Small Group Discussion Guide

"I Am Not the Christ" — Walking the Path of Humility

Based on John 1:19-28

For the Facilitator: This guide is designed to be flexible. You don't need to cover every question — choose the ones that best fit your group. Aim for genuine conversation over covering all the material. The goal is transformation, not information. Estimated total time: 60–90 minutes.

OVERVIEW

In John 1:19-28, John the Baptist is confronted by religious leaders demanding to know his identity. Rather than leveraging his impressive credentials, he repeatedly and emphatically declares, "I am not the Christ." This sermon traces three signposts of humility that John models for us: confessing we are not the Christ, acknowledging our role in God's kingdom, and proclaiming Jesus as the only worthy Savior. The path to knowing Jesus more deeply runs directly through humility.

ICEBREAKER (5–10 minutes)

Choose one of the following:

Option A (Lighter/Funny):

"Have you ever witnessed — or maybe even been part of — a moment where someone tried to use their title, credentials, or connections to get out of a situation? What happened?"

Option B (Reflective):

"Think of someone in your life — past or present — who was genuinely humble. What was it about them that made that quality stand out to you?"

[Leader Tip]: Don't rush the icebreaker. Laughter and light sharing at the start help people feel safe enough to go deeper later. If your group is quiet, share your own answer first to model openness.

SCRIPTURE READING (5 minutes)

Have someone read the passage aloud, or ask two volunteers to read it in parts. Encourage the group to listen for what stands out to them.

John 1:19-28 (ESV)

"And this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, 'Who are you?' He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, 'I am not the Christ.' And they asked him, 'What then? Are you Elijah?' He said, 'I am not.' 'Are you the Prophet?' And he answered, 'No.' So they said to him, 'Who are you? We need to give an answer to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?' He said, 'I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, "Make straight the way of the Lord," as the prophet Isaiah said.'

Now they had been sent from the Pharisees. They asked him, 'Then why are you baptizing, if you are neither the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?' John answered them, 'I baptize with water, but among you stands one you do not know, even he who comes after me, the strap of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie.' These things took place in Bethany across the Jordan, where John was baptizing."

A Brief Note on Context: John the Baptist had become a major public figure. Crowds from all over Judea were coming to hear him preach and be baptized. The religious leaders in Jerusalem — the Pharisees, priests, and Levites — were the gatekeepers of Jewish religious life. They needed to know: Was this man a threat? A fraud? Or something else? What they got from John surprised them. Instead of claiming greatness, he pointed entirely away from himself.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS (30–45 minutes)

Work through these questions as a group. You don't need to cover all of them — follow the conversation where it leads.

SECTION 1: "Confess You Are Not the Christ" (10–15 minutes)

1. What stood out to you most from Sunday's message — a story, a phrase, a moment that stuck with you?

[Leader Tip]: This is a gentle entry point. It surfaces what God may already be doing in people's hearts and helps you know where to spend more time. There are no wrong answers here.

2. John had impressive credentials — a priestly family lineage, an angelic birth announcement, and a family connection to the Messiah himself. Why do you think he chose not to use any of that when the religious leaders questioned him? What does that tell us about his character?

3. The sermon pointed out that John's denial wasn't just once — the Apostle John writes that he "confessed, did not deny, but confessed." Why do you think John was so emphatic about this? What was at stake if people got confused about who he was?

4. Pastor Chris said that every time we sin, we're essentially shaking our fist at God and saying, "Don't call me son or daughter — call me Lord." That's a striking image. In what areas of your life do you find it hardest to let go of being in control and trust God instead?

[Leader Tip]: This question invites personal vulnerability. Give people a moment to think before jumping in. You might share a brief example from your own life to create a safe space. If the group is quiet, try the follow-up: "Is there a specific area — relationships, work, parenting, finances — where this tends to show up for you?"

SECTION 2: "Acknowledge Your Role in the Kingdom" (10–15 minutes)

5. John identified himself simply as "a voice crying in the wilderness" — not the headline, but the announcer. He wasn't the main event; he was the one pointing to it. How does that kind of role — being a "pointer" rather than the center of attention — feel to you? Does it feel freeing, frustrating, or something else?

6. Pastor Chris mentioned that John may not have fully understood the significance of the role he was playing — Jesus later confirmed he was fulfilling the role of Elijah, but John didn't know that at the time. He was still faithful in his calling even without the full picture. Can you think of a time when you were faithful in something small — a phone call, a visit, a kind word — and later realized God was using it in a bigger way than you knew?

[Leader Tip]: This question often unlocks beautiful, personal stories. Give it room to breathe. If no one shares immediately, try: "Or maybe you're still in the middle of something where you can't see the full picture yet — what does it feel like to trust God in that?"

7. The sermon offered a practical test for knowing when you're operating in your kingdom role: "When you are making it easier for people to come and see the Savior, you know you are operating in your role in the kingdom of God." Using that as a measure, where do you see yourself currently making it easier for someone to encounter Jesus?

SECTION 3: "Proclaim Jesus Is the Worthy Savior" (10–15 minutes)

8. John said he wasn't worthy to untie Jesus's sandals — one of the lowest, most menial tasks of the day. Yet Jesus, who was worthy of everything, turned around and washed his disciples' feet. What does this reversal — the worthy one humbling himself for the unworthy — mean to you personally?

9. Pastor Chris shared a tender moment with his grandmother just hours before she passed away. When he asked her about this passage, she simply said, "Dirt... dirt" — meaning, "My feet are dirty. I'm not even worthy to touch the dirty feet of Jesus." And yet she died knowing Jesus had humbled himself to save her. How does that image — the worthy Savior stooping down for the unworthy — affect how you see yourself before God?

[Leader Tip]: This question can move people emotionally, and that's okay. Don't rush past it. If someone is visibly moved, acknowledge it gently: "That clearly touched something — would you want to share more, or is it okay to just sit with that for a moment?" Create space for the Spirit to work.

10. The sermon closed with the phrase "Yet not I, but through Christ in me." In practical terms, what does it look like to live that way in an ordinary week — at work, at home, in relationships?

PERSONAL APPLICATION (10–15 minutes)

Invite the group to reflect on these questions individually for a moment before sharing. Not everyone needs to share — this is a space for honest self-examination.

Reflect on the following:

1. Which of the three signposts from this sermon do you most need to work on right now?

• Confessing "I am not the Christ" — surrendering control in a specific area
• Acknowledging my role — trusting that God is using me even when I can't see it
• Proclaiming Jesus — actively pointing others toward him in my daily life

2. Is there something you've been carrying — guilt, worry, the weight of trying to fix someone or something — that really belongs in the hands of Jesus? What would it look like to actually hand it over this week?

3. Think about the people in your life — family, coworkers, neighbors, friends. Is there one person you could be a "voice in the wilderness" for this week — someone you could encourage, serve, or point toward Jesus in a simple, practical way?

🗓 THIS WEEK'S CHALLENGE

Choose one (or more) of the following:

• Confess: Start each morning this week with a simple, honest prayer: "Lord, I am not the Christ. I surrender _______ to you today." Fill in the blank with whatever you're tempted to control.

• Serve: Identify one person in your life who needs someone to show up for them. Make the call, send the text, pay the visit — and do it without needing them to know it was you.

• Share: Find one natural opportunity this week to point someone toward Jesus — not with a speech, but with a question, a listening ear, or a simple word of encouragement rooted in your faith.

• Reflect: Read John 13:1-17 (Jesus washing the disciples' feet) and journal your response to this question: "What does it mean to me that the worthy one humbled himself for the unworthy?"

PRAYER FOCUS (5–10 minutes)

Close your time together in prayer. Use these prompts to guide you, or invite group members to pray in their own words.

Suggested Prayer Topics:

• 🙏 Humility — Ask God to reveal the areas where you're still trying to be your own savior, and for the grace to surrender them.

• 🙏 Your Kingdom Role — Thank God that he uses ordinary, imperfect people in his kingdom. Ask him to show each person in your group their unique role — and for the courage to be faithful in it, even without seeing the full picture.

• 🙏 Someone Who Needs Jesus — Pray by name for one person in each group member's life who doesn't yet know Jesus. Ask God to use your group as voices pointing toward him.

• 🙏 The Mission Trip to Greece — Pray for the team leaving this Friday for Pereas, Greece. Ask God to help them step out of the way and point people to Jesus throughout the week.

• 🙏 VBS — Pray for the nearly 400 children registered, for the volunteers who will serve as guides, and that kids would experience the love of Jesus all week long.

[Leader Tip]: If your group isn't used to praying out loud together, offer to close in prayer yourself and invite anyone who wants to add a sentence or two to jump in. A simple, low-pressure format like "popcorn prayer" — short, one-sentence prayers — works well for groups with mixed comfort levels.

OPTIONAL DEEP DIVE

For groups with extra time or that want to explore further

Deep Dive 1 — Old Testament Roots

Read Malachi 4:5-6 and Isaiah 40:3-5 together:

"Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and awesome day of the LORD comes. And he will turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the land with a decree of utter destruction." — Malachi 4:5-6

"A voice cries: 'In the wilderness prepare the way of the LORD; make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low; the uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain. And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together, for the mouth of the LORD has spoken.'" — Isaiah 40:3-5

Discussion: John the Baptist was fulfilling prophecies written hundreds of years before his birth — and he may not have even fully known it. How does it change the way you think about your own life to consider that God may be weaving your story into something much larger than you can currently see?

Deep Dive 2 — The Foot-Washing Reversal

Read John 13:3-5, 12-15:

"Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going back to God, rose from supper. He laid aside his outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around his waist. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him... When he had washed their feet and put on his outer garments and resumed his place, he said to them, 'Do you understand what I have done to you? You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you.'"

Discussion: John said he wasn't worthy to untie Jesus's sandals. Jesus turned around and washed his disciples' feet — including those who would betray, deny, and abandon him. What does this tell us about the kind of humility Jesus calls us to with each other? Who in your life might God be calling you to "wash the feet of" — even when it's difficult or undeserved?

Deep Dive 3 — Pride in Disguise

The sermon described pride not just as arrogance but as the subtle, everyday tendency to take the reins from God — in parenting, in relationships, in trying to fix people, even in ministry.

Discussion: C.S. Lewis wrote in Mere Christianity that pride is "the great sin" — not because it's the worst-feeling sin, but because it's the most invisible one. "If anyone would like to acquire humility, I can, I think, tell him the first step. The first step is to realise that one is proud. And a biggish step, too."

• Where does pride show up in your life in ways that are hard to recognize at first?
• What spiritual disciplines or habits have helped you stay aware of your need for Jesus rather than your own sufficiency?

RELATED SCRIPTURES FOR FURTHER STUDY

This guide was prepared for Covenant Church small groups. Questions? Contact your group coordinator or visit the Discover More kiosk in the foyer.

"May you know that you are not the Christ. May you decrease, and may he increase." — Benediction, Sunday's Service