Welcome to this week's ToGather.church. Our focus comes from our Verse of the Day, 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 interest of others.

Phil's message video asks, "Do you have a heart for God's people?" Jesus tells us that if we have a heart like God's, then we will love his people! We can't love God and seek to honor Jesus and not serve and love our brothers and sisters.

This kind of sacrificial love and service for others, especially those who are unworthy, is not easy. So, Demetrius has chosen songs for our full worship video that lead us to confess our brokenness before God as we honor our Creator in our worship. As we sing, we invite God to mold us, remake us, and use us as we serve others in Jesus' name and bring them God's grace.

Phil's Message for This Week

Phil's message asks us:

Do we have a heart for God's people?

Do we love others as Jesus has loved us — and does love us?

Or are we motivated to do what we do out of selfish ambition or a personal desire to be recognized as important?

Jesus emphasized that he disapproves of us seeking to be the most important or most recognized disciples. Status-seeking and lust for superiority with power over others must not be part of the Jesus lifestyle! Instead of trying to earn recognition and a place of honor, Jesus demonstrated greatness by offering himself in service to others and in obedience to God. He was lifted up, not to a superior worldly position, but lifted up on a cross to sacrifice himself for us all (Philippians 2:6-8).

So, Jesus summed it up for all of us seeking to be his authentic followers:

"The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who exercise authority over them call themselves Benefactors. But you are not to be like that. Instead, the greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who rules like the one who serves. For who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who is at the table? But I am among you as one who serves" (Luke 22:25-27).

Then, Jesus demonstrated his willingness to be a servant to bless his fickle disciples (John 13:1-30). Phil helps us see how Jesus showed his greatness by loving and serving those who were unworthy of his love and unwilling to serve him (Philippians 2:6-9). So, God exalted Jesus — the Almighty lifted up Jesus above all other officials, powers, or positions and gave him the name above every other name (Philippians 2:10-11). Jesus calls us to have this same loving and serving lifestyle with our brothers and sisters (Philippians 2:3-5 NRSV) as the early believers had for each other (Hebrews 10:33-34).

 

Jesus reminded us of our mark of identity as his followers:

'I am among you as one who serves.' — Jesus
"By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another" (John 13:35).

Full ToGather Worship Video

The full worship video leads us to open our hearts to God's love for us and calls us to love others as Jesus did. As we sing, share in the Lord's Supper, open God's Scriptures, and pray, we trust that the Holy Spirit will fill us with God's love and empower us to a lifestyle of loving service for others (Romans 5:5; Galatians 5:22-23).

Special thanks for the use of images related to Jesus' ministry from The Lumo Project and Free Bible Images for use in both ToGather videos.