We Are the Champions by John Spurling Listen to worship, this devotional and a scripture memory: jrny.ch/1cY4StC People love winners! As a culture, we celebrate and even idolize those who come out on top, who take first place in whatever arena of life captivates their energy and commitment. We say, “To the victor goes the spoil … that’s the American way!” Rarely do we celebrate those who fail to capture first place and finish second, somewhere in the middle or perhaps, dead last. I learned this lesson early in my life. I was a football jock in high school and fortunate enough to play on some really good teams. My junior year, we made it all the way to the state championship game. But our excitement turned to the “agony of defeat” as we lost the game in the closing minutes, 15–13. We had won almost every game that season, yet in the end we were losers. But the story has a happy ending. The next season, my senior year, we made it back to the title game, and this time we came out on top. To this day, people still speak fondly of that memorable 1979 state championship team. We had reached the goal so many young men only dream of experiencing. For at least one year, we were #1 and everyone else was a loser. Such thinking was also prevalent in the days of Jesus—even within the inner circle of His closest friends. One day, two of them came to Him demanding that He grant their special request: “Arrange it,” they said, “so that we get the prime seats in heaven—one of us at your right, the other at your left.” In other words, “We want to go to the front of the class! We want to be first” (Mark 10:35–39). When the other disciples heard of their demands for special treatment, let’s just say that things became more than a little tense. Accusations flew and tempers began to rise until finally Jesus spoke up and set them straight by saying, “Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all” (Mark 10:43–44, NIV). Then He added this final comment, “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45,NIV). Wow! Jesus’ words rocked their world and stood in direct opposition to everything they had learned about what it means to be successful in life. For Jesus, serving others wasn’t something He did when it was convenient, and He certainly wasn’t interested in personal recognition. Serving others, especially those in need, was the heartbeat of His life—the motivation behind His life mission. He came to serve others and to set people free from whatever was holding them back (Luke 4:18). Perhaps no one captures the essence of Jesus’ passionate priority on selfless living better than the apostle Paul in his letter to the church in the city of Philippi. “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit,” he said, “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” (Philippians 2:3–4, NIV). As the church read these words of instruction from their friend and spiritual leader, I’m sure some must have wondered, “No way … there’s absolutely no way we can do that … how is it possible for us to look to the needs of others first, before even our own needs are met? That’s just insane!” But Paul went on to explain how we can fulfill such a culturally radical mission. He said, “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” (Philippians 2:5–7, NIV). When it comes to putting others first and caring for their needs, how consistent have you been in following the instructions of Jesus? Are you willing to champion the interests of others, or do you find yourself investing more of your time and effort on getting your own needs met? The message that echoes through the words of Jesus and the apostles is clear. The true pathway to the heart of God requires us to live selfless lives and care for those who are hurting and in need. As Jesus once said, “When you did it to one of the least of these My brothers and sisters, you were doing it to Me!” (Matthew 25:40, NLT). TODAYS PRAYER - OUR CHURCH Ephesians 3:20 God can do anything, you know—far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams! He does it not by pushing us around but by working within us, his Spirit deeply and gently within us. Pray for JourneyChurch and the ministry that will take place in 2014. Pray for Pastor Clark and his family, along with the other staff members, and small group leaders.
Posted on: Sat, 15 Mar 2014 12:15:00 +0000
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