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

The Challenge of Servanthood

I haven't posted since just prior to Christmas and a lot has gone on in the "between times". Cindy was admitted to Baptist Hospital in Little Rock on January 7 for tests to determine if she was strong enough and well enough for a dangerous thoracic surgery to remove two tumors in her right lung (and at the time, we supposed for removal of an abdominal mass, as well -- that, wisely, was not to be).

When several days of scans and exams were done, her thoracic surgeon -- who specializes in risky cases like Cindy's -- determined that there was no reason not to proceed. Cindy had that surgery on January 10 and was released from the hospital on January 17. She has been at home recuperating since. That is the backdrop of my comments about servanthood.

Having an invalid to take care of provides a lot of learning opportunities that we don't normally get to be involved in otherwise. Until Cindy's congestive heart failure last fall, we cared for her bed-bound-total-care brother, Eddie, for seven years since her mother died in 2000. Eddie provided lots of "learning opportunities" in caring for someone else's needs and not being focused on our own. We also appreciate ones like our friend, Benny Elam who bears that burden day after day looking after his disabled wife.

These situations force us to look at love in a very practical way, as a responsibility, not a feeling. That is how God wants us to think of our love for one another as brothers and sisters in Christ. We have a communal -- covenantal -- responsibility to each other and to our master. We aren't together to feel good.

Read John 13:1-17. The historical setting: In a typical middle-eastern setting, several social courtesies were ordinarily extended to guests. Expressions of hospitality included, the kiss-on-the-cheeks greeting, anointing, caring for the guest's animals, providing food and shelter.

Western culture typically has a completely different list of social amenities, taking a guest's coat, offering something to drink, asking the guest to be seated. In a culture where household servants were in abundant supply, the task of washing a guest's dusty feet normally would have been performed by a servant of the host. This fact is what made Jesus' action so repugnant to the disciples. They were disgusted that Jesus would lower Himself to perform such demeaning labor.

Other observations about John 13 and the "Master Servant":

• Jesus loved them to the MAX (not just to the end)
• He treated Judas just like everyone else, even though Jesus knew he was a betrayer
• We must take positive action to replace self-serving things with others-benefitting things
• Knowing is good, but the blessing only comes in the doing

"I have given you an example that you should do..." We are servants, he is the master. If the master stoops to wash, then the servant is not too important for the same task.