thing, with each class putting together so many packs. Or you may want older classes to do a more complicated part of the project, and younger classes to do an easier part. The students could make individual cards or bookmarks to include with each gift.

Reflection:

SHOW PORTIONS OF THE VIDEO posted above

Note how caring and non-judgmental the workers are
Ask "how caring for feet" cares for a person's self-esteem and soul.
Discuss how "attitude" is important when helping others. Ask a few student to show a "be-gruding" or bad attitude about helping someone, versus "a cheerful spirit."

Read the memory verse with the students: “I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.”-- Matthew 25: 40.

Talk with the class about what this verse means to them.

Closing Prayer: Dear Lord, thank you for the many blessings you have given us. Thank you for the opportunity to share our gifts with___________________. Amen

Written by Nancy R and Cathy W. Part of a lesson set by the Western Suburbs--Chicago--Roundtable Group.