Embracing Humility: The Call to Servanthood

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The one I'm speaking of is in Matthew 23. It's that whole concept, that idea of the least becoming the greatest, the last becoming the first. Verse 11 says, "But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant. And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased, and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted." [00:03:41]

Philippians chapter 2, especially like verses six and seven, would be a pretty prime example of the completeness of that thought in Jesus' own life. I know he was speaking to us in these terms, but it was not just some empty talk without anything to back it. It was completely backed with a surrendered life, sacrificial servanthood. [00:04:28]

Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus. [00:05:12]

Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. And it sounds like that thought gets expressed a lot when we read through the gospels. When John, when he was teaching the disciples, he said that he'll go to his Father, and then he made this phrase like his Father is greater than him. [00:06:07]

He humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. And then it doesn't stop there and leave us without the end of it. It says, "Wherefore God also has exalted him, highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name." [00:07:24]

In Second Corinthians 8:9, it says, "For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for our sakes he became poor, that you through his poverty might become rich." And those are not new verses, right? We've all read them. [00:09:10]

Matthew chapter 20 verse 28 says, "Even as the Son of Man came not to be ministered to, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many." Hebrews chapter 2 verse 17-18 says, "Wherefore in all things it behooved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful high priest." [00:11:38]

I think God does that with us sometimes, where if we take the word in our and exercise ourselves in the word and we exercise ourselves in good servanthood and sacrificial things, I think God can have those breakthroughs with us where relationships are restored and relationships are built up between us and him. [00:10:09]

I will rejoice if I lose my life pouring it out like a liquid offering to God, just like your faithful service is an offering to God. That's the phrase that I liked, how our faithful service, like our self-denial and our not looking every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. [00:14:16]

The story of Arlen Williams, who sacrificed his life to save others during a plane crash, serves as a modern-day example of this Christ-like servanthood. It prompts us to consider whether we would do the same in a moment of crisis. More importantly, it challenges us to live out this sacrificial love in the everyday moments of life. [00:15:04]

When is it acceptable to make the necessary sacrifice so that someone else may live? It seems like a topic that a lot of people have a very big problem with. Is the discussion of food, and when is it acceptable to deny yourself, and what is it not? What is God willing to allow? [00:19:36]

The only motivation that we need would be Second Corinthians 5. The love of Christ constrains us. The motivation that Jesus loved us and died for us, that seems to be the highest motivation we can have to serve one another. You know, we don't do it out of our own righteousness, but the fact that he loved us and died for us. [00:22:00]

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