And so Philippians chapter 2 the part I really want to look at there is in verse 19 where it says
But I trust in the Lord Jesus to send to Mothia shortly unto you
That I also may be of good comfort when I know your state
For I have no man like-minded who will naturally care for your state for all seek their own and not the things which are
Jesus Christ and I read this a couple days ago during my devotions and it's just a
Passage I was kind of thinking about over here the last few days and just something I want to kind of look at
And I think there's a great truth that we can kind of learn from this passage
You know, there's actually a few things we could learn and one of them is that you know
The importance of other men in the ministry. I mean Paul here is saying, you know, he has no other man to
Like-minded and it shows you how important it is to have men that are like-minded
He has Timotheus
You know ready to to be able to send to these people when there's need and he goes on later talks about apaphroditis
And it just goes to show you that a ministry is not built upon one man
But it's actually built upon a group of people, you know
Tonight this morning. I think was a great example
You know, I was running late getting out getting out the door had to take care of some things at Phoenix kind of that are
Unordinarily and on the way down here. I I had full confidence
I was gonna walk in you know five minutes to start time and everything was gonna be ready to go and it was you know
And this just goes to show you that you know, we all have a part to play in the ministry
it's not about one person but that it's about a group of people all serving the Lord and
You know just shows you the importance of an individual even at like Timotheus and Paul says, you know, he had no man like-minded
Now, I don't think he's saying that Timothy was like-minded
I think he's saying in the sense that he had nobody else besides Timothy that he was sending Timothy to him because we know that
Timothy was a man
Like-minded as Paul was you know when we consider verses like verse 22
Where it says but you know the proof of him speaking of Timothy as a son with the father
He has served with me in the gospel
So when he's saying he has no man like-minded
I don't believe he's referring to Timothy and what I think he's saying you say look I'm sending you Timothy
because I don't have anybody else to send because there's nobody else available for me to send to you to be a help to be a
Blessing or to help you in this need and we know this is Timothy that Paul says, you know
He served with him as a son in the as a son with the father in the gospel
He said a Timothy in 2nd Timothy 3 thou has fully known my doctrine my manner of life purpose faith long-suffering
Charity patience and so on so Timothy was definitely a guy who?
was like-minded like Paul and was a very valuable asset to a man like Paul and you know
We kind of have a similar dilemma today, you know, maybe not just in our church necessarily
But kind of more broadly speaking we have the same kind of dilemma that Paul has here
You know, there's a great need today for for men to be sent
There's a great need today for men to stand up and stand in the gap
You know not just necessarily in local church leadership or in even starting other other churches
You know, but even in the area of soul-winning we need you know, we need more people to fill stand in this gap
We need to be able to send more like-minded people out and to to fulfill the the needs that are out there
We have a kind of similar dilemma to what Paul has a lack of like-minded
Minded men to say to send not to say that we don't have any not to say that we're like Paul
We have no other man
praise God we have many men and ladies and children and young people that are
Willing to go out and stand in the gap and preach the gospel and do that
but to some degree when we look at our movement if you want to call it that as a whole and
And the greater need within our nation. There is a lack there is there is something that is wanting in our country today and
We are I find ourselves in that in Paul's dilemma in that sense if that makes sense
And we see this even you know in some churches churches today are lacking good solid local leadership
You know, I don't believe we're suffering from that
You know
I don't believe we're suffering that in in this location or our
Tempe location and we could look to several other churches that aren't but you know
There are churches churches
We might not even know about that there's a body of believers there that that love God that want to serve God
but there is no leaner that's going to stand up and take the reins and and and and lead the charge and send people out and
And you know lean from the front as it were and go out and help people to serve God
There's churches that are lacking. They don't have a like-minded man as Paul
There are churches that are gonna go unfounded, you know
There's groups of believers all throughout this country even in this world that desire to serve God
But there's just no good solid church for them to go to you know
We kind of it's hard for us to fathom that here in America
But there are places in this world
Such as even Europe and I think we're gonna hear a lot about it at the preaching conference coming up
The missions conference rather this in this January the beginning of this year
Well, there's gonna be parts of this world that where they're just there is no option
You can't even find a lukewarm King James only Baptist Church. You can't even find a you know a Baptist Church
That's just got the essentials right? You can't find any church
They might even have Baptist on the on the door
But when you go in it's anything but or they've got some false gospel
so there is a
Similar dilemma that we share with Paul today that there's a lack of like-minded
Individuals to send whether it be in local leadership whether it be in churches going
Unfounded or whether it be in you know in soul winning the area of soul winning, you know
There's there's so, you know, we like we sit back and we like to think about all the soul winning
We're doing it as a church and it's great
But let me tell you as much as this church does in the area of soul winning. It's nowhere near enough
When we consider the billions of people that are on this planet and then God desires for every
Single person to hear the gospel and that though that the gospel should be preached unto every creature
I mean, is it really enough?
Are we satisfied with the amount of soul winning that we're getting done the amount of soul winners that we do have?
You know, we're we're working hard. We're doing what we can but we there's an area that's lacking today and it's lacking and
Having like-minded people other believers to go and start these churches other
believers to lead in these churches other believers to go out and preach the gospel other like-minded
Individuals and this is something that's lamented in Scripture and we think about the passage in Ezekiel chapter 22
Where it says and I sought for a man among them
That should make up the hedge and stand in the gap before me for the land that I should not destroy it
So we know that God is holy and that God is righteous and that God punishes sin that God will even punish
Nations that God will even destroy lands as it says here in Ezekiel
But and we know he's just and holy and he has every right to do that
But God that's not his desire. God doesn't want to have to destroy nations
God is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance
He says I he said I sought I sought for a man that should stand in the gap that would make up the hedge
but you know what he says, but I found none and
That's a sad case and that's certainly it's not something
We want to be said of us that there was something we could have done there was a gap
We could have filled there was a hedge that we could have made up
but we did not and as a result somebody was destroyed as a result some souls went unsaved as a result the church never got
Started as a result leadership never rose up. He goes on in verse 31 and says therefore I have poured out my indignation upon them
I have consumed them with the fire of my raft their own way
Have I recompensed on their heads say at the Lord God, you know, God is going to destroy
You know if there is no man, we can't say well God's just gonna take care of it. No matter what no God uses
Humankind God uses mankind God uses men to stand in the gap and make up the hedge and you know, he uses ordinary men
He doesn't have to use that. You know, I think about Pastor Anderson sermon about Jonah, you know a man of like passion
It's not a perfect man, but it's still a great man of God and we see so many other
examples of that in Scripture God just using ordinary men to do great things and
You know we
Have I believe men, you know in this church and even in other churches that could stand up and stand in that gap if they so
choose
And our you know, so that is our dilemma and that's kind of just the groundwork for the sermon that you know
Hey, we are facing a dilemma, you know, and we always have and to be honest
We probably always will until Jesus comes we're probably always going to it's going to be an upward battle all the way
Just because of the nature of man and the nature of sin and living in a fallen world
That's probably just the way it's going to be, you know to some degree or another
But we should not let that discourage us and just say oh well
Well, that's just the way it is and throw up our hands
No
We should work hard and we should consider ourselves whether or not we're one of those individuals that could stand in that gap
Whether it be out rocking doors
whether it be behind a pulpit whether it be in some area of the ministry where we can find a gap that we can fill and
Help bring glory to God and save souls and and all of that and our dilemma, you know
It stems from the same reason that as Paul's dilemma here Paul says I had no man to send unto them
And it's for the same reason today that we have that same dilemma
It says there in verse 21 where you are for all seek their own not the things which are Jesus Christ's
That's the root of the problem right there
That's why there's no man for him to send unto them because is that not what it says there he says
I have no man like-minded who will naturally care for your state
That's you know, the for for all seek their own. Why is it Paul? Why do you have nobody else to send?
Why is it only Timothy that you have to send to these people Paul?
for all seek their own and
We see even characters in the New Testament where Paul, you know says that of you know
We think of Demas Demas hath forsaken me loving this having loved this present world
He seeks his own. He's not seeking the things which are Christ
And really that's probably what we would entitle the sermon this morning is selfishness comes at a price
Selfishness comes at a price, you know, we can live a selfish life
We can live a life unto ourselves only but we have to understand something. It's going to cost
It's going to cost something, you know, not only ourselves, but it's gonna cost other people
You know, what if what if we as a church, you know, and I'm just using this as an example because you know
It's what we less than 24 hours ago was, you know on the Navajo reservation
but what if what if we had an attitude as a church and said well, you know,
We can't be bothered to drive five hours one way and spend all that money
You know, we could do other things we could sit back and and enjoy one another's company and just you know
Have fun here in the valley. We just do some doorknob. What if we just got selfish like that?
Well, you know what? There's 21 people that would have gone unsaved up on that reservation
there's 21 souls that would have stood before Christ one day unsaved in all likelihood and
You know, that's the same problem that we have today is the same problem that Paul had back
Then that all men are seeking their own
And not the things which are a Christ's
So selfishness comes at a price. I mean even here in Paul's
Situation think about the fact that when he was being unselfish when he wanted to help the Philippian people it cost him something
Didn't it? It cost him his helper Timothy
I mean Timothy was a great help to Paul and Paul had no other man to send so he said well
I'll send you Timothy because Paul was unselfish
but it was because others were not seeking Christ because others were seeking their own that Paul had to make that sacrifice and
it's a good example to us and
Paul you know and that's really kind of the theme in this chapter if we read it carefully as Paul is admonishing the Philippians
To not be selfish people to not seek their own but to seek the things that are Christ's look there in verse 3
He said let nothing be done through strife or vainglory
But in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves, I mean that that's not about being unselfish
I don't know what it is saying. Look you need to steam others better than yourself
Look, not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others, you know
Don't seek your own seek the welfare of another don't be so absorbed and caught up in your own life and your own
Circumstances and I understand we have responsibilities in this life. There are things that we in our own lives
We have to take care of we have to bear one another's burdens
But it also says bury you every man ought to bear his own burden
So we understand that but let's not get so caught up in it that we just seem to think that nobody else might never need
Some help that we could never look on the things of another
And he's saying here did not look on every man on his own things
But every man also on the things of others and really what this requires when you think about it is a great deal of humility
I mean it he says there let in lowliness of mind, you know
That's that's a humble spirit that takes humility to be able to do that
And maybe that's why Paul could find no other man
maybe that's why all sought their own and not the things which are of Christ because
Man by nature is a very proud creature and it takes it takes an effort often
To overcome pride in our lives and that's why he says, you know in lowliness of mind. That's where it starts
we got to get humble and understand that there's
There's needs that others have and he says and lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves
That's not always the easiest thing to do to say
Oh, so-and-so is better than me the fact that goes against you know, everything in in man's nature often
We're you know, especially as men especially as men who are competitive. We're always trying to outdo the other one
You know it says even as you know, it starts out when we're kids on the playground
You know who can run faster and jump farther and and do all the great things and that's great
I'm not against being competitive not against that. I think that that's good. It's it's part of who especially we as men
That's just part of our nature who we are, but it takes a concerted effort
It takes a real act of the will it takes a real
Humble person to say well so and so's better than me
They're with their wants their needs their the care that I have for them is more than for my own
But that is the example of Paul he was a steaming the Philippians better than his own needs could Paul not have used Timothy
I mean we see in other epistles were tip or when the epistles of Timothy were Paul's, you know, he's in prison
he's asking Timothy to come to him quickly and to bring the cloak and the in the in the and the
And the books and the and the other and other things that he had need of and he's imploring Timothy
I mean Paul was a man who had needs I mean he was a man who had to go out and serve and work
Very busy man, he needed Timothy as a helper
but you know what he esteemed the Philippians better than himself and he was a humble man and he was willing to sacrifice even his
His what he called his son in the faith and say, you know go help these people. I have no other man to send
So it takes a lowliness of mind to esteem others better than themselves. And here's the thing when we do that, you know
People hesitate to do this because they think they're not gonna get anything out of it
They think well if I just esteem others better than myself, what am I gonna be benefited from this by
Sacrificing by giving of my own self by looking on the things of others
You know, what kind what will this thoughtfulness that I should have what is it gonna benefit me?
And here's the thing this thoughtfulness this humility this willingness to esteem others better than yourself
You know, that would be a great cure for a lot of people's depression. That'd be a great cruel cure for a lot of people's
Selfishness in life a lot of people's problems that they have, you know when it comes to things like depression or
Things of that nature, you know, it's a lot of times it's because they're just being selfish
They can't get their minds off their own problems. They can't stop and think about other people
They're so focused on themselves that they can't stop to consider other people and you know
It takes an effort to to to be considerate of others to actually take the time to look and consider another person and their
Situation we we naturally just don't think of that, you know, normally we don't just think of the things and the needs of others
Often we forget about it
We'll hear about somebody's going through something in their life
And there's some situation in their life or their family and at the time and we hear it. We're genuine
We were burdened we say I'll pray for you. Well, then a week or two goes by and we go
Oh, yeah, I forgot you told me about that thing you were it was going on in your life
How's that going and nothing's changed really? You know, it's it's gotten worse or maybe it's gotten better
What I'm trying to say is hey
you have to do you have to be considerate of this fact you have to
decide that you want to look on the things of others and it takes a an attitude of
selflessness of being unselfish
And really that is the heart of the ministry. That is what ministry is all about
That's what coming together and admonishing one another that's really the ultimate goal is to for us to be
selfless for us to go out and be unselfish people and
Really if you think about this, it's the entire theme of Christ ministry
If you wanted to sum up Christ ministry in one word, it would be selfless
I mean what who could be more selfless than the Lord himself?
That's why he says there in verse 5 let this mind be in you which also which was also in Christ
Jesus he's saying look you need to have the same type of mentality the same type of attitude that Jesus Christ had
And he said in verse 6 who being in the form of God
Thought it not robbery to be equal with God now when I was writing this
You know, I've got let me go on a little bit of a rabbit trail here verse 6 is such a great verse about
Trinity it's a great verse that just makes oneness look stupid as many verses do
It says there who being in the form of God right talking about Jesus. So Jesus is God, right?
He's in the form of God thought it not robbery to be equal with God
So you can see how there's two persons right there
I mean would make any sense for him to you know
What why does he need to validate him thinking it not robbery to be equal with himself
Anyway, some to chew on there and it's a little bit of a side note
Maybe I should just save that for an entire sermon and it's of itself, but think about that one
So he said let this mind be in you which also was in Christ Jesus. This is the heart of Jesus's ministry
This is the mentality the attitude that he had and look at verse 7. He says but made himself of no reputation
And that goes often so much against even people in ministry sometimes can get into ministries for they want a reputation
They want to be known and seen of men. They want everyone to know what a great Christian they are
You know and for whatever reason whether it's just maybe it's just to be acknowledged whether it's just to receive the praise of men
But some people will go so far is even to make the reputation known
so that they can fleece a flock so that they can preach lies and that's so that they can
You know sneak in unawares and and become popular. I mean you think of the Joel Osteen's of the world
that guy has a reputation that guy's known that guy's out there and
You know that that he's not seeking to make himself of no reputation
He wants you to know who he is
and he wants you to come to church so he can scratch your back a tickle year and get you to throw some money in
The plate and you know and touch the screen and send thousand or if you can send up, you know
2000 and things like that
but that wasn't the attitude of Christ Christ made himself of no reputation and
Took upon him the form of a servant and let's not forget who we're talking about when we when we read this
We're talking about God Almighty
We're talking about
the creator of heaven and earth
Making himself of no reputation. I mean if anybody deserves to have a reputation and to receive the praise of man
It's Jesus Christ
But here he is making himself of no reputation
Here he is taking on himself the form of a servant and being made likeness and made in the likeness of men
I mean the condescension that he made when he came down and dwelt among man is far greater than we could ever understand
And you say well that's that's a profound truth that it is but that's the mind which ought to be in us
That's the same mind. He says there in verse 5 let this mind be in you have this same attitude be like Christ
Now, of course, we could never condescend to the degree that he did but we could do it to some degree
We can condescend to men of low estate as we're instructed to do
Jesus Christ certainly did it in verse 8. He said I'm being found in fashion as a man. He humbled himself again
That's what it all comes down to
You know if you really want to be able to do this to have this selfless attitude to have an unselfish
attitude to be able to steam others better than yourself to be able to look upon the things of others and
Consider others and stand in that gap wherever it might be
You're gonna have to humble yourself like Jesus did and become obedient even unto death even the death of the cross
So you see here that this was the the heart of Christ ministry
this was the theme of his ministry the selflessness this condescension and
The the elements of humility and selflessness are found there in him
Now if you would keep something there but go over to John chapter 13 John chapter 13
Probably in one of the greatest displays of Christ's humility dwelling among men
Here in John 13 says in verse 1 and when he when you get there keep something in John
We're gonna go back to Philippians, but we'll come back to John 13 a little bit later, too
He says now in verse 1 now before the Feast of the Passover when Jesus knew that his hour was come
That he should depart out of this world unto the Father having loved his own which were in the world
He loved them unto the end
And being and supper being ended the devil having now put in the heart of Judas Iscariot Simon's son to betray him
verse 3 and
Jesus knowing now verse 3 is a profound verse and I think this is a key verse to really getting the depth of this passage
Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hand and that he was come from God and went to God
I mean Jesus knew who he was. I mean he knew
How great he was Jesus knew that he the greatness that he had from God. I mean Jesus didn't have
you know any any
misgivings about who he was and he was God that he was supreme
He's Jesus knowing that the Father given all things into his hands and he was come from God and went to God
What does he do? He rises from supper and lay aside his garments and took a towel and girded himself
after he pours water into a basin and began to wash the disciples feet and
To wipe them with the towel that wherewith he was girded. I mean, what a scene this Last Supper
I mean Jesus these men had to have known who Jesus was
I mean clearly they did that they then Peter had already professed thou art the Christ the Son of the Living God and
They're sitting with him at this Last Supper and they're watching God get up from the table and
Start to go about doing this and you have to wonder if they might have scratched their heads and we will read about Peter
What he had to say about it
Watching God get up and put on a put on a towel girding himself with towel and filling up a bowl
What are you doing Lord and then coming over and getting in front of you at this table and washing your feet?
He says in verse 5 after he pours water into a basin began to wash the disciples feet and to wipe them with a towel
Wherewith he was girded then cometh he to Simon Peter and Peter said they saith unto him Lord. Dost thou wash my feet?
So Peter, you gotta love Peter and just kind of objecting, you know Peter's just you know
We I don't want I don't like to bag on Peter or any of these men of God
Obviously, he's a great man of God a great preacher did great things
But I believe he and he's in there and he says these things and we see so much of ourselves often
I think in Peter Peter just kind of objecting, you know, maybe Peter's getting a little hyper spiritual
Well, you're not gonna wash my feet, you know, I know I know you're the Lord. You're the Lord
You don't you know all you might get you might all the other all these other guys might let you do it Lord
But not me because I'm I understand I'm so spiritual
Man, Jesus answered and said in him what I do that. No, no, it's not not no
It's not now but thou shalt know hereafter Peter saith unto him thou shalt never wash my feet
You know, he's so holy. He's so righteous. He's he's such a he's a bit getting a little hyper spiritual here. I think
Which is not to be you know, which is perfectly natural, I mean he's a man just like any of anybody else
Jesus answered him if I wash thee not thou hast no part with me
Simon answer saith unto him Lord not my feet only but also my hands in my head
I mean, it's it's he just turns on a dime there, you know when it comes down to what it really matters
He's like, okay
Well in that case, yeah, go ahead and wash my feet and you might as well get my hands in my head, too
You know, and you could just see it coming out of Peter this hyper spirituality. Oh, don't wash my feet
Okay, now wash my hands my feet in my head
You know if that's what it takes and I want to go above and beyond above and beyond
And Jesus saith on him in verse 10
He that is washed need not to say
He that washed excuse me first and Jesus saith unto him he that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet
But it's clean every wit and he are clean but not all for he knew who should betray him
Therefore he said ye are not clean
So after he had washed their feet and taken his garments and was set down again
He said to them, you know what I have done to you
Or no, you know know you what I have done to you
He's like asking do you understand what I'm doing here?
Because there's Jesus didn't just feel like washing people's feet for the sake of washing people's feet
He's trying to show his disciples something. He's trying to show us something
There's something that we need to learn from this passage about how we ought to
Behave the mentality the attitude that we need to have as God's people as Christ's disciples
He's saying look, you know ye what I have done to you. Well, you washed our feet
Yeah, that's true. But there's more to it than that
He goes on and says in verse 13 ye call me master and Lord and ye say well for so I am
He's saying you know what you got it, right?
When you say that I'm the boss and you say I'm the master you say I'm the Lord. That's right
That's who I am. I mean like he said in verse 3 Jesus knew that he was come from God and that he went to God
He said you say well for so I am if I then your Lord and master have washed your feet ye
Also ought to wash one another's feet
For I have given you an example that you should do as I have done to you
Verily I say unto you the servant is not greater than his Lord
neither is he that is sent greater than he that sent him so
What's the point of this is Jesus is showing us he's giving us an example
He said there in 50 verse 15 that we should do as he has done to others. They say well, that's beneath me
I can't do that. Well, are you greater than Jesus? Are you better than our Lord?
To humble yourself and serve somebody else to take the time and maybe
Look upon the needs of another look upon another and one another's burdens and help one another
To stand in some gap somewhere to help other people to be a live a selfless life for other people
You must be better than God
But that's not but he was on and says they're verily verily saying to you
The servant is not greater than his Lord. Neither is he sent greater than he that sent him
You know, you're not greater than God this is not beneath you was it beneath our Lord
Was it beneath Jesus to take a knee and serve somebody else? I mean what a what a humbling act that is to wash
somebody's feet
You don't believe me. Let's try it after service
We'll get a basin we'll get some towels and some hot water
You can wash my feet. No, you can wash you ever speak one. I guess
But hey, if you're gonna wash someone's feet way, you know, I'll volunteer, right?
That'd be a very humble act wouldn't it be very
It takes some real humility on somebody's part to you know, especially back then, you know
They weren't necessarily wearing probably I imagine there's a reason why this was a custom back
Then we read about it throughout Scripture washing feets because they were dirty
because they're out walking to the dust and
You know walking through the cities where the other ant where the animals have been and stepping in who knows what and everything else?
I mean it was a custom back then when you had somebody over the first thing you did was you wash their feet
Let them get cleaned up when they come in out of the out of the streets
It takes some real humility to do that
You know, and none of us is above this. None of us is above not necessarily this specific act of washing our feet
We're not going to start this strange custom now. There's no point in doing it
You know, it doesn't serve a purpose now that's not practical but it's a good example for us that none of us is above doing something
Humble that would serve another and that's really the attitude that we have to have
That's the attitude that we see Paul preaching and Philippians. That's the example of Christ's ministry
That's the example of Christ himself in this passage that the Christian life is one of selflessness
It's not it's not for Pete. It's not for us to seek our own. We have to seek the things which are Christ
And here's the things when we're selfless when we have this attitude, you know, it benefits both parties
It benefits both parties. I mean this one, you know specifically this act of washing someone's feet, you know
Somebody gets their feet cleaned and they're benefited from that, you know, there's better hygiene involved
But you know what? The other person is probably happy for having helped somebody
I mean we think about that probably we could probably think of instances in our own life where we've helped some stranger out
You know that strangers grateful and we didn't do it necessarily just so we could get pat ourselves in the back
But we help somebody out with something in some way and they're happy and you know what we walk away
So, you know what? I feel better about myself
It benefits both parties and it would have cured a lot of people's depression or to cure a lot of people's, you know
Self-centeredness in their life if they would just get their minds off themselves and go help somebody
You know sometimes when we get a bad attitude
Sometimes the best thing to do is to go soloing
And just go knock on someone's door and go see some visit somebody who's got it worse than you
And your life won't seem so bad after all
And we both benefit when people are selfless both parties benefit
You know somebody we see somebody broke down the side of the road. They need their you need a jump
I love it when that happens. Hey, you know
I'm pulling a few weeks back. We're pulling in from on sunday night having you know coming back from tucson
You know tired want to go inside and put the kids to bed and get in bed myself and
The neighbors, you know in our apartment just a few spaces down. Hey, can you give me a jump?
I said, yeah, you know and I felt good for doing it and now I got a good neighbor, right?
Now if I ever need anything I can I can go bug him
But when we do that when we help other people
Not expecting a return, you know what we do get something back we get something back. We feel better
about ourselves
Because often people who get depressed they're very self-centered. They can't get their minds out of their own problems
And we would just do a lot better if we would just go serve somewhere go knock a door
Go help somebody with some things volunteer in the church
You know, I I can't tell how many many a time i've scrubbed a toilet in faithful word humming to him
Happy to do it ran the vacuum. Just thinking about god in the church
Just trying to help out, you know, it makes you feel better about yourself that you're serving in some area
So that's the emphasis of the sermon is that we ought to be
Seeking the things of others and seeking to help other people now paul said there if you would turn back to philippians it's interesting
The language here the the we kind of see a formula
of why it is that people are
uh
Or what it means to seek the things of christ, I guess you should say
He says I trust look at verse 19 again
I trust in the lord jesus to send to motheus shortly unto you
That I also may be of good comfort when I know your state
For I have no mind like men like-minded who will naturally care for your state for all seek their own and not the things
Which are jesus christ's so notice there he says
I have no man like-minded who will naturally care for your state for all seek their own not the things which are jesus christ's
So, you know what that tells me is that when a person seeks the things which are jesus christ's
They naturally care for others
That's kind of that's what that verse is showing us there let's read it again. I have no man like-minded who will naturally care for your state
For all seek their own
And not the things which are christ jesus christ jesus or jesus christ. Excuse me
So if this guy if he had somebody that was seeking jesus christ
He would have somebody to send that would naturally care for their state
When we seek christ when we seek christ the things of christ we care about other people and it comes naturally
It's not something we have to drum up. It's not something we have to pump ourselves up over
When we seeking god, we're seeking christ and we're filled with the spirit. We're naturally going to care for the states of the things of others
We're going to naturally care for the state of somebody else
That's what that verse shows us there seeking the things of christ results in seeking the things of others
You know and because these guys, uh, because people are seeking their own and not the things of christ
Paul had no man like-minded who would naturally care for them because they you know, they were seeking their own
They were they're not seeking the things of christ
And if we seek the things of christ will naturally care for the things of others. You want to know want to know if somebody's seeking
christ in their life
Look and see how much they care about others
You know, look how much they're they're you know, the to what degree and I understand that we all have
different roles in life
You know, we can't all do the same amount of everything that everybody else does
You know the the homeschooling mother of you know, multiple children can't necessarily go out and do the the great amount of soul winning that
you know a single man is or or or
Somebody else I understand that but the desire is there the burden's there
They they help where they can maybe not in that area of soul winning, but maybe helping another mom or helping, you know
Even their own children, you know, they naturally care for these things
Because of the fact that they're seeking christ we can look at people's lives and see how much they're seeking the benefit of others
And tell whether or not they're seeking christ in whatever area that is and to whatever capacity they're able to do that
If they're seeking the benefits of other people, you know, that person is seeking christ
That they're looking for the things of god
Let's go ahead and turn over to uh
John chapter 13, we'll close there
Okay
Actually, you know what i'm sorry go to romans 12 go to romans 12 we'll go there
It's going to try and wrap it up a little quicker, but let's take the time and look at this
If we seek the things of christ, we're naturally going to care for others
They say I want to be a selfless person. I want to stop being selfish. I want to stand the gap somewhere
I want to help somebody
You know, I want to benefit from that that as well. I want I want that
That feeling of of you know, having helped somebody out. I want to get out of my depression
I want to get out of my
The slump in my life. I want to seek. I want to help other people. How do I do that? Well seek christ
seek christ
And it'll it'll happen
Read your bible go to church do the soul winning
And you'll find yourself seeking the things of christ and what you'll find yourself doing is caring about the things of others and helping
It says there in romans chapter 12 look verse 9 let love be without dissimulation
That's that's a different kind of word. We don't throw that word around very often do we?
And what that means in verse 9 is that word dissimulation means
You know concealment of one's thoughts or true intents or feelings or character
It's don't let love be without pretense
Don't let don't let love be uh, you know, let it let it not be have a hidden motives behind it
Don't let it be this false appearance of love. Let it be real real genuine love for somebody else
He says abhor that which is evil cleave to that which is good
Be kindly affectionate one to another with brotherly love and honor preferring one another
Boy, it seems like paul's reminding every every other every other church of this. He says it to the philippians bury one another's burdens
And he's telling them here, you know prefer one another esteem others better themselves. It's the same language
Not slothful in business fervent spirit serving the lord, you know, if you serve the lord, you're going to prefer one another
You're going to seek christ you're naturally going to care for the states of others
And that's what we should desire and go ahead now go ahead and turn over back to john 13 if you kept something there
We need to let love be without dissimulation let it be real seek christ all these other things will follow if we would just do that
jesus said in john 13
After he had done all those things
That we read of earlier washing their feet. It says in verse 34
A new commandment I give unto you that you love one another now, that's a commandment friend
That's not optional
He didn't say, you know
You know if you like them
You know or uh if you can stand to do it
You know
You know if they're not too ugly
right
I'm joking, of course
He says a commandment I give unto you after doing this after displaying this great act of humility
And serving others and saying you need to do like I did you need the same attitude I have
And humbling yourself and he says love one another as I have loved you
That can be a tall order sometimes to love as christ loved
To willing to be to forgive people for wrongs whether they're sorry or not
Be willing to overlook faults and shortcomings
And just love that person as christ loved us
You know, and if we're ever struggling that area with loving somebody else
We ought to just step back and consider how much christ loved us
And if we could just get a hold of that, you know, we could probably learn to love other people
I mean trying to love somebody as christ loved them or as christ loved us
You know we should strive to do that, but I don't I don't know that we'll ever accomplish that
I mean as hard as we could try could you really love someone as much as christ loved us?
love them
We should try he says love as I have loved you that you also love one another
By this shall all men know that you're my disciples if you have love one to another
How are you going to know if somebody naturally cares for somebody else or how do you know if somebody's going to be following christ
They're going to naturally care for others
How how is somebody going to know that we're we are his disciples if we have love one to another if we love the brethren
So jesus here. He's commanding us to love one another
And if we do it out of duty you say well that sounds hard
I don't know if I could if I could get there where i'm just going to be naturally caring for other people
We'll do it out of duty
Just just try and do it. Just make yourself do it for a while and and soon enough. It'll come naturally
As soon as it'll become second nature to you
You know, that's why there's some people you never have to harp on them about soul winning they just do it
They just because they want it because they love other people they just want to go knock that door
It's the second nature of them
You know, we've all had ups and downs in our in our life as soul winners and self-included
And there's been times where i've had to just you know, grab myself and drag myself out the door
It's soul winning time
And and the flesh doesn't want to do it. You know what it's not very often
I knock that first just a couple doors in i'm like, why would I want to do anything else?
This is all I want to do all day
Especially when you see somebody get somebody get saved
Say why did I ever think that this wasn't worth doing?
So do it out of duty and soon enough. It'll become second nature
And what we see here by the fact that jesus is commanding people to love one another he's commanding us to do it
It shows us that you know loving somebody it's it's it's not just a feeling or state of mind, but it's an action
It's something you have to do. It's something you have to purpose in your heart to do
So that's the cert that's the sermon this morning that we need to be
Like christ in our lives that we need to this and you know
And the probably the biggest area that we need to to to
Imitate christ is in this area of being a selfless person
Of considering others, you know above our own selves and being willing to serve and and to stand in that gap
Because here's the thing if if we if we don't
It's going to cost somebody something
People are going to go without doors will go unknocked
The gap will not get filled because we're not seeking the things of christ
There's going to be a hedge that has a hole in it in somebody's life in a church
You know in the community there's going to be something missing and to fill that hedge to fill that gap
You know, it's up to us to do it and we have to be willing to do that out of a selflessness
Out of you know, not being selfless. We have to seek the things of christ and then we'll naturally care about that gap and we'll
Step in and fill it. Let's go ahead and pray