Living for Others
I. Servant hood should be a virtue. God established it before the foundation of the world. Our example is our Lord Jesus.
Phil 2:5-11
5 Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:
6 Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, 7 but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.
8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death- even death on a cross!
9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
NIV
Last week we talked about living together in harmony. We used the first 4 verses of this chapter to discuss how we live together in unity, humility and charity. Tonight we pick up where we left off – verse 5.
Our attitude should be the same as Jesus’ – take on the nature of being a servant.
II. Opportunities present themselves to us all the time.
a. The Parable of the Good Samaritan – Luke 10
b. The Priest and the Levite had the same opportunity but chose to ignore it.
c. The Samaritan set aside his own needs until he had met the needs of a brother in need.
III. When you serve others, everyone is blessed
a. Matthew, Mark and Luke tell of a woman that came to Jesus with an alabaster jar of perfume. It is said this much perfume would have cost a years income to purchase. She broke the jar. She didn’t hold anything back.
b. The fragrance of the perfume permeated the entire room. All were affected by it.
c. When you are a servant, sometimes you will get criticized. Sometimes your service is a mirror reflecting the need others ignored.
IV. Our service will be rewarded
a. Parable of the Talents - Matt 25:13-30
13 "Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.
14 "Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his property to them. 15 To one he gave five talents of money, to another two talents, and to another one talent, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. 16 The man who had received the five talents went at once and put his money to work and gained five more. 17 So also, the one with the two talents gained two more. 18 But the man who had received the one talent went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money.
19 "After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. 20 The man who had received the five talents brought the other five. ’Master,’ he said, ’you entrusted me with five talents. See, I have gained five more.’
21 "His master replied, ’Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’
22 "The man with the two talents also came. ’Master,’ he said, ’you entrusted me with two talents; see, I have gained two more.’
23 "His master replied, ’Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’
24 "Then the man who had received the one talent came. ’Master,’ he said, ’I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. 25 So I was afraid and went out and hid your talent in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.’
26 "His master replied, ’You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? 27 Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest.
28 "’Take the talent from him and give it to the one who has the ten talents. 29 For everyone who has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. 30 And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
NIV
Conclusion – Are you living for others? Do you have a servant heart and attitude? Your attitude should be the same as Christ Jesus. Be a servant.
