December 14, 2025 - A Humble Gift (Philippians 2:1-11 - John Shearhart)

Devotional

Day 1: Let His Grace Motivate Every Reconciliation

You were once distant from God, yet He drew near with encouragement, comfort, and steadfast love. He has stayed with you by His Spirit, forgiving you deeply and consistently. When that grace fills your heart, it becomes the resource you draw from in every conflict. What has been poured into you is meant to pour out of you—unity, patience, and a willingness to seek peace. Start here: remember how He has treated you, and then treat others in the same way [27:03].

Philippians 2:1–2 — If you have received any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from His love, any shared life with the Spirit, any deep compassion, then make joy complete by being united in mind and love, standing together with one heart and purpose.

Reflection: Who is one person you’ve been avoiding because of tension, and what is one small, grace-shaped step (a text, a kind word, an apology) you can take toward them this week?

Day 2: Learning Christ’s Way: Counting Others More Significant

Humility is not thinking less of yourself; it is thinking of yourself less. This shows up most clearly when you choose another’s good over your own preferences. In everyday moments—conversation, scheduling, decision-making—ask, “What serves them best?” This is not natural; it is learned by looking at Jesus and imitating His posture. Let your mindset shift from demanding your way to discovering their needs [30:13].

Philippians 2:3–4 — Don’t act from rivalry or self-importance; instead, with a lowly heart, treat others as carrying greater weight than yourself. Don’t fixate on your own interests; be attentive to the concerns of others, too.

Reflection: In one recurring situation where you tend to push for your way, what is one concrete interest of another person you can prioritize instead this week?

Day 3: Jesus Emptied Himself: The Freedom of Servanthood

Jesus, fully God by nature, refused to clutch His rights and chose the path of pouring Himself out. He took on the form of a servant, stepping into our humanity, and obeyed all the way to the cross. That is the shape of true strength—setting aside status so others can be lifted. When you release your claim to being first, you become free to love and to serve. Ask Him to help you trade grasping for giving, and rights for responsibility [47:26].

Philippians 2:6–8 — Though He possessed the very nature of God, He didn’t treat equality with God as something to seize for His own advantage. Instead, He emptied Himself, taking a servant’s life and becoming truly human; and as a man, He humbled Himself further by obeying to the point of dying on a cross.

Reflection: What “right” are you clinging to in a strained relationship, and what would it look like to lay it down in a specific, practical way this week?

Day 4: Love Covers Offenses and Pursues Peace

Not every offense needs to be confronted; many can be covered by love. Choosing to overlook a slight, to listen longer, or to soften your tone can de-escalate conflict and create space for healing. God is the judge; you are invited to be a peacemaker. This doesn’t deny real harm when it occurs, but it does refuse to keep score in the daily frictions of life. Let love do its quiet, powerful work [53:15].

1 Peter 4:8 — Above everything else, keep loving one another with steady devotion, because love has a way of throwing a blanket over many sins.

Reflection: Identify one small, recurring irritation in your home or workplace; how will you let love cover it the next time it appears?

Day 5: Humility’s Reward: Exalted with Christ in Glory

We fear humility will make us lose, but in God’s kingdom low places lead to lift. Jesus stooped to serve and the Father raised Him high, giving Him the name above every name. One day every knee will bend and every tongue will announce that Jesus is Lord—proof that God keeps His promises to the humble. Your hidden acts of peace-making are not wasted; they align you with His story. Trust the One who sees in secret and exalts in due time [57:39].

Philippians 2:9–11 — Because of His obedience, God raised Him to the highest place and granted Him the name above all names, so that at Jesus’ name every knee will bow—in heaven, on earth, and under the earth—and every tongue will openly declare that Jesus Christ is Lord, bringing glory to God the Father.

Reflection: Where does fear of losing face keep you from taking the first humble step, and what unseen act of reconciliation could you choose today to entrust your reputation to God?

Sermon Summary

We opened Philippians 2 to talk about humility in the very place it’s hardest: conflict. Paul wrote to a church he loved because two faithful women, Euodia and Syntyche, were stuck. I get it—we’ve all waited for the other person to make the first move. But before we were reconciled to each other, God reconciled us to himself. We were hostile in our minds toward him, and yet he pursued us. That grace is not a concept; it’s oxygen for relationships.

I urged us to handle conflict like Jesus by moving in three directions. First, let grace be your motivation. If Christ has encouraged you, comforted you, united himself to you by his Spirit, and shown you affection and mercy, then let what goes in be what comes out. The woman who washed Jesus’ feet loved much because she was forgiven much—grace received becomes grace released.

Second, let his example teach you. Paul calls us to count others more significant than ourselves—not theoretically, but especially with people we struggle to like. Jesus shows how: though he existed in the form (essence) of God, he didn’t clutch his rights. Without ceasing to be God, he changed his schema, took the form of a servant, and obeyed to the point of death. That’s kenosis: he poured himself out. If the One with absolute rights laid them down for enemies, what rights am I clinging to that keep me from peace?

Third, let his reward assure you. We resist humility because we fear loss: reputation, control, vindication. But God has tied humility to exaltation. Therefore, God highly exalted Jesus. The same God opposes the proud and gives grace to the humble. In Christ, our future is secure; nothing truly good is lost by choosing the lower place. Love really does cover a multitude of sins, not by denial but by absorbing the cost the way our Lord did.

I asked us to imagine the transformation if even one spouse chose to overlook the small things, if a church family instinctively served first, or if we pursued peace before being proven right. That starts with you and me. As we moved to the Lord’s Table, we held in our hands the proof: a body given, blood poured out, total forgiveness secured. Remembering him is not nostalgia—it’s formation. His grace fills us, his example leads us, and his reward steadies us as we step toward reconciliation this week.

Key Takeaways

1. Let grace be your motivation Grace is not a feeling; it is fuel. When you remember how Christ has encouraged, comforted, stayed with, and forgiven you, it reorders your instincts in conflict. Instead of demanding repayment, you draw from what you’ve received and make the first move. Grace in becomes grace out. [39:36]
2. Learn humility from Jesus’ descent Jesus did not cease to be God; he laid aside the privileges of his station to serve. That’s the pattern: keep your identity, release your entitlements. Humility isn’t self-erasure; it’s self-donation. Pouring yourself out is the shape love takes. [47:26]
3. Elevate others’ needs above yours Counting others “more significant” doesn’t mean you become insignificant; it means their good becomes your aim. It changes how you speak, what you overlook, and where you sacrifice. The test is not with friends you enjoy but with the person who drains you. That’s where surpassing peace grows. [42:08]
4. Trust God to honor humility We fear losing face if we yield, but God has welded humility to exaltation. He raised Jesus and promises grace to the lowly. In Christ, you never ultimately lose by serving first; you’re aligning with heaven’s economy. Let that assurance quiet pride and free you to pursue peace. [55:33]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[27:03] - Euodia and Syntyche’s conflict
[30:13] - Our natural self-centered bent
[33:44] - Motivated by Christ’s encouragement
[36:38] - Forgiven much, loving much
[39:36] - Let grace drive reconciliation
[42:08] - Counting others more significant
[45:22] - Form vs. schema explained
[47:26] - He emptied Himself (kenosis)
[50:50] - Overlooking offenses in love
[55:33] - Therefore: exaltation through humility
[57:39] - God gives grace to the humble
[62:33] - Communion: remembering His body
[70:49] - The blood that secures forgiveness

Bible Study Guide

Bible reading
- Philippians 2:1-11

Observation questions (read Philippians 2:1-11 first)

What specific motives and realities does Paul list in verses 1–2 that should make unity and reconciliation the natural response of believers? ([33:44])
In verses 3–4 Paul warns against “selfish ambition” and commands counting others more significant. What concrete behaviors or attitudes does he contrast with this command? ([30:13])
How does Paul describe Jesus’ identity and action in verses 6–8 (look at the words translated “form,” “emptied,” and “servant”)? What facts about Jesus’ person and work are Paul pointing the readers to observe? ([45:22])
What connection does Paul make between humility and exaltation in verse 9? What outcome does he say follows Christ’s humility? ([55:33])

Interpretation questions

Paul begins by asking believers to be motivated by “encouragement in Christ” and “participation in the Spirit.” How should those inward experiences reshape a person’s responses in external conflict? ([33:44])
The text says Jesus “did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped” but “emptied himself.” What does changing one’s “schema” (status/prerogatives) without losing identity teach about the limits and aims of humility? ([47:26])
Why might pride make people insist on their “rights” in everyday disputes, and how does the portrayal of Jesus’ obedience to death challenge that instinct? ([50:50])
Paul ties humility to vindication—“therefore God highly exalted him.” How should the promise of God’s vindication inform decisions about reputation, control, and vindication in relationships? ([55:33])

Application questions

Grace is meant to be fuel: when you remember how much you have been forgiven and loved, what is one specific first move you could make this week toward someone with whom you are at odds? (Call, text, bring a meal, offer silence, serve a need.) ([39:36])
Identify one “right” or entitlement you are currently holding on to (a demand to be heard, to have the last word, to be treated a certain way). What would it look like in a concrete, measurable way to “set that aside” for the sake of peace? ([47:26])
Who is the person you find hardest to count as “more significant” (a spouse, coworker, neighbor, church member)? Name one small act of service or one thing you will intentionally overlook this week to practice counting them more significant. ([42:08])
What reputational fear keeps you from yielding in conflict (losing face, seeming weak, being taken advantage of)? How does trusting God to honor humility change your willingness to yield in one particular situation you face now? ([55:33])
Imagine one household routine or church interaction that would change if one person decided to overlook small offenses for the next 30 days. What practical steps could you take this week to start that shift (e.g., a weekly “grace check-in,” choosing not to respond to certain comments, serving first)? ([50:50])
The Lord’s Table is meant to form a people who remember forgiveness. When was the last time you deliberately used the memory of Christ’s cross to fuel forgiveness toward another? What would it look like to practice that remembrance before engaging this person? ([01:10:49])

Discussion tip: Start by sharing one short example (no more than 60 seconds) of a small, recent conflict. Then pick one application question above and pray for courage to try the chosen step this week.

Sermon Clips

if you've experienced this from christ here's the number one thing i want you to know let his grace motivate you and that's man when you think about it like that it's so helpful to me i have been i have had conflict even here you know just little bump ins with people and you got okay let's let's talk about this and figure this out and the ones that go well for me the ones that the thing that really helps me is to be able to stop and go what did jesus do for me how much should i forgive how how patient should i be [00:35:17] (39 seconds) #ForgiveLikeJesus

what i want you to see is kind of like a reservoir or a cup my cup runs over what paul is saying is what goes in should be the same thing that comes out if i have encouraged you and i have lovedyou unconditionally and i have been united and faithful to you and i keep forgiving you make my joy complete and do the same thing don't be divided don't be all split up and don't be fighting and bickering [00:36:22] (32 seconds) #LiveWhatYouReceive

jesus one of my favorite verses he just looks over and he says simon i have something to say to you can you imagine being that guy he's like okay what is it tell me and he says well there was this guy and he had a couple people owed him some debts one guy owed him 500 bucks and the other guy owed him 50 he forgavehim which one do you think loved the most that was the most thankful was the most excited about the forgiveness and he said well the guy with 500 obviously he said that's right [00:38:00] (32 seconds) #ForgivenessCreatesGratitude

i've come in your house and you've shown me no hospitality no love no affection you've done nothing and this woman hascome in here and done this and shown this type of humility toward me and he says she is forgiven forgiven for she loves much you see the connection because she was forgiven of so much because she has had so much poured into her and she sees how much i love her and how much i can forgive her of that comes out right here right now and he who forgives little is forgiven little [00:38:32] (44 seconds) #ForgivenLoveMuch

you look at how you're acting you're acting like you've never been forgiven and maybe you haven't maybe that's the problem challenges their way of thinking when he's talking to his disciples he says that there's going to come a time and it's going to be really tempting for you to take a lot of credit and a lot of glorypeople are going to tell you oh man great job what a great job you're doing here's what i want you to say we're just unworthy servants doing our job we're just unworthy servants we're just doing our job [00:39:17] (29 seconds) #RememberYoureForgiven

what kind of conflict are you in right now how much ofit could be solved if you would just remember how much grace you've been shown and be motivated by thatgod thank you for grace thank you for your grace it's not for nothing it's the motivationthat goes against our natural inclination to just be selfish let his grace motivate you when you handle your conflict like jesus [00:40:02] (30 seconds) #HandleConflictWithGrace

do nothing from selfish ambition or conceitbut in humility count others more significant than yourselves you hear that this is acts chapter i mean philippians chapter 2 verse 3 do nothing from selfish ambition this is a hard verse let do nothing from selfish ambition so that the the greek word there it means like factions so like i'm i'm me i'm over here and i'm me and you're you and you're over there broken up don't do that don't do anything from selfish ambition or from conceit self-centeredness but in humility count others more significant than yourselves [00:40:51] (43 seconds) #CountOthersMore

what did he gain he gained everything because look at the first word look at verse 9verse 8 being found in human form he humbled himself to the point of death on a cross therefore these two things are connected these two concepts are connected humility and exaltation are connected because god is drawn to humility james 4 6 god opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble [00:57:31] (31 seconds) #HumilityExalts

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December 14, 2025 - A Humble Gift (Philippians 2:1-11 - John Shearhart)

Devotional

Day 1: Let His Grace Motivate Every Reconciliation

Day 2: Learning Christ’s Way: Counting Others More Significant

Day 3: Jesus Emptied Himself: The Freedom of Servanthood

Day 4: Love Covers Offenses and Pursues Peace

Day 5: Humility’s Reward: Exalted with Christ in Glory

Sermon Summary

Key Takeaways

Youtube Chapters

Bible Study Guide

Sermon Clips

Chatbot

December 14, 2025 - A Humble Gift (Philippians 2:1-11 - John Shearhart)

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