Humility: The Foundation of Serving

Scripture: Philippians 2:5-8
Big Idea: To live like Jesus is to prioritize serving others over being served ourselves.

In the world around Paul, being humble wasn't cool. But for Jesus, humility was central to who he was. Rick Warren puts it nicely: “Humility isn't thinking less of yourself, but thinking of yourself less.” It means putting Jesus and others at the center of our lives.

Paul's message is pretty clear: if you're a follower of Jesus, it's not just about you anymore. Check out Philippians 2:1-2:

'If there’s any encouragement from being united with Christ, if his love brings any comfort, if we share in the Spirit, if you have any tenderness or compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Don't do anything out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Instead, value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.'

Paul's saying: if you’ve felt God's love, if you've felt his Spirit, if you've felt his comfort – then show that love to others.  Think about a choir. When everyone works together, following the same music, something beautiful is made. That's what Paul wants for us: to work in harmony, helping and serving each other.  Being part of a community, like a church, means caring for others. It's not just about our wants and needs. Paul tells us to put others first. It's a big shift, but one that makes our communities better.

In the middle of all these words and ideas, Paul brings up Jesus. In Philippians 2:5-11, he gives us a picture of Jesus who, even though he was God, chose to become a human and serve us all. Jesus put others before himself, even when it led to his death.
What Paul wants us to get is that Jesus is special. He didn't come to earth to show off but to serve. And after all that, God raised him up to the highest place. Jesus' name is above every other name. And because of that, one day, everyone will say that Jesus is Lord.

Living like Jesus isn't easy. It means changing our focus, looking at the bigger picture, and putting others first. But when we do, we get to be part of something amazing. We get to make the world a better place, one act of service at a time.