The Form of a Servant

It was so good to have so many visitors in the service yesterday! I am always encouraged when we gather together to worship God through song, prayer, and the hearing God’s Word. It was also nice to see so many stay afterwards for fellowship together. The more we face difficulties, the more important it is for us to use the time given us to build one another up. I recognize there are many demands on our time, but the time we spend together as a body of believers is crucial for us.

Next week we will be looking together at a very important Scripture: Philippians 2. The words are familiar to us:“5 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:

6 Who, being in very nature God,

did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;

7 rather, he made himself nothing

by taking the very nature of a servant,

being made in human likeness.

8 And being found in appearance as a man,

he humbled himself

by becoming obedient to death—

even death on a cross! (Philippians 2:5-8, NIV)

When we read these verses we think of the importance of Christ’s sacrifice for us and what it has meant, but don’t miss the first line: “In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus.” What does it mean for us to put aside the advantages that we could cling to and instead make ourselves nothing and taking the form of a servant? What does it look like in our relationship with our spouse? What about other family members? What does it look like in regard to our neighbors? What about our fellow church members?

This is an important passage because of what it teaches us about Jesus, but it is also an important passage because of the call it places on our life.

Continue to think about those around you to whom you could reach out. How can you minister to them?

God bless, Brian

Scripture readings for next Sunday

Philippians 2—What do you think it means to have the same mindset as Jesus Christ?

Psalm 131—What attitude is the psalmist calling God’s people to adopt in this psalm?

Mark 8:34-38—What does it look like to put this teaching into practice in your life?

James 3:13-18—Why does Scripture warn us against “selfish ambition”?