Introduction
What does it take to be a success? When Benito Mussolini, the fascist dictator of Italy for over 20 years, was asked that question by a New York journalist, his reply was, “Above all, keep your heart a desert!”
According to Mussolini, having a heart which cared for no one was the key to true success.
He lived up to that cruel description of success during his lifetime. In a sense, he was successful, I suppose. He became the ruler of his country for two decades… until his own people had him shot.
Most of us have had some dreams of greatness at some time in our lives, I would imagine. What does it mean to be truly successful? I think our passage may help us to understand success a bit better.
When we left the scene last week, Paul had been speaking about unity: that our unity in the Holy Spirit should be reflected in unity of mind, unity of heart, and unity of purpose
We Christians like to talk about unity, but we’re not always really good at accomplishing it. Why not? What are the barriers to unity?
Immediately after exhorting the Philippians to unity, Paul brings up some barriers to unity in vss 3 & 4 that we read last week:
“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.”
The first barrier that Paul mentions is Selfish ambition – a desire for our own glory
The primary barrier to Christian unity is just plain selfishness. It’s not really surprising. If I say someone is “only out for themselves”, I’m saying that person has no interest in anybody else’s needs.
Although it has gotten a bad rap at times, ambition is not bad – the Apostle Paul was very ambitious.
What counts are the goals and the motivations of one’s ambition.
You can tell holy ambition from selfish ambition, because “holy ambition… elevates Christ and not the ambitious striver.”
Holy ambition is GOOD!
Being ambitious to advance God’s agenda doesn’t block unity, it promotes it
But if our only ambition is for our own success, our own health & wealth for its own sake, then our ambition is not good, according to Scripture.
Take some time to ask yourself, “What am I ambitious for?”
The next barrier to unity is Pride
Pride is another one of those words that we can mean in a good way or a bad way
If we say someone “takes pride in their work,” it doesn’t mean they’re arrogant, it just means they find joy and purpose in a job well done.
There is nothing wrong with that.
In fact, I believe God wired us to feel that way – that He wants us to feel that way!
When the Bible talks about pride, it refers to those who believe that what they have achieved, has been done apart from any intervention by God.
"Alex Haley, the author of ROOTS, has a picture in his office, showing a turtle sitting on a fence post.
He says, ‘Any time I start thinking, WOW, ISN’T THIS MARVELOUS WHAT I’VE DONE!’ I look at that picture and remember what I learned a long time ago: ’If you see a turtle on a fence post, you know he had some help.’
We may be tempted to look at things we have done and think we’re pretty hot stuff!
But we really can’t claim that we have accomplished anything without God’s gifts.
God has given us the opportunities to grow up in a free country, to go to school. He’s given us our health and our strength… all the things we take for granted.
God has given each one of you gifts, abilities and talents of all kinds.
Failing to believe that is not true humility.
God wants you to discover and use those gifts – that’s why He gave them to you!
And then, when you see the fruit of your work, your use of your gifts, give thanks to Him, knowing that you didn’t get up that fence post, on your own
It’s been said that Pride is the only disease that makes everyone sick but the one who has it.
The certainty that either we are always right – or even that we must appear to be always right – is deadly to Christian unity.
Pride was deadly in the summer of 1986, when two ships collided in the Black Sea off the coast of Russia. Hundreds of passengers died as they were hurled into the icy waters below. The news became even more horrifying when an investigation revealed the cause of the accident. It wasn’t a technology problem -- or even thick fog. The cause was the worst kind of human pride. Each captain knew the other ship was out there. Either one could’ve steered clear, but neither captain wanted to be the first one to give way. They were too proud to yield first. By the time they came to their senses, it was too late.
It’s no wonder Pride was considered to be one of the “7 Deadly Sins.”
(Knowing the deadly effects of selfishness and pride, Paul says: Don’t be motivated by selfish ambition or thinking you’re better than other people. Instead, be like Jesus – observe and imitate His humility.)
Fortunately, the poison of Pride has an antidote
The antidote is found in the example of Jesus.
The process of following Christ is the process of becoming like him.
So where was Jesus in terms of climbing the ladder of success?
If you want to talk about success, there isn’t much higher to go than being God.
That’s pretty much the top of the highest ladder, isn’t it?
Jesus was (and is) truly God.
Before all time began, he was equal to God
He had the nature of God
But, as The New Living Bible says, “Though he was God, he did not demand and cling to his rights as God.”
Instead… of his own free will he gave up all he had.
Some commentators remind us of how this contrasts with the mindset of Adam (& Eve)
Adam & Eve were human by nature but grasped at the fruit in an effort to become like God
Jesus, who was by nature God, and was willing to let go of the power and privilege of that position and become a human being.
And when he became a human being, he took on the role of a servant.
In Mark 10:45, Jesus tells his disciples that he “did not come to be served [which would have been utterly appropriate], but to serve.”
If Jesus had come to earth as Bill Gates or Michael Jordan it would have been one thing, but as a servant?
Jesus taught us what it meant to be humble.
What does it mean to be humble?
Humility has gotten a bad rep in our day – we think of the humble person as one who thinks they are not worth very much, or they are not very talented or smart, etc.
But humble people are just folks who know who they are – strengths and weaknesses.
They know their strengths and gifts come from God – so recognizing their own gifts isn’t being proud.
That means we can look at what we do well and how God uses us, and be thankful.
The most successful intelligent, talented, gifted person in the world is humble if he recognizes that his achievements have come from God’s hand
The simplest, least successful, least gifted or intelligent or talented person is arrogant if he thinks it is only by his own strength he has acquired his daily bread.
One of the Bible’s most moving displays of humility was shown by Jesus, when He washed the disciples’ feet at the Last Supper.
The Gospel of John says this about that night:
3 Jesus knew that the Father had given him authority over everything and that he had come from God and would return to God.
4 So he got up from the table, took off his robe, wrapped a towel around his waist, 5 and poured water into a basin [and he washed their feet]. [John 13]
Jesus didn’t wash their feet because He had low self-esteem.
He knew who He was, He knew He was the ruler of the universe.
And when you know who you are, you don’t have to impress anybody.
Wouldn’t that be a wonderful freedom?
To never worry about what anybody else thinks of us.
Someone has said that “We wouldn’t worry so much about what other people thought of us if we realized how seldom they do.
What is Humility? Humility is not low self-esteem, but knowing who we really are.
It means having a realistic view of ourselves: one that is neither too high (which is pride), nor too low (which is false humility)
It was said Abraham Lincoln was a man of genuine humility. He came to have a quiet confidence in his own judgment as he met the trials of the Civil war. Yet he had no false pride. The war brought out his best qualities as he rose to each new challenge.
A noted newspaper publisher of that time, Horace Greeley said: "He slowly won his way to eminence and fame by doing the work that lay next to him--doing it with all his growing might--doing it as well as he could, and learning by his failure, when failure was encountered, how to do it better."
That is humility – doing the best we can,
Learning from our mistakes – which we can only do if we admit them.
Humility means we are not overly impressed with ourselves
Winston Churchill was once asked, "Doesn’t it thrill you to know that every time you make a speech, the hall is packed to overflowing?"
"It’s quite flattering," replied Sir Winston. "But whenever I feel that way, I always remember that if I was being hanged instead of making a speech, the crowd would be twice as big."
Winston Churchill refused to take his fame or himself too seriously.
Humility also means not being overly distressed with our failures
Our sins, our hurts and our weaknesses are not too big for God to forgive – and heal
You are not the one person who is able to mess up so badly that even God can’t help -- that implies you’re bigger than him
And guess what? You’re not!
Jesus was the ultimate example of humility
He went from the highest place to the lowest
Not by falling, but by choosing to serve, Choosing to come to earth, Choosing to suffer and die.
Jesus did not lose his life, he gave his life.
It is told that in the First World War there was a young French soldier whose arm was so badly wounded that it had to be amputated. The surgeon dreaded having to tell such a young man such bad news. When the man regained consciousness, the surgeon said to him: "I am sorry to tell you that you have lost your arm."
"Sir," said the soldier, "I did not lose it; I gave it -- for France."
Jesus was not helplessly caught up in a mesh of circumstances from which he could not break free.
Apart from any divine power he might have called in, it is quite clear that to the end he could have turned back and saved his life.
In the Gospel of John, Jesus makes this remarkable statement:
John 10:17 "The Father loves me because I lay down my life that I may have it back again. 18 No one can take my life from me. I lay down my life voluntarily. For I have the right to lay it down when I want to and also the power to take it again."
The power to lay down his life!
And he gave it up in the most shameful way a Jew could do – allowing himself to be hung on a tree,
For the OT law had placed a special curse on anyone who was hung on a tree.
Not only was the cross physical agony, but humiliation as well.
You can buy a little plastic cross for less than fifty cents
Too many of us want "Cheap Crosses" that cost us nothing.
But Jesus’ cross of obedience cost His life! He was obedient even to death...even death on the cross.
Does your obedience to Christ cost you anything?
If it doesn’t now, are you willing to pay the price when it does?
Jesus was willing to serve God and obey God when it cost Him everything.
(And what was the result of Jesus’ humble obedience?)
The one who was willing to go to the lowest place was raised up by God to the Highest Place
Just like when Jesus taught his disciples that:
when they are invited to a banquet, they shouldn’t sit at the head table – or they may be embarrassed in front of everyone when their host says, “Um, sorry, but you can’t sit there!”
Instead, he told them to sit at the back table, near the kitchen, so your host will honor you by saying, “Oh, that will never do for you! Come up closer to the action!”
Paul has a habit of making up words when standard language seems inadequate
He does that here,
Saying that God did not just exalt Jesus, He “hyper-exalted” him…
Or as our text says, He raised him to the highest place.
His place of honor is higher than
Any king or ruler
Any Super Bowl superstar
Any movie star
Or computer guru
He came to that place of honor not by clawing his way to the top,
But by opening His hands, releasing his rights and privileges
That he might pay the ultimate price
To offer the ultimate service for those he loved.
And there is a day coming when every knee shall bow and every tongue will proclaim that Jesus Christ is Lord – to the glory of God
Does this mean that eventually everybody will become a Christian and be saved?
I don’t think so
I think it means that in the present, people are able to say, “Well, Jesus was a good guy and all –
But so were all the other religious leaders
It doesn’t matter what path you take, they all lead to God.”
But when Jesus returns in glory and majesty and power, there won’t be any doubt that He is King of kings and Lord of lords.
Those who loved Him in this life will be saying “Jesus is Lord’ with upraised hands and joyful hearts.
Those who have rejected him will say, “Jesus is Lord,” too
But for them, it will not be said our of love and honor,
but in bitterness and defeat
For them, saying “Jesus is Lord,” will be more like saying “uncle!”
Do you remember last week I said that the folks in Philippi because they were citizens of Rome were expected to honor Caesar as Lord?
and the Christians were persecuted when they refused to do so?
Imagine what Paul’s words meant to them.
Paul is saying, “Hey guys, they may be saying Caesar is Lord now, but one day – one day – they will see and even acknowledge what you already know – Jesus Christ is Lord.
It struck me that even when Jesus is in this place of glory and honor, he is humble
Why do I say that?
Because the final phrase of our passage is “to the glory and praise of God.”
That is Christ’s ultimate aim – to give the Father praise and glory.
Even when he is raised up in glory, he displays the heart of a humble servant.
Jesus said that the First would be Last and the Last would be First
He chose the lowest place and was given the highest place.
But we can’t forget that the honor he was given didn’t happen until after He had suffered and died.
Sometimes you may find that if you humble yourself in this world, that you will be raised up in this world
But don’t count on it.
But you can count on God’s faithfulness to you as you humbly seek Him.
Conclusion
We started out this morning by asking what is true success.
We never know who or what is going to be successful until we see the end of the story, the fruit of the life.
Judge for yourself: were either of these lives a success?
Benito Mussolini: Cruel dictator, a partner with Hitler, was killed at the hands of his own people.
Jesus Christ: humble Shepherd, loving teacher, partner with God, but He was also killed at the hands of his own people.
Yet we read that one has been exalted for all eternity at the right hand of God, because of his humility and obedience.
I have a little sign in my office that says, “God always gives His best to those who leave the choice to Him.”
Are you going to spend your life striving for success in this life?
Or are you willing to be a humble, obedient servant of God and let Him reward you as he sees fit?
Are you willing to descend into greatness, as Jesus Himself did?
What is your definition of success?
