Serving others seems like the end of result of a discipled life. In reality, serving others is a means to our own spiritual growth and an instrument God uses for the spiritual growth of those we serve, as well as the larger body of Christ who observes our serving. In other words, serving others is a means of discipleship, not just a result of faithful discipleship.
When CHBC is defining what a “fully devoted follower of Jesus Christ” looks like, we think in three categories: what we want a believer to know, to be, and to do. Part of the character (what a believer is to be) of a disciple the Bible and the Spirit develops is humility. Therefore, we would expect humility to both the posture of one who serves, and we would expect serving to develop humility. And in fact, that is what we find in the Bible.
Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; 4 do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. 5 Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. 8 Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. (Philippians 2:3-8)
Humility regards others as more important than ourselves. That is a characteristic that comes from new life in Christ. This is the attitude that was in Christ and was shown to us by His willing incarnation and crucifixion. “He humbled Himself.” We are to humble ourselves and die to self in order to put the interests of others above our own. We are to live in humility.
When we humble ourselves, or when we put aside our own interests for the interests of others, we become like our Savior. We are growing in our discipleship. When Jesus humbled Himself to serve us, we grew in our discipleship. So, when we serve others, we are being like Christ to them and promoting their discipleship. As others observe the action of loving and serving others, it encourages them in their walk with Christ. So, humility serves, and serving promotes humility. Humility is both a path to spiritual growth and a product of spiritual growth.
We may not think there is so much going on when we use our gifts to teach a class, cook a meal, visit a hospital, host a fellowship, clean up the bathroom at church, carry a bag for an elderly person walking into church, sing in the choir, play an instrument during worship, work with the sound or lighting during morning or evening worship, sit on a team to plan a ministry, listen to a child quote their AWANA verses, help a new immigrant learn the English language, listen as a person talks through a problem, gather up weeds in the church flowerbeds, or scoops up trash on the way across the parking lot.
Our small and large moments of humility are projecting the work of Christ in us and promoting the work of Christ in others. Serve one another, not to get the pleasure of God. Serve one another because you are so pleased with who God is and what He has done, and so you can help your brothers and sisters in Christ follow Jesus more.
By His Grace and For His Glory,
Pastor Mark
