Sermon Cloud

We are going to be looking today, at a very familiar passage of Scripture….

• …and this is all in connection with that sheet of paper that everyone was given at the conclusion of last Sunday morning’s service…

 

 

 

This is the time of the year in which we are actively planning what we will be doing next year

 

 

 

The Nominating Committee has produced the Interest Evaluation Sheet

• …this is similar to what you are accustomed to seeing every year here

 

 

 

 

…the purpose of this is to give you to opportunity to volunteer for various roles within the functions of the church…

• ….roles in which you have the greatest interest….
  • …and roles in which you feel that you can serve Christ most effectively

 

 

….On the second page of this sheet

• ….this is something new for us….
  • ….This is not asking how you would like to serve the church
    • …this sheet is asking how you would like to serve our community in the name of Christ…

 

 

 

....this is what we will be talking about today….

• ….serving one another in the body of Christ
  • ….and serving the unbelieving world in the name of Christ

 

 

 

…and our approach to this will be…..as you would expect…biblical

 

 

What does the Word of God say to us about serving one another and serving the unbelieving world….

 

 

 

….also, as you might expect…..God’s Word is absolutely clear on this subject….

 

 

 

…and I will endeavor to show us today….that the Bible teaches us that;

• ...serving others (in the Church and in the world around us)
  • ….is rooted in humility

 

 

…and the lack of a desire to serve others;

• …either in the church or in our community
  • ……is rooted in pride…

 

 

 

Pride is the root-cause of the lack of willingness….lack of excitement….lack of enthusiasm….in serving others in the name of Christ

 

 

 

…we all know the 80-20 rule…

• …the 80-20 rule says that 20% of the people in the church do 80% of the work
  • …and this is true….

 

 

 

And so….before I begin this message….I want you to do a quick evaluation of yourself…..

• …you know exactly who you are….

 

…are you one of the 20% that does 80% of the work of the church?

 

…are you one of the 80% that does the remaining 20% of the work in the church?

 

 

…make that evaluation right now….because the answer to that question will determine how you should listen to the following message….

 

At present…..our church does almost nothing for our community…..

• I have asked the question before…..If suddenly, OBC were to disappear from our community…..would anyone notice?

 

 

 

…and so, we do almost nothing for the lost community around us…..

• …I desire for that to change

 

 

 

…and so, one purpose I have for this message is that I want to receive back lots of copies of the second sheet of paper….

• ….with ideas of how we, as a church, would like to serve our community in the name of Christ…..we’ve never done this before….

 

 

 

….the second purpose I have for this message is this;

• …I desire for everyone to treat this first page in a way that you have (perhaps) never treated this page…..

 

 

…in particular….if you fit into the 80% column (that does 20% of the work of the church)

• ….then I desire for you to approach this entirely different

 

 

Instead of looking for a place that I could check in which I could hide

• …and have my name put down for a job somewhere that I won’t actually have to do anything…..

 

I want you to listen to this message;

• …and prayerfully consider what excites you about serving God…..
  • …how could you serve God here in our church in a way that excites you……that you feel that God could use your interests and gifts…

 

 

 

If you don’t see anything written that fits that description….write it in at the bottom…..and we’ll talk about it…

 

 

 

But every member of the body of Christ should be actively serving one another

• And actively serving the community around us in the name of Christ

 

 

 

…and when we don’t……I will attempt to show us from the Scriptures….

• …that that is the sin of pride….

 

 

 

….that’s where we’re going with this message this morning…

 

 

…now, if you’re with me in our text for today…..listen as I read the first 11 verses of Philippians 2

 

 

Philippians 2.1-11

 

This passage is quite obviously about humility;

• …Paul says so in verse 3

 

 

v 3

in humility count others more significant than yourselves.

 

 

 

….Then, Paul goes on to not only give us an example of humility

• …but he give us the example of humility

 

 

v 4

Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.

Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus,

 

 

 

This is the mind that we are to have….this mind which is ours because we are in Christ Jesus…..

• Who.....

 

 v 8

humbled himself

 

…this passage is all about humility

• …and how we are to be humble….and live humbly….and act humbly…..
  • …and all the while….looking to Christ who is our example of humility

 

Now….I want to just lay the groundwork right now for the conclusions and the teaching that will follow;

• …it’s important to get this part of the message clear…..

 

 

 

…..humility is the mindset

• Humility is the frame of mind

-attitude

-feeling

-thought

-inner workings

 

 

 

No one can see humility…..

• Humility is invisible….just like anger or sadness or joy
  • It’s invisible

 

 

 

We do not see anger….or happiness….or sadness…

 

 

 

We see the results of those things;

• …we see when people lash out at others….or when people smile…or cry

 

 

We see the outcome of those inner feeling;

 

 

In the same way….no one sees humility

• …but what do we see….?

 

 

 

It’s right there in verse 7

 

 

v 7

but [He] made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant

 

 

 

That is the visible outworking of humility; serving others

• …and that’s our first point this morning….

 

 

 

I.  Humility Seeks to Meet the Needs of Others

 

 

Look again at verse 3

 

 

v 3

Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.

Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.

 

Humility serves others….

 

Humility seeks to find needs that others have…..and it seeks to meet those needs

 

 

Humility counts the needs of others as more important than our own needs

• …and it seeks to meet those needs….
  • ….it doesn’t wait to be asked….

 

 

 

Paul says; look……look to the needs of others

• …go out and find the needs of those around you
  • ….go out and find a need in the community that we can meet
    • ….go out and find a need that others have in the church

 

 

…and then go out of your way….to meet that need….

• …that’s what humility does….

 

 

 

Humility measures everything it does;

• NOT by how it will stroke my ego
  • NOT by how it will benefit me
    • NOT by what will I gain…

 

 

 

But humility considers others as more important than  me

• …and puts their needs above mine….

 

 

Humility judges the worthiness of everything it does by whether it serves the good of other people…

 

 

 

Now….someone tell me, what is the opposite of humility?

 

 

…pride….

 

 

Pride does not serve others

 

Pride does not put the needs of others first

 

Pride does not judge the worth of what it does by whether it serves the good of others…..

 

 

…and therefore….when we do not live lives of humble service to others…..

• …we live lives of pride….

 

 

 

IF GOD CAME AMONG US TODAY IN NEW POWER…IN FRESH POWER

• ….and we were truly humble

 

 

 

It would be most visible…..in how we served others….

 

Secondly;

 

II.  Humility Gives Up It’s Rights

 

 

 

v 6

who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped,

but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.

 

 

 

[…]

 

 

 

Jesus Christ had every right to come to this earth in all His glory and splendor

 

He had every right to split the sky

-and sound the trumpets

      -and have the heavenly chorus sing;

                  -Worthy is the Son….to receive your worship

              -Every knee will bow….every tongue will confess

                        -that He is Lord of all creation

 

 

 

 

…would anybody not agree that Jesus Christ had every right to come in that manner?

 

And yet Jesus Christ….our model for humility…laid aside His rights

• …set aside His rightful glory….and made Himself nothing

 

 

 

…taking the form of a servant…coming in the likeness of men…

 

 

The prophet Isaiah wrote of Him;

 

 

Isaiah 53:2

…he had no form or majesty that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him.

 

 

 

Jesus will say of Himself….in Mark’s gospel….we’ll get to this in a few weeks;

• He will say in 10.45; The Son of Man came not…..to_be_served

 

But to serve….

 

 

 

Jesus laid aside His every right….His every privilege….and He submitted unjustly to serving those who should be serving Him…..

 

 

Humility says; I will serve my church…I will serve my community…no matter if they deserve it….no matter if they appreciate it…..

 

Pride says; I’m doing my part…..they need to do theirs….

Humility says; let’s feed our community a free meal one night a week…no strings attached

 

Pride says; We’ll be taken advantage of…..if we fed the community a free meal…then people would come just for the free food…and we’d never see them again

• …and they don’t deserve that….

 

Humility says; Let’s serve the students at Elon College by doing something for them…..by feeding them a meal,

• …or offering to do their laundry during the week of final exams

 

 

…and Pride says; they don’t need a free meal….they drive a nicer car than me

• …their daddy’s probably paying for school…..they don’t deserve that

 

They would be taking advantage of me….you see….

 

 

 

Humility agrees with James when he says;

 

 

James 1:17

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above…

 

 

Everything you have is a gift from God….

 

 

Your money….your talents….your resources…..even your time is a gift from God

 

And if everything that you have comes from God

• …then how can people be taking advantage of you when you give it away in Jesus’ name?

 

 

 

If everything this church has is a gift from God;

• …then how can people be taking advantage of us when we serve them with our resources in the name of Christ?

 

 

Listen…what this church has was given to us by God….in order for us to serve the lost world…

• …not serve ourselves….

 

 

When Jesus fed the 5k…did He ask; now, before you eat, let me make sure you’re not taking advantage of My kindness…

 

 

 

Do you see the connection?.....

• Humility seeks to put the good of others first…
  • Pride worries about the world taking advantage of our kind heart
  • Pride worries about others in the church who don’t work as hard as I do….and take advantage of my time and efforts…

 

You know…Jesus even taught us, that when the world takes advantage of our kindness and love when we reach out to them in His name…

• …He had a word for that….He called it blessed…

 

III. Humility Spreads the Gospel

 

 

In verse 8; Paul says that Jesus has humbled Himself to serve those who should be serving Him

 

 

In verse 9; Paul says that because of that….God has highly exalted Jesus….in order for the result to be…..

 

 

v 10

so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,

and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

 

 

 

Now….make this connection with me….

• ….humility in the name of Christ….Christian humility
  • …spreads the gospel….

 

 

 

Do you see the connection?

 

 

Humility performed in the name of Christ exalts the name of Christ

• …and spreads His gospel….

 

 

Let’s look at one more verse that will help us see what I am getting at;

 

 

Colossians 3:12-13

Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved…humility…and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.

 

 

 

Did you catch what Paul was saying there?

 

 

As God’s chosen ones…

• Put on these things…..primarily humility

 

 

 

And in that humility; if one has a complaint against you….

• Forgive that complaint
  • …as you have been forgiven

 

 

IOW; Our humility is rooted in the gospel…

 

 

Our humility is rooted in the forgiveness and the redemption that we have received

• …that not in a million years DID WE DESERVE…

 

We have received the most precious gift of all…we have received fellowship with God…by means of having that which breaks fellowship…(our sins)…REMOVED…..

 

 

 

And because of that;…..Paul says…..put on humility

 

 

 

IOW; (I will just use this example again, because I think this is a great idea)

 

 

If we (with humility) feed our community a free….no charge…no strings attached meal

• Right here in our fellowship hall
  • ….with our hot dogs and our buns and our potato chips

 

 

 

….and we (with humility) serve them with our hands and serve them with our hearts….

 

 

 

 

…then we are acting out the gospel before their eyes….

 

We are illustrating to them what we have received….

• …which is undeserved grace…undeserved favor…

 

 

If we deserved it…then it’s not the gospel

 

 

 

If we serve our community in ways in which they deserve

• ….then that is not illustrating the gospel to them
  • …that is simply illustrating how everything else works
    • (you get what you pay for…)

 

[…]

 

 

When we humbly serve those who don’t deserve to be served….

• ….we are spreading the gospel

 

 

You say….I just cannot share my faith with other people…

• …can you serve other people a meal?

 

 

Can you mow your neighbor’s grass?

 

Can you take their car and have the oil changed?

 

 

Can you serve you neighbor humbly….in a way that is undeserved?

• That…is illustrating the gospel to them….

 

Does it replace speaking the words of the gospel to them?

• …no….but it at least paints a picture for them

 

 

 

And our last point this morning is a quick one

 

IV.  Humility Sees True Greatness in Serving Others

 

v 8

…he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name,

 

 

 

God made Jesus Christ our example…..

• …when He exalted Christ for being humble….

 

 

 

This is something that Christ had already taught to His disciples…..

• …we’ll be studying this very soon in our study through the gospel of Mark…

 

 

 

But coming up in chapter 10….there’s an episode where James and John ask Jesus

• ….for the honor of being at His right hand and His left hand when He came into His glory….

 

 

And Jesus answered them by saying;

• …the kingdom of heaven is not like that….it is not like how the Gentiles lord over one another

 

 

 

For the kingdom of heaven is different….

 

 

In the kingdom of heaven….If you want to be great…..

• …then you must be the servant of everybody

 

 

….and if you want to be first…..

• …then you must be last

 

 

And then Jesus says these remarkable words….

 

Mark 10:45

For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.

 

 

 

[…]

 

 

I don’t know if you’ve ever gotten over the fact

• ….that our King….came to serve…us

 

 

I don’t know if that little part of the gospel message has ever grown cold….or gotten to be old news to you;

• ….but I don’t think there has ever…in the history of mankind

 

 

I don’t believe a more radical statement has ever been uttered….

 

 

The King of kings….the One who spun the stars into the heavens

• The One who decorated the sky with ribbons of clouds
• The One who told the sea where to stop
  • ….and the One who feeds the animals of the forest

 

…He came to serve you….

 

[…]

 

Why?

 

 

 

 

 

….because….that is true greatness….

 

 

Greatness is not found in prestige…..

• It is not found in power

                        -position

                        -wealth

                        -accomplishments

 

 

True greatness is found in servanthood…..true greatness is found in serving others who don’t deserve to be served…

 

1. 1.   Humility seeks to meet the needs of others

-Humility realizes that everything we have (things, money, possessions, family, time…)

     -they are all a gift from God

              -and so humility seeks to use those for God

 

1. 2.   Humility gives up it’s rights

-Humility follows the model of Christ

     -willingly relinquishes it’s rights

-Humility doesn’t say; I’m not going to help that person….because they sure don’t deserve it

-Humility doesn’t say; I’m doing my part….it’s time for others to do their part

-Humility doesn’t say; If so-and-so would just not be so lazy, they wouldn’t need my help…..

 

Pride says all those things….

Humility freely gives up its rights…even its right to complain…

 

1. 3.   Humility spreads the gospel

-Humility realizes that when we serve others humbly

-we are acting out the message of the gospel

-we are illustrating the undeserved favor that God has so freely given to us…

 

1. 4.   Humility sees true greatness in serving others

 

 

 

IOW; If humility took root here at OBC….we would be an amazingly serving church

 

 

We would be severed from the root that ties us to the chain of constantly thinking;

• ….What does this do for me
• …..what does this do for how people think about me
• ………..so and so is not doing their part….what about them…

 

 

 

Let me close this way;

 

I have shown you from the Scriptures that humility evidences itself in serving others;

• ….that’s how we will act, if we are humble…..we will serve others

 

 

 

I have also shown you, from the Scriptures, that the opposite of humility is pride

 

 

 

Let me just speak this gentle warning….

 

 

 

 

Do not make light of this, this morning….

 

 

Do not think that the things I have shown you in the Scriptures are secondary or optional or less important in any way…..

 

 

…because I would challenge you….

• To search the Scriptures for yourself…..

 

 

And you will find that there is no other sin found in all the pages of Scripture

• …the Bible speaks against so often

-so consistently

-so openly

-so categorically

          …as pride….

 

 

 

The sin of disbelief is the only sin that compares with the sin of pride

• …in terms of how often and how harshly the Bible speaks against it

 

 

I think it could all be summed up in this verse that the Bible repeats twice;

 

 

1 Peter 5:5

….God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.

 

 

 

I plead with you today…..do not be one that is opposed by the Living God

• …do not let our church be found as a church that is opposed by the Living God…

 

 

 

Humble yourself before the Master today….