Just What Does a Real Servant
Look Like?
Philippians 2:5-17
June 26th 2011 AM
Pastor Craig Ledbetter
I.
Introduction (Philippians 2:7)
A.
I know what
a billionaire looks like
1.
I know what
a sports star looks like
2.
I know what
a music star looks like
3.
And a movie
star…
B.
But what
does a servant look like? A real servant? And what does a real servant do?
C.
The Bible
talks a lot about “servants”
1.
About being
servants
2.
About
serving God, and serving one another
3.
It seems to
be the greatest thing in the Bible to be a servant! Greater than being
anything else!
4.
Not a slave,
or a servant to fear or to debt, or to your employer
5.
But being an
honest to God servant
D.
When we say
the word “servant”…
1.
Do we think
of a well paid butler, or a highly paid employee, serving their employer?
2.
Or do we
think of a maid, or a mop-pusher, or a house-help, or some push-over doormat
of a person that doesn’t deserve any respect!
E.
Do we even
have the slightest idea what a real servant looks like and acts like?
F.
Would we
tolerate a challenge to be come a servant if we really knew what all that
meant? Probably not!
G.
But I aim to
change that this morning!
H.
I want to
describe for you the greatest way of living in the world!
1.
It is the
life that angels live – that of servants!
2.
It is the
way Jesus the Messiah lived
3.
It is the
only way to truly enjoy life as a Christian
4.
And it is
the best way to worship God! No king ever truly worshipped God until they
learned to be a servant!
I.
Let’s take a
good look at what a real servant, a great servant looks like!
II.
Message
A.
A Servant Has an ATTITUDE
(Philp 2:3-5)
1.
Before we
can talk about what a servant looks like, God talks about what he THINKS
like!
a.
He has a
great way of thinking – a mindset – just like Jesus’
b.
You see, A
servant is not just a person; he is an
attitude
2.
Everyone
today has their attitudes:
a.
They wear
their “attitude” on their sleeve
b.
People have
their Bad attitudes - Serious attitude -
3.
But
Christians are different! At least they are supposed to be!
4.
Christians
have every reason to have
a right attitude
about life
a.
He doesn’t
try and show off and tell what he can do, or has accomplished
b.
Instead, he
thinks everyone around him is cool
1)
He or she
like people
2)
Actually
values the lives of others more than his own
c.
Not in a
battle with anyone – no grudges, bitterness, resentment
d.
He or she is
only concerned about the welfare of others – not just about themselves
1)
We have let
the government take over this job – and it is wrong! We need to care!
2)
We should be
the most giving-ness people, always giving to meet each other’s needs
3)
Everyone in
this room is going through hard times financially, but not one of us should
worry about ourselves – only about the others!
e.
You know, it
would be really wonderful if there was no bragging in a church,
except about others…
1)
So and so is
the best teacher I have ever heard
2)
She is such
a great mother and wife
3)
He is a
faithful man
4)
That young
man is a blessing to me and my family
5)
We have the
best music in our church
6)
You get the
idea…
5.
A servant
just LOVES to serve (Mt 20:28)
a.
You were not
saved to become rich, or have a great name, or to be entertained
b.
You were
saved from a devil’s hell so you can minister like Jesus did!
c.
1Timothy
1:12
d.
Acts 20:24
6.
How does a
person get such a right attitude?
a.
By letting
that attitude be in you – we reject it right away! But we shouldn’t!
1)
When you got
born again, you invited into your heart and mind a new attitude – the
attitude of the Lord Jesus Christ
2)
You now have
His mind in you – so listen to it! He will make a lot more sense than you
ever could!
b.
By loving
the Lord Jesus – I mean really love Him! With all your heart!
1)
He will help
you think like He thought
2)
He will help
you to see people like He sees them
3)
Don’t try to
love people until you just love the person of Jesus Christ!
4)
When your
mind is anchored to one great thought – that He loves you, and He will take
good care of you – then people won’t be able to discourage you, or defeat
you.
B.
A Servant is MORE than He Seems
(Philp 2:6)
1.
Jesus Christ
was in the form of God – that is an amazing statement
a.
He was GOD –
not the form of “A” God, but of GOD Himself
b.
He was God
before he ever became a Man
c.
And when as
a Man He claimed to be equal with God, He took nothing away from God
d.
And yet, He
looked only like a Man
2.
The truth
is, a servant is MORE than he or she seems – just as Jesus was!
a.
Jesus had no
halo, no hidden wings, no power other than the power of the Holy Spirit
b.
So He looked
quite plain and simple – quite backward looking, quite poor
c.
He looked
only like a worthless servant to most people
d.
But he was
so much more
3.
Never
forget, that Jesus did not come to oppress “good” people and make slaves of
them, But rather came to slaves of sin, and raised them up to become SONS of
God. BUT, He never gives us a BIG HEAD about it.
4.
I don’t know
if you are getting this truth! This is such a great reality!
a.
Yes, every
born again child of God on the inside
1)
Is a SON or
DAUGHTER in the family of God
2)
Is a KING
and PRIEST to God
3)
Is seated in
heavenly places in the
b.
But on the
outside, and in our attitude, we are nothing, we are only servants
c.
And we are
not depressed about it – we are so glad to be servants
d.
People in
this room who have nothing but disaster and troubles surrounding their life
a lot lately, are more
than they seem!
e.
Those whose
health is failing, are stronger than
they seem!
f.
Just because
we are servants, does not mean we are nothing
g.
We just
don’t let on!
5.
People fear
being a servant because they know how servants are treated, and
misunderstood, and ignored, and disrespected.
6.
But that is
okay – because we know what we really are on the inside (Rom 8:18,16,17)!
C.
A Servant Seeks No Reputation
(Philp 2:7)
1.
When we all
were born, we had no reputation – we all started at ZERO
2.
The same
happened when we were born again (Mt 18:2-4) – started all over! It didn’t
matter who you were, or what you knew, or how much money you had – you were
a big zero!
3.
The greatest
amongst us will seek to raise up others, and encourage others, and build up
others, instead of themselves!
4.
That’s what
servants DO!
a.
They benefit
others
b.
They don’t
seek praise or admiration
c.
They serve –
they do what
another person wants done! Oh that is SO hard!
d.
And they
don’t care if they get any credit for it
1)
A wife who
sacrifices everything for her husband’s success is the greatest woman –
greater than if she was the President of Ireland
2)
A Mom who
sacrifices her time and health so her children succeed is the greatest mom
3)
A man who
sacrifices everything so that his boss, or his ministry succeeds, is the
greatest of men – whether you believe it or not!
5.
Do you
realise that the only reason that servants are even noticed at all today is
because of Jesus Christ?
6.
Because of
this Bible and its influence…
a.
Heads of
governments are called MINISTERS now! The MINISTER of Finance, the MINISTER
of Health, Civil SERVANTS, etc! That is SO cool!
b.
Religious
leaders are SHEPHERDS!
c.
Senators and
Members of Parliament are not free to do as they please, but must represent
people, and SERVE their constituencies!
d.
All because
of Jesus!
7.
So the
greatest servants, are those that we do not notice – the ones in the
background!
D.
A Servant is Like Those Around
Him (Philp 2:7)
1.
This is
where a servant starts to take shape – starts to be identified
2.
You will
always find a servant living like those whom he ministers to
a.
Though he or
she may be wealthy or of great ability
b.
They will be
found living like, and being like those to whom they serve!
3.
A servant
takes on the likeness of those whom he or she is ministering to (1Cor
9:19-23)
a.
Never being
“above them” looking down on them, pitying them – lecturing them
1)
But living
like them, talking like them, eating like them
2)
That’s what
a missionary does!
3)
That’s what
Jesus did
b.
Jesus became
just like a BABY, like a boy raised in a poor man’s home, with fighting
brothers and sisters who hated Him, like a common man, with no money, and
only hard work every day! He did all that so that he could become like us –
to serve us!
c.
If
ministering and serving Jews, you must become as one – not in religion, but
in understanding, and in action
d.
If
ministering to people who are weak, weep with them, and sit next to them on
their bed – don’t play hero – hold them
e.
An adult,
ministering/serving children, takes on the form of a child and learns to
laugh and have fun, and play like a child
f.
A helper in
RU learns all they can about addictions so that they can become LIKE those
who struggle with addictions
4.
In every
ministry in this church, the challenge is for each of us to become like
those that we minister to
a.
Bus ministry
– picking up people with such joy and thrill just being a blessing
b.
Soul-winning
– we are not preaching AT anyone – but telling them what happened to us when
someone knocked on our door, and gave US the Gospel
c.
Welcome
ministry – welcome them as if they were YOU for the first time!
d.
Creche
ministry – caring for those children as if they were your own, and as if one
of them was YOU back so long ago! What a difference THAT would have made in
your life if YOU had been in a Bible preaching church’s crèche at 1 year
old!!!
e.
Music
ministry – don’t sign-up so you can show off all your talents, but rather to
learn how to blend and work along with everyone else to praise the Lord, not
get praise!
f.
Office
Ministry – work with us in the office – come to help minister to so many
people behind the scenes
5.
Let’s learn
to serve as one body
E.
A Servant Constantly Humbles
Himself (Philp 2:8)
1.
It was
humiliating enough for GOD to become a Man - Yet Jesus humbled Himself
further
2.
This is
where we all fail – we won’t go lower than we currently are
3.
Do you want
to know what a servant, a real servant
looks like?
4.
You will
always see them serving in some very embarrassing ways – and they won’t mind
5.
I have been
saved 31 years, and have done almost everything in church from:
a.
Cleaning
toilets, patching church roofs, knocking down 18 in thick church walls,
plaistering Sunday School classroom walls and ceilings, teaching 5 and 6
year olds, helping out in Creche, teaching 10,11 and 12 year olds, teaching
teenagers, singing off key at nursing homes, driving a 1959 dark red old
school bus that we used to pick up children and parents for church every
Sunday (which by-the-way caught fire three times before we junked it), going
out soul-winning week after week for these 31 years, putting up with people
complaining and attacking me and other Christians
b.
And do you
know what? I intend to KEEP doing all that!
6.
How low will you go?
a.
A true
servant never gets over just being a servant! Just doing what needs to be
done!
b.
That’s what
we are, and that’s what we do!
c.
Jesus said…
1)
Mar 9:35 And
he sat down, and called the twelve, and saith unto them, If any man desire
to be first, the same shall be last of all, and servant of all.
2)
Mar 10:44
And whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be servant of all.
d.
For Jesus,
our example, it was to the cross – that was LOW!
e.
For you,
1)
It will be
to church on a Sunday when you desperately would rather go to the beach
2)
Or maybe it
will be to go to that person you have said evil things about, and you know
you need to go to them and humble yourself and ask their forgiveness
f.
JUST HOW LOW
WILL YOU GO?
1)
Who won’t
you humble yourself to?
2)
To whom
won’t you go?
3)
That’s who
you need to run to as soon as this message is over!
g.
A servant
serves, and it doesn’t matter who they bless and encourage and help – even
their very enemy!
F.
A Servant Serves Jesus
(Philp 2:9-11) – this is the foundation!
1.
I know this
is very obvious, but the devil likes to block out this truth from our minds
– that we serve the Lord Jesus (Eph 6:7; 1Cor 7:23)!
a.
Yes, we
stand in front of screaming infants, and smile and sing, and serve their
needs
b.
Yes, we
spend the extra hours studying and preparing our lessons to teach the
children in Sunday School
c.
Yes, we
sacrifice hours and hours of time to go out door to door to give out the
good news of the Gospel to our community
d.
Yes, we rush
to get to the nursing home, and sacrifice our Saturday afternoon so that we
can sing and give a testimony to some folks who need to be encouraged that
God is still there, and loves them!
e.
But we do it
all, as unto Jesus (Mt 25:34-45)
2.
THAT’S the
answer to all Christian problems! To burn out, and to the up and down cycles
people go through (loving church, and then bored with it; excited about
teaching and singing, and then sick of it)…
3.
By doing
everything as to the Lord Jesus (
a.
Oh that you
stopped serving the banks, and your employer, and friends, and the devil
b.
And started
serving Jesus!
1)
2)
Once freed
from Pharaoh’s grip, they were supposed to serve the LORD (Ex 8:1)!
3)
We all
served demons before we were saved (Gal 4:8)
4)
Now, we are
supposed to serve, bless, make happy, our Lord (Mt 4:10)!
5)
Remember it,
the next time you find yourself all burned out and worn out for nothing
G.
A Servant Has Fun – Actually
Enjoys Serving (Jn 13:14-17)
1.
Yes serving
is hard work, embarrassing work, unappreciated work
2.
But there is
a joy in it that no one can measure
a.
Jesus
replaced his clothes with a servants towel around His waist
b.
And then
bowed Himself to the floor, and stooped down and picked up each and every
foot of the disciples, and washed them
c.
And He
didn’t grimace and gripe and complain about it – He loved doing it
3.
Why did
Jesus enjoy serving sinners like us?
a.
Because it
is a spiritual law – that you will be given such joy ONLY when you serve
b.
Because
there is a great reward for serving like Jesus did (Jn 12:26; Lk 19:17)
1)
Don’t ignore
the promises of God, and the fact that THIS LIFE is not all that there is!
2)
Jesus is now
the GREATEST name of all time!
3)
He is the
GREATEST Lord of all
4)
All because
He served!
4.
Jesus was
always encouraged, and always a blessing to be around (Isa 42:1-4)
5.
That’s what
you and I need to be! Yes we will have our bad days, but we serve the living
God, and have every reason to be encouraged, and serve!
6.
Hey! A good
attitude may not solve all your problems, but it will annoy enough people
around you to make it worth the effort.
III.
Conclusion
A.
This
morning, I have described for you the greatest way of living in the world!
1.
It is the
life that angels live – that of servants!
2.
It is the
only way to truly enjoy life as a Christian
3.
It is the
way Jesus the Messiah lived
B.
Hey, I think
I know what a servant looks like now… don’t you?
C.
He, she,
looks just like Jesus!
D.
How is YOUR ATTITUDE?
1.
You see, A
servant is not just a person; he is an
attitude
2.
He or she is
only concerned about the welfare of others – not just about themselves
3.
A servant
just LOVES to serve (Mt 20:28)
4.
How does a
person get such a right attitude?
a.
By letting
that attitude be in you – we reject it right away! But we shouldn’t!
b.
Love the
Lord Jesus – I mean really love Him! With all your heart!
E.
Don’t Worry About What You SEEM
to Be – What people think of you - A Servant is MORE than He Seems
1.
A servant is
always MORE than he or she seems – just as Jesus was!
2.
Every born
again child of God on the inside
a.
Is a SON or
DAUGHTER in the family of God
b.
Is a KING
and PRIEST to God
c.
Is seated in
heavenly places in the
3.
But on the
outside, and in our attitude, we are nothing, we are only servants
4.
And we are
not depressed about it – we are so glad to be servants
F.
Quit Protecting Your Reputation
1.
The greatest
amongst us will seek to raise up others, and encourage others, and build up
others, instead of themselves!
2.
That’s what
servants DO!
a.
They benefit
others
b.
They don’t
seek praise or admiration
c.
They serve –
they do what
another person wants done! Oh that is SO hard!
d.
And they
don’t care if they get any credit for it
G.
Will You “Come Down” Out of
your
1.
That’s what
Jesus did
2.
Each of us
need to become like those that we minister to
3.
Serve as one
body
H.
How Low Will You Go? Jesus
Constantly Humbles Himself
1.
This is
where we all fail – we won’t go lower than we currently are
2.
A true
servant never gets over just being a servant! Just doing what needs to be
done!
3.
How low will
you go?
a.
For Jesus,
our example, it was to the cross – Jesus “take up YOUR cross!
b.
Who won’t
you humble yourself to?
c.
To whom
won’t you go?
d.
That’s who
you need to run to as soon as this message is over!
I.
Who Will You Serve? That’s what
Joshua asked the nation of
J.
It’s Time to Actually Start
Enjoying Serving
a.
Because
Jesus promises such joy ONLY when you serve
b.
Because
there is a great reward for serving like Jesus did!
2.
Jesus was
always encouraged, and always a blessing to be around (Isa 42:1-4)
3.
That’s what
you and I need to be! Yes we will have our bad days, but we serve the living
God, and have every reason to be encouraged, and serve!
4.
Hey! A good
attitude may not solve all your problems, but it will annoy enough people
around you to make it worth the effort.