Comong down to lift others up

Christ changed David’s life. He started memorizing portions of Scripture that were incredible. We got him a
place to live. We hired him in the church to do maintenance, and we got his teeth fixed. He was a handsome
​man when he came out of the hospital.

Introduction to worship theme.

Today we are going to be reading from the apostle Paul’s letter to the Philippians, which some consider his most
affectionate letter. Having, in chapter one, urged the Philippian congregation of Christians to “Live
their lives in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ…” (1:27) Paul in chapter two shows
them how to go about living such a life by pointing them toward the example of Jesus life and
ministry. Jesus, he tells them, made himself nothing for your sake. His true nature was that of
God, yet for your sake he willing relinquished that existence in order to live a human life, indeed, to
live the life of a servant. So with that in mind  the theme for this morning’s worship is: Coming down to lift
others up’.
Call to Worship:
We gather today to worship the one who created us,
the one who calls us,
the one who equips us,
the one who loves us without end.
With joyful hearts, let us worship God.

StF 331 – King of kings, majesty

​Prayer of Adoration & Confession &; Lord’s Prayer
Almighty and Holy God,
We gather to worship you,
to praise you for being here among us,
and to thank you for all your goodness toward us.
We come in all our weakness and with all our failings,
rejoicing that in Christ we have been made new
and that through him you have set your mark upon us,
and called us to be your people.
We confess now to you and one another
how far short we have fallen of the pattern you have set before us in Jesus.
He emptied himself – we exalt ourselves.
He was humble – we are conceited.
He was generous - we are selfish.
He was gracious – we are intolerant.
Forgive us loving God and help us change our ways
Through Jesus Christ our Lord Amen

The Lord’s Prayer
We pray together the prayer Jesus taught us:
Our Father in Heaven,
Hallowed be your name,
Your kingdom come,
Your will be done, on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
As we forgive those who sin against us.
Save us from the time of trial
And deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power and the glory are yours,
Now and forever. Amen.

According to one former TV program, millionaires have occasionally lived unannounced and
unrecognised amongst ordinary people. They have often assumed some kind of disguise as they
have tried to understand the difficulties involved in leading a normal life. Sometimes they have
given away money to the people they have met – anyone remember The Secret Millionaire​
So in this TV series (the secret millionaire) – some very wealthy individual stepped
down from their luxury lifestyle and lived outside their comfort zone for a couple of weeks, to lift a
few people up from a poor and often lonely existence to a more dignified one. Let’s now see what
the apostle Paul says about how Jesus came down to lift others up.

​
Philippians 2:1-13 New International Version
Imitating Christ’s Humility Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any
comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion,  2 then make
my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. 3 Do nothing
out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4 not looking to your
own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.
5 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:
6 Who, being in very nature God,
    did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;
7 rather, he made himself nothing
    by taking the very nature of a servant,
    being made in human likeness.
8 And being found in appearance as a man,
    he humbled himself
    by becoming obedient to death--
        even death on a cross!
9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
    and gave him the name that is above every name,
10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
    in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11 and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord,
    to the glory of God the Father.
Do Everything Without Grumbling12 Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only
in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear
and trembling, 13 for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.

 StF362 – Meekness and Majesty

​Talk
Having, in the previous chapter, urged the Philippians to “Live their lives in a manner worthy of
the gospel of Christ…” (1:27) Paul in chapter two shows them how to go about living such a life
by pointing the Philippians toward the example of Jesus; life and ministry. Jesus, he tells them,
made himself nothing for your sake. His true nature was that of God, yet for our sake he willing
relinquished that existence to live a human life, indeed, to live the life of a servant. That we
ourselves might be enriched in everyway (1 Cor 1:5)

And it is this humility that was in Christ, which Paul now wishes to see the Christians at Philippi
and us imitate – by making, like Jesus and those secret millionaires, the interests of others a vital
part of our living.
Now we know this is easier said than done. Because if we are honest we know that our human
nature is so often a self-focused and self-interested nature. But that nature can be overcome. Let
illustrate what I mean.

Jim Cymbala preaches at a church in the slums of New York. He tells the following story:
It was Easter Sunday and I was so tired at the end of the day that I just went to the edge of the platform,
pulled down my tie and sat down and draped my feet over the edge. It was a wonderful service. As I was
sitting there I looked up the middle aisle, and there in about the third row was a man who looked about fifty,
dishevelled, filthy. He looked up at me rather sheepishly, as if saying, “Could I talk to you?”
We have homeless people coming in all the time, asking for money or whatever. So as I sat there, I said to
myself, though I am ashamed of it, “What a way to end a Sunday. I’ve had such a good time, preaching and
ministering, and here’s a bloke probably wanting some money for more wine. He walked up the aisle. When
he got within about five feet of me, I smelled a horrible smell. It was so awful that when he got close, I
would inhale by looking away, and then I’d talk to him, and then look away to inhale, because I couldn’t
inhale facing him.
I asked him, “What’s your name?” “David.” “How long have you been on the street?” “Six years.” “How old
are you?” “Thirty-two.” He looked fifty- hair matted; front teeth missing; eyes slightly glazed. “Where did you
sleep last night, David?” “Abandoned truck.”
I keep in my back pocket a money clip. I fumbled to pick one out thinking; I’ll give him some money.
Usually we don’t give money to people. We take them to get something to eat. I took the money out. David
pushed his finger in front of me. He said, “I don’t want your money. I want this Jesus, the One you were
talking about, because I’m not going to make it. I’m going to die on the street.”
I completely forgot about David, and I started to weep for myself. I was going to give a couple of dollars to
someone God had sent to me. See how easy it is? I could make the excuse I was tired. There is no excuse.
I was not seeing him the way God sees him. I was not feeling what God feels. But oh, did that change!
David just stood there. He didn’t know what was happening. I pleaded with God, “God, forgive me! Forgive
me! I am so sorry to represent you this way. I’m so sorry. Here I am with my message and my points, and
you send somebody and I am not ready for it. Oh, God!”
Something came over me. Suddenly I started to weep deeper, and David began to weep. He fell against my
chest as I was sitting there. He fell against my white shirt and tie, and I put my arms around him, and there
we wept on each other. The smell of His person became a beautiful aroma. Here is what I thought the Lord
made real to me: If you don’t love this smell, I can’t use you, because this is why I called you where you
are. This is what you are about. You are about this smell.
Christ changed David’s life. He started memorizing portions of Scripture that were incredible. We got him a
place to live. We hired him in the church to do maintenance, and we got his teeth fixed. He was a
handsome man when he came out of the hospital. They detoxed him in 6 days.
He spent that Thanksgiving at my house. He also spent Christmas at my house. When we were
exchanging presents, he pulled out a little thing and he said, “This is for you.” It was a little white hanky. It
was the only thing he could afford. A year later, David got up and talked about his coming to faith in Christ.
The minute he took the microphone and began to speak, I said, “The man is a preacher.” This past Easter
David was ordained. He is an associate minister of a church over in New Jersey. And I was so close to
saying, “Here, take this; I’m a busy Christian preacher.”
What a sobering story that is - That Christian preacher, came so close to denying the faith which he
proclaimed week by week with his lips.

Paul delivered his message to the Christians in Philippi that they might be a community of
Christians fit for God;s service. Paul knew what now needed to happen - That individually and
corporately, their attitude toward others, needed to be the same attitude as that which was in the
one who set aside all selfish ambition, who humbled himself and became so obedient to the way
of a servant that he was willing to die on a cross.

This morning, I pray we simply continue to do what we know from the beginning we have been
called to do - Think like Christ! Love like Christ! Serve like Christ! Be humble like Christ!"
That is all but it is and will be enough. Amen
​
Hymn StF272 – From Heaven You Came helpless babe - The Servant King

​Prayers for Others
Take a few moments to think of people who serve in different ways -
People who serve us with meals and food
People who serve us with time and conversation.
Those who serve our health needs
Those who help us grow spiritually.

Prayers
Loving God, we thank you for the example of Jesus.
He served his followers with fish and bread.
We remember those who provide us with food especially……

Loving God, we thank you for the example of Jesus.
He served others and did not turn them away. He welcomed
Women and men, old and young, the unwanted and the unloved.
We remember those who find time for chats, who visit the sick and lonely.
We remember especially …..

Loving God, we thank you for the example of Jesus
He served the sick. He touched them and healed many.
We remember those who care for our health especially…….

Loving God, we thank you for the example of Jesus.
He brought us wisdom from God. He taught us how
To walk in God’s ways.
We remember those who help us to know more of God especially……

We offer these prayers in the name of Jesus - who came as a servant and taught us the way of
servanthood.
Amen.

StF59 – Lord the Light of your love is Shining - Shine Jesus shine.

Blessing
To the needy and the hurting we go.
To the joyful and the delighted we go.
To problems and solutions we go. The world is waiting. .
May the Lord our God bless us with his grace, unite us with his love, fill us with his
peace. Amen.