The Basics Of Service

Pastor Philip Miller: It's entirely counter-cultural these days that each esteem another better than himself. That's the heart of a servant, the kind of heart we're all to have as believers. Paul wrote those words from a Roman jail cell. His message, true greatness means becoming a servant of all. Today, another chapter in The Basics of the Christian Life.
Pastor Philip Miller: From Chicago, welcome to The Moody Church Hour with Pastor Philip Miller. Stay with us for a time of worship and teaching as we continue a series on Back to the Basics.
Pastor Philip Miller: From the second chapter of Philippians, we'll find out all about the basics of service.
Pastor Philip Miller: Here now is Pastor Philip and worship leader Tim Stafford.
Pastor Philip Miller: Good morning, everyone, and welcome to The Moody Church. We're so glad you've joined us today.
Pastor Philip Miller: You know, this world, we've got all kinds of people we think are great, but the greatest person of all is Jesus Christ, and he came to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many, and he created the pattern of true greatness, humility through service.
Pastor Philip Miller: Today, we're talking about what that means for us, the basics of service in our lives, and we need the Lord to be our teacher.
Pastor Philip Miller: So, would you bow your heads and pray with me as we begin? Let's pray.
Pastor Philip Miller: Heavenly Father, we ask for you to come today and correct our hearts. Point us in the right direction. In this world, we get stuck on ego and and trying to be great, but you teach us the way of humility and service where true greatness lies. Help us to follow Jesus.
Pastor Philip Miller: as a servant today. We pray this in his matchless name. Amen.
Guest (Male): You're the Word of God, the Father, from before the world began. Every star and every planet has been fashioned by your hand.
Guest (Male): All creation holds together by the power of your voice. Let the skies declare your glory. Let the land rejoice.
Guest (Male): You're the author of all creation. You're the Lord of every man and your cry of offering across the land.
Guest (Male): And you left the gates of angels, came to seek and save the lost. And you exchanged the joy of heaven for the anguish of the cross.
Guest (Male): With a prayer you fed the hungry. With a word you calmed the sea. Yet how silently you suffered that the guilty may go free.
Guest (Male): You're the author of all creation. You're the Lord of every man and your cry of offering across the land.
Guest (Male): You're the author of all creation. You're the Lord of every man and your cry of offering across the land.
Guest (Male): You will shout, you won victorious, resting victory from the grave and ascending into heaven, being captive in your train.
Guest (Male): Now you stand before the Father, interceding for your own. From each tribe and tongue and nation, you are leading sinners home.
Guest (Male): You're the author of all creation. You're the Lord of every man and your cry of offering across the land.
Guest (Male): You're the author of all creation. You're the Lord of every man and your cry of offering across the land.
Worship Leader Tim Stafford: Lord, it's you we're here to seek. You're the one we're most excited to meet today.
Worship Leader Tim Stafford: We pray that as your spirit works, we would find ourselves changed.
Worship Leader Tim Stafford: We pray too that you would teach us what humility means through the example of Christ.
Worship Leader Tim Stafford: How could we be proud if Christ humbled himself so much?
Worship Leader Tim Stafford: We pray in Jesus name. Amen.
Worship Leader Tim Stafford: This is God's word to you.
Worship Leader Tim Stafford: So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind.
Guest (Female): Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.
Guest (Female): Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.
Guest (Female): Have this 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.
Guest (Female): But he emptied himself by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.
Guest (Female): And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.
Guest (Female): Therefore, God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus, every knee should bow in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father.
Guest (Male): We will glorify the King of kings. We will glorify the Lamb.
Guest (Male): We will glorify the Lord of lords who is the great I Am.
Guest (Male): Lord, Jehovah, in majesty, we will bow before his throne.
Guest (Male): We will worship him in righteousness. We will worship him alone.
Guest (Male): He is Lord of heaven, Lord of earth. He is Lord of all who live.
Guest (Male): He is Lord of all the universe. All praise to him we give.
Guest (Male): Hallelujah to the King of kings. Hallelujah to the Lamb. Hallelujah to the Lord of lords who is the great I Am.
Guest (Male): Hallelujah to the King of kings. Hallelujah to the Lamb. Hallelujah to the Lord of lords who is the great I Am.
Guest (Male): He who was before there was life, walked across the pages of time. He who made every living thing.
Guest (Male): Behold him.
Guest (Male): He who heard humanity's cry, left his throne to work as a child. He became like the least of us.
Guest (Male): Behold him.
Guest (Male): Jesus, Son of God, Messiah, the Lamb, the Risen Lion. Oh, behold him.
Guest (Male): He who died with sinners and saints, healed the blind, the lost and the lame. Even now he is in our midst.
Guest (Male): Behold him.
Guest (Male): He who chose a driven up man, paid with blood to settle my debt. Buried there as he rose to life.
Guest (Male): Behold him. Jesus, Son of God, Messiah, the Lamb, the Risen Lion. Oh, behold him.
Guest (Male): Behold him. Jesus, Alpha and Omega, our God, our Risen Savior. Oh, behold him.
Guest (Male): Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty. Worthy, worthy, worthy to receive all praise.
Guest (Male): Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty. Worthy, worthy, worthy to receive all praise.
Guest (Male): Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty. Worthy, worthy, worthy to receive all praise.
Guest (Male): Jesus, Son of God, Messiah, the Lamb, the Risen Lion. Oh, behold him.
Guest (Male): Jesus, Alpha and Omega, our God, our Risen Savior. Oh, behold him.
Pastor Philip Miller: The other day, I had lunch with a brand new acquaintance, and he asked me one of those questions that could have come straight out of one of those icebreaker books, you know the ones I'm talking about, like 101 great conversation openers, you know, that sort of thing.
Pastor Philip Miller: He asked me this question. He said, "Who is the greatest person you've had the privilege of knowing?"
Pastor Philip Miller: And I thought, "Well, that's a dumb question." Not really.
Pastor Philip Miller: But I did think, I thought, "This is actually a good question."
Pastor Philip Miller: At first, I started to think about celebrities. Almost instinctively, that's what came to my mind. Famous people, people with big egos and big press and big money.
Pastor Philip Miller: And then I realized I had two problems. One, I don't really know any famous people. And secondly, that's glamour, not greatness.
Pastor Philip Miller: The question was, who's the greatest person you've had the privilege of knowing?
Pastor Philip Miller: And he didn't ask what is the most glamorous person. And I realized there's a difference.
Pastor Philip Miller: Glamour impresses from a distance. Greatness makes impact up close.
Pastor Philip Miller: Glamour is all about the outside. Greatness is on the inside.
Pastor Philip Miller: Glamour draws attention to itself. Greatness focuses attention on others, doesn't it?
Pastor Philip Miller: So after a while and pause and thinking, I, I finally answered, "I think my grandpa Miller."
Pastor Philip Miller: He passed away earlier this year and went to be with Jesus. But he was the very best encourager I have ever met.
Pastor Philip Miller: He believed in his kids and his grandkids. He was good and kind and faithful and selfless and loving and generous.
Pastor Philip Miller: And friends, that's true greatness, isn't it?
Pastor Philip Miller: Isn't that amazing? All the marketers tell us life is about glamour, don't they?
Pastor Philip Miller: Amazing careers, big houses, fun cars, fashionable recreation, looking young forever, right?
Pastor Philip Miller: Instagram worthy vacations, early retirement, thick hair and white teeth. Yeah?
Pastor Philip Miller: But all of a sudden at a funeral, we see through all that, don't we?
Pastor Philip Miller: We remember what's true.
Pastor Philip Miller: We don't talk about glamour. We talk about greatness at a funeral.
Pastor Philip Miller: We talk about friendship and tenderness and selflessness and sacrifice and generosity and care and faithfulness and love.
Pastor Philip Miller: And all of those things spring from a common well, and that's humility.
Pastor Philip Miller: Humility. Humble people are great people.
Pastor Philip Miller: Humble people put other people first.
Pastor Philip Miller: Humble people admit when they're wrong.
Pastor Philip Miller: Humble people ask for forgiveness.
Pastor Philip Miller: Humble people show genuine interest in others. They show empathy and genuine love.
Pastor Philip Miller: They encourage and invest in other people. They give of themselves freely. They're generous and selfless and sacrificial and servant-hearted. That's what humility is.
Pastor Philip Miller: That's what greatness looks like.
Pastor Philip Miller: And here's what's amazing to me. This very greatness that we admire in other people is the very same greatness that God intends to work in your life and mine.
Pastor Philip Miller: By the power of his Holy Spirit, as he conforms us to the image of Christ, he is calling us to share in his eternal glory and our to our greatest joy forever.
Pastor Philip Miller: Friends, God intends to make you and me into people of true greatness, servant-hearted people, humble like Jesus himself.
Pastor Philip Miller: And that kind of true greatness is what we're going to talk about today.
Pastor Philip Miller: Grab your Bibles. We're going to be in Philippians 2:1-18. We're going to see four insights this morning about true greatness. We're going to see the priority of true greatness, the model of true greatness, the secret of true greatness, and the beauty of true greatness. The priority, model, secret, and beauty of true greatness, all right?
Pastor Philip Miller: Let's jump in, but first, let's pray and seek the Lord's face together. Father,
Pastor Philip Miller: We want to be great. Not as the world defines it, but as you define it. We want to be great like Jesus.
Pastor Philip Miller: Help us to learn what this looks like and what it requires of us.
Pastor Philip Miller: Be our teacher. Empower us to change and become new today.
Pastor Philip Miller: We pray this in Jesus name. Amen. Amen.
Pastor Philip Miller: So first, the priority of true greatness. The priority of true greatness.
Pastor Philip Miller: Chapter 2, verse 1 here the book of Philippians.
Pastor Philip Miller: So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind.
Pastor Philip Miller: Let's pause there for a moment. There are four ifs here, four conditions. Let's see if they apply to us, okay?
Pastor Philip Miller: First, if there's any encouragement in Christ. So, as Christ has reached down to you, friends, in his saving love, as he has enfolded you into his forever family, have you experienced encouragement? If you have, say, "Yes."
Pastor Philip Miller: Okay. If there's any comfort from his love. Have you, have you, friends, have you felt the comfort of the love of God? Say, "Yes."
Pastor Philip Miller: If there's any participation in the spirit, has the spirit, friends, has he drawn you in faith to Christ? As he is in you and with you and empowering you for participation in his spiritual family, have you participated in the spirit, friends? Say, "Yes."
Pastor Philip Miller: If there's any affection or sympathy. Have you experienced the affection and sympathy of Christ in your life? Do you know his affection, his love for you? Do you, do you feel his sympathy and compassion for you in your weakness? If you have, say, "Yes."
Pastor Philip Miller: Okay. So, this is for us.
Pastor Philip Miller: Paul says, "Then complete my joy."
Pastor Philip Miller: How would we do that, Paul?
Pastor Philip Miller: Three things. By being of the same mind.
Pastor Philip Miller: I want you to think as one. I want you to be one, united together, moving in the same direction, having the same mind, having the same love, number two.
Pastor Philip Miller: That you would love one another with the love that Christ has loved you first.
Pastor Philip Miller: And three, being in full accord and of one mind.
Pastor Philip Miller: So there's a rational, be of the same mind. There's a heart, have the same love. And there's an embodied action, be of full accord and of one mind, moving together in one purpose, bound together in one unity and spirit. Together, united as one.
Pastor Philip Miller: Mutually working together.
Pastor Philip Miller: This is what John 17:21 records Jesus praying for us, the church. He says, "I pray that they all may be one, just as you, Father, are in me and I am in you, that they may be in us."
Pastor Philip Miller: So what Paul is saying here is, if you are united with Christ, if that's true of you, then I want you to live in unity with those who are in Christ.
Pastor Philip Miller: It is not just enough to, to be united with Christ. That unity will flow down through us into the body, into the family of God, bringing unity among us as brothers and sisters.
Pastor Philip Miller: Now, now how would we do that?
Pastor Philip Miller: Verse three.
Pastor Philip Miller: Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.
Pastor Philip Miller: Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.
Pastor Philip Miller: He says, "I don't want you doing anything from selfish ambition."
Pastor Philip Miller: Or conceit.
Pastor Philip Miller: No private agendas, no showing off, no ego.
Pastor Philip Miller: But in contrast, in humility, count others more significant than yourselves.
Pastor Philip Miller: Put them first. Prioritize others. Put their needs ahead of your own.
Pastor Philip Miller: Let each of you look not just to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.
Pastor Philip Miller: Don't just look out for yourself, to make sure your needs are getting met. Look out for others, make sure they get what they need.
Pastor Philip Miller: See Paul's unpacking what he meant when he said back in chapter 1, verse 27, when he says, "Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Jesus Christ." Remember that?
Pastor Philip Miller: He's showing us what that looks like. You want a life that is worthy of the gospel, it looks like, like this. Live in unity with one another. Be humble and selfless. And don't just think about your stuff, but think about those around you.
Pastor Philip Miller: Because friends, God desires a united family filled with humble love.
Pastor Philip Miller: God desires a united family filled with humble love.
Pastor Philip Miller: Friends, can you imagine how wonderful it would be, church, if we would live like this every day of our lives?
Pastor Philip Miller: I don't know about you, but I long for this kind of mutual, loving, selfless, humble, others-focused community.
Pastor Philip Miller: It would be a little taste of heaven, wouldn't it? Because it's a glimpse of the heart of heaven, a glimpse of Jesus himself, isn't it?
Pastor Philip Miller: Because he's the model of true greatness.
Pastor Philip Miller: That's where Paul goes next, the model of true greatness, verse 5. "Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus."
Pastor Philip Miller: So he says, "Have one mind. What is the one mind?" The mind of Christ.
Pastor Philip Miller: Verse six, "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. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross."
Pastor Philip Miller: Here, friends, is the ultimate example of what Paul is calling us to. He says, "Here's your model. It's Christ himself. I want you to follow him."
Pastor Philip Miller: "Imitate him." Because, friends, the way of Jesus is not just a set of beliefs that we adhere to, it is a lifestyle that we follow.
Pastor Philip Miller: Paul says, "I want you to imitate Christ."
Pastor Philip Miller: Even though he was in the form of God, sharing in all of his glory and power and majesty and rights and privileges from all eternity past, he didn't count equality with God, something to be held on to, grasped tightly, but no, he relinquished his rights, his his privileges. He took on the form of a servant. He was born in the likeness of humanity. He became one of us, mortal, frail, human forever.
Pastor Philip Miller: And being found in human form, he humbled himself even further by becoming obedient to the point of death. And not just any death, but death on a cross, the most shameful death known at the time.
Pastor Philip Miller: And Paul says, "Look at Jesus." By rights, he didn't have to do any of this, but he set his rights aside in humility and selfless service to rescue us and lay down his life in our place and for our sake, to bear all of our sin and shame and to make us right with God.
Pastor Philip Miller: It's the only reason we're here. It's because he didn't hold on to what was rightfully his. He laid it down to serve you and me.
Pastor Philip Miller: Listen, friends, Jesus did nothing out of selfish ambition or conceit.
Pastor Philip Miller: In humility, he considered us more significant than himself, and he looked to the interests of others. You see this?
Pastor Philip Miller: He gave himself away for you and me.
Pastor Philip Miller: Therefore, verse 9. On the basis of this humble, service, selfless, radical, self-giving love. Therefore, God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus, every knee should bow in heaven and on earth and under the earth.
Pastor Philip Miller: And every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father. Amen.
Pastor Philip Miller: And isn't this remarkable?
Pastor Philip Miller: Friends, Jesus gave up his glory. He gave up his name. He gave up his honor. He gave up his rights. He humbled himself to serve and offer himself as a sacrifice for us. And the Father, listen, the Father gave it all back and then some.
Pastor Philip Miller: He highly exalted him, bestowed the name above every name, cosmic confession of his Lordship, redounding to the glory of the Father. And how did Jesus come into all of this glory?
Pastor Philip Miller: How did he do it?
Pastor Philip Miller: Through servant-hearted humility and others-first sacrificial love.
Pastor Philip Miller: Friends, Jesus' path to glory ran through the cross.
Pastor Philip Miller: And Paul says, "Look to Jesus. Follow Jesus. Imitate Jesus."
Pastor Philip Miller: It's not just Paul who says this. Jesus calls each of us through the cross to glory. Jesus calls each of us through the cross to glory.
Pastor Philip Miller: Remember John chapter 12, verses 24-26. Jesus says, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone. But if it dies, it bears much fruit. Whoever loves his life will lose it. And whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life."
Pastor Philip Miller: "If anyone serves me, he must follow me. And where I am, there will my servant also be. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him."
Pastor Philip Miller: He says, "You want to be honored by my Father? You want to secure your life forever? You want to be truly great in the kingdom of God? Then take up your cross and follow me. Lay your life down and you will find it."
Pastor Philip Miller: "Give yourself away and you will find your true self. In humility, become the servant of all, and you will be great in the kingdom of heaven. Die to your selfishness. Die to your pride. Die to your insistence on having your own way."
Pastor Philip Miller: "Die to having your own rights upheld. Die to having your preferences met. There is so much in me that needs to die for the beautiful life of Christ to come to life in me."
Pastor Philip Miller: There's so much that needs to die. Because I've got a problem. You know what it is? I'm selfish.
Pastor Philip Miller: I instinctively think of myself first. By default, I look to my own needs. By nature, my focus is on me.
Pastor Philip Miller: And you're thinking, maybe you're sitting here and you're thinking, "Boy, I'm so glad my friend or my spouse is here to hear this message. They really need to hear this." Well, it's you too. You know that, right?
Pastor Philip Miller: If you don't believe me, I'll prove it to you.
Pastor Philip Miller: Let's say you're in a group photo or something like that, and they snap the picture and it's a whole bunch of you, and the photographer brings the phone over and says, "Hey, check this, is it a good picture?" Who do you look at first? You look at yourself, don't you?
Pastor Philip Miller: And what, what makes it a good picture? If you look good. Was I sucking in? Was I looking all right? Was my chin up, right? This is we automatically look to ourselves first. And friends, there's so much that needs to die in us for the life of Christ to be resurrected into our existence.
Pastor Philip Miller: Jesus calls us to follow him through the cross to glory, to lay down our lives for others, just as he laid down his life for us. That's where true greatness is born.
Pastor Philip Miller: Now, how do we do that? How can we selfishly oriented beings learn to die to ourselves? If it was easy, we would have already done it.
Pastor Philip Miller: What's the secret? How do we become people of humility and selfless love like Christ?
Pastor Philip Miller: Well, the secret of true greatness comes next.
Pastor Philip Miller: The secret of true greatness.
Pastor Philip Miller: Look at verse 12. "Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence, but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling."
Pastor Philip Miller: "For it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure." See, the only reason you're able to work out your own salvation is because God is working in you in the first place, you see?
Pastor Philip Miller: Without him, there's no willing and there's no working, right? It is God who works in you, both to will, desire, resolve, appetite, longing to be better and holy, and it is he who empowers the work of your doing. You work out your salvation, but he works in you the work you work out.
Pastor Philip Miller: Is this starting to make any sense? This salvation that God has planted in you, friends, by grace, through faith in Christ, is coming alive in you, and it will bear fruit through you. And he says, "I want you to work it out." You're responsible for bearing the fruit of Christ in your life. It's going to take work. It's going to take effort, striving. Do it with fear and trembling. Why? Because God is on the inside, dwelling in you by his Holy Spirit, working in you that which is pleasing in his sight.
Pastor Philip Miller: So every desire for humility, every longing for a self-sacrificing life, every, every moment you want to be more others-focused in your love is a moment from the spirit of God himself. It is coming in you. The desires are being birthed in you, and it is his power that is now working through you.
Pastor Philip Miller: In every doing, in every faltering, attempted obedience, it is from him. We work out what he is working in. Do you see the paradox? The tension? It is both your doing and God's doing at once.
Pastor Philip Miller: This is why Paul says in Galatians 2:20, "I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me." You say, "Wait a minute, Paul. Which one is it? I've been crucified and I no longer live or the life I still live? Which one is it, Paul?" "Yes."
Pastor Philip Miller: "Yes." I have died and yet I live. It is my life and yet it is Christ, you see? It is at once. He is working in us what we then work out. Colossians 1:29. Again, Paul. He says, "For this I toil, struggling with all his energy which he powerfully works within me."
Pastor Philip Miller: For this I toil. That's an effort word, right? Struggling, straining with all his energy. There is output here. Paul says, "Which he is powerfully working within me." It's his energy. It's his life. It is coursing through me as I yield to him. Or as Jesus says in John 15, verse 5, "I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit for apart from me, you can do nothing."
Pastor Philip Miller: So, friends, the key to transformation lies in obedient surrender. The key to transformation lies in obedient surrender.
Pastor Philip Miller: We obey. That's our part. But not in self-effort. In active dependency and surrender to the Holy Spirit who is working in us and through us. And we surrender, but not passively. We surrender to the leading and desires of the Spirit. We yield to his direction and we put it in gear.
Pastor Philip Miller: In the words of Galatians 5:25, "We keep in step with the spirit."
Pastor Philip Miller: We don't lag behind, we don't run ahead, hand in hand, step by step, we move when he moves, and not a moment before and not a moment after. We put our feet in front of each other, but the spirit leads.
Pastor Philip Miller: Keep in step with the spirit.
Pastor Philip Miller: And he says, "Slowly but surely, you will walk into the true greatness of the life of Christ himself, which will become your own."
Pastor Philip Miller: Is that not a beautiful thought? Now let's look at the beauty of true greatness. The beauty of true greatness.
Pastor Philip Miller: Verse 14. "Do all things without grumbling or disputing, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world."
Pastor Philip Miller: "Holding fast to the word of life, so that in the day of Christ, I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain. Even if I'm being poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrificial offering of your faith, I am glad. And rejoice with all of you. Likewise, you should be glad and rejoice with me."
Pastor Philip Miller: He says, "If we are to become truly great like Jesus, full of servant-hearted humility and others-first sacrificial love, we're not going to be grumbling, or complaining, or griping. We're not going to be disputing, or arguing, or fighting. What would it look like instead?"
Pastor Philip Miller: Blamelessness, innocence, unblemished children of God. That's who you are. You would bear the family resemblance of our Father. And Jesus Christ, his son, our brother. And the Holy Spirit, whose life is now our own. And we would shine. Shine as lights, as stars in the universe, in this crooked and twisted generation.
Pastor Philip Miller: A light of hope to a lost and dying world, holding fast, not to our own rights, but holding fast to the word of life to the very end. Paul says, "I want to see you faithful, enduring, holy, in every way righteous, but for the throne of God in glory."
Pastor Philip Miller: That's what my whole life is about. Paul says, "I'm laboring and running this race. This is why I'm in the game. I want to see your faithfulness to the very end. And that would be my great joy. Even if this is my last act and my life is being poured out and this is my final few days on earth, if that's true, I'd rejoice because this was worth every moment to see you become glorious like Jesus Christ. And that's my joy and I want you to mingle that your joy with mine."
Pastor Philip Miller: And all of this comes down to whether you will
Pastor Philip Miller: say yes to the way of Jesus. Whether you will step, you and I, whether we will step into this call to true greatness, to become like Christ. Will we give up our rights and privileges? Will we humble ourselves? Will we become a servant? Will we sacrifice? Will we give of ourselves? Will we put others first?
Pastor Philip Miller: Only then, friends, will we have unity and humble love in the family of God. Only then will we be revealed as the blameless children of God that we are. Only then will we shine like stars, like lights in a crooked and twisted generation. Only then will we hold fast to the very end, to the glory that Christ is calling us to.
Pastor Philip Miller: Friends, becoming truly great like Jesus means going against the flow. Becoming truly great like Jesus means going against the flow. Friends, we're not going to learn sacrificial self-giving others-focused love from this twisted and crooked generation, right? We're not going to learn that from ourselves. We're not going to learn how to in love lay down our rights and privileges from our cable news stations. We're not going to learn how to become sacrificial servants of all from our political leaders. We're not going to learn how to look out for the interests of others from our social media channels.
Pastor Philip Miller: No, if we're going to become truly great like Jesus, it's going to mean going against the flow. I was, I was talking this week with a bunch of Chicagoland pastors all throughout Chicago here. And much of our conversation centered around how disheartening it has been over the past year, watching the world infect our churches. It is so angry out there. It is so bitter, so divisive, so toxic, over every imaginable issue, race, politics, you name it. It is so toxic out there, and we were lamenting how instead of shining like light in a crooked and twisted generation.
Pastor Philip Miller: Our churches have been so often infected by the prevailing culture around us, instead of shining with sacrificial, self-giving, humble, others-focused love. We have so often been grumbling and disputing like everyone else. And friends, may I plead with you, for the sake of Christ.
Pastor Philip Miller: If there is any encouragement in Christ. If there is any comfort from his love. If there is any participation in the spirit. Any affection and sympathy. Complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or conceit. But in humility count others more significant than yourself. Let each of you look not only to your own interests, but the interests of others. Do all things without grumbling or disputing.
Pastor Philip Miller: That you may be blameless and innocent, children of God, without blemish in the midst of this crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast to the word of life. So that on the day of Christ, I may be proud that I did not run, run in vain or labor in vain.
Pastor Philip Miller: DL Moody once said, "I know of nothing that speaks louder for Christ and Christianity than to see a man or woman giving up what they call their rights for others and in honor preferring one another."
Pastor Philip Miller: So here's the takeaway.
Pastor Philip Miller: True greatness means becoming a servant of all.
Pastor Philip Miller: True greatness means becoming a servant of all. Remember what Jesus said, "Whoever would be great among you must be your servant."
Pastor Philip Miller: "And whoever would be first among you must be slave of all, for even the son of man came, not to be served, but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many."
Pastor Philip Miller: Now here's the fact of the matter. Most of us will not give our lives away in one fell swoop, will we? We're not going to do it. It's not a once and done deal. It is the accumulation of a thousand small acts of selfless love and sacrificial service. That's, that's how we give our lives away.
Pastor Philip Miller: It happens when we take out the garbage, or clean up the mess, or share the last bite, or hold our tongues, when we allow ourselves to be inconvenienced for others, when we give more than our fair share, when we choose to break the silence.
Pastor Philip Miller: When we say, "I'm sorry" first. When we extend forgiveness to someone who's not really sorry enough yet. When we choose to bless our enemies. When we choose to lend a hand, as the spirit prompts and leads and empowers, we step out and obey. We keep in step with the spirit. We don't lag behind. We don't run ahead. Hand in hand, step by step, we move when he moves, and not a moment before and not a moment after. We put our feet in front of each other, but the spirit leads.
Pastor Philip Miller: Keep in step with the spirit.
Pastor Philip Miller: And he says, "Slowly but surely, you will walk into the true greatness of the life of Christ himself, which will become your own."
Pastor Philip Miller: I want to leave you with one question.
Pastor Philip Miller: It's a servant's question. The question is, "How can I help? How can I help?"
Pastor Philip Miller: Anybody can use this question. When you're tired and exhausted and thinking about yourself, find someone and ask, "How can I help?"
Pastor Philip Miller: And whatever they say, just do it in the strength and joy of the spirit as he calls you to become more like Christ.
Pastor Philip Miller: It's not glamorous, but it's the stuff of true greatness. And in the end, it's what really matters.
Pastor Philip Miller: Would you pray with me?
Pastor Philip Miller: Father, we love you. Father, forgive us for our selfishness. Forgive us for our pride. Forgive us for our ego.
Pastor Philip Miller: Forgive us for living our own way and following our own desires, instead of following the spirit, instead of following Christ.
Pastor Philip Miller: Father, teach us to give ourselves away, to become people of great beauty and glory and greatness in the kingdom of our Father.
Pastor Philip Miller: That we might become like Christ who gave up everything for us. Teach us to live lives worthy of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Pastor Philip Miller: We pray by the power of your spirit for the glory of your name. Amen. Amen.
Pastor Philip Miller: On today's Moody Church Hour, we heard Pastor Philip Miller teaching on the Basics of Service, the third sermon in a series on Back to the Basics.
Pastor Philip Miller: Next week, don't miss some great teaching about the basics of community, taken from chapter 2 of Paul's writings to the Philippians. Make plans to join us.
Pastor Philip Miller: Would you like to pray in a way that transformed Erwin Lutzer's life? You can. He follows a book called Praying the Bible by Donald Whitney.
Pastor Philip Miller: Praying the Scriptures back to God. This book is our gift to you when you give a gift of any amount to support The Moody Church Hour. Call us at 1-800-215-5001. That's 1-800-215-5001. Online, go to moodychurchhour.com. That's moodychurchhour.com. Or write to us at Moody Church Media, 1635 North LaSalle Boulevard, Chicago, Illinois, 60614. Ask about praying the Bible when you write or call. Join us next week for another Moody Church Hour.
Pastor Philip Miller: With Pastor Philip Miller and the congregation of historic Moody Church in Chicago. This broadcast is a ministry of The Moody Church.