28th January, 2024
Philippians 2:3&4
Reading:
3 Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.
4 Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.
INTRODUCTION
These verses are teaching us; Don’t seek great things FOR YOURSELF, Seek great things FOR OTHERS. We shouldn’t seek great things for ourselves. We should not seek a position of greatness just for the interest of ourselves. However, we should seek great things for the benefit of others. We should seek for God to do great things through us to help others. SEEK GREAT THINGS FOR OTHERS. Today, I want to give you three great things we ought to seek for others.
(1) Seek the salvation of others
The apostle Paul is a great example to us of doing this. He said in 1 Corinthians 10:33, “Even as I please all men in all things, not seeking mine own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved.” Paul was trying to live his life in a way that he would not offend others – not because he was seeking to benefit himself – but because he was seeking for others to be saved. We ought to seek the salvation of others. Paul also said in Romans 10:1, “Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved.” Paul had a great burden in his heart for his fellow Jews to be saved. He had a passion for the salvation of others.
People need the Lord. Let us seek the salvation of others. The songwriter wrote, “Set my soul afire Lord for the lost in sin.Give me a passion as I seek to win. Millions grope in darkness waiting for Thy Word. Set my soul afire Lord, set my soul afire.” One of our Baptist hymn books, “Rescue the perishing, care for the dying.Snatch them in pity from sin and the grave.Weeping o’er erring one, lift up the fallen,Tell them of Jesus, the Mighty to save.”
- Who are praying for to be saved?
- Are you faithful to witness to lost souls about Christ?
(2) Seek the sanctification of others
Paul wrote to instruct the Believers in Galatia. Many had departed from the faith. He said to them in Galatians 4:19, “My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you,” Paul said, I am willing to travail (go through pain and suffering) again until Christ be formed in you. Paul not only sought the salvation of others, he also sought the sanctification of others. God desires His children to be holy, He saves us so that we would be set apart as His holy people. Titus 2:14 tells us, “Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.” We ought to seek to help others be sanctified. Galatians 6: 1&2, “1 Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. 2 Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.”
We should not turn a deaf ear or a blind eye toward our brothers who are struggling to be holy. We ought to actively seek to help others to live sanctified lives. Are you praying fervently and faithfully for anyone right now who needs help to be holy? Are you helping anyone who is struggling to be holy? We ought to seek the sanctification of others.
(3) Seek the success of others
In our text verse in Philippians 2 we find the statements, “Let each esteem others better than themselves” and “Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.” In other words, we ought to seek to help others to be successful. We are not competing against each other. We are here to help one another to succeed at doing what God has called us to do. We ought to actively seek to help others to be successful.
POEM: [The Bridge Builder ~ By Will Allen Dromgoole]
An old man travelling a lone highway,
Came, in the evening cold and grey,
To a chasm vast and deep and wide.
Through which was flowing a sullen tide
The old man crossed in the twilight dim,
The sullen stream had no fear for him,
But he turned when safe on the other side
And built a bridge to span the tide.
“Old man,” said a fellow pilgrim near,
“You are wasting your strength with building here;
Your journey will end with the ending day,
You never again will pass this way;
You’ve crossed the chasm, deep and wide,
Why build this bridge at evening tide? “
The builder lifted his old grey head;
“Good friend, in the path I have come,” he said,
There followeth after me to-day
A youth whose feet must pass this way.
This chasm that has been as nought to me
To that fair haired youth may a pitfall be;
He, too, must cross in the twilight dim;
Good friend, I am building this bridge for him.”
CONCLUSION:
Why are you a Christian? Why are you a member of Calvary Independent Baptist Church? What are you seeking? Are you seeking great things for yourself? Are you seeking great things for others?
(1) To seek to help others be saved.
(2) To seek to help others be sanctified or holy.
(3) To seek to help others to be successful.
Pray for God to help you to be a blessing to others. And all the blessings will fall on you.
Amen!!!