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It's the beginning of Advent! Which means it's time to buy your Christmas tree, start listening to Christmas music and get into the festive spirit. More importantly, it's finally time to start Tim Chester's Advent Devotional, The One True Gift. If you haven't got your hands on a copy yet or if yours is in the post, here is day one for you!
“Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like- minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus.” Philippians 2 v 1-5
Everyone loves Jesus.
Church attendance is falling. It’s common to hear people say they have no time for organised religion. Plenty of people despise Christianity. But still they like the person at its heart.
Jesus is respected as a good man. After all, he was concerned for the poor and associated with outcasts. He told us to love our enemies and turn the other cheek—which sounds good, even if most of us don’t do it very much.
In reality most people have a Christmas-card version of Jesus. It’s all rather sanitised and safe. Christmas-card Jesus wears a permanent smile, and only ever says nice things that make us feel good about ourselves.
But the real Jesus that we meet in the Gospels is not quite so tame. For one thing, he could be rude. He said it straight. Much of what he said—about his uniqueness, about sexuality, about judgment—cuts right across the grain of our culture.
And yet... Jesus remains a compelling figure. When he was rude, it was to confront the injustice of his day. When he said it straight, it was to warn us in love.
In Jesus we see the epitome of love and goodness. He is the perfect man. He is perfect in his mercy, perfect in his justice, perfect in his speech, perfect in his attitudes, perfect in his anger, perfect in his love. His life is compelling and attractive.
Christians are people who want to be like Jesus.
That’s what Paul says here in verse 5:
In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus.
Jesus was born to set an example. There is so much more he came to do. Indeed, if he had just come to set an example, then the message of Jesus would be bad news. For his example would only condemn us. None of us could live up to his standards. So there is much more to say about Jesus.
But there isn’t less to say: he is our example.
Paul picks out one idea in particular here in Philippians 2 (or a cluster of related ideas): “Value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others” (v 3-4).
He’s writing to a church and describing the life that should characterise a church community. But the same principles apply in your family, your workplace or your neighbourhood. We need to put others first.
Think about how Jesus did these things.
“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit.” (v3) Jesus left the glory of heaven to share our pain. He came to a context where no one recognised his status as the Son of God. Jesus wasn’t a social climber! He wasn’t clambering up the greasy pole. He wasn’t dreaming of his next big promotion. He didn’t have his eye on a bigger house. His trajectory was in the opposite direction. His “ambition” drove him down to earth.
“In humility value others above yourselves.” (v 3) The attitude of Jesus was epitomised in the moment when a group of mothers brought their children to Jesus.His disciples tried to send them away. As far as they were concerned, Jesus was far too important to hang out with little children. But that’s not how Jesus saw it. “He was indignant” when he saw what was happening (Mark 10 v 14). He was happy to spend time with children—those people that his culture thought had little value.
“Not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.” (v 4) This is why Jesus was born—because he put our interests before his own. And this is why Jesus was crucified. He was willing to bear the judgment we deserve so that we might be acquitted. Our interests before his interests. Putting others first.
You may not have to die for your family or colleagues today. At least, not literally. But there may be moments when you need to die to self. Your status and interests are quietly executed as you put others first.
Now why would you do that? Paul gives us some reasons in verse 1: the encouragement of being united with Christ; the comfort of his love; our common sharing in the Spirit; and the tenderness and compassion the Lord Jesus gives.
But the most surprising reason is in verse 2: the prospect of making our “joy complete”. What gives Paul joy? It’s shared joy. That’s the goal of his ministry (1 v 25). In a strange upside-down sort of way, putting others first leads to joy. It’s the joy of being like Jesus. His life is so attractive and so compelling that we’re glad when we sense that in our small way we’re becoming like him— and that others are too.
One day I was feeling gloomy—got-up-on-the-wrong-side-of- the-bed gloomy. And then my friend told me how God had been at work in his life, how he had overcome temptation, how my words had helped (something I’d forgotten ever saying). It turned my mood upside down—or rather, the right way up. You only get that—complete joy, shared joy—when you’re investing in the lives of other people. When you’re looking to their interests, and not your own.
O little one sweet, O little one mild,
In thee love’s beauties are all distilled.
Then light in us thy love’s bright flame,
That we may give thee back the same,
O little one sweet, O little one mild.
(Traditional German carol)
Father God,
may I, at least a little,
follow my Lord and Deliverer
as a token of my gratitude.
Lord Jesus,
I am nothing and can do nothing. All I have is through you,
out of the grace of the Father.
I will keep nothing for myself
but with joy will put all I possess
at the service of my brethren. May I be obedient in death,
even in the death of the cross; that is, may I accept
all sufferings and disgrace. Amen.
(Adapted from a prayer of German Reformer Martin Bucer, 1491-1551)
The One True Gift is the third book in Tim Chester's series of Advent devotionals. Read along with us by picking up your copy now.
Tim Chester is a senior faculty member of Crosslands Training and has written over 40 books. He has a PhD in theology and PgDip in history along with 25 years' experience of pastoral ministry. He is married with two grown-up daughters and lives in rural Derbyshire, where he is part of a church plant.
