Southern Hills Baptist Church
November 3rd 2002
Philippians 2:3-4
“A proper motivation”
By Pastor Mark Hensley
3Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. 4Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.
Introduction: Lauren Zalaznick was in the late 1990’s the unstoppable and high-achieving vice-president at VH 1, a music video television company here in the United States. She produced top rating program after program. She had an automatic invite to any music party or recording in the country. She was held in high regard. Then, after about five years, she felt she was losing her edge and decided to resign.
As you might imagine, Lauren was somewhat anxious about her decision to quit. Did she do the right thing? Would she regret it? Would she be able to find another job as good as this one?
The one day her sister gave her some advice that changed her perspective. She told Lauren to imagine herself in 50 years time. At that point in her life this job was going to be a single sentence which began ’In the early part of my career,’ followed by a few words and a full stop. And then there will be 14 paragraphs about what Lauren really did with her life. Source: Reported in New York Times Magazine, September 9, 2001
Transition: At that point in her life this job was going to be a single sentence which began ’In the early part of my career,’ followed by a few words and a full stop.
We need a “Proper Perspective” about what matters most in life and the Apostle Paul will instruct us today about what God expects. When we know that, when we live like that we can look back on our lives with a sense of real accomplishment!
Philippians 2: 3-4
3Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. 4Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.
3Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. 4Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.
A proper perspective affects:
Why we do what we do.
The way we treat others.
The interest we show in others.
I.Why we do what we do: 3Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility
Ambition properly channeled can be a wonderful driving influence! Ambition in itself is not a bad thing! I remember being a College freshman and in a student assembly the President asked that we look to the person to our right, then the person to our left…he then said “statistically only one of you will finish College!
I determined that fall day in 1979 that I would!
You are a better person today because you made a conscious decision to achieve not to settle… to dream your castles in the sky and then you went out and built foundations under them!
If you’re here today and you do not feel like a success in life, I am here to remind you that as a Christian you are a child of the king! You have royal blood coursing through your veins! Paul isn’t admonishing God’s people to be slovenly lazy or mediocre when he writes “3Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility”
Were to have ambition…ambition that is properly directed and channeled!
And humility should characterize our lives! “But in humility”
A pastor was given an award for humility. A week later, the congregation took the award back because the pastor displayed it in his office!
Humility is not meant to be put on display. Humility is not downplaying one’s strengths and gifts. Humility is not low self-worth. Humility does not think of oneself more highly than he ought to think. Humility is aware of the good and strengths in others.
A young Pastor preached a stirring message and one of the deacons told him “Your one of the great young preachers in America” After church He was just able to squeeze his head in the door of the car. He told his wife what the deacon had said…no response. He said honey “how many great young preachers do you think there are in America”? She said “one less than you think!
Remember: Humility is not meant to be put on display. Humility is not downplaying one’s strengths and gifts. Humility is not low self-worth. Humility does not think of oneself more highly than he ought to think. Humility is aware of the good and strengths in others.
3Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility
Are you humble? Are you consciously aware that your effectiveness in any sphere of life is because of the goodness of God? I am afraid we often believe were humble…yet that’s not always the case!
Did you hear about the Pastor has a great message on humility…but was waiting for a bigger congregation to preach it to!
3Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility
A proper perspective affects:
Why we do what we do.
II. The way we treat others. 3Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.
Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. Romans 12:10
A good name is more desirable than great riches; to be esteemed is better than silver or gold. Proverbs 22:1
To consider others better than yourself, is to attach high value to someone. Relational expert Gary Smalley once said: “The most important thing we can do towards building loving lasting relationships is to learn how to honor others”
He went on to say that: “Honoring someone is a decision which is not based on emotional feelings”
Deciding to place high value on others can begin to change your feelings for them. Deciding to “de-value” is a quick means to losing our emotional feelings for them.
3Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.
Dr. John Trent tells the story of a couple in West Texas. The wife, Betty, was very athletic, & had been a cheerleader & very popular in high school. Now she is 55 & has come to Dr. Trent for medical help. She hurts a lot & her joints are beginning to swell.
After examining her, he tells her that she has rheumatoid arthritis & there is no cure. She sits crying for a moment as she considers her future. Then her tall, leathery-faced West Texas cowboy husband walked into the room & sat down beside her.
Betty said, "Rusty, you need to get a divorce. I can’t be a wife to you anymore. It hurts every time I move, & I can’t even hold your hand. For your own sake you need a woman who can really love you. Why don’t you get a divorce, & go your way & I’ll go mine?"
Dr. Trent said, "Rusty sat down on that stool beside her. He looked her in the eye & said, `Betty, can you smile?’ `It doesn’t hurt to smile.’ He said, `That’s all I need, just a smile. Well,’ he said, `Really, I don’t even need a smile. All I need is you.’" Melvin Newland
“The most important thing we can do towards building loving lasting relationships is to learn how to honor others”
“Honoring someone is a decision which is not based on emotional feelings”
3Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.
A proper perspective affects:
Why we do what we do.
The way we treat others.
III. The interest we show in others. 3Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. 4Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.
Are we genuinely interested in the lives of others?
A sermon by Bob Ashcraft: The "ME" Generation
- We live in the "ME" generation
- Everything is about self
- "Get all you can get"
- "It’s my way or the highway"
- "If it feels good do it"
- "He who dies with the most toys, wins"
- There is even a magazine called SELF
- This generation can easily be called the most self-absorbed, self-centered, self-complacent, selfish generation in all of history
- How things have changed in the last 50 yrs, 25 yrs!
Signs of the "ME" Generation
(Generation of Extreme Selfishness)
- Starvation
- Energy Crisis
- Pollution (global & local)
- Can’t return a shopping cart to the rack
- Aggressive Driving & Road Rage
- Back-stabbing & jockeying for position
- Abundance of divorce
- However, selfishness is not new to this generation, it is just openly celebrated in this time
- "There is nothing new under the sun" - Ecc 1:9
Bob Ashcraft concluded his sermon this way:
We live in the "ME" generation - a generation of extreme selfishness - but we don’t have to participate
- Let’s do it God’s way
- Let’s flow in the wisdom of God, not man
- Let’s rename this the "HE" generation
- He is our Lord, Savior, All in All, Our Motivation!
3Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. 4Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.
Application: A proper perspective affects:
Why we do what we do. Are you ambitious for the Lords work?
The way we treat others, do you consciously attach high value on your loved ones the people you work with and encounter day to day?
The interest we show in others. When you talk to other people…are you thinking about what you’re going to say when they quit talking? Or do you really listen?
Og Mandino motivational writer wrote that we “should treat everyone we meet as if they would be dead by midnight”!
