Scripture References: Philippians 2:1-16; John 1:1-3, 14; Mark 10:45; John 13:1-17; Ephesians 5:26
Intro: Good morning. This month, we're following Jesus into service. Today, we behold Jesus as the ultimate servant. The goal isn't just more information, but that the absurd profundity of the eternal God taking the form of a servant would pierce our hearts, changing how we live and serve Him and others. Let's look at Philippians 2.
Key Points:
- The Mind of Christ (Phil 2:1-5): Paul calls for unity, love, and humility, urging us to count others more significant than ourselves, looking out for their interests. This mindset mirrors Christ's.
- Who Jesus Is (Phil 2:6; John 1:1-3, 14): Before becoming a servant, Jesus existed eternally in perfect unity and equality with God ("in the form of God"). He is God, the Creator of all things. His stepping into humanity (the Incarnation) was itself an unbelievable act of condescension and love – a miracle far greater than any human equivalent we could imagine. Serving and giving are intrinsic to God's Trinitarian nature.
- Jesus Became Nothing (Phil 2:7-8):
- Downward Mobility: He didn't grasp His divine rights but "made himself nothing," taking the nature of a servant/slave (Greek: doulos). Instead of upward mobility (the world's goal), He chose downward mobility – getting poorer, dirtier, serving more.
- Ultimate Service (Mark 10:45): He came not to be served, but to serve and give His life.
- The Towel and Basin (John 13:1-17): On His last night, knowing His divine authority, Jesus demonstrated the "full extent of His love" by stripping down, wrapping a towel (slave's attire), and washing His disciples' dirty feet – even Judas'. This shocking act exemplified His servant nature.
- Obedience unto Death: He humbled Himself further, becoming obedient even to death on a cross – the most shameful death reserved for criminals.
- God's Response & Ours (Phil 2:9-16):
- Exaltation: Because of His humility, God highly exalted Jesus, giving Him the name above all names, before whom every knee will bow.
- Our Response: Therefore, we work out our salvation with reverence, recognizing God works in us. We are to do everything without grumbling, shining as lights by holding fast to the Word, proving our faith through action.
- Implications of Jesus' Example:
- Service Starts with Receiving: Like the disciples needing their feet washed (John 13:8), our service must begin with receiving Jesus' cleansing salvation. We can't serve rightly until He washes us.
- Daily Cleansing Needed: Service gets us dirty. We need daily washing by His Word (Eph 5:26) to stay clean and connected. Keep your feet in the basin!
- Served to Serve: We were cleansed to be lights, served to serve others, loved to love. Faith without works is dead (James 2). We serve to put Him on display.
- Serve All: Jesus washed Judas' feet. We're called to serve even those difficult or undeserving.
- Serve in Meekness: Jesus served in meekness (power restrained), not weakness. Serving like Him is a position of strength, because as we decrease, He increases.
Conclusion: Jesus, the eternal God, humbled Himself to the lowest place – becoming a servant, even dying a slave's death – out of love for us. He gave us the ultimate example. We respond not by trying harder in our own strength, but by first receiving His cleansing grace, daily abiding in His Word, and then allowing His servant h
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