Mr T’s Attitude Series: Part 1

Selfless Service.

Bruce Chant

generation-j - Pulse

14/02/2003

Philippians 2:3-9

³Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. ⁴Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. ⁵Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: ⁶Who, being in very nature^[1] God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, ⁷but made himself nothing, taking the very nature^[2] of a servant, being made in human likeness. ⁸And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death-- even death on a cross! ⁹Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name,

Mr T from played the classic character BA Baracus in the seminal 80’s TV classic the A-team. Does anyone know what those initials stand for in T’s name? Well officially Bosco Albert Baracus – but all the crew called him B.A. – Bad Attitude!

Mr T later went to star in WWF Superstars of Wrestling, The Toughest Man in the World, DC Cab, and Be Somebody or be somebody’s Fool! This came after his breakthrough performance as Clubber Lang in Rocky 111. The man knew a thing about Attitude. The guy has made a pretty tidy living off having an attitude – now that’s impressive!

And attitude is what Pulse is turning our attention to for the term ahead. Seriously, we could learn from Mr T all about attitude or we could learn from someone else who knew a bit about attitude too – Jesus.

Paul said, “⁵Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:”. Which really is a huge statement considering Jesus never sinned and Jesus lived a perfect life, before man and temptation and the world and the enemy. But no one said it would be easy.

“⁵Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:” – that is our series and we find what that attitude is listed in Philippians Chapter 2.

The first attitude is Selfless Service.

We live in a world that has two big values: My rights and My Conveniences.

They are what count. People will guard them viciously. People will fight and pay money to keep them in tact. They are important.

If you’ve ever worked in retail you will know: The customer is always right and the customer will pay for and expects conveniences. People used to spend time to save money – now people spend money to save time eg Lawn mowing, Car washes, food that is prepared. It’s about convenience.

Men, Women, kids, animals, minorities, disadvantaged, sinners and deviates all have rights enshrined in law in our country – why? Because they are valued and we supposedly agree that everyone should be able to do their own thing without being told what to do or how or when or where – because it’s my right to choose, determine, spend, consume, do whatever whenever.

It’s refreshing to read Jesus’ take on Attitude. It’s the anti-rights, anti-convenience manifesto. As usual Jesus turns the world as we know it on its head.

Philippians 2:3-9

³ Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; ⁴ do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. ⁵  Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, ⁶ who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, ⁷   but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. ⁸   Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. ⁹   For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name,

1. Others Interests over your own.

“³ Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves;”

Don’t look out for your own interests but consider the interests of others.

What are other people’s interests? Your non-christian friends and acquaintances have plenty. One is to know God. But whatever their needs you can help – so let them know.

Most people need friends. Most people need support and acceptance. All people need love. If you have it give it – look after someone else’s interests and not just your own.

The best attitude you can have is one that looks like Jesus’ – one that is concerned about the interests of others.

Jesus in John chapter 4 met the Samaritan woman at the well – an outcast and highly sexually promiscuous woman. He had an interest in her, he took concern for her need and that opened up the opportunity to reveal himself and the whole town got saved.

Do you care or do you not? Are you interested or are you not? They will say a lot about how closely your attitude is like Christs.

2. He emptied Himself

^“7but made himself nothing, taking the very nature^[2] of a servant, being made in human likeness.”

The attitude Jesus took was incredible. He came down from Heaven. He took on the form and life of a human. He is God and grew up as a boy. He went through puberty. He struggled through all that for you and I.

It is tough when you go from 110km in the country to 60km in the city. How tough would it have been going from God to kid??? We are told Jesus emptied himself. His omniscience, omnipotence, omnipresence – He left behind so he could get on our level. How tough would that have been? But he did it so He could relate to you and I.

But Jesus you don’t know what it’s like living my life – he says he was tempted in everyway possible but resisted it.

It’s interesting God did that. He became like us so we (with sin) could become like Him (without sin – forgiven). People perceptions of Christians is that they judge and they bash and preach rules and do’s and don’t and orders about what is right and wrong. But Jesus didn’t.

He could’ve taken His mighty and lofty position and caned us all for all we’ve done and committed against Him. But He came to us on our level. I wonder do we do the same?

Do we reveal Jesus to people – the one that died for their sins, the one that forgave them and redeemed them, the one that revealed God to them – or do we preach rules from our lofty position of sanctification. We should never think we are better than someone because we’re saved and they aren’t. We’re not. Jesus is the difference and we should pray for that for them too believing desparately they will believe too.

An unbeliever once said to me “You Christians don’t live in the real world where people are”. That stayed with me and that is true. We like to take our priveledged positions and in so doing we forget where we came from and what God has done and importantly who we are leaving behind.

Attitude – selflessly empty yourself of your importance to reach out to others.

3. Humbled Himself by becoming Obedient to the point of Death

^“8And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death-- even death on a cross!”

Jesus death on the cross was the most significant act that showed the selfless servant attitude Jesus portrayed. He was hated for telling the truth but He didn’t do that for selfish or conceited gain – he did it for you and me.

Garden of Gethsamene experience where he confronted pain, fear, torment – where he had to battle everything surrounding him to submit to the Fathers wishes –he was sweating blood it was so heavy.

And we think being a Christian is easy. It’s about my rights and conveniences. Where did we get that idea from?

God seeks true worshippers. Jesus anger at the temple where He drove out the traders and money changers is not much about Jesus opposing commerce as He is lazy worshippers who allowed and encouraged the corruption in the first place.

Jesus attitude that He would rather die in obedience to God the Father than face the alternative is huge. But if we are pursuing this attitude there are plenty of things we can die to in the battle everyday.

Start with selfishness. Me-first attitude. My friends who all agree with me and pat me on the back and no more.

What about the world that passes you by? Why not die to a bit of pride and crucify that reputation for the sake of someone’s eternity. Who do you talk to? Who do you know? Who are you friends with? Start with them and pay the price of laziness or embarrassment or whatever and tell your story about what God has done. Show some interest in their needs (be it financial, material, relational, emotional, whatever). Say to yourself I will serve them I will support them I will pray them know the source of life – Jesus as Lord and saviour.

Summary

V9-11 For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name,  so that at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE WILL BOW, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Because of Jesus attitude He was exalted as God gives grace to the humble but opposes the proud.

But the real purpose behind His attitude was far greater: it was so that everything He did and said and acted out of that attitude resulted in it being to “to the glory of God the Father”

It’s still all about Jesus. Attitude is a powerful thing.

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