|
DATE |
CHURCH |
SUBJECT |
PREACHER |
BIBLE
REF. |
|
28.09.08 |
All Saints Church |
Following Christ |
Tony Higton |
Philippians 2:1-13 |
|
Are you a follower of Christ? Many of us
would want to answer: “Yes!” But are we? It may be true that
we believe and trust in him. It may be true that we are
enormously grateful for his sacrificial love for us. But do we
really follow him?
He is a Saviour to embrace but he is also an
example to follow. Paul writes: “In your relationships with one
another, have the same attitude of mind Christ Jesus had: Who,
being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God
something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made
himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being
made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a human
being, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even
death on a cross! (verses 5-8).
True Christlikeness means releasing a hold on
one’s status for any personal kudos or benefit. It means taking
a lowly position, having a servant heart and being ready to
sacrifice for the welfare of others. This means we must:
Accept others
Paul says: “Therefore if you have any
encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from
his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness
and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded,
having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind”
(verses 1-2). We are to have an attitude of love and to aim for
unity in diversity.
Firstly, we must, above all, love God. This
means doing everything to his praise and glory. Our prime
concern about our worship must not be how we or others feel
about it, but how God feels about it. Is it an acceptable
offering to him, a sweet-smelling incense rising before him.
Our fellowship must be acceptable to God, the
unseen witness and listener to every conversation. Our daily
lives too must be a worthy offering to the high and lofty one
who inhabits eternity.
Secondly, we must love our neighbour. This
includes our fellow churchmembers and those on fringe of church,
whatever their different tastes and opinions. It includes those
outside the congregations, young people, children. It includes
people from different cultures or from different British
subcultures.
Also we must:
Honour others
Paul exhorts us: “Do nothing out of selfish
ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above
yourselves” (verse 3).
The modern insistence on “doing my own thing”
is not for the follower of Christ. Neither is the popular
quotation: “I did it my way.” The follower of Christ does
nothing out of selfish ambition or self-importance. He values
others above himself.
This is not encouraging an inferiority
complex. We are all equal before God. What is called for is a
decision, on the basis of our equality, to honour others as if
they were more important. This involves giving them time,
treating them with respect and making sacrifices to benefit
them.
Then we must
Serve others
Paul’s standard is: “not looking to your own
interests but each of you to the interests of the others” (verse
4). So life is not just about my likes and dislikes, my ideas,
my preferences. It is about recognising the likes and dislikes,
ideas, preferences of other people and discovering how to put
them first in a way which is consistent with obeying God.
All of this is, of course, difficult. Human
selfishness is a powerful influence. But God is here to enable
us, as we make the effort. Paul conveys an important truth:
“continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling,
for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to
fulfil his good purpose” (verses 12-13).
So we have to make the effort to do what is
difficult, or even well-nigh impossible but we also have to
recognise that God is working in us by his Spirit enabling us to
do the difficult and well-nigh impossible things. At the moment
we make the decision to do what is difficult, or even well-nigh
impossible, God meets us with his grace to enable us to do it.
If we don’t make that decision (that effort) we shall not
experience the enabling grace.
Conclusion
Do you accept others in church, whoever they
are, however different, e.g. newcomers, teens, children, people
who have not attended previously or are very irregular?
Do you honour others above yourself, giving
them time and respect, making sacrifices for them?
Do you serve others: discovering and relating
to their preferences, ideas and dislikes?
“Continue to work out your salvation with fear
and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act
in order to fulfil his good purpose” (verses 12-13). |
