Mar. 02, 2025

Grow Up!

The Nature of a Servant

Primary Text:  Philippians 2:5-8        

This Week’s Teaching:

1)  The Same As Christ

Philippians 2:5-8:  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!  

DQ 1) Explain how Christ humbled Himself as an obedient servant. 

DQ 2) Do you have an attitude of humility?  How do you know?

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2)  The Master’s Model

John 13:3-5, 14-17:  Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist.  After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him….  Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet.  I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.  I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him.  Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them. 

DQ 3) What example did Jesus set per John 13:15?  

DQ 4) What example do you set on a regular basis?

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3)  Humble Service

Matthew 20:24-28:  When the ten heard about this, they were indignant with the two brothers.  Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them.  Not so with you.  Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave—just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Philippians 2:3-4:  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.  

DQ 5) What does it mean that Jesus gave his life as a “ransom for many”?  

DQ 6) Describe various facets of how Jesus fulfilled the role of a servant.

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4)  National Humility
2 Chronicles 7:11-14:  When Solomon had finished the temple of the Lord and the royal palace, and had succeeded in carrying out all he had in mind to do in the temple of the Lord and in his own palace, the Lord appeared to him at night and said: “I have heard your prayer and have chosen this place for myself as a temple for sacrifices.  When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command locusts to devour the land or send a plague among my people, if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”  

DQ 7) Why does true humility inevitably involve repentance?

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