Family Tree 12.14.20

Family Tree Devotional Series - Week 3 – Joy - Monday – Pastor Chris
Servant JOY
Philippians 2:1-8 (NASB)
“Therefore if there is any encouragement in Christ, if there is any consolation of love, if there is any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and compassion, make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose. Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. Have this attitude in yourselves, which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.”

My birthday is Christmas Day. That means I get asked questions like “did you get Christmas and Birthday gifts or just one gift,” or “that must have been terrible growing up.” But my favorite has always been, “What’s it like sharing a birthday with Jesus?” To be perfectly honest, sharing a birthday with Jesus is pretty cool; I absolutely love it. It could be worse; I could share a birthday with Adolf Hitler (4/20), Josef Stalin (12/18), or Tom Brady (8/3).

However, though my birthday may coincide with the celebrated birthdate of Jesus, what is more important is that I strive to become more like Jesus every single day. The Apostle Paul, writing to the Church of Philippi, implores them to make his “joy complete” by being like Jesus. Specifically, being a servant follower of Jesus. Jesus set a precedent in Mark 10:45, “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."

The Apostle Paul understood the joy of following Jesus, and he wrote to the Philippians expressing that joy. However, Paul understood that true joy came from being sold out to Jesus and living a life of humility. If you and I want joy in our lives, I believe that we must live sold-out lives that reflect a deep humility from a relationship with Jesus.

Many years ago, I heard a simple acrostic for having pure joy in your life. The acrostic said: Jesus Others Yourself. If I put Jesus first, others second, and myself last, I will experience the pure JOY coming from following Jesus. I sense Paul was trying to convey that to the Church of Philippi and is trying to tell us today as well.