Saved People serve 3
Notes
Transcript
God made human beings relational in His image; therefore we will seek to build close, spiritually beneficial relationships in the Adult Bible Class program.
And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart, Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.
Text: Philippians 2:5-11
Ill. We love our comfort zones I always think of a long couch with a fire place and snow coming down outside, a nice thick book and the kids at the sitters. Comfort zones have more to do with the bounds that consists of your personal preferences. You must abandon these preferences to be of any use to God in the lives of others. (chairs limited amount of Good ones)
Trans: Who it is we’re serving.
John Kenneth Galbraith, in his autobiography, A Life in Our Times, illustrates the devotion of Emily Gloria Wilson, his family's housekeeper: It had been a wearying day, and I asked Emily to hold all telephone calls while I had a nap. Shortly thereafter the phone rang. Lyndon Johnson was calling from the White House. "Get me Ken Galbraith. This is Lyndon Johnson." "He is sleeping, Mr. President. He said not to disturb him." "Well, wake him up. I want to talk to him." "No, Mr. President. I work for him, not you. When I called the President back, he could scarcely control his pleasure. "Tell that woman I want her here in the White House."
Houghton Mifflin in Reader's Digest, December, 1981.
The brilliance of this assistant was that she never forgot who she was serving. She didn’t let the opinions of then entire nation diswade her from serving the one who she chose to work for.
Sadly there are many blood bought believers that forget who we serve. It can happen so easily. WE can forget who it is that we are serving. There is a way that we can keep from ever getting confused about this.
Sadly there are many blood bought believers that forget who we serve. It can happen so easily. WE can forget who it is that we are serving. There is a way that we can keep from ever getting confused about who you serve.
I. How does the Servant measure
Christlikeness is not found in the size of the church. Or the wealth of the church. Or the Organization of the church. Its not the beauty of the auditorium. It is the willingness of the congregation to emulate the mind and attitude of Jesus.
Chapter 1:30 - Conflict
Chapter 2:1 - He needs four things
Consolation that comes from Christ
Comfort in those that I Love
Fellowship in the spirit
Mercy from the bowels (seat of emotion)
All of these are compared to one thing that would provide what he needed to keep going. All of these things were on the same level as the one thing that brought him joy. He is saying that all of these four things without this last one would somehow bring him up short.
I. How does the servant?
II. A Christlike Comfort
Arg: A. Strife and vainglory are about self preservation. We fight for our rights. We take on bitterness for the purpose of hurting others.
Jesus was equal with God and had no qualms about receiving due his Godship
He actually had to make or create a role of servanthood for himself. His earthly role was one of otherness.
Exp: When we look for our rights we have abandoned the servant role. However, looking for the least desired position is unlike this world – it is like Christ.
Ill: Like a fish swimming up stream thinking this way will be very difficult and many will not understand.
App: A. In that area of your life find the least desired role or item.
III. Christlikeness focuses on the Glory of Christ.
Exp: A. Christ was exalted because of his humility. His Father having received glory gave Jesus Glory.
B. We automatically we begin to think of wow if we want lifted up this is the way to go.
Ill:
And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.
This verse will support that and yes I honestly believe that this will happen, but the heart behind losing the comfort zone is the Glory of Christ.
App: Ask Christ to get glory from every comfort abandoning effort.
What mind is it that was also in Christ Jesus?
To be Likeminded - Well I’ve been a Christian for so long and what do I have in common with younger Christian. This is not to say that Christians should stop thinking or growing in knowledge it is say that We have a common opinion and this common opinion becomes our bond. We share somethings in common…
Christ is everything to us.
His word is settled final and good
His spirit’s agenda is greater than my own.
I am privileged to serve another in our church.
Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.
Our love is supposed to be centrally focused that is Jesus Christ.
CIT: Christlikeness will always require you humbling yourself. This is the attitude of servant
One Accord - In the Old Testament, the phrase in one accord is always used to describe unanimous participation in a particular action.
That they gathered themselves together, to fight with Joshua and with Israel, with one accord.
Speaking of the conversion of heathen nations,
For then will I turn to the people a pure language,
That they may all call upon the name of the Lord,
To serve him with one consent.
Some have used this word one consent as “shoulder to shoulder”.
More specifically, the words in the original language convey the inner unity (oneness of heart and mind) of a group of people engaged in a similar action. As such, the expression is sometimes rendered “with one mind,” as in
That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
His desire for the church was to be this.
Be Likeminded
Have the Same Love
One Accord
One Mind
CIT: Christlikeness will always require you humbling yourself. This is the attitude of servanthood.