Made for Humility

[SLIDE 1,2] Introduction

VMV Series

Made for Engagement

Made for Discipleship

Made for Relationship

Made for Courage

MADE FOR HUMILITY

[SLIDE 3] We’re In the Margins

Last week: Jesus brings tension in our lives with compassion through situations, teaching, because without it, we don’t grow.

Can either hold the tension as long as possible - we’ll just wait it out; resist it, or courageously step into it; toward Jesus allowing ourselves to be renewed, changed. It takes courage to do that.

Philippians under tension: pulled on the outside and the inside.

I believe another way God has brought tension to his people is to move us to the margins of society.

London teen hearing the Christmas story for the first time. He asks: “Why did they give the baby a swear word for his name.”

Moving the cookies: Moved out of Christendom - time in history where the church and state were allied with each other. In the US, it means we no longer assume Christianity should have privileged status in culture and politics.

We get upset when hearing about secularism and pluralism taking over but it’s not Christianity it’s overtaking; it’s Christendom.

The Christian story is no longer at the heart of our nation (reasons for another time) but not what we might think.

We’re now the minority

We are not at home in this culture

We are one community among many

We can no longer assume that people who want to find God, cope with a personal crisis will go to church.

Offering a good product isn’t enough.

America will not be reached through Sunday morning services.

New styles/expressions of worship will not reach them.

Most of our current models of church and evangelism are Christendom models. Needs to change.

People will be reached apart from meetings and events.

The church must now influence through witness rather than dictate morality

Maintenance is no longer an option; we’re now on mission as a movement rather than institution.

Foundational Reality:

Do you feel the tension? Life in the margins brings tension to the life of the church.

We’re now the minority

We are not at home in this culture

We are one community among many

The church must now influence through witness rather than dictate morality

Maintenance is no longer an option; we’re now on mission as a movement rather than institution.

[SLIDE 4] Tension in the Margins

What does this mean?

Participation in the Spirit and Experience of Truth

We can no longer assume that people who want to find God, cope with a personal crisis will go to church.

Offering a good product isn’t enough.

America will not be reached through Sunday morning services.

New styles/expressions of worship will not reach them.

Most of our current models of church and evangelism are Christendom models. Needs to change.

People will be reached apart from meetings and events.

The church must now influence through witness rather than dictate morality

Maintenance is no longer an option; we’re now on mission as a movement rather than institution.

[SLIDE 5] Participation in the Spirit and Experience of Truth

Here is what Paul says to a church living in the tension of the margins.

Philippians 2:1–11 ESV

So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfish ambition 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. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, 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, 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.

Encouragement in Christ, Comfort from love, Affection and Sympathy

A calling near, summons for help of the messiah (comforter, counselor).

Comfort From Love

To speak to someone by coming close to his side; always friendly.

Affection and Sympathy

Tender mercy, compassion

Our Purpose

Obedience for the Sake of Others

Same Mind/Unified in Attitude About

Everything we do: humility

What is humility?

Michael Zigarelli

What is Humility?

Michael Zigarelli

4 Surveys for Spiritual Growth

Christian character Obstacles to growth Worldview Love for God

Love for God Survey measures

Rx with God

Opposite of humility is NOT arrogance.

Fearless Faith

Humility

On a scale of 1-10.

My Humility score 6.7. A solid D+!

Want to know what humility is? Look at Jesus.

“He did not regard equality with God as a gain, either as not to be let slip, or as to be utilized.”

Equality with God was not taking for himself but giving everything away for the sake of others.

Equality with God is a matter of voluntary giving

God's true nature is characterized not by selfish grabbing but by an open-handed giving.

Voluntary

Others More Significant Than Us

In Christendom: We are NOT humble.

Natural inclination to view ourselves better than we really are and that perspective plays out in how we think about and treat others including ignoring the interests of others.

Natural inclination to view ourselves better than we really are and that perspective plays out in how we think about and treat others including ignoring the interests of others.

Their interests at least as important than our own - if not more so

When we regard people as Christian:

Try to reach them through church meetings (SS, Sunday services, Easter, evangelistic courses.

We connect with people through traditional Christian rites of passage (marriages, baptisms, funerals) and use them to present the gospel.

Humility is scanning the horizon of our society to discover interests of others and make them our primary target.

- Pleasing neighbor

Empty ourselves for their sake

Put ourselves at the disposal of one another

Put aside our rights, wants, desires,

Don’t insisting on our own way, rights, privileges.

Our lives are not our own.

Jesus sets aside his garments

Emptied himself/poured himself out - Voluntary laid aside his divine nature and rights as God

Became nothing

In serving people, he was serving God. In taking the role of a servant toward others, he was being obedient to the will of God.

The incarnation is both humiliation and mission.

God's true nature is characterized not by selfish grabbing but by an open-handed giving.

Form of a servant: Washes disciples feet

Put himself totally at the disposal of others to enrich them.

Becoming human is an act of humility

will be left without; stripped; cause to lose power; to be desolate; to nullify/come to nothing.

Filling self rather than emptying self - relationships: What are they doing for me rather than what can do for you.

Do you know who I am? Everything about the Kingdom is last will be first, blessed are the disadvantaged, surrender your life...

Christ does not selfishly exploit his divine form but lays it aside to take the form of a servant.

The point, then, is that Christ does not selfishly exploit his divine form but lays it aside to take the form of a servant. The preexistent Lord is the subject. He remains himself, but changes his mode of being (cf. ).

Target the good of our society

-What do we have to overcome to do that? isms.

This is the attitude and character that defined Jesus and God exalts (Jesus) and that made him Lord.

Put ourselves at the disposal of one another

Put aside our rights, wants, desires,

Don’t insisting on our own way, rights, privileges.

Our lives are not our own.

He added to himself that which he did not have before - the form of a servant, the likeness of humans.

- this is the manner of your life that is worthy of the gospel.

In serving people, he was serving God. In taking the role of a servant toward others, he was being obedient to the will of God.

Following Jesus isn't about what we get or have but what we get to give away. - this is the manner of your life that is worthy of the gospel.

Took on our likeness

Becoming human is an act of humility

Do you know who I am? Everything about the Kingdom is last will be first, blessed are the disadvantaged, surrender your life...

Jesus chose to move from the center of power to the margins where we are because humanity was far from God.

Didn’t demand anything for himself as Son of God, King, etc but lays it aside to belong equally with us.

take the form of a servant.

Belonging equally

A copy

Christ’s humanity he came in the same appearance yet distinct in identity.

[SLIDE 6] Responding to The Tension of Living in the Margins to Reveal Christ

Our Identity

1 Peter doesn’t talk about Peter is not saying heaven is our new home. Our home is the new creation which is kept in heaven for us.

We have been born into something: a living hope, new inheritance.

We have become citizens of a new homeland when we experienced new birth.

Peter is not saying heaven is our new home. Our home is the new creation which is kept in heaven for us. Our inheritance is kept for us and us for it.

Being citizens of another kingdom makes us outsiders in any culture.

We are strangers, exiles because of our identity (changed). Like the Jews in diaspora, we are no longer at home in our country of birth.

God’s choice of us is never intended as an indulgence. Its purpose is always mission.

Living in Humility

London teen hearing the Christmas story for the first time. He asks: “Why did they give the baby a swear word for his name.”

You Are More Significant and Your Interests are at Least as Important as Mine

We can’t rely on business as usual. Improving the product/experience of Sunday morning will not bring people to church.

We need to do church and mission in the context of everyday life. Church cannot be thought of as a meeting on Sunday morning but as a community of people who share ordinary life.

Mission is not an event that takes place in a church building but in ordinary life. Mission [discipleship] must be done primarily in the context of ordinary life.

People will be reached apart from meetings and events.

The church must now influence through witness rather than dictate morality

Maintenance is no longer an option; we’re now on mission as a movement rather than institution.

Empty Ourselves of Our Sense of Entitlement

God’s choice of us is never intended as an indulgence. Its purpose is always mission.

Put aside our rights, wants, desires, Put aside our rights, wants, desires,

Put Ourselves at Others’ Disposal

LOVE THE CULTURE

Put ourselves at the disposal of one another

Our lives are not our own.

Treat our host culture with respect, honor those in authority, and seek its prosperity.

Do good in midst of any suffering we might encounter.

We have been born into something: a living hope, new inheritance. We have become citizens of a new homeland when we experienced new birth.

We’re not to be a sectarian ghetto

Respond to hostility with good works (1 Peter, )

Peter is not saying heaven is our new home. Our home is the new creation which is kept in heaven for us. Our inheritance is kept for us and us for it.

Being citizens of another kingdom makes us outsiders here on earth (culture, not location).

This is the attitude and character that defined Jesus and God exalts (Jesus) and that made him Lord.

Like Daniel, we are called to get involved in the world and to bless our cities, but we cannot do so from the perspective that our nation is a Christian nation. This is not our home.

We are strangers, exiles because of our identity (changed). Like the Jews in diaspora, we are no longer at home in our country of birth.

As foreigners, we are to relate with (not withdraw from) an alien culture

Offer a different way of life, values, relationships

Offer a community that is attractive.

Belong Equally With Others While Keeping Our Identity

Find commonality, allow ourselves to enter their lives, world, understand how they think, believe, etc.

As foreigners, we are to related (not withdraw from) an alien culture

Doesn't mean we cease to be like Christ because this makes us more like Christ (our hope)

1 Peter equips us to go back into the world - classrooms, factories, etc like our saviour before us, as the marginal yet world changing.

CHOOSE TO BE DISTINCTIVE

Holy nation, set apart to live under God’s reign and in doing so, make known God and his kingdom to all.

Don’t be concerned about not feeling at home in it.

An attractive community rather than attractive activity

BE DIFFERENT AND ENGAGE

Let love be how we’re known

We want to build relationships with unbelievers not in church buildings where we feel comfortable but on their territory.

Mission Approach

We can’t rely on business as usual. Improving the product/experience of Sunday morning will not bring people to church.

We need to do church and mission in the context of everyday life. Church cannot be thought of as a meeting on Sunday morning but as a community of people who share ordinary life.

Building Relationships

Mission is not an event that takes place in a church building but in ordinary life. Mission [discipleship] must be done primarily in the context of ordinary life.

People will be reached apart from meetings and events.

The church must now influence through witness rather than dictate morality

Maintenance is no longer an option; we’re now on mission as a movement rather than institution.

Sharing the gospel message in new ways

Including people in our community

Target the good of our society

Hope

We have been born into something: a living hope, new inheritance. We have become citizens of a new homeland when we experienced new birth.

We have been born into something: a living hope, new inheritance. We have become citizens of a new homeland when we experienced new birth.

Peter is not saying heaven is our new home. Our home is the new creation which is kept in heaven for us. Our inheritance is kept for us and us for it.

Being citizens of another kingdom makes us outsiders here on earth (culture, not location).

We are strangers, exiles because of our identity (changed). Like the Jews in diaspora, we are no longer at home in our country of birth.

Like Daniel, we are called to get involved in the world and to bless our cities, but we cannot do so from the perspective that our nation is a Christian nation. This is not our home.

As foreigners, we are to related (not withdraw from) an alien cultureTreat our host culture with respect, honor those in authority, and seek its prosperity.Don’t be concerned about not feeling at home in it.Gentleness. Volf: soft difference. Fear for oneself and one’s identity creates hardness. Difference with hardness leads to submit or be rejected. Living the soft difference, mission takes the form of witness and invitation. We seek to win others without pressure or manipulation. This is part of the Christian identity.

Our hope is not a Christian culture so our job is not to usher in a Christian culture.

the truth so that others have the opportunity to confess him as their Lord.

The hope of God is that every intelligent being in the universe will call him Lord.

The hopeful result of this witness/testimony - .

Have the same

Our job is to thrive on the margins. It’s where we point to the coming Kingdom.

Humility: Do good in midst of any suffering we might encounter.

We’re not to be a sectarian ghetto

Rather, respond to hostility with good works (1 Peter, )

Holy nation, set apart to live under God’s reign and in doing so, make known God and his kingdom to all.

An attractive community rather than attractive activity

Live respectfully and participate to the extend our values align with theirs.

let love be how we’re known

We want to build relationships with unbelievers not in church buildings where we feel comfortable but on their territory.

Live respectfully and participate to the extend our values align with theirs.

Building Relationships

Sharing the gospel message in new ways

Including people in community

Target the good of our society

-What do we have to overcome to do that? isms.

Put ourselves at the disposal of one another

Put aside our rights, wants, desires,

Don’t insisting on our own way, rights, privileges.

Our lives are not our own.