10/04/05 CTP 10:30 Purpose Driven Life 34
How a Real Servant Thinks Philippians 2
:1 Purpose 4 You were shaped for serving
:2 Commitment service
Maybe you recognise this service sheet from our Commitment service last January. (explain) Each year we make our commitments to God and to each other at this service. One of the core values we have agreed upon is
F Serving We will serve others in the name of Jesus.
So this fourth purpose that we have been looking at is of relevance to us. It is about one of the core values of this church.
:3 SHAPE
Last week Pam reminded us again of how God calls us to serve using the SHAPE that he has given to us.
:4 How Real servants ACT
She went on to describe how real servants ACT:
This weeks theme is
:5 How real servants THINK
God has always been concerned with who we are on the inside, rather than who we appear to be on the outside. It is our attitudes, our hearts, our motives, our love for him that God delights in.
Jesus has shown us what a life lived in obedience to God is like… obedience not in a grudging resentful way, saying look at what I’m sacrificing for you God… but obedience simply as an expression of love for God. Do you remember how Paul when he was talking about Love in the letter to the Corinthians said (1 Cor. 13) you can give all your money away, even give your body to the flames, die a martyrs death, but if you don’t do it out of love… then you gain nothing.
Rick Warren says that
:6 “Service starts in your mind”
I think that is what the bible says…,
Paul writes to the Christians in Phillippi:
:7 Your attitude…
Your attitude should be the same that Christ Jesus had. (Phil. 2:5)
The purpose of our time together this morning is to give each one of us an opportunity to examine our attitudes. To be honest before God about our ourselves. This morning think of Five attitudes that we need to ask God to grow in us if we are to follow the example of Jesus.
: 8 ATTITUDE 1 think more about others
That is not normal. We begin life as being completely self-centred. A baby cries for food, all can be aware of is it’s own needs and feelings. A baby cannot think to itself “I wonder how mum is feeling today” Toddlers are well known for being very self-centred as they begin to explore the world around them and make demands on other people. Have you ever had to cope with a toddler’s temper tantrum.
Becoming mature is a process of learning to be aware of the needs of others as well as of our own needs. Becoming mature as a servant following the example of Jesus will mean unlearning some of the childish behaviours that are to be found in the experience of each one of us. Becoming mature as a servant will mean that there are many occasions when recognising our own desires or feelings we have to set them to one side, not because we don’t want to upset other people, not because we are afraid of other people, but simply because we want to LOVE other people.
What is the example of Jesus…
F Though he was God, he did not demand and cling to his rights as God. He made himself nothing;
Have you ever heard the expression.. “he’s full of himself”. We use it to talk about someone who is self- important. Well, Jesus had every right to be full of himself. He lived in perfect relationship of unity and love, through him all things in the universe, things we can see and things we cannot see were brought in to being. all the glory of heaven was his by right.
And he set it all aside. Why.
: 9 the son of man came here not to be served
Well this is how he explained it: “the Son of Man, came here not to be served but to serve others, and to give my life as a ransom for many." Mark 10:45
The example, of Jesus is that he was motivated by a desire not to serve himself, but to meet the needs of others. We need to be the same.
: 10 ATTITUDE 2 Serve for the right reasons.
Rick Warren writes:
F “Unfortunately a lot of our service is often self-serving. We serve to get others to like us, to be admired, or to achieve our own goals… the whole time we’re really thinking about ourselves and how noble and wonderful we are.” (PDL p.266)
It was this sort of attitude that Jesus showed us the dangers of when he talked about “Hypocrites” who lost no opportunity to publicise the good things that they did so that they could receive approval from others.
They’ve already got their reward.. said Jesus. And he could have added “it’s a reward that isn’t worth having.”
Sometimes we can serve with the wrong motives, or with mixed motives. (You know.. I’m doing this for God, I’m doing this because I love Jesus.. but only if other people notice it and say thank you!)
I remember the way a vicar know put it. He said (tongue in cheek) that he didn’t mind being a servant as long as people didn’t treat him like one. Maybe that is a good test of how willing we are to follow the example of Jesus.
F Jesus
I mean Jesus didn’t get a lot of thanks for it did he. Instead of approval and affirmation he received rejection and crucifixion. But He didn’t say, right that’s it I’ve had it with you lot. You are so unappreciative so I’m never going to do anything for you ever again. And if you think I am willing to die fro you then you’ve got another think coming!!!”
Jesus kept on serving… walking in obedience to his father.. even to death.
Do you want to know how much of a servant you are? Well then just ask yourself how you respond when you think that someone has taken you for granted, or when you feel as if someone has not been thankful enough or appreciative enough of what you have done.
: 11 Attitude 3 think like a “steward” not an “owner”
In the time of Jesus a steward of a household might be a servant or slave who is given the responsibility to make good use of the possessions of the head of the household. Jesus told parables about stewards. He told stories about stewards who could be trusted, and stewards who couldn’t. And he clearly intended his followers to understand that they had a responsibility to make good use of everything that God entrusted to them. The aim, the desire, of each and every follower of Jesus should be to hear Jesus saying at the end of our time here
F “Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’
One of the titles that is given to the Pope is “The servant of the servants of God.” My role here is to be a servant… a good steward of all that God has entrusted to me. This congregation, this church, belongs to Jesus... not to me. My time is limited… (that doesn’t mean I am planning to go soon!) Others have served as stewards here before me, and unless Jesus returns before I die, then others will serve as stewards after me. God has called me to pastor this church, this body of Christ, for however long or short a time he gives to me. That’s all.
Now how can we learn to think like a steward and not like an owner?
This whole series is helping us see our life in perspective. We were: planned for God’s pleasure; Formed for his family; Created to become like Christ; Shaped for serving God.
We have been given life for a purpose to learn to live in relationship with God in every part of our life.
: 12 “Everything in heaven…”
One of the prayers that we regularly use in our communion services is at the time of the offering. We say.. Everything in heaven and earth is yours. All things come from you O Lord, and of your won do we give you.
All that we have has been given to us, our life, our time, our talents, our wealth.
Is that what you really believe? And if it is…
How would anyone else know that you believe it?
Do you treat all you have as if it is for your benefit... or for God’s purposes?
: 13 Money
I’ll read something that Rick Warren ahs said about money… Read. P. 267 “To become a real servant….
FFailing to use it for God’s glory is.”
Are you amassing wealth for yourself.. or are you being a faithful steward of what God has entrusted to you in order to fund his purposes, his mission in the world?
: 14 Decisions, crossroads
If you are a young man or woman making decision about your future, your career.. say “God, I thank you for opportunities that you have set before me. Now I have this one life to live here.... guide me so that I choose to go the way that you want me to go, help me to choose to use the years of my life here on earth in the way that you want me to use them.
If you are middle aged… are you planning for your retirement thinking “What am I going to do with it” or are you praying “Lord if you grant me years of life in retirement.. how do you want me to use them?”
Are you planning for a cruise or a caravan, or are you planning for commitment to service?
I can remember years ago when we left our home in Stoke to begin training for ministry. I was in the garden at the front by the side of the fishpond. I was having a conversation with God Said “Lord maybe I’ll come back here when I retire.” And as I said it.. I knew that I also had to say.. but if not.. then O.K.” And now I know that’s not God’s plan for us… the house was sold eight years ago.
If you are already in retirement... be thankful for the years the time that God is giving you now and say “Lord These years are a GIFT from you, how do you want me to use them?”
: 15 You are the STEWARD of your life.
If you are to live as a servant and to have, as the bible says the same attitude that Jesus had, then you need to know that You are a steward of your life.. God is the owner. And I need to know that as well.
: 16 Attitude 4 think about your own work, not about what others do.
Maybe you have heard the story of Martha and Mary. When Jesus came to visit their house, Martha was busy in the kitchen and Mary was sitting beside Jesus, listening to what he said. And then Martha burst in and began complaining because Mary wasn’t helping in the kitchen.
Jesus was obviously happy that Mary was doing what she had been doing, listening to him … as an expression of love for Jesus. I don’t think that Jesus thought that Martha was doing something wrong cooking a meal for him and his disciples. Martha had been given the opportunity to serve and prepare a meal as an expression of love for Jesus, but for a moment she was distracted from serving Jesus by her concern about what someone else was doing.. or not doing. And as she complained and grumbled she stopped being a servant to Jesus. And we can make the same mistake.
We each are called to do what we do for love of Jesus. And others are called to do what they do for love of Jesus. And if you ever find yourself complaining about others, or criticising what they are doing as their service to Jesus… then remember these words of Jesus about another one of his friends who served him:
: 17 Mary
I assure you, wherever the Good News is preached throughout the world, this woman’s deed will be talked about in her memory."
What had this woman done to earn such praise from Jesus? She had been extravagant in her love for him. She anointed him with the most expensive of perfume. And what was the reaction of others… according to Mark’s gospel The disciples were indignant when they saw this. "What a waste of money," they said. 9 "She could have sold it for a fortune and given the money to the poor." Jesus said stop it. What she has done will be remembered wherever the gospel is preached.
Who was right do you think?! Jesus or the disciples.
What ever is done out of LOVE for Jesus is never wasted. It is the attitude of our hearts that Jesus is concerned about. It is our love for him that matters.
: 18 Attitude 5 Servants know their place – like Jesus did. Know your place… it’s sometimes used as a sort of put down. When we think somebody is “getting above themselves” as we say. Servants like Jesus... do know their place. Just like Jesus knew his place:
F Jesus knew that the Father had given him authority over everything and that he had come from God and would return to God.4 So he got up from the table, took off his robe, wrapped a towel around his waist, 5 and poured water into a basin. Then he began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel he had around him. (john 13:3)
: 19 You have to be secure to be a servant.
Jesus knew that he was the beloved son of the father, he knew where he had come from, he knew where he was going. Knowing that he was loved and valued by his heavenly father, he could humble himself and be a servant.
You cannot be a servant like Jesus if you are not secure in the love of God. If you do not know that what gives your life meaning and significance is that fact that you are a child of God a brother or sister of Jesus; that you are of such amazing value that he died to save you so that you could be forgiven and so that he could pour into your heart the treasure of his presence the holy Spirit; if you do not know how valuable you are to him; if you do not find security in knowing that all the riches of heaven are yours -
then you will always be worrying about how other people might judge you.
If you are not secure in God then you will try to find security in the approval of others. And You will feel worthless and inferior whenever it seems to you that you have not received enough approval and affirmation from people. You need to know that God LOVES YOU.. that’s all. And secure in that knowledge you will not be afraid to spend your life for the sake of others… even when they don’t give you their approval or love or acceptance. Only if you are secure in your relationship with God can you ever begin to serve as Jesus served.
: 20 Review
1 Think more about others
2 Serve for the right reasons
3 Think like a steward not an owner
4 Think about your own work
not about what others do
5 Know your place – like Jesus did
And remember…
: 21 love
it’s all about Love