Hokey Pokey Humiliation
Notes
Transcript
Hokey Pokey Humiliation
Hokey Pokey Humiliation
<Video of Preaching Class doing hokey pokey in front of the church>
These are grown men and women. Professionals. These people have jobs, degrees, careers, families. Why, oh why, would they willingly subject themselves to being so ridiculous?
Some of you remember this video, I showed it almost exactly three years ago. This is notice that there is no statute of limitations on embarassing videos… I keeps them all!
Humiliation. Humiliation is a bad thing, no one likes to be humiliated. It is… what’s the word? Humiliating. We want the respect the respect we have earned, the respect and credit we deserve. Of course we do!
Humility. You and I may think of that as a good thing… but the only reason we think of it as a good thing is because of passages like our text this morning. “Humility” as a positive has kind of seeped into our Judeo-Christian worldview and we may take it for granted that “something called humility” is good.
But in actual practice, just as it was in 1st century Greek and Roman culture, humility runs counter to almost everything our culture teaches.
Literally, "humility” means “lowliness” and that’s not generally a good thing.
While there is an arrogance or bragging that is off-putting, what our culture values is really skillful self-promotion. Standing up for your rights. Not being a doormat. Get the respect you deserve. Be all you can be.
I have here a resume where I am completely humble. I have here a resume where I subtly and skillfully brag about all my accomplishments. Which one will get me the job? What’s more, our implicit assumption in even that statement is that the obvious “good thing” is me getting the job!
Paul writes to the Philippians to let them know that he is full of joy, even in prison, living for Christ. And if he dies, that’s gain too.
But there is something the Philippians can do to complete his joy. As if there is a piece missing, and they are holding it, and they can complete the puzzle by doing this one thing.
Let’s Make Paul’s Joy Complete
Let’s Make Paul’s Joy Complete
So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind.
Ooh, that unity sounds beautiful. The same love. “Full accord.” aka Harmony.
Of one mind. Thinking the same thoughts.
That sounds like a beautiful ideal even just for a married couple. Unlikely, but a beautiful ideal.
Even for a family, that would be amazing. Can you imagine harmony, single-mindedness just in your family? Everyone agreeing, thinking along the same lines, loving with the same love.
Oh man. NEVER going to happen… but wouldn’t it be nice?
Paul is writing to a whole church! Good luck!
All we have to do is this:
Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.
Oh.... that’s it? All we have to do is eradicate “selfishness”? Get rid of “vanity” and you’ll be fine. Paul uses two words here to cover the entire gambit of self-focused motivation. Your desire to have the respect you are due, the credit you are due, the things that you like, getting your own way.
The Message captures this “pushing your way to the front and sweet-talking your way to the top.”
And sure, if we just got rid of selfishness, selfish ambition or conceit everything would be a great deal more harmonious!
But in humility count others more significant than yourselves.
Once I heard a sermon as a young teenager that “humility” meant being sober-minded… truly honest about who you are. So if I was truly great, or really was better than this than someone… than it was “true humility” to acknowledge and celebrate that. If I can twist “humility” to mean pride and thinking that I am better than people… how gross is that?!
For many, we think of humility as just thinking that we are trash. “I’m garbage” says humility. We hear “lowliness” and think, “Ah, I must cast myself to the ground and do the worm.” But that can’t be right. The gospel says that I am worthy, that I am beautiful, that I am fearfully and wonderfully made, and that I am destined for glory! Paul can’t be saying that I am trash.
And he isn’t. He doesn’t say here “in humility, count yourself less.” He says “count others” or “weigh” others more significant than yourselves.
“Humility is not thinking less of yourself but thinking of yourself less.” -Ken Blanchard
(Often misattributed to C.S. Lewis). Not thinking less of yourself. Thinking of yourself less. And instead, thinking of others more. And “weighing” or “counting” their things more. The next verse really unpacks this:
Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.
Do I have interests? The word here is actually SUPER open-ended, purposefully so. My “things”. My “stuff”. My preferences, desires, wishes, dreams, interests, hungers, ambitions, all the things. I have all of those. This doesn’t say that I lose them, that I no longer desire them. And I still look to them… I can’t help that!
Everything we do is with selfish intentions.
I like what I like. I like music I like. I like preaching and preaching styles that I like. I like people that I like.
You are always going to have those. Selfish instincts. Selfish desires. Desire for your way, for your rights, for your respective, for you credit, for whatever currency it is that you love… you are always going to have that desire at play.
You are going to think about those things. Okay.
But then, you are going to also think about their things. Not only to my interests but to their interests.
This takes intention. Reflection. What does “Bryan” need. What about Miriam, what are her interests. I wonder what would serve Ted here.
And then you are going to decide which “counts” more. Which “weighs” more. Which is “more significant.” And whose it it? Theirs.
And if everyone a church did that, what would happen? Everyone considering each other’s needs and counting them more, and this could then converge as we sought and truly discovered each other’s needs and interests and, led by the Holy Spirit, that love and concern for all of one another leads to unity and harmony in mind, in the way we think, in the choices that we make. The kind of arguments that we have are “No, let’s do your thing...” and “No, let’s do your thing,” and a third person comes in and says “I’ve been thinking and praying about both your interests, and what if we did it this way to serve both things...”
That sounds like a crazy ideal. But here is what Paul says:
That unity of heart and mind… that is the mind of Christ. and IT IS ALREADY OURS.
Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus,
This is a thing that, first, only happens in community. You have this mind among yourselves, not all by yourself. Christians are meant for community. Church is not an optional part of Christian discipleship, it is where it happens. You can’t think “count others more significant than yourselves” if there are no “others”.
This humility happens only in the context of the community, the fellowship of Christ… and it is already yours in Christ Jesus. He has already created this capacity, this redeemed nature, this redeemed and transformed mind within you and among you. The neural pathways are already there, you just have to fire them up and live out of them!
What does living out of them look like?
It looks like Jesus! Paul grabs what scholars think is a pre-existing Christian hymn here. Three stanzas speaking to Jesus’ humility in serving us here on earth… and three stanzas to God subsequent glorificiation of him.
who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.
What level of respect was he owed? Did he deserve? He was GOD HIMSELF. But he didn’t “grasp” it or “hold on to it and squeeze.” He wasn’t about his interests.
It isn’t that He wallowed on the ground or pretended to be less than he was. He revealed the truth that he was God. But his intent, his purpose was for our sake, our interests, and he went to every extreme, any extreme, death on a cross to serve us, to love us, to save you and me!
Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so 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.
If you want glory. If you want respect… you are never going to get it on this earth. Not really.
Jesus gets all the glory. Not when he walked the earth, though there were moments, foretastes. But all of creation will bow and will glorify His name. The Bible isn’t shy about offering glory, you can and will be glorified on that day, in the name of Jesus.
Is this possible for humans to do?
Be Like Jesus. Be Like Paul. Be Like Timothy. Be Like Epaphroditus.
Be Like Jesus. Be Like Paul. Be Like Timothy. Be Like Epaphroditus.
Paul is doing it:
Even if I am to be poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrificial offering of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all.
Timothy is doing it
I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, so that I too may be cheered by news of you. For I have no one like him, who will be genuinely concerned for your welfare. For they all seek their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ.
If we are seeking the respect and credit we deserve… we are never going to get it.
“It is amazing what you can accomplish if you do not care who gets the credit.” -Truman
Do I have to?
Do I have to?
So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind.
Is there any encouragement in Christ?
And comfort from love?
Any fellowship / participation in the Spirit.
Have you ever had affection or sympathy in the name of Jesus, from Jesus, from His Spirit?
If so, pursuing this kind of unity and harmony isn’t optional for the people of God.
And can you imagine a church that loved like this, thought like this?
How do we get to there?
How do we get to there?
How do we get there?
Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.
How do we do it? it out. Earlier Paul said “this is already yours in Christ Jesus.” Now he says “God is already working in you to will and to work for his good pleasure.” What do we do? “Work it out.”
You have the salvation, it is accomplished, it is finished… now work it out!
Practice it! Practice it! Practice it!
In fellowship. The fellowship of the Spirit. I can’t know your needs, your interests, if I am never talking to you! In this sharing of selves. And this may happen some Saturday morning. But it going to happen even more when we meet for coffee, when you have me and my family over for dinner, when we workout together or go hiking together… when we do LIFE together. This is one of our greatest strengths as a church, and that is a vanishingly rare thing in the Christian church.
Practice it in prayer. Paul is praying for the Philippians non-stop. It is in prayer that he discovers what would be truly good for them before the throne of God, filled with the wisdom of God. In prayer we hold the interests of others up to God and say, what would be good for them? My kid says he wants unlimited screen-time, “God, would that be good for him?” No. Wisdom.
Practice in prayer for one another. E’ry’day.
Practice in service. That is where the rubber meets the road. Finding actual ways in which my mind, my body, my time, my skills are put in action towards your needs. People out serving coffee. They are just standing their all morning, making stuff for you. That is humility in action. I have heard people sometimes be rude to our coffee baristas, as if they are servants there for our convenience. And I’ve seen and heard Jesus in action in those moments: “Hey, I am here to serve, what can I get you?”
Practice in fellowship. Practice in prayer. Practice in service.
Picture a community that does this for one another. I don’t have to worry about my interests, because I know that I’ve got the whole family of God looking out for my interests. I am focused on looking out for theirs. For yours. And willing to do whatever it takes to meet those needs, obedient, even to death on a cross.
Humiliation Hokey Pokey
Humiliation Hokey Pokey
Even to humiliation. Even to hokey pokey.
That is why those respectable, professional men and women were willing to do do something so ridiculous. They were practicing for preaching. Willing to be absolutely ridiculous if that would help in any way engage you with the word of God. Whatever it takes.
Because what you need counts more than what I need.
So, let’s practice it. A little hokey pokey.