A Servant's Heart

Philippians 2:3-8

“A Servant’s Heart”

I. It Is Sometimes About Us. (vs.3)

• How important is our attitude and motivation when we do something?

1. Vs. 3 We should never be motivated to serve out of strife.

o Strife- 1. A bitter sometimes violent conflict or dissension. 2. An exertion of superiority.

o Some in the church at Philippi were doing this very thing (1: 15-17).

• If we are not careful and aware of our own attitude then we too can be guilty of this same thing.

o I’m doing this b/c someone made me angry.

o I’ll do it b/c no one else will.

o I’ll do it b/c you don’t think anyone can do it as well as you.

• If this is our attitude then we are carrying out the deeds of the flesh and not the Spirit.

Galatians 5:19-20 (NASB95)

19 Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions,

2. We should never be motivated by pride or to bring attention upon ourselves.

Matthew 6:1-5 (NASB95)

1 “Beware of practicing your righteousness before men to be noticed by them; otherwise you have no reward with your Father who is in heaven. 2 “So when you give to the poor, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be honored by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. 3 “But when you give to the poor, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 so that your giving will be in secret; and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you. 5 “When you pray, you are not to be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on the street corners so that they may be seen by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full.

• If any of these are our motivation to serve then it is best not to serve, however; not serving is not an option for Christians.

• Humility is the key, humility is not thinking less of ourselves, its just thinking more about others.

• Thinking more about others directly reflects our attitude towards God.

1 Peter 5:5-6 (NASB95)

5 You younger men, likewise, be subject to your elders; and all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, for GOD IS OPPOSED TO THE PROUD, BUT GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE. 6 Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time,

II. It Is Most Often About Others (4-5)

• “Look not every man on his own things” is really saying don’t look only at your own needs.

o God is not saying we cannot provide for ourselves and our families.

o But look out for the interests of others.

Romans 15:1-2 (KJV)

1 We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves. 2 Let every one of us please his neighbor for his good to edification.

o We have a responsibility to serve one another in a way that will build each other up.

• We must ask ourselves this question: Do I come to church looking for what I can get out of it, or what I can put into it?

o Is it all about me, or is it all about God and others?

Vs. 5 “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.”

Mark 10:45 (NIV)

45 For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

• Even for Christ it was all about others; is that our heart, is that our desire?

• The fact is you may be the only one here with the heart to serve in a certain ministry.

o Do you see a need and wonder why it is not being done?

o God has given you the burden for it, no one else can see it.

III. It Is Always About Jesus (5-8)

Vs. 6 Jesus is God, the pre-incarnate Son of God, and yet when it came down to whether He chose His right to equality with God or us, He chose us!

Vs. 7 “But made Himself of no reputation,” literally translated “He emptied Himself.”

o He did not stop being God, He never gave up His claim to deity *

John 5:18 (NIV)

18 For this reason the Jews tried all the harder to kill him; not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God.