Embracing Humility and Obedience in Holy Week
Summary
Today, we embark on a journey through Holy Week, a time to reflect deeply on the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. We begin with the triumphant entry of Jesus into Jerusalem, where he is hailed as King, yet we know that his path leads to the cross. This week is a profound reminder of the paradox of our faith: the King of Kings crowned with thorns, the Lord of Lords enthroned on a cross. As we walk through this week, we are invited to follow Jesus from his triumphal entry to his suffering and ultimately to the glory of his resurrection.
In Philippians 2, Paul calls us to have the mind of Christ, a daunting task that seems beyond our reach. Yet, we are reassured that what God exhorts us to do, Jesus equips us to accomplish. The mind of Christ is characterized by humility and obedience. Jesus, though fully God, emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, and was obedient to the point of death on a cross. This humility and obedience are not just historical facts but are the path we are called to walk.
Humility requires us to lower ourselves, to serve others without expecting anything in return. It is a daily surrender of our desires and ambitions, allowing the love of Jesus to fill us and be poured out in service to others. This path of humility is evident in the acts of service within our community, as we see people painting homes, sharing meals, and supporting various ministries.
Obedience, on the other hand, is fueled by love. Jesus' love for the Father drove his obedience, even to the point of death. We are called to die to ourselves so that Christ may live in us. This is the irony of the gospel: in Christ, the weak are made strong, the poor become rich, and those who lower themselves are lifted up.
As we reflect on these postures of humility and obedience, we are drawn into a life of worship. Worship is not just about singing songs but offering our entire being in adoration to God. This Holy Week, let us exalt Jesus not only with our lips but with our lives, allowing the name of Jesus to be lifted high in all we do.
Key Takeaways:
- The Paradox of Holy Week: Holy Week invites us to reflect on the paradox of Jesus as both King and sacrificial Lamb. This duality challenges us to embrace the tension between triumph and suffering, recognizing that true victory often comes through sacrifice and humility. [22:34]
- The Mind of Christ: Paul exhorts us to have the mind of Christ, a call to humility and obedience. This is not an impossible task, for what God calls us to do, He equips us to accomplish. The mind of Christ is ours in Him, empowering us to live out His example. [25:04]
- Humility as a Pathway: Jesus' humility, seen in His willingness to empty Himself and serve, is a model for us. True humility involves a daily surrender of our desires, allowing us to serve others selflessly. This path leads to a fuller experience of Christ's life in us. [28:56]
- Obedience Fueled by Love: Jesus' obedience to the Father was driven by love, even to the point of death. Our obedience should similarly be motivated by love, leading us to die to ourselves so that Christ may live in us. This is the transformative power of the gospel. [32:55]
- Worship as a Lifestyle: Worship is more than singing; it is an offering of our entire being to God. As we embrace humility and obedience, we are drawn into a life of worship, exalting Jesus with our lives. This is the invitation of Holy Week and beyond. [36:04]
Youtube Chapters:
- [00:00] - Welcome
- [03:28] - Opening Prayer
- [08:05] - The Way of the Cross
- [12:21] - Example of Humility
- [14:58] - Reading from Philippians
- [20:04] - The Triumphal Entry
- [22:34] - Significance of Holy Week
- [25:04] - The Mind of Christ
- [28:56] - Path of Humility
- [32:55] - Obedience and Love
- [36:04] - Life of Worship
- [41:06] - Confession and Forgiveness
- [46:22] - Invitation to Communion
- [51:04] - Thanksgiving and Praise
- [56:22] - The Gifts of God
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide: Holy Week Reflections
Bible Reading:
- Philippians 2:5-11
- Luke 19:28-40
- Galatians 2:20
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Observation Questions:
1. In Philippians 2:5-11, what are the two forms that Jesus took, and how do they reflect His nature and mission? [28:05]
2. According to the sermon, what significant event does Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem foreshadow? [22:34]
3. How does the sermon describe the relationship between love and obedience in the life of Jesus? [32:07]
4. What examples of humility and service within the community were highlighted in the sermon? [29:44]
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Interpretation Questions:
1. How does the paradox of Jesus being both King and sacrificial Lamb challenge our understanding of leadership and power? [22:34]
2. What does it mean to have the "mind of Christ," and how does this mindset empower believers to live out their faith? [25:04]
3. In what ways does the sermon suggest that humility and obedience lead to a fuller experience of Christ's life in us? [28:56]
4. How does the concept of worship as a lifestyle extend beyond singing and into our daily actions and decisions? [36:04]
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Application Questions:
1. Reflect on a time when you experienced the tension between triumph and suffering in your own life. How did you see God working through that situation? [22:34]
2. The sermon calls us to have the mind of Christ, characterized by humility and obedience. What specific steps can you take this week to cultivate these qualities in your interactions with others? [25:04]
3. Consider the acts of service mentioned in the sermon, such as painting homes and sharing meals. What is one practical way you can serve your community this week without expecting anything in return? [29:44]
4. Jesus' obedience was fueled by love. Identify an area in your life where you struggle with obedience. How can you allow love to motivate your actions in that area? [32:55]
5. Worship is described as offering our entire being to God. What is one area of your life that you have not fully surrendered to God, and how can you begin to offer it to Him this week? [36:04]
6. The sermon mentions the irony of the gospel, where the weak are made strong and the poor become rich. How have you experienced this transformative power in your own life? [33:44]
7. As we approach Easter, how can you intentionally exalt Jesus not only with your words but with your actions and decisions? [36:04]
Devotional
Day 1: Embracing the Paradox of Holy Week
Holy Week presents a profound paradox: Jesus is both the triumphant King and the sacrificial Lamb. This duality invites believers to embrace the tension between triumph and suffering, recognizing that true victory often comes through sacrifice and humility. As Jesus entered Jerusalem, hailed as King, He knew His path led to the cross. This journey is a reminder that the path to glory is often paved with suffering and self-denial. Reflecting on this paradox encourages believers to find strength in weakness and to see the beauty in surrendering to God's will. [22:34]
Isaiah 53:3-5 (ESV): "He was despised and rejected by men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed."
Reflection: In what areas of your life do you need to embrace the paradox of finding strength in weakness and victory in surrender?
Day 2: Cultivating the Mind of Christ
Paul's exhortation to have the mind of Christ is a call to humility and obedience. This mindset is not beyond reach, for God equips believers to accomplish what He calls them to do. The mind of Christ is characterized by a willingness to empty oneself and serve others selflessly. Jesus, though fully God, took the form of a servant and was obedient to the point of death. This example empowers believers to live out His humility and obedience in their daily lives, trusting that God will provide the strength needed to follow His example. [25:04]
Colossians 3:12-14 (ESV): "Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony."
Reflection: How can you intentionally cultivate the mind of Christ in your interactions with others today?
Day 3: Walking the Path of Humility
Jesus' humility is evident in His willingness to empty Himself and serve others. True humility involves a daily surrender of personal desires and ambitions, allowing believers to serve others selflessly. This path leads to a fuller experience of Christ's life within. Acts of service, such as painting homes, sharing meals, and supporting ministries, are tangible expressions of this humility. By following Jesus' example, believers can experience the joy and fulfillment that comes from serving others without expecting anything in return. [28:56]
James 4:10 (ESV): "Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you."
Reflection: What is one specific way you can practice humility and serve someone in your community today?
Day 4: Obedience Driven by Love
Jesus' obedience to the Father was fueled by love, even to the point of death. This love-driven obedience is a model for believers, calling them to die to themselves so that Christ may live in them. The transformative power of the gospel is evident in this call to obedience, where the weak are made strong, and those who lower themselves are lifted up. By allowing love to drive their obedience, believers can experience the fullness of life in Christ and the joy of living in alignment with God's will. [32:55]
1 John 5:3-4 (ESV): "For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome. For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith."
Reflection: What is one area of your life where you struggle with obedience? How can you allow love to motivate your actions in this area?
Day 5: Worship as a Lifestyle
Worship is more than singing; it is an offering of one's entire being to God. As believers embrace humility and obedience, they are drawn into a life of worship, exalting Jesus with their lives. This lifestyle of worship is an invitation to lift the name of Jesus high in all that they do, allowing His love and grace to be evident in their actions and attitudes. By living a life of worship, believers can experience the joy and fulfillment that comes from glorifying God in every aspect of their lives. [36:04]
Romans 12:1 (ESV): "I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship."
Reflection: How can you incorporate worship into your daily routine, beyond singing, to glorify God in all that you do?
Quotes
We greet him as our king though we know his crown was a crown of thorns and his throne a cross. Therefore, I invite you to follow our Lord this holy week from his triumphal entry through his suffering and death to the glory of his resurrection. [00:02:50]
Almighty most dear son went not up to joy but first he suffered pain and entered not into glory before he was crucified. Mercifully grant that we, walking in the way of the cross, may find it none the way of life and peace through Jesus Christ our Lord. [00:07:54]
Have this in mind among yourselves which is yours in Christ Jesus who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped but emptied himself by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. [00:16:07]
Jesus's ultimate desire was to do his father's will, knowing this would soon lead him to the cross. On Palm Sunday, he is held as king, but soon he would be slain as a lamb. Because we know it is coming, we approach this day with mixed emotions. [00:22:49]
The Apostle Paul encouraged the churches to whom he wrote to imitate the life of Christ, and we find a beautiful example of this in Paul's letter to the church in Philippi. Chapter 2 records one of the earliest hymns of the Christian church. [00:24:04]
The power of God works in these weak vessels. So is Paul really exhorting all believers at all times in all places to have the mind of Christ? Could he have forgotten what he recently wrote to the church in Corenth when he called them and he calls us jars of clay? [00:26:01]
The mind of Christ will lead us to a place of humility. In verses six and seven, we read this: though Jesus was in the form of God, he did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but he emptied himself by taking the form of a servant. [00:27:15]
The path of humility calls for a daily surrendering of our desires, our plans, our ambitions, that we might be filled with the love of Jesus and be poured out in service to others. It has encouraged me deeply this week to see the many ways in which this church is serving. [00:29:29]
Jesus had a relentless desire to obey his father. John's gospel says that Jesus loved his father and kept his commands. It's interesting to note that in the scripture, those two words are always tethered together: love and obedience. [00:32:08]
For Christ to live in us, we must die to self. This is one of the many ironies of the gospel. Think about it this morning: in Christ, the weak are made strong; in Christ, the poor become rich; in Christ, those who lower themselves are lifted up. [00:33:56]
These postures of humility and obedience ultimately draw us into a life of worship. This is the invitation that I'd like to extend this Palm Sunday, this Holy Week, and beyond: to worship, to exalt Jesus, as the prayer book says, not only with our lips but also with our lives. [00:35:42]
All praise and glory is yours, O God, our heavenly father, for in your tender mercy you gave your only son, Jesus Christ, to suffer death upon the cross for our redemption. He made thereby his one oblation of himself once offered a full, perfect, and sufficient sacrifice. [00:52:42]
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