A Life of service
Philippians 2:19-30
One night a teenage girl brought her new boyfriend home to meet her parents. They were just appalled at his appearance- leather jacket, motorcycle boots, tattoos, pierced nose and ears. Later, the parents pulled their daughter aside and confessed their concern. “Dear” said the mother diplomatically, “he doesn’t seem very nice.”
“Mom” replied the daughter, “if he wasn‘t very nice, why would he be doing 5,000 hours of community service”.
This morning I am speaking about service, and I don’t mean the “community service” that is forced on you by a judge. Challenge: to think of serving others! Having the attitude of Christ!
For three decades on public TV, one man has made his mark on children all over our world. He has a gentle, kindly, quiet manner. He sings silly little songs and manipulates puppets that would make the Muppets blush. He was there before the special effects of Stars Wars, and the eye-boggling stunts of Jackie Chan and yet his presence can hold the attention of even the most attention deficient child.
As Wendy Murray Zoba writes in CT Today: “Many grownups scratch their heads at the power this man has over their children. What is the attraction, they think, of a silly man who, every day, walks through the same door of a studio home, all smiles, singing It’s a beautiful day in the neighborhood? Every day the man pulls off his sport jacket and dons a cardigan sweater and sits on a bench to remove his shoes, replacing them with canvas tennis shoes, still singing—It’s a neighborly day in this beauty wood, a neighborly day for a beauty—would you be mine? Could you be mine?” Who is this man?
· Show slide of Mr. Rogers
This past week on Feb 27 it was announced to the world Mr. Rogers passed away. The impact he made is very real! On PBS.org
To Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood:
It’s early in the morning on February 27th, 2003. It is one of the saddest mornings of my young life. I’m 22, and Mister Rogers helped me be who I am today. Who am I? I am special.
Sometimes I’ve heard the phrase "angels walk amongst us," and if anyone ever needed proof of that, it was Fred Rogers. He will be missed.
Fred Rogers was a gentle, caring, knowledgeable voice, to and for children, in a world of turmoil and confusion. He gave the gift of his heart, unabashedly and unashamedly to kids and we responded. He was the positive, sensitive male role model so many of us lacked. He will be missed. I watched him, my children watched him and we watched together. My appreciation for him grew as I watched my kids enjoying his sweet and careful but always truthful way he spoke to the young. Everyone needs a Mr. Rogers in their life. He will be missed. God bless you, Mr. Rogers in you new world of Make-Believe!
Kristina, Justin & Forrest - Tulsa, OK
This show has touched my life like no other, and Fred Rogers, I think, was a role model to everybody in this world. I don’t think there is one person who hasn’t ever seen this man and respected him. He’s the most gentle man ever, and his death was a very tragic loss for us all, but I think that God had a mission for him; to touch the lives of many, and his mission was accomplished. He has touched everybody’s heart at least once.
Mel, 13 - Pittsburgh, PA
Thank you for making my childhood more beautiful. Each time I see Mister Rogers on TV, I am instantly transported back in time to a safe, loving place. I spent many happy hours in my Grandma’s living room, planted on her burnt orange carpet, squarely in front of the tv, basking in the love and acceptance that he so humbly administered to my heart. Any time I felt stepped on or broken hearted, after just a few minutes with him, everything was ok again, and it was once again ok to be me, just as I was. Thank you Mister Rogers, "You Are Special."
Kathleen - Morgantown, wv
On Toronto Star’s website:
Whenever I watched Mister Rogers’ Neighbourhood, I felt a lot better afterwards. It didn’t matter if no one played dolls with me that day, Mr. Rogers was my constant friend.
-Carly Watt, Toronto, Feb. 28
I think all of us who watched him feel like a bit of our childhood just died.
-Anna Wilson, Halifax, Feb. 28
What all these tributes seem to say is they felt the power of his words, they felt loved, they felt special, they felt OK. Isn’t this what the world needs? As we hear more and more daily the push for war, the push by government to tax us to death, the push and shove of the world, the putdowns that so easily spew from our mouths as demonstrated by Liberal MP from Mississauga Centre, Carolyn Parrish, who did us Canadians a disservice by mouthing off anti- American sentiments. Who would rather hear from… a voice that’s says “you are special” or voices that call you names. By the tributes we hear of Mr. Rogers we know adults and children lap it up and drink it in those simple words of love and acceptane. They drink it by the buckets.
Past week as reported in the news, French chef, Bernard Loiseau who heard his restaurant lost points in a prestigious French reatuarant guide, committed suicide because a food critic downgraded him. See the power of those words... It can destroy lives. We do no one service by mouthing off.
That’s power of our Bible text this morning. Here’s the apostle Paul writing commending two people to the church in Philippi. Timothy, a young chap, that did not exactly live up to his calling, probably discouraged about life, ministry…
6 This is why I remind you to FAN INTO FLAMES (i.e. it was dying out) the spiritual gift God gave you when I laid my hands on you. 7 For God has not given us a spirit of FEAR and TIMIDITY, but of power, love, and self-discipline (prob. overcomed by all sorts of hangups). 8 So you must never be ashamed to tell others about our Lord. And don’t be ashamed of me, either, even though I’m in prison for Christ. With the strength God gives you, be ready to suffer with me for the proclamation of the Good News. 2 Tim 1:1
It was obvious he struggled with self-doubt: “Don’t let anyone think less of you because you are young.” 2 Tim 4:12
Yet he speaks in glowing terms of Timothy, in Phil. 2 text, commending him, like a son to a father, wow!
Then Epa…(v.25) he too was not performing well… sick, homesick, like a well-meaning relative that intends well, but became a burden (v.28). It would lighten his cares for Paul to send him back. Yet he thinks the world of him. Like Mr. Rogers, Paul says to both Tim and Epa “You are special” When was the last time you felt that? Has anyone said that you lately?
As I read Paul’s description in my heart, I said, me too? I want people to say that of me. A brother, fellow-worker, soldier, like a son to a father… It seems that I am eavesdropping on some personal communication. But I get a sense that Paul believed that through these people God is doing something special (1:6, 2:13) changing them. I believe…
1. God is changing his people from a selfish lot to become servants.
Paul’s not changing them, God is. God is in the business of changing lives, transformation!
The way to serve and cooperate with God, is keep on encouraging them. Speak to others "you are loved, it’s pleasure to be with you…" even when you don’t feel well-served. That’s the attiude of Christ!
Remember how Jesus’ small group of disciples - how he turned them around, to become servants. Story of them jostling to be at the right hand of Jesus… got on each other nerves…
Did he expect them to be perfect, without a flaw?
For 3 years He taught them, cried over them, got exasperated by them, yet he loved them, washed their feet, told them to love as he has loved them,, encouraged them, don’t be afraid Then he died for them, sent His Spirit in them and after he rose from the dead, restored them and even served them fish over a fire. That’s our God! Because He think we’re worth His time, worth His suffering…
So Paul inspired by such love, wrote about Jesus, a beautiful piece of writing in Phil. 2 by nature God became nothing, worst than that became a slave to be manhandled and brutalized on the cross.
So Paul Calls for all to rearrange their world to think of others - serve, like He did…
To tell others they’re special and they are… because God has done for us, loved us, cared for us!
"See how very much our heavenly Father loves us, for he allows us to be called his children, and we really are!" I John 3:1 That’s what we REALLY ARE!
When was last time someone said you’re special?
God said it…
2. He does it by reminding us of His purpose: LOVE’S PLEASURE
Again look at what The Bible says:
Long before he laid down earth’s foundations, he had us in mind, had settled on us as the focus of his love, to be made whole and holy by his love...
The Bible says:
Long, long ago he decided to adopt us into his family through Jesus Christ. (What pleasure he took in planning this!) He wanted us to enter into the celebration of his lavish gift-giving by the hand of his beloved Son.
The Bible says:
Because of the sacrifice of the Messiah, his blood poured out on the altar of the Cross, we’re a free people – free of penalties and punishments chalked up by all our misdeeds. And not just barely free, either. Abundantly free! He thought of everything we could possibly need…
The Bible says:
It’s in Christ that we find out who we are and what we are living for. Long before we first heard of Christ and got our hopes up, he had his eye on us, had designs on us for glorious living, part of the overall purpose he is working out in everything and everyone.
- From the Apostle Paul writing in Ephesians 1 (The Message)
Do you hear God saying you’re special! The pleasure God takes in designing you? The love he has for you, the desire for you come alive and know what we are created for, to join in with Him, find out who we really are and what we are living for!
Created to do good
“For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so that we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.” Ephesians 2:10
– Holy Bible, New Living Translation
So now through Jesus’ death, his life in us, God is changing us to new creation to do good things - to live a life of service, portraying GRACE to others in ways that God has touched us by His word.
3. Glimpses into a life of service
• Connection: personal genuine interest in others (v.19, 22)
Paul connects with his readers, connects Tim to church (v.22)
Connection is made to Christ, who connected with world through his personal appearance as a man, see Paul’s desire to connect (v.24)
• Commission: guidance from a powerful sense of mission (v.25)
Epa “was your messenger to help me in my need”
Paul was commissioned by Christ.
Christ was sent by the Father.
As father sent Jesus, He sends us to serve.
• Compassion: God is caring for me (v.27)
Demonstrates that God will hang us out to dry. Epa must have a near death experience. OK to feel ill, fatigued, homesick, be sure to note God has mercy on Epa and on Paul sparing him sorrow upon sorrow.
God knows what we need, he will provide for us to continue to serve Him.
End with story of Jesus and his first recorded miracle, sparing people from embarrassment of no wine left for the party. It is clear that Jesus said to Mary "It his not his time yet" for the miracle to be revealed. Yet in the end He did move to change water to wine...
If he can change his well-planned timing, to save someone from embarrassment. Do you not think He cares about what U THINK may be of little significance. See how Jesus served others, even if it was not on his timetable.
See how he served others, gave his life for us, by his very nature is God, yet became nothing, worse still became a slave, worst than nothing, to be abused and still has his mission as "I came to serve not to be served." Let live a life of service for His glory!
What can I do?
First are you connected to Jesus? Remember who u are, a masterpiece created to do good!
Guided by mission, or no purpose? Jesus – “I came to serve not to be served”
Gotta know God cares for everything, every detail, even the unplanned stuff, like the story of Jesus turning water into wine.
Start commending people like Paul who may not be first-class Christians, support them, love them, tell you think the world of them, say kind words, let your life be like Mr. Rogers, people feel safe and not threatened to be with u.
Your words have power to SERVE someone today, shape someone, touch someone
And so…What can I do?
1.See others as Christ’s masterpiece
2.They are not a finished product
3.Affirm them
4.Reaffirm them
5.Serve with Christ’s attitude
Then we shall like stars shining in the universe in this dark world!
