Good morning -
"You're more important than I am." He didn't actually say that verbatim, but that's the message he conveyed in more ways than I can count. And the more I think about it, the more amazed I am. The appointed King of the most important government of all time has placed my needs ahead of His own, as he has yours. He chose to forego fame, fortune, and comfort in order to meet our needs. And He calls upon us to have the same mindset:
"Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE WILL BOW, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." (Philippians 2:3-11)
Can you imagine the President of the United States looking you up and meeting with you, and putting an arm around your shoulder and saying, "Let's build a government together today. Let's go out and meet the real needs of people. Let's roll up our sleeves and work hard on behalf of the most underprivileged people we meet. Let's communicate to them - by word and deed - the good news of an administration that cares for them more than anyone could possibly care." What an outrageous scene! And yet that's essentially what Jesus did with and though His first recruits 2,000 years ago. They mingled with the desperately needy who offered no political advantage, and freely demonstrated truth and power. They unconditionally served and loved the unlovely. They captured the imagination of those who were willing to see, hear and begin to experience a government of perfect equality, health, power, and prosperity.
Our own kingdom is easily our real agenda. Nothing rubs harder against our human nature than the call of Jesus to humbly serve others and the cause of the kingdom of God. Every fiber of our human nature screams out against such an unselfish pursuit, and yet the powerful Spirit of God within lifts us up and away from our own self-serving agenda.
May you take flight and soar high above your own kingdom today as you pursue the agenda and pattern of the humble King of the Kingdom.
Seeking fullness through emptiness,
Pastor Steve
"You're more important than I am." He didn't actually say that verbatim, but that's the message he conveyed in more ways than I can count. And the more I think about it, the more amazed I am. The appointed King of the most important government of all time has placed my needs ahead of His own, as he has yours. He chose to forego fame, fortune, and comfort in order to meet our needs. And He calls upon us to have the same mindset:
"Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE WILL BOW, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." (Philippians 2:3-11)
Can you imagine the President of the United States looking you up and meeting with you, and putting an arm around your shoulder and saying, "Let's build a government together today. Let's go out and meet the real needs of people. Let's roll up our sleeves and work hard on behalf of the most underprivileged people we meet. Let's communicate to them - by word and deed - the good news of an administration that cares for them more than anyone could possibly care." What an outrageous scene! And yet that's essentially what Jesus did with and though His first recruits 2,000 years ago. They mingled with the desperately needy who offered no political advantage, and freely demonstrated truth and power. They unconditionally served and loved the unlovely. They captured the imagination of those who were willing to see, hear and begin to experience a government of perfect equality, health, power, and prosperity.
Our own kingdom is easily our real agenda. Nothing rubs harder against our human nature than the call of Jesus to humbly serve others and the cause of the kingdom of God. Every fiber of our human nature screams out against such an unselfish pursuit, and yet the powerful Spirit of God within lifts us up and away from our own self-serving agenda.
May you take flight and soar high above your own kingdom today as you pursue the agenda and pattern of the humble King of the Kingdom.
Seeking fullness through emptiness,
Pastor Steve
posted by steve @ 10:14 AM
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