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I heard a story a while back now of a newcomer at church who came along for the first time, only to find that nobody spoke to them before, during, or after the service. They tried to chat to people, but the most they got back was a few polite nods and hellos, so they shuffled out feeling like they'd tried to chat, they'd been noticed, but they hadn't really been welcomed. I've got another story from a good few years ago now, of one church member who very gently, but rightly, challenged another church member for not caring for them when there's no doubt they could have and should have. Well the church in that first story was us here at JPC, and the person who was rightly called up in that second story was me.

I wonder, how stories like that about imperfect church life make us feel? Maybe they bring up some painful memories. Maybe they make us reflect on how we could do better together, and perhaps individually. Maybe they make us feel sad, because it is sad and it is disappointing when others aren't cared for or supported or welcomed by us, when they could have been. Maybe, stories like this just makes us feel, well a bit guilty. And that's why Philippians 2:1-11 is so important, because these words will challenge us this evening. They're designed to. They've really challenged me this week.

But it's very important to say that Paul's goal wasn't to make the Philippians feel really guilty, and beat themselves up. His goal was to point them to the Lord Jesus and to encourage them on to live like him, because Paul knew that it's only when we trust in Jesus, that his Spirit gets inside us, and helps us to serve each other, like he served us. Simply trying harder won't work. Fixing our eyes on Jesus, and in his strength seeking to be like him will. So, let's ask for his help:

Lord, through your Spirit, please use this your word to help us serve each other like Jesus first served us. Amen.

And here's the first thing we see:

1. Let your experience of Christ lead to harmony (Philippians 2.1-4)

So, imagine this evening that Barbara, Kitty, Claire and Dan all decided they wanted to prove that they were the best singer JPC has ever heard and Matty wanted the opportunity to show off every drum skill he has. And David and Dan pursued their own elaborate musical agenda, and didn't really think about anyone else. How would it sound? Probably pretty awful because there's disharmony when everyone tries to shout the loudest and when everyone tries to put their own agenda first. But when everyone pursues the same aim, and works together to complement each other then there's beautiful harmony. (Just like our music here every week!) Paul wants to hear of the harmony of the Philippians working together. And he tells them how to pursue it (Philippians 2.1-2):

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.

So Paul knew that the Philippians would read through the list and mentally tick each one off, and then say, "yep, I've experienced all of these" because he knew that it was normal for Christians to. So, let's ask the questions of verse one to each other: Have there been times in your life when it's been so encouraging being a Christian? Have there been times when you've been deeply aware of God's love (perhaps times of pain, or loneliness, when the comfort of God's love is all that's got you through)? Have there been times when you've had a real sense of participation (or fellowship) and togetherness at being part of the Spirit's work in our church family? Have you experienced affection, or sympathy, from others, when you've really needed it?

Well, I suspect that most of us here who are Christians, will answer yes to those questions. Do we wish we'd experienced these things more often? I'm sure we do. But ultimately we can think of times when we've experienced these wonderful things. And so Paul says (Philippians 2.2):

Complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind.

In other words, "pass on the comforts of the gospel that you've experienced to others". And, if you're anything like me, lots of those experiences have involved other people. You've been comforted by God's love because someone has pointed you to God's love, and so on. That's often how God works, isn't it? Through us, showing him, to each other. Paul says that's what we need to do. So, what will it look like for you to encourage (or comfort) another Christian this week? How can you build someone up by sharing in Christian fellowship with them? How can you show affection, or sympathy? And, most of all and this is the key: who can you show, and share, these things of Jesus with? What Paul has in mind is real-life relationships. So it's not just how you can do these things, but who you can love in these ways. Who will it be for you? Because, if we don't set out to treat each other this way, the danger is we'll live a very different way entirely. And that's what Paul warns against in Philippians 2.3-4:

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.

One of the things about buying your own house is that the stuff you've left at your parent's house, suddenly appears at yours. I've had that experience recently and I have to admit I was looking forward to being reunited with my old possessions, as Mum and Dad brought them across, but I forgot about one thing: Hayley. Which is why most of my precious heirlooms ended up in the bins and charity shops of north Tyneside. Though a lot of old photos did survive the cull (photos from childhood, with groups of friends and family, group photos from school, and so on). And guess who I looked for first in every photo? Me. It's natural to do that, isn't it? But it illustrates what I'm like, and I think, what we're all like. First and foremost, we look out for ourselves.

Do we serve at church for God's glory and to serve others? Or to have people applaud us? Do we leave certain tasks to others: tea and coffee duty, putting away chairs, emptying the bins, because deep down we think we're above them? Do we think our views on what church should be like, are more important than other people's? "My home group should be like this, or I think the music should be like this…" Do we come to church to get? Or to give? Don't we make so much of church life purely about us? But that's not what harmony looks like. Friends, what if the first thing we did at the start of this week was to think about a group, or an individual from church - maybe even that person we struggle with the most, and to insert them into Philippians 2.3-4 and pray it through:

Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count ______ as more significant than yourself… Look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of ______!

How would that change us as a church? What greater harmony would there be among us? Paul saw so much good in the Philippians (we've seen that right from the beginning of this letter) and he rejoiced in that, but he wanted much more for them. (Philippians 2.2 - he wanted his joy in them to be complete). And we've got to say there's a lot that's good among us. That we should rejoice in! Praise God. But let's be people who want more counting others as more significant that ourselves, more looking out for the interests of others.

So it's great that JPC is a church of different ages, stages, and nationalities. Praise God! But we still need to keep making the effort to talk to those who are different to us. And it's great that JPC is a welcoming church, that attracts so many people, but then we need to remember that welcoming is something we all need to be intentional about – whatever that looks like for each of us. And it's great that JPC has so much going on, it's so clear that we serve each other sacrificially. But then the challenge is to keep serving when it just feels like it doesn’t benefit us. So, let's be people who want more. More and greater harmony among us. And if that's to happen, we need to look to the one who gave everything for us. So, secondly:

2. Let the example of Christ lead to humility (Philippians 2.5-11)

Reading from Philippians 2.5-7:

Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, [i.e. model yourself on Jesus – have his mind, live like 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.

Though he was equal to God Jesus did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped. I.e. something to be exploited, to be used to get, and get, and get. Instead (Philippians 2.7) he emptied himself. Simeon came to my study at church last week, and he was so excited that he was sick all over my chair. But it's ok, because I rubbed it with a cloth – just to make sure the stinky milk became really, really, engrained in the fabric. Can anyone recommend any good upholstery cleaners? Think about it. Jesus Christ was with God at the foundation of the world, as he set the stars and planets into space. Jesus, God himself (the Alpha and the Omega) who always has been one with the Father and the Holy Spirit – became a human. The King of glory was born a helpless baby, who dribbled and vomited. Jesus became a nobody. He took the form of a servant, a slave, for us. But that wasn’t even the half of it, (Philippians 2.8):

And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

Jesus chose to die for us. He willingly obeyed his Father and became obedient to the point of death. He didn’t think death itself was beneath him. And it was death on a cross. The image of the cross is sanitised in our world today (even in church), but Paul meant it to be shocking because in the ancient world it was shocking. One writer described it like this:

Dying an odious, revolting death [on] the cross, [was] reserved for public enemies and the dregs of the criminal justice system.[Basics for Believers, D.A. Carson (pg47)]

Whether we like it or not, we deserved that odious, revolting death. We were God's enemies. That was the punishment God's enemies deserved but Jesus took it – God's anger, God's punishment, Jesus took it on himself. He came from the heights of glory and stepped down, and down, right down to the most awful death as God’s anger at sin was poured out on him. Jesus took that. He took the separation from God that our sins deserved. A price so awful we can scarcely comprehend. As the Son was separated from his Father for the first time in eternity. Do you see what Jesus did you for you? Doesn't it fill your heart with gladness and gratitude? This is what he did for you. And doesn’t it humble us? He who had everything, gave up everything for us. So, (Philippians 2.5) JPC:

Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus.

The mind of humble, obedient, costly Jesus-shaped service of others. So, when we walk into church, or CYFA, or JPCi, or Home Group, we’re not just to think about our own needs, but about how we can humbly serve others. And when we go home we’re to think, “what will it look like for me to serve this person this week? How can I help so-and-so who’s in need?” It might be practical service. E.g. several of us here have benefited from other’s help in finding a job, or looking for accommodation. Or it might be helping practically at church, on a Sunday or midweek. Or by cooking a meal for someone. It might be just helping someone like one of our student leaders who wanted to help a student on his placement year keep reading the Bible so, he phoned him at 6.30am every of the week for most of the year to encourage him. It might be prayer support. Maybe meeting with someone to pray, or open God’s word with them. It might be emotional support; talking to someone, checking in on them, spending time with them.

And it's not just about serving those we're especially close to. It's all of us striving to serve the whole church family. I could go on, and on. It’s a daunting task. And that’s the point because Jesus didn’t look at all he had to do for us, and say “that’s too hard a price to pay”. He said, "yes, I will" in humble obedience to his Father. So, we need to look at Jesus and say “this is what he did for me – so I can obey God, by serving other people, even when it hurts". Serving others will hurt our time - it takes time to be at church, to be committed to a small group, to chat to, to meet up with, to pray with and for others. It will hurt our money – as we give to make all this, and much more happen, and keep happening. That means less for us to enjoy. It will hurt us emotionally – as we serve others, we will support them with their sins and burdens. We all have sins and burdens but frankly, it would be emotionally easier if we didn’t know about them in other people because caring for others can be hard. But humility based on the example of Christ means we'll look at those costs and still say, "I'll take that. I'll take that to serve other people".

Of course, the price we're called to pay may be far greater than any of those things. Think of some of our mission partners, and what they've given up (basic comforts, safety and security, the surroundings of their own culture) - what amazing examples they are! Simply put, we all need to be prepared to give up everything and anything (even our very lives) in humble service because as Christians we are here on earth to do God's will and to serve others, whatever the cost may be. That's what Jesus did, and God rewarded him for it. Philippians 2.9-11:

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.

Jesus didn’t seek his own glory, or honour. Honour he was entitled to. Honour he deserved. No, he left it to God to reward him. Just like we need to leave it to God to reward us. And so, God raised Jesus to an unprecedented position of glory and honour – to be the name above every name. And one day, he will return as King and everyone on earth will bow before him. So, if you don't already, will you follow King Jesus today? Jesus had everything but he gave up everything for you. He took the terrible price that you might go free because he loves you. Isn't that love the mark of someone you can trust? Isn't that the mark of a King worth giving up everything to follow? Don’t wait until you have no choice. Don’t wait until tomorrow, when Jesus could return today. Don’t wait until tomorrow, when Jesus could save you now, for the rest of eternity. You see, one day every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. The only question is, will we do so willingly or not?

And for those of us who have, we'll know that he who gave up everything for us is the one and only hope for living harmoniously, and humbly together. Beating ourselves up and just trying harder won't work but following, trusting, and modelling our lives King Jesus will. Let's pray:

Heavenly Father, we thank you so much that your son Jesus gave up all the glory possible for our greatest need. We ask that you would fill our hearts with a fresh sense of wonder, and of gratitude, at what he did for us. And we pray that we would have his mind, and his attitude, as we serve each other. Lord, we rejoice at what you are doing among us. But we want more. So help us. Strengthen us. And shape us. By the power of your Spirit. For your name's sake. Amen.