Serve Together
Philippians 2:1-13
Sunday, October 11, 2020
Beargrass Christian Church
- INTRODUCTION.
- We continue to head down the home stretch to my retirement.
- It happens to happen on Halloween, October 31, All Saints Eve.
- So, I already know what I will be wearing for my costume.
- I will be dressed up as a pastor heading out to pasture.
- And I mentioned last week that I already have my mask.
- It is this one—and it happens to have the Beargrass logo on it.
- Some faithful church folks helped us with the order, but a question came up when we were discussing the color and cost.
- Should we spend more to have the church’s name on them?
- We decided to go for it and add the Beargrass logo.
- But strange things happen when I wear the mask beyond the walls.
- As soon as I put on the mask—my perspective changes.
- I become an ambassador—for Beargrass—like it or not.
- If I wear the mask—or a Beargrass T-shirt out and about—folks just might associate what I say and do with our church.
- Some have asked about my most embarrassing moments since I have been here and a lot of them occurred in the heat of battle.
- There is a rumor that I am a wee bit (very) competitive, so I regret the times when I behaved badly with the shirt on.
- You know it is bad when someone asks during a softball game or volleyball match: “Isn’t that their pastor?”
- It is even worse when one of our own members asks the question…
- So, there is a great challenge and responsibility that comes with wearing items with the Beargrass logo on them.
- Perhaps you have had similar experiences?
- Some of you wear jewelry or lapel pins or get tattoos or bumper stickers in the shape of a cross or fish or other symbols of faith.
- People pay attention when we have identified ourselves as ambassadors or representatives for Christianity.
- Some of you have used these kinds of things effectively to begin conversations with others about your faith.
- Putting on the mask or wearing a shirt or other symbols can remind us also to put on the mind of Christ.
- WE ARE FLIPPIN’ THROUGH PHILIPPIANS.
- Last week we heard Paul encourage the folks at Philippi—and us.
- “Stand firm in one spirit—strive side by side with one mind.”
- “Live your lives in a manner worthy of the Gospel!”
- We hear a similar message in the 2nd chapter of the letter.
- He proclaims: “Be of the same mind. Have the same love.”
- “Be in full accord—do nothing from selfishness or conceit.”
- “But in humility regard others as better than yourselves.”
- “Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus!”
- Again, it sounds like Paul is pleading for Christ-clones.
- We are to be like-minded with Jesus—perhaps twins of Jesus?
- So, what could that look like for us…spiritually speaking?
- We have sets of twins at Beargrass—and a terrific trio of triplets.
- There is a general interest about relationships between twins and triplets and “multiples.”
- Years ago, researchers studied over 400 pairs of twins who were separated at birth and raised apart from each other.
- The study went on for decades and the results were amazing!
- Twins, brought up in quite different circumstances, were still extraordinarily similar in many ways.
- One of the most remarkable stories was about a pair who were separated at birth and brought together at age 40.
- During those 40 years, both took law enforcement training.
- Both enjoyed blueprinting, drafting, and carpentry as hobbies.
- They had first wives named, Linda, and second wives, Betty.
- Each named his first son James and had a dog named “Toy.”
- They had similar IQs, EEGs, EKGs, and handwriting.
- When they met, they said “It was like looking in a mirror.”
- Isn’t that remarkable—raised apart but still almost identical?
- And not only in looks—but in their behaviors and attitudes.
- That says a lot about the power of our gene pool in determining our physical characteristics and the ways we think and feel.
- Now imagine that you are a twin of Jesus raised around 2,000 years apart—and that you have similar spiritual characteristics.
- Isn’t that what Paul asks for—to be “like-minded” with Christ?
- He says, “Let the same mind be in you that was in Jesus.”
- It sounds not only impossible—but rather presumptuous!
- But Paul urges us to strive for this ideal—to be “twins” of Jesus.
- So, in practical terms, what could that look like?
- PAUL TALKS A LOT ABOUT HUMILITY IN THIS LETTER.
- And I realize that humility is such a loaded word.
- We need to think about this from a faith perspective.
- Being humble does not mean letting people walk all over you.
- Being humble does not mean that you are a chronic pessimist.
- And being really humble does not mean that you start boasting about how humble you are—like Paul seems to do in chapter 3!
- And yet, some of us live like Eeyore, the droopy donkey.
- Many of our children and grandchildren know him well—our grandboys are getting to know him.
- Eeyore is known for saying uplifting lines like these:
- “You wouldn’t want me for a friend, would you?”
- “Good morning…if it is a good morning.”
- “Don’t count on it—the outcome looks sort of gloomy.”
- Sounds like some of the political ads we’ve been hearing lately.
- Now Eeyore is a nice enough donkey dude.
- Some days we might even identify with him.
- But do we want our children to take on the mind of Eeyore?
- Being humble is not being helpless or hopeless or spiritless.
- Paul says, “In humility consider others better than yourselves.”
- “Look to your own interests—and the interests of others.”
- In other words, love your neighbor as you love yourself.
- That attitude can be hard to find sometimes.
- There are many people who only look out for number one.
- Some of these are leaders in our community and country.
- Some of them are church people and religious folks.
- Some are leaders in the business world.
- A respected consultant shared this story at a company gathering.
- He told about an excited 5‑year‑old girl who, with her mother, had sewn a costume for a children’s Halloween party.
- He said, “At the party they were having so much fun.”
- “They were having such a good time—until an adult got involved.”
- “She suggested that a prize be given for the best costume.”
- “One child was excited—the rest of the children were crushed.”
- He asked: “Why does somebody always have to win?”
- A CEO said: “My joy comes from the love of the game.”
- “I have overcome some significant obstacles and handicaps and contended with some bitter opposition from my competitors.”
- “But I’ve beaten them all—and I came out on top.”
- Some of us have no problem with that—it’s the “American way.”
- But the ways of America are not always the way of Jesus.
- We have seen examples in the midst of the pandemic.
- COVID is an equal opportunity infector and no respecter of people—even those with power, position, and prestige.
- We have had over 36 million cases and a million deaths.
- So many people on the planet are grieving—and yet we hear some people gloating in the midst of the grief and losses.
- Are you a winner because, by the grace of God, recovered from COVID?
- Humility involves concern for others and their well-being.
- To have the mind of Christ is to have a spirit of humility.
- And if we have a spirit of humility, we will gain something else.
- WE WILL DEVELOP A SPIRIT OF SERVICE.
- Paul proclaims, “Let the same mind be in you that was in Jesus, who took the form of a servant—being born in human likeness.”
- Now, this doesn’t sound like a win/win situation for Jesus.
- This is more like a lose/win arrangement.
- Jesus deliberately lost himself because of his obedience to God.
- He lost himself because of his deep love for God and us.
- Friends, sometimes we have to lose our minds!
- We have to lose our minds—and take on the mind of Jesus.
- What if we take on his mind in our treatment of all people?
- What if we take on his mind to make things just and right?
- What if we take on his mind when we use our resources?
- What if we take on his mind when we go to the voting booth?
- There are times when we have to lose our minds.
- Someone had a great line about all of this.
- “Jesus went ahead of us—he didn’t go instead of us.”
- And so, we look for ways to follow and serve…together.
- Pray—pray for those who are receiving care and giving it.
- Share—it may be as simple as giving a gift or as challenging as going on a mission trip or helping the hopeless.
- Let us hang on to our faith—we are in this together—nobody can do everything, but everybody can do something.
- People with a spirit of service are God’s chosen people.
- They have a spirit of humility and a spirit of service.
- AND THEY REMEMBER WHO THEY ARE.
- Power comes for those with the courage to live a life of service.
- They become filled with the Spirit of the Living God!
- They remember what Paul told the Philippians.
- “It is God who is at work in you! You are children of God in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation!”
- And here is a line in verse 15 that you can hang your heart on.
- Paul says: “You shine like stars in the world!”
- God sent Jesus to become a humble servant among us.
- This same Jesus calls us brother, sister, friend, beloved.
- We get to live with a spirit of humility and service—together!
- Yesterday I led a funeral—one of hundreds during my ministry.
- The woman never made the headlines.
- She served behind the scenes—she was steady and faithful.
- A small group gathered to celebrate and give thanks for her life.
- She, like so many others before her, was loved.
- And here is another serendipitously graceful part of her story and today’s message.
- Her first name is “Estella”…which means “star.”
- One said: “She was the most Christ-like person I ever knew.”
- What a blessing it is hear that at the end of our earthly journey!
- And what a joy it is to have someone say to us…even now…
- “In your loving, in your giving, as we serve together…”
- “You look a lot like Jesus….”
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