Christ’s interests

(A servant looks to the interests of Christ rather than his own interests.)

Philippians 2:19-23

19I want to be encouraged by news about you. So I hope the Lord Jesus will soon let me send Timothy to you. 20I don’t have anyone else who cares about you as much as he does. 21The others think only about what interests them and not about what concerns Christ Jesus. 22But you know what kind of person Timothy is. He has worked with me like a son in spreading the good news. 23I hope to send him to you, as soon as I find out what is going to happen to me.

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Timothy was a true servant. He wanted what was good for Christ, not what was good for him. He willingly served with Paul, as a son with his father. He submitted to Paul’s teaching. Paul and Timothy worked together to spread the good news about Jesus.

Paul had confidence that Timothy would honestly minister God’s word in Philippi. Therefore Paul would be cheered by Timothy’s report.

As servants of the Lord Jesus Christ our first concern should be to help God. We have a Master who no longer calls us servant, but friend because He has told us everything that the Father taught Him. Servants don’t know what the master is doing, but friends know the secrets of the Master. When we serve Christ as a child with his Father, we do what Christ wants, not what we want.

Servant, friend, child. Each title reflects what God does for us. As Servant, he shows us the way when we don’t understand. As Friend, He reveals his secrets so we can work for him and he can provide for us. As His child we learn to live in the inheritance we receive as we serve at the Lord’s side.

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In what ways do you see yourself as a servant of Christ?

As friend?

As child?

What are your interests? How can you use these to work for Christ?

Humility

A humble servant obeys Christ

Philippians 2:3-11

Don’t be jealous or proud, but be humble and consider others more important than yourselves. 4Care about them as much as you care about yourselves 5and think the same way that Christ Jesus thought: 6Christ was truly God.

But he did not try to remain equal with God.

7Instead he gave up everything and became a slave,

when he became

like one of us.

8Christ was humble.

He obeyed God

and even died

on a cross.

9Then God gave Christ

the highest place

and honored his name

above all others.

10So at the name of Jesus

everyone will bow down,

those in heaven, on earth,

and under the earth.

11And to the glory

of God the Father

everyone will openly agree,

“Jesus Christ is Lord!”

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We should not assume that we’re right or that our needs are the most important. Instead humbly consider others – think about them as more important than yourself. Focus on what others want. Think like Christ who was fully human even though he was also fully God.

Christ was willing to obey his Father in anything. He had to make a way to the Father. So He humbled Himself before the Father and didn’t think about His own comforts. All He wanted was to please the Father. When things became very difficult, He asked whether there might be another way. But, He trusted the Father and was willing to do what must be done.

~~~

What would it be like if you gave everything to God?

What if you completely surrendered to God’s will?
Do you obey when obedience brings pain?

What does Paul teach us about how to be humble?

Die to self

Die to self (Suffering brings about death of the fleshly nature.)

Philippians 3:10-11

All I want is to know Christ and the power that raised him to life. I want to suffer and die as he did, so that somehow I also may be raised to life.

In the flesh there is no hope. We die and become dust. Paul, in the body, saw the One who rose from the dead. It was Jesus who made it possible for Paul to be lifted from the dead morally and spiritually – even while in the body. His physical body would someday die, but his soul would live on eternally. His soul had been condemned to death, but now there was new life.

Paul’s desire was that he would continually be changed in the spirit into Christ’s likeness. Everyday he died to himself, so he could know Christ. This was the only way he could experience new life.

We have the same human nature that struggles with what what is right. In our mind we are committed to God’s law, but we still sin. Like Paul we must put to death our desires. Daily we must crucify the flesh and live to Christ. It is a daily decision to choose good. Sometimes we’ll successfully do what we’ve chosen, other times we’ll fail. But each failure can teach us to draw closer to God. And with each success another part of our sinful nature dies. The Spirit within us has triumphed once again!

1. What are some things I don’t want to do, but do any way?

2. What are the successes that I’ve had in choosing the good that I should do?

3. What is an example of suffering that resulted in my putting away my own desires and bringing about God’s desire?

4. How does suffering help me to put to death my own desires?