The Action of Servanthood

Paul, our servant and the servant of Jesus (Philippians 1):

• His faithful service has gotten him put under house arrest in Rome waiting for a hearing with Caesar
• He doesn't lament his circumstances and resent that he is tied down
• He recognizes that these circumstances extend the kingdom of Jesus Christ in a place he might never have gotten otherwise
• Paul uses his circumstances to remind the church at Philippi about Jesus the servant

Jesus, our servant and the servant of the Father (Philippians 2:1-16)

The Introduction (2:1-4)

• The way Paul uses "if" in these sentences is the same as saying "we all know there is consolation in Christ, we all know there is comfort of love" -- emphasizing that these are facts they share in common
• Because these things are facts, the ultimate joy then is to be like-minded, to be "like-loving", to not be self-oriented, to not place your own interests above others, to be a "servant" of others in your own mind and to look out for their interests
• Servants by nature of the job had their master's interests ahead of their own
• When the master needed something, the servant couldn't say, "When I feel like it..."
• Question: If we are going to be like-thinking, whose thinking do we standardize on? (Answer: Let this mind be in you that was also in Christ Jesus...)
  

The Example (2:5-11)

• Let Jesus' thinking and attitude be your model
• As God, the maker, the creator, the ruler he didn't consider his position more important than serving and sacrificing for those he loved
• The eternal one took on a human body with all it's limitations
• He made himself "a nobody"
• He humbled himself and obeyed his father's will completely, even to dying on a cross for his creatures
• The father verified Jesus' work by raising him up to rule over all things
• His desire is that all men freely recognize him as Lord, Ruler and Savior

The Response (2:12-13)

• Just as Jesus obeyed in all things and Paul obeyed in all things, you obey in all things
• Work at making your whole life reflect his salvation: Why?
• God is working in you to will and do what pleases him

The Results(2:14-16)

• Complaining is unbecoming for a servant
• We all have a tendency to want everyone to know how much of a sacrifice we are making
• Do your "serving" willingly
• Serving without complaint will set you apart in a world of complainers
• It will make your profession of God's word believable

The Takeaway

• Jesus said that greatness comes through serving, not dominating
• We all have God-given priorities for our service, keep those priorities
  
• It's easy to say we are God's servants, but the proof of the pudding is how we serve in those God-given priorities and circumstances
• Ask God to make serving without complaining the character of your life