Taking the Low Road

Krista Wilson • June 15, 2022

Notes from Pastor Lance Shumake's message on Philippians 2:1-11.


How we treat each other really matters. 


Jesus said, “as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.” Then he told us that we show the world a picture of how God loves us by how we love one another. 


In our passage this week, Paul shows us what it looks like to live this out and gives us a foundation of all the things Christ has given us.



Foundation


—encouragement in Christ


—comfort from His love


—fellowship of the Spirit


—affection and compassion



Because we have all these things in Christ, it sets the foundation for how we should approach each other. 



Instruction


Be united.

What we have in common because of Jesus will always outweigh our differences. Maintain and work for unity. We have a mission where we are all moving in the same direction.



Be humble.

This is not how we are wired, we are born selfish people. Humility is one of the defining characteristics of a Christ follower. The cross brings humility right into our face, because it shows us that we weren’t good enough on our own – we needed a Savior to die for us. 


Humility is not thinking less of yourself, it is thinking of yourself less. The way Jesus said this was to consider your neighbor more significant than yourself.



Be intentional.

How we approach Sunday morning is a big part of this. It is so easy to think about ourselves instead of others. Every opportunity we have in front of us can either be self-centered or for a higher path. 



The instructions Paul wrote were never meant to be done on our own. When we look to the gospel to be our help, we see it all in Jesus. 


It is not trying harder, it is submitting and surrendering more. 


The picture Jesus gives is the motivation and inspiration we need. 



Motivation and Inspiration


The humility of Christ.

Jesus walked in humility. The path He walked was the low road. He didn’t let go of his diety but he took on flesh so that he could identify with us in our weakness. The call to be humble is rooted in the picture we see in the gospel.



The service of Christ.

He emptied himself and became a servant. He took the form of man and his whole ministry was serving. Everyone had access to him. His ministry was constant interruptions and he continued to serve. If we want to approach each other we need to see how He came to meet our ultimate needs. Then that produces in us a willingness to serve. 


Mark 10:45, “For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”



The sacrifice of Christ.

Sometimes serving will feel like a sacrifice. Jesus’s path is a path of sacrifice. He laid his life down! 


"Many people are willing to serve others if it does not cost them anything. But if there is a price to pay, they suddenly lose interest. Jesus ‘became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross’” —Warren Wiersbe, Be Joyful 



This is not the end of the story… Jesus is highly exalted because he took the low road. In everything we do we are called to do for His glory. 



Exaltation


Those who humble themselves, God will exalt.


1 Peter 5:6, “Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you.”


“The point is that no one ever truly humbles themselves before God without being exalted by God, whether in this life or in the life to come. True humility will never be forgotten by God. God will see it, God will note it, and God will reward it. It is one thing to be exalted by man, but it is something else entirely, and eternally, to be exalted by God.”   —Steven J. Lawson, Philippians for You


At the end we will find out that we didn’t really make a sacrifice. The Bible says when you take the low road, you will never make a sacrifice because God rewards those who follow Him. 

Freed to Serve

April 28, 2025
Notes from Scott Sutton's sermon on Sunday, April 27, 2025. Sermon text: 1 Peter 2:11-17 This is the beginning of a section addressing how God's people now function in this world. It begins with aliens and exiles and continues with servants, wives, husbands, and finally, all of you. 1.) Our identity defines our actions. We are sojourners and exiles (temporary, passing through, not at home) We have a heavenly citizenship Actions We abstain from the passions of the flesh Keep conduct among the Gentiles honorable (our conduct is for the benefit of other people) Honorable conduct wins souls… sojourners, exiles, and soul winners “Peter’s point is that believers’ behavior creates a context in which people will listen to God’s word. He is not teaching that ‘good deeds’ in themselves convert unbelievers, but they establish an environment for the Gospel-word to do so.” -Barnett 2.) Our identity defines our expectations (Unbelievers will respond to honorable conduct in 1 of 2 ways) Some will speak evil against us as though we are evildoers Some will see our good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation 3.) Our identity defines our view of authority (Does anyone here ever just want to do whatever you want to do, whenever you want to do it? That’s why laws exist) Be subject to every human institution (for the Lord's sake) This includes governors and emperors (no distinction between good/bad) The will of God... by doing good, we silence the ignorance of foolish people 4.) Our identity defines our view of freedom Don't use freedom as a cover-up for evil We are freed to serve God Honor, Love, and Fear Discipleship Questions: 1.)Why is it so important to understand our identity before talking about our behavior? 2.) How might this reality impact your parenting? For real, what are 3 ways that you can apply that this week? 3.) How is good conduct a form of evangelism? 4.) What do these verses say that we can expect from others? 5.) How can we honor a government that isn't always honorable? Seriously, what are 5 things we should immediately stop doing and 5 things we should immediately start doing? 6.) What are some tangible ways to honor others? Love the brotherhood? Fear God? Honor the Emperor? 7.) Should we fear the Emperor?

Cornerstone

April 22, 2025
Notes from Ky Martin's sermon on Sunday, April 20, 2025. Sermon text: 1 Peter 2:4-10 Everyone must accept or reject Jesus. He is the cornerstone. We choose to accept Him as the foundation of our lives or toss the truth aside. When we come to Jesus… We become part of His People 1 Pe 2:4-5 As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, 5 you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. The cornerstone is The New Temple. From this we learn that following Christ entails joining his community, the church…The freelance Christian, who follows Jesus but is too good, too busy, or too self-sufficient for the church, is a walking contradiction. -Daniel M. Doriani We join a royal, holy, priesthood 1 Pet. 2:9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Because of who Jesus makes us. We receive God’s mercy Fallen man is not simply an imperfect creature who needs improvement: he is a rebel who must lay down his arms….Now repentance is no fun at all. It is something much harder than merely eating humble pie. It means unlearning all the self-conceit and self-will that we have been training ourselves into for thousands of years. It means undergoing a kind of death. Acts 17:30-31 The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, 31 because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.” Discipleship Questions: Why is it impossible to be neutral about Jesus? Why do you believe that Jesus truly is the Son of God? Do you ever have doubts about this? If yes, what are they? According to 1 Peter 2:9, who are we after we come to Christ? Why does Paul say (in 1 Corinthians) that if Christ is not risen, our faith is in vain?

Born Again

April 16, 2025
Notes from Scott Sutton's sermon on Sunday, April 13, 2025. Sermon text: 1 Peter 2:2-3 Why do our souls ache for certainty? We are so eager for certainty that we will look for it in all the wrong places. - Certainty in our Finances [show slide from news] - Certainty in our Jobs [Acts 17:24-27] - Certainty in our Health [Covid] - Certainty in our Abilities [Ecclesiastes 3:11 “God has put eternity into man’s heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end.”] “Things that have never happened before are happening every day.” -Morgan Housel In these verses, God gives us what our souls ache for! 1.) You must be born again of imperishable seed - We have all been born of perishable seed o Impure souls o Disobedient to truth o Unloving insincerity toward others o Lack of loving effort o Impure hearts - We are withering grass and falling flowers - The imperishable seed is the living and abiding Word of God o Does not wither o Does not fall o Does not let us down o It remains forever o It MUST BE PREACHED! But still, how can we be certain that we have been born again? 2.) If you are born again, hope will be seen in your relationships When your relationship with God changes, God changes your relationships! - Sincere brotherly love - Love earnestly - Put away… o Malice o Deceit o Hypocrisy o Envy o All Slander 3.) If you are born again, hope will be seen in your appetite for God’s Word - Like newborn infants - Long for the pure spiritual milk Discipleship Questions: 1.) Where are some unhealthy places where you look for certainty? 2.) Why do you do that? 3.) What were some evidences of your perishable seed before you came to Christ? Any of that still lingering that needs to be repented from? 4.) Why does Peter call the Word of God the imperishable seed? 5.) In light of the text, how would you describe being "born again" to a 5-year-old? 6.) How has imperishable hope proven itself in your relationships? OR How might it if you lean into loving others earnestly? 7.) Why does Peter tell us that hope will be seen in our appetite for God's Word?
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