Embracing the Mission: Lessons from Jesus and Paul

1. Sunday, April 29 “It Takes One To Know One.” Philippians 2:19-23

2. Mark 3:20-21 Then Jesus entered a house, and again a crowd gathered, so that he and his disciples were not even able to eat. When his family heard about this, they went to take charge of him, for they said, "He is out of his mind."

3. Mark 10:28-30 Peter said to him, "We have left everything to follow you!" “I tell you the truth," Jesus replied, "no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age (homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields — and with them, persecutions) and in the age to come, eternal life.

4. Mark 3:22 And the teachers of the law who came down from Jerusalem said, "He is possessed by Beelzebub! By the prince of demons he is driving out demons."

5. Mark 3:23-30 So Jesus called them and spoke to them in parables: "How can Satan drive out Satan? If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand. And if Satan opposes himself and is divided, he cannot stand; his end has come. . . I tell you the truth, all the sins and blasphemies of men will be forgiven them. But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven; he is guilty of an eternal sin." He said this because they were saying, "He has an evil spirit."

6. Point One It was never about Jesus, it was about the mission that Jesus was on. Jesus turned an insult into a teaching opportunity.

7. Point Two Normal spirituality of Jesus’ day was so subnormal that, when He introduced what was normal, people thought it was abnormal.

8. Philippians 2:1-11 If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.

9. Philippians 2:1-11 Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death — even death on a cross!

10. Philippians 2:1-11 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

11. Point Number Three Service isn’t just a matter of being polite. It is offering your gifts, time and experience for the welfare and success of other people.

12. Conclusion To be like Jesus, you must be crazy! Part of being like Jesus is being a servant-leader.

13. Servant-Leaders • Make others the focus of their leadership. • Lead without position or title. • Use their power to empower others.

14. Philippians 2:19-23 I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, that I also may be cheered when I receive news about you. I have no one else like him, who takes a genuine interest in your welfare. For everyone looks out for his own interests, not those of Jesus Christ.

15. Philippians 2:19-23 But you know that Timothy has proved himself, because as a son with his father he has served with me in the work of the gospel. I hope, therefore, to send him as soon as I see how things go with me.

16. Question One Who were the everyones to whom Paul referred?

17. Answer They weren’t pagans. I think they were men like Barnabas, Titus, Silas, Luke and the others who served and worked with Paul.

18. Philippians 3:18-19 For, as I have often told you before and now say again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is on earthly things.

19. Question Two What did it mean to take a genuine interest in the welfare of others?

20. Answer It means somehow overcoming the natural self-interest that is a an important part of every man and woman.

21. Luke 22:42-44 "Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done." An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him. And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.

22. Question Three Why could Paul declare that Timothy was a servant-leader?

23. Answer Because Paul was one himself.

24. Philippians 2:20 For I have no one else of kindred spirit who will genuinely be concerned for your welfare.

25. Answer • Because Paul was one himself. • In the area of servant-leadership, it takes one to know one. • What’s more, it takes one to make one.

26. Conclusion The question isn’t how many like Timothy’s will I ever encounter? The better question is: Can I be that one like Timothy?