Good Morning All,
Philippians
2:4; “Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the
interests of others.”
If
anyone ever questions whether we are born of a sinful nature, all you must do
is put 4 or 5 two-year-olds in a room with a few toys. Soon they will fight over them and take them
away from each other and soon most, if not all, will be crying.
We can read in the paper or watch the news
everyday where someone just wishes we could all just get along. People should be able to reach out to their
inner angels and grab hold of the basic human decency that is truly in all of
us. Because we all know, that deep down,
we are all good, right? I had a professor
from the seminary who told us that when we hear this; we should respond with
that very accurate and concise theological term: BALONEY!!
If you really think that there is really basic human decency; watch a
bunch of two-year-olds play.
In our sinful nature, we always look out
for our own interests and not that of others.
Now I know some of you are going to be offended but if you are truly
honest; why do people help others? How
many times have you heard the circle theory?
If you want nice things to happen to you then you must do nice things
for others. Have you ever heard of
that? We may even innocently buy into
it. Some say that by helping others; you
are building up “credits” so that someday we will benefit from it. Whether we like to view it that way or not,
that is a very selfish act. The only
reason we help is so that someday, if we need it, we will get help.
In this sinful world, man has turned from
God and looks inward only to himself.
Down through the years, we have seen where banding together helps to
protect me from others. This is called self-preservation. Notice the emphasis on self. This occurs but we can truly see that
throughout Scriptures; Jesus calls this stand into question. The rich man turned away because Jesus called
on him to give his money to the poor. He
wanted his own interests over the interests of the poor. When Jesus tells us to turn the other cheek,
we often balk because of self-preservation.
Yet the true irony is that you and I have life because Jesus was the
exact opposite of self-preservation. He
laid down his life so that you may live.
In doing this Jesus frees us from the
bondage of self-preservation. We are
already saved; you could say already preserved.
This can and does free us to live, not in our sinful nature, but in our
redeemed nature; the redeemed nature where we seek to be “like Christ.” It is here where we find God’s peace and
happiness. It is here where we find true
joy, not in looking out for me, but in aiding a hurting brother. For it is in this fashion that God chooses to
work in creation. He does this by using
the hands and voices, the hearts and minds of his redeemed children to comfort,
console and bring back the lost children.
We are God’s workmanship, Paul writes, to do the good works that he lays
out for us and we do this by looking after the interests of others.
Dearest
Father, we are only selfish children until you redeem us. Bring us into your marvelous light of
salvation and keep us as your dear children, serving you as your hands and your
arms in this world. In Jesus’ precious name we pray, amen
God’s Peace,
Pastor Bret
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