THE GREATEST COMPETITION EVER

THE GREATEST COMPETITION EVER Romans 12:10 and Philippians 2:1-16 October 30, 2011 Given by: Pastor Rich Bersett [Index of Past Messages] Introduction In case you’ve been lost at sea this past week, the St. Louis Cardinals won the World Series! Against all odds, they staged an incredible comeback from the dismal position of 15 games out as recently as one month ago, defeated the Phillies and the Brewers —two awesomely talented teams in two exciting playoff series, and strung the Texas Rangers out to the seventh game and beat them resoundingly before their hometown crowd. The city is awash with pride and unlike their mid-summer trashing of the rebirds’ hitting and fielding, area baseball fans are now celebrating the Cardinals’ eleventh world championship. I, like so many got caught up in the fever. More than once I questioned myself about getting so caught up in the merriment. It was the competition, wasn’t it? The idea of winning had us all mesmerized. I’ve given a good deal of philosophical meditation over the whole idea of competition—how much of it is appropriate and when it gets dangerously idolatrous. I have no sure conclusions about the propriety of competition—at least when it comes to sports. But I was reminded that there is one occasion in the New Testament where competitive behavior is referenced. The Command to Compete Not only is it referenced, but in this verse of scripture, Christians are actually commanded to be competitive—and that with one another! Romans 12:10 reads like this: Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. The Revised Standard version translates it this way: Love one another with brotherly affection; outdo one another in showing honor. The word interpreted as “outdo” is the participle form of the verb “to go ahead or before, to lead”. The idea here is one of competing with one another, not in sports or other games, but in one particular behavior: showing honor to others. Bottom line, the apostle Paul is encouraging the believers to best one another in the art of honoring others. That may seem just a little strange, but think about it. What would it look like if a church full of Christ-followers took him seriously and started striving to be first to serve others, by honoring, serving and edifying them. Imagine Christians beating each other to the punch when someone had a need, each of them trying to get there first to be able to help. But honoring one another is not just about helping each other in times of need; it is much more proactive than that. It’s about anticipating needs in each other’s lives, watching over one another in protection, blessing and encouragement. It’s about being “devoted to one another in brotherly love.” It’s being so involved in one another’s lives that we can help direct one another, inspire one another and even correct one another. In fact, the New Testament is chock full of exhortations on how to treat one another. When Christians are obedient to these matters, the church matures, the kingdom of God is evident among us and we all grow more into the image of Christ. So, the apostle Paul urged that we do our best in selflessly serving each other, even to the point of competing to be the best servant. The Effects of Mutual Selflessness I saw the effect of Christians surrounding one another in love and service this week. In a time of severe challenge in her life the church family has surrounded and supported Jayme T. over the past few weeks and months. With prayer, encouragement and tangible expressions of help, many in the body of Christ here have risen to serve. In the middle of everything else, then, Jayme was stricken with a severe illness and has undergone an emergency surgery. When that happened, guess who was there, giving help, encouraging, visiting and sitting by her side? Not one, not two or three, but half a dozen or more loving fellow-believers. Let me analyze this a little further with you by way of example. I don’t use this example to make anyone feel bad because they were not also there to help—not at all. To have any more church folks would have been too many—although everyone did help in terms of intercession as the need was published on prayernshare. Who was there? Those who know her best—those in her Life Group, and those who have been in small groups with her before. That’s what small group ministry is all about—having a group of friends in Christ who know you, who love you, who can respond to your needs, and whose needs you can respond to when necessary. There is nothing like being a part of a small band of believers who are meaningfully sharing their lives with one another, meeting regularly with one another, praying for each other and being a support for one another. We are called to be devoted to one another in brotherly love, and to honor one another above ourselves. We are called and equipped by the Word and the Spirit to mutual selflessness, making the church stronger. And we are called to do our best in selflessly serving others, almost as if we were competing. By “almost” I mean to modify the idea of competition in Romans 12:10, because Paul is not encouraging us to be combative or strongly assertive as we try to outdo one another in showing honor. That would be counter-productive when we are talking about honoring, serving and edifying one another. What happened to you? Well I was trying to be the best servant and this other servant tripped me so he could get there first, and… The real goal, of course, is not to “win,” but to help others win. The aim of our selfless ministry is to honor, serve and edify, not ourselves, but others. This idea ought to rev us up: the idea of living our lives in such a way that everything we do puts others first and ourselves second. In the Philippians 2 passage we read earlier that kind of attitude is called the attitude, or the “mind” of Christ, and we are to have that attitude in us. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. There are noticeable effects resulting from this kind of mutual ministry. 1.  The love of Christ is manifest in the church This is the very thing Jesus commanded His followers adamantly to do: love one another. And when this love is manifest in the church it brings Christ glory. 2. The members of the church are supported and encouraged Christ followers are called to carry God’s love beyond the church doors, loving and serving others in the name of Christ. If they are to do that effectively in a world often hostile to the faith, they will need support and encouragement. Acts 2, 4 3. Others then are drawn to the church when they witness that kind of supportive community By this will all men know that you are my disciples, if you love one another. (John 13:35) Jesus made it plain that when believers do good works others will notice and give praise to God. 4. Those who show honor are themselves blessed There is only one thing more gratifying than being the recipient of genuine love, and that is giving that love to others. 5. The church honors the Lord Jesus and is given even greater opportunities When we are obedient to God in the small things, it is like a test. When it is passed we graduate to greater works for Him. Jesus said in the parable: Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. How Mutual Selflessness gives shape to ministry Consider with me for a moment what “selflessness” means. Timothy Keller, pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York, writes: Pastors often hear, "I work my fingers to the bone in this church, and what thanks do I get?" Is that the way it is? Your service was for thanks? Are you in your right mind? Servanthood begins where gratitude and applause ends. To be selfless is to take on ourselves the attitude of Christ, who, even though He was God, voluntarily divested Himself of His divine privileges and humbly, scandalously demoted Himself to becoming a human—like those He had created. Further, He submitted to cruel and undeserved punishment on behalf of those He came to save. Ultimately, then, He died for us. Now He asks each of us, will you die to yourself and serve me by selflessly serving others in My Name? For the Christian selfless service means Christ-centered service. The tricky thing about serving others is the nature of the motives. Several years ago, Richard Foster, in his book Celebration of Discipline, put together a comparison list of qualities of service when service is self-focused and Christ-focused. Measure your clarity of motive against his conclusions: • Self-centered service is concerned with impressive gains. It enjoys serving when the service is titanic or growing in that direction. Christ-centered service doesn’t distinguish between small and large. It indiscriminately welcomes all opportunities to serve. • Self-centered service requires external reward, appreciation, and applause. Christ-centered service rests content in hiddenness. The divine nod of approval is sufficient. • Self-centered service is highly concerned about results. It becomes disillusioned when results fall below expectations. Christ-centered service is free of the need to calculate results; it delights only in service. • Self-centered service is affected by feelings. Christ-centered service ministers simply and faithfully because there is a need. The service disciplines the feelings. • Self-centered service insists on meeting the need; it demands the opportunity to help. Christ-centered service listens with tenderness and patience. It can serve by waiting in silence. How does the church go about sponsoring itself as a group of selfless servants? How does it look? Who organizes it? Should the church establish a committee to oversee “the ministry of selfless service”? Should we put a deacon in charge of “honoring others” and another to chair the “brotherly love” council? NO! This is the calling of every believer, each believer. You and I are each called by Christ personally into selfless service in His name. Please understand, it is not our responsibility to organize this thing and make it a program, make it a policy. This is our calling, our mandate from Jesus as people who have said to Him, I am so grateful that in your love and grace you saved me that I want to be available for the rest of my life to serve you as Lord—to do your bidding. And since you modeled selfless servanthood, and since you called me to selfless service, I commit to it. The trouble with organizing this mutual ministry into a program or a policy is that, as soon as you do so, suddenly a few people are responsible and the rest of us exhale and say, Well, I’m so glad someone is taking care of that obligation. Then, not only am I tempted to shirk that ministry personally, but I begin to think, They are doing that, so I no longer need to be involved. And in that moment I have lost sight of my calling. It’s not a program, it’s not a segmented part of the church’s mission, it’s not to be relegated to a committee, it’s not a denominational policy to which a few members are assigned. It’s our calling. It is the essence of who we are. We are not allowed to ignore it, and it is most inappropriate for us to disobey it. We are called into the church of the Living Christ. He calls us to each and every one selflessly serve the others in our circles of influence. It is not a church administrative responsibility. It’s up to you, and to me, individually, to do what God gave us to do. Yet, there is this corporate dimension to it. Because the very nature of mutual ministry demands the participation of all of us. How can I “love one another” when I’m all by myself? We must conceive of the church as the collective entity it is, and ourselves as vital, contributing parts of the whole. So, this selfless service I am called into, when I obediently engage it, actually is the ministry of the church. It seems so simple! Do you mean that when I give up my rights in order to serve others, that is the ministry of the church? Yes! It is just like last week’s teaching on making genuine friends and being genuine friends. When I do that, out of reverence and love for Christ, I am “doing church.” When I engage in forming genuine friendships and in serving others selflessly, I am making the church stronger, I am growing the kingdom of God, and I am becoming more like Christ. And that’s Gold-Medal winning faith! So, don’t wait for someone else to start being selfless. Jump out in front and outdo others in serving selflessly. Ironically, strive to be the best, most selfless servant of others. Genuine Friendship and Mutual Selflessness These give shape to ministry, but are not programs, policies or denominational requirements Question: What kind of church will we be?     [ Back to Top]