|
Proper 21 Trinity Lutheran Church
28 September 2008 Murdock, NE
+ Jesu Juva +
Philippians 2:1-4, 14-18
“Enlighten our minds by your Holy Spirit.” Holy Spirit enlightened minds. You gave your “Amen” to that prayer today. That was the Collect of the Day.
“Enlighten our minds by your Holy Spirit that, confessing Jesus as Lord, we may led into all truth.”
Enlightened by the Holy Spirit minds. Led into all truth as we confess Jesus as Lord.
How does that happen? Would you like to know? Would you? All right. But I warn you. It might just blow your minds. So, still want to know? Really? All right. Here goes. Listen closely. And I’m going to give it to you from my own translation.
“Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit. With humility of mind . . . treat the other person as the most important and not yourself. Don’t concern yourself with your own interests but instead be concerned about everyone else’s needs.”
Can you summarize what you’ve just heard in one word? I’ll give you a hint. It begins with an “L.” Has four letters. Ends with “E.” That’s right. L-O-V-E.
Love, a fruit of the Holy Spirit, says: “Why am I being so selfish? So self centered? I will put myself last. I am a nothing. My brothers and sisters in Christ are everything. What is my spouse’s need? My child’s? My Mom’s? My Dad’s? My congregation’s? My school’s? My country’s? Will that mean less for me? Yes. Does my neighbor deserve it? Probably not. But will it benefit my neighbor? Then I will do it.”
That’s a Holy Spirit enlightened mind. That is being led into all truth. Living not for yourself. Sacrificing for others. That’s the life that flows from faith in Jesus.
Speaking of Jesus, that’s precisely the way it is with Him. He came NOT TO BE SERVED BUT TO SERVE AND GIVE HIS LIFE AS A RANSOM FOR MANY. Jesus made Himself nothing. A servant. Humbled Himself. And then gave His life on the cross to win forgiveness for you.
Do you deserve it? No. Did you earn it? No. Did He do it to make Himself look good? No. Then why did Jesus do it? It’s that four-letter word again: L-O-V-E.
His love for you. That’s why Jesus sacrificed Himself for you. Even while you were His bitterest enemies. While you were yet sinners He died for you. You needed saving. You needed forgiveness. And you couldn’t do anything about it. In fact, you didn’t even care about it. So He went to work. Did His Good Friday salvation job. “Humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.”
All our sin answered for. Death and Satan defanged and neutered. Relationship with God changed from damning wrath to gracious mercy.
Now the Lord Jesus has good use for you. With Holy Spirit enlightened minds through Holy Baptism to live not for yourselves but for others. To know the truth that you do not live to be served but to serve.
“Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit. With humility of mind . . . treat the other person as the most important and not yourself. Don’t concern yourself with your own interests but instead be concerned about everyone else’s needs.”
Such humility we learn from Jesus. Such humility we receive from Jesus.
For He’s still the same Savior. He humbles Himself before you today. Even though He is highly exalted He puts you first. Your needs. Your greatest need. No selfishness with Him. No conceit.
So humbly He comes as your Servant that you hardly notice it. With the bread He gives you His most holy Body. Humbly with the wine He gives you His most holy Blood. And with that He promises forgiveness. All is forgiven.
What a Savior. Totally self-effacing. Totally self-giving. And now all that is yours in Him: Holy Spirit enlightened minds and all the truth that He brings and gives for you.
In the Name of Jesus.
|
