ࡱ> tvs` AEbjbjss .jA=<<<<DD<LE*<<<<<w=w=w=-E/E/E/E/E/E/E$Fh@ISE@w=w=@@SE<<hE}B}B}B@^<<-E}B@-E}B}B}B<< T<?A}B-E~E0E}BIAI}B}BImDw=A>}B>tE?w=w=w=SESEsB w=w=w=E@@@@d\#\# Living Out of the Spotlight Philippians 2:1-11 It happened during the final worship service at Super Summer in 1994 at the University of Mary Hardin Baylor in central Texas -the student choir was about to perform the music theyd rehearsed all week --150 fresh, young voices took their places on the risers --the house lights fell and the spotlight began to shine -the music was inspiring, worshipful --but as they continued to sing, I noticed something strange, something I dont think Ill ever forget -there on the back row, on the far right, was a girl named Katie --I knew her because she was in my family group ---the thing was, she wasnt in the spotlight...she was too far off to the right...and she was left standing in the dark --I felt so sorry for her because shed worked so hard and she was really gifted...and now it was her big moment and no one can see her I thought about how Id feel if that were me back there in the dark -Id be angry with the doofus running the spotlight...its not exactly rocket science -Id be upset the director didnt notice the problem and correct it -Id feel hurt that none of my friends would see me Then I thought about what Id do...if that were me -Id push the guy standing next to me...after all, hes in the spotlight, if I could get him out of the way, I could step right into it -Id make huge gestures to draw a little attention my way -Id buy a t-shirt that says: Super Singer Super Summer Choir 1994 But the most unusual thing about the whole scenario was Katie -I had to watch her for quite some time to allow my eyes to adjust to the lack of light...and what I saw simply amazed me -there she stood...head up...eyes closed in worship...with a smile as big as Texas --Katie could not have cared less about some silly spotlight ---in fact, to see her, youd think that she was singing for a different audience from the one sitting in the auditorium Try to imagine what kind of church member Katie is today -she serves in the nursery so young parents can attend S.S. -shes in the choir even though shes never been asked to sing a solo -most every night she checks in on her elderly neighbor just to see if he needs anything -shes up early before work to be a prayer warrior for her world -one Saturday a month shes in the kitchen at the local homeless shelter...mopping, taking out the trash, doing whatever else needs to be done Why would I say that when I havent had contact with her for 14 years? -because I think Katie has more than a clue about what Paul talks about in Philippians 2 --let me refresh your memory of the first four verses Read Philippians 2:1-4 As weve come to expect, Paul is pretty radical when it comes to his ideas about what an authentic Christian community should look like -and, as usual, his ideas arent terribly realistic --be like-minded? --have the same love? --be one in spirit and purpose? -uh, Paul, that sounds great and all, but were Baptists...were supposed to disagree and even fightits in the by-laws --I mean, that may have worked that way in the first century when church was much simpler, but not today And honestly, that natural response seems to have some merit -consider these famous words that are engraved on every Americans heart ( We are endowed by [our] Creator with certain inalienable rights, among those are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness. --those words make us swell with patriotic pride...they form the very foundation of who we are and what were about as a nation -and our Constitution goes even further by declaring that we have additional rights...free speech, free press, to assemble, to bear arms Since our core documents revolve around individual rights, we should not be surprised how we now live in culture that has made a god out of individualism...so now the will of one equals the power of the 99 -and along the way weve allowed this mentality to creep into the corridors of the church --and whether or not were actually aware of it, we often enter the church doors with the belief that we should be made happy ---after all, its our right -a long time ago in a church far, far away I had a church member tell me to stop focusing on the lost in the community and give more attention to the people who pay my salary --somewhere this good Christian woman became convinced that was her church and that she was going to get what she wanted when she wanted it and no one was going to get in her wayespecially not some scrawny, pimply-faced pastor And thats why Paul does more than just ruffle our feathers a little -he challenges us to take a good, long, hard look at our attitudes... and our motive -he calls us to live outside the spotlight -he calls us to live just like Jesus Sometimes thats kinda difficultconsider this: as a church member, you have the right and responsibility to vote in business meetings -you approve those filling church leadership positions -you give the final okay-dokey to the annual financial plan -you give shape and direction to our ministry On the surface, that all sounds wonderful -but the sticky part is that you arent the only one who has that right --people of all ages, backgrounds, and spiritual maturity have the same vote...and all votes count equally...you dont get an extra vote for every 10 years of active membership...the chairman of deacons vote has the same value as any middle-school girls -and guess what? --theyre not, and were not always going to agreein fact, its shocking that we agree as often as we do So how can we share this like-mindedness, love, unity, and purpose? -if it were left up to you and me, it would be pretty much impossible --were simply too ingrained into our me-first I-gotta-stand-up-for- my-rights-at-all-costs way of thinking...we demand the spotlight shine only on uswhich leaves everyone else in the dark But theres a fundamental difference when it comes to the church -we are called by God to be set apart, to be different --which means we dont operate like city hall, or the school board, or the hospital board -this is one application of Jesus teaching that we, His followers, are in the world, but were not of the world --because of that, we do have some hope...but it doesnt come easily or naturally We have to accept the fact that nowhere in Scripture nor in the church constitution does it guarantee that well get our own way -yes, we have the right to express our opinion and to vote under the leadership of the Holy Spirit --but when the votes are tallied, regardless of which side wins, our responsibility is to support the decision of the body (unless, of course, its sinful) ---its rare in other churchestrust mebut I have seen that happen time and time again in our business meetings Many of you were present about 7 years ago when we had a motion that was passionately debated by both sides -if you didnt know any better, you might have thought it was Cardinals and Royals fans having an animated discussion about who really won the 85 World Series -instead it was one-hundred Baptists trying to decide if we should spend a pretty good chunk of change on a video projection system in the sanctuary --importantsurebut not the making of some doctrinal heresy, either way -when the votes were counted, the motion failed by one vote: 51 50 --I was ready for an FBC Smackdown...for fisticuffs...or for a Baptist brouhaha...and I was certainly expecting a church split -when we adjourned, I saw the person who made the motion with his arm around the man who was most vocal in his opposition to the motion...and they were laughing...I got closer to listen and they werent even talking about projectors and software...they were talking about old cars...I left scratching my head Thats how unity of spirit and purpose is maintained -its not so much that we agree all the time, but that when we do disagree (which is inevitable), we remember that our relationships with Christ and with each other are far more valuable than a projection system --its knowing that the church is more important than my wish list -those whod done sooo much research getting prices and drawing up plans were disappointed, but they didnt get angry and leavenot a single one of them --they didnt talk badly about those who voted against the motion --and they didnt take the motions failure personally -I love telling that story to other pastors because every one of them accuses me of lyingthey say theres just no way that can be true --I just laugh because I know I pastor a weird church full of the oddest people youll ever meet...and no pastor in town is more blessed than I am But theres more to living outside of the spotlight than acknowledging that we wont always get our way -Paul makes that painfully clear in v. 3 ( Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit... --did you notice the loophole that Paul gives us? ---right! there is none...there are no exceptions allowed -and this isnt something for our consideration...the language he uses is strictly employed for commands...so on the authority of the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, we are commanded to do nothing based on selfish motivation or to draw attention to ourselves --in other words hes commanding us to live outside the spotlight Does that mean that we become a doormat? no... -humility is not about convincing ourselves (or others) that we are incompetent or worthless, nor is it beating ourselves up --John Ortberg uses the term self-forgetfulness -so when you listen to someone you truly listenyou dont think of the dozen other things youd rather be doing -and when you worship you do so from the heartyou focus on what you can give rather than what you might get -when you serve you dont draw attention to yourselfyou dont imagine the pat-on-the-back you might get (or get frustrated when you dont get noticed like you think you ought) Romans 12:3 ( Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment... -sober judgment simply means that you see yourself honestly, accurately...you are someone specialyou are a child of God, created in His image...God has given you gifts and abilities that make you uniquely you --at the same time, this is true for everyone elseeverybody else is special, too...the key is for us to realize that we are not more special than anyone else One day Fred Rogers, better known as Mister Rogers...once visited a boy with cerebral palsy. At first, the boy was made very nervous by the thought that Mister Rogers was visiting him, Christianity Today reports. He was so nervous, in fact, that when Mister Rogers did visit, he got mad at himself and began hating himself and hitting himself, and his mother had to take him to another room. Mister Rogers waited patiently and when the boy came back, Mister Rogers said, I would like you to do something for me. Would you do something for me? On his computer, the boy answered yes. I would like you to pray for me. Will you pray for me? For lack of a better word, the boy was thunderstruck because, as the article explains it nobody had ever asked him for something like that, ever. The boy had always been prayed for. The boy had always been the object of prayer, and now he was being asked to pray for Mister Rogers, and although at first he didn't know if he could do it, he said he would, he said he'd try, and ever since then he keeps Mister Rogers in his prayers and doesn't talk about wanting to die anymore because he figures Mister Rogers is close to God, and if Mister Rogers likes him, that must mean God likes him, too. The reporter later asked Mister Rogers how he learned that trick to make the boy feel better. He responded: "Oh, heavens no, Tom! I didn't ask him to pray for me for his benefit; I asked him to pray for me for my benefit. I asked him because I think that anyone who has gone through challenges like that must be very close to God. I asked him because I wanted his intercession. For Fred Rogers this was no trick...it was no show -it was him simply expressing genuine, Christ-like humility Humility is a huge deal in Gods eyesespecially inside the church -Paul writes about it, so does James -1 Peter 5.6 ( clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble. -and Jesus has a lot to say about itits not optional equipment --not if you claim to follow the One who made Himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant...[who] humbled Himself and because obedient to deatheven death on a cross! ---as a matter of fact, you either are humble or God will see to it that you become humbled Chan Gailey tells of when he was head football coach of Troy State, and they were playing in the national championship. The week before the big game, he was headed to the practice field when a secretary called him back to take a phone call. Somewhat irritated, he told her to take a message because he was on his way to practice. She replied, But it's Sports Illustrated. I'll be right there, he said. As he made his way to the building, he began to think about the upcoming article. It would be great publicity for a small school like Troy State to be in Sports Illustrated. As he got closer, he realized that a three-page article probably wouldnt be sufficient to tell the whole story. Coming even closer to his office, he started thinking that he might be on the cover. He wondered, Should I pose or go with an action shot? His head was spinning with all of the possibilities. When he picked up the phone, the person asked, Is this Chan Gailey? "Yes, it is," he replied with an air of confidence reserved only for national champion coaches. This is Sports Illustrated, and we're calling to let you know that your subscription is about to run out and wed like to know if youre interested in renewing. Fortunately for us, the Bible points us clearly in the right direction -surrender your demands to get your own way or else...its childish... and when you do it you are embarrassing yourself and Christ -accept the fact that you are special...but youre not that special -anything motivated by selfish ambition or conceit is sin -consider others better than yourself -turn the spotlight around...get behind it...and shine it on Christto be honest with you, you dont look so hot in that bright light anyway  % - 6      ' ) q u sx~CDns"6<,-DEbd );Fb4B۾¾ h h h 6h h)2 hWhW hW56 hm56hW hF{6hF{hG3hhDg_6hmhG3hh:hDg_F/0q L 1 v B . x  < gdDg_$a$gdDg_AE NOXjD}Lg7GH,L]LgdWL]LgdmgdDg_,-DE =d5ij4~V/vL]LgdW $L]La$gdWB~_afk$(z oPQ #$)<>jo  ! 7 @ !!!!!e"h""""""""""$$?%hmh!!>*h!! h!!6 hQ6hO5hQ6hO5hQ h>6hmh> h 6 jh hG3hh Hv*q/`5wxGno6vfL]Lgd>f?R X 1!r!!!"`"""""<#x###4$|$$L]Lgd>$$?%@%%%%:&e&&&'V'n'''J((($)k))))))"*j**L]Lgd>?%A%%%%%9&A&E&L&h&i&&&&&&&''U'c'n'r'''''' (( (!('(N(O(((((#),)4)^)f)k)m)s))))))**!*"*+++ +\+`+>,B,,,F-U-]-i-q-r-z-{-... h!!5 h!!h!!hWph!!6hmh!!6 hm6 hWp6hm h!!6h!!hWpM** +Q++++9,,,-^-{-|---2.U... /l///C0D0t00L]Lgd!!L]Lgd>...T...////w000115181w1}111112222233X3Y333333J4K4444455555}yh<hPh<h<aJ h<6aJ hWpaJ h<aJ hPaJ hP6aJhPhP6aJ jhPhPaJhPhPaJhPhP5aJhy h2m5h2mh!!h!!>*h!!h!!6 h!!6h!! jh!!.0021x1112a2223Y333,4K444557799w;x;;;,<gdPL]Lgd>55B5E5J5]5l5o5555555666667778797_7b7y77777777777 881828R8U8W8X8t8z899999 ::A:y:z:::::::F;G;d;g;h;͸h<hy6aJhPh<aJhPhy6]aJ hyaJh(h<aJ h<6aJ h<aJhPhyaJhWph< h<6@h;t;u;v;w;x;;;;;;;< <+<,<H<M<S<V<a<b<c<d<<<<<:=<=P=g=h=====>>*>6>S>ſѿ|u|l|lŦhO5hO5aJ h> 6aJ hO56aJ hWpaJ hb6aJ jhbhbaJhbhb5aJ hbaJh> hO5aJhWph> 6aJ hO5aJ h> aJ h(aJ h<aJhPhyaJh<6]aJhPhy6]aJh<hy]aJ),<S<<<"=g===7>b>c>??AA0C1CxCCDHDDDDAEL]LgdG6gdecL]LgdbgdPS>Y>a>b>n>o>q>>>>>>>>>>>T?W?j?l????????????????P@Q@@@@@@@@@AAuAAAAAABBBB)B*B+B,BDB_BB¹ڲhech.hY6 hPhyhPh.aJ hyaJhPhy6]aJ hY6aJ h.aJhPhyaJ hO5aJ hbaJhbhb6aJ@BBBBBBBBC-C/C0CYCaCCCCCCDD!D;D?DKDSDD@EAEü hthWphG6 ht6hWpht6hDhhthWphyhPhy6] hPhyhec hPhec,1h/ =!"#$% H@H KNormal CJOJQJ_HaJmH sH tH DAD Default Paragraph FontRiR  Table Normal4 l4a (k(No ListLL [<textdd[$\$B*CJOJQJaJph>> [<text21CJOJQJaJo(phF4U4 [< Hyperlink >*ph0!0  citation46]@1@ $9topnav1CJOJQJaJo(phA=j/0q L1vB.x <NOXjD} L g 7 G H , - D E  = d 5 i j 4~V/v*q/`5wxGno6vf?RX1r`<x4|?@:eVnJ $!k!!!!!!""j""" #Q####9$$$%^%{%|%%%2&U&&& 'l'''C(D(t(((2)x)))*a***+Y+++,,K,,,--//11w3x333,4S444"5g55576b6c677990;1;x;;<H<<<<C=000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000/0q L1vB.x <NOXjD} L g G H , D E  = d i j 4~V/v*q/`5wxGno6vf?RX1r`<x4|?enJ !""j""" #Q####9$$$%^%{%|%%%2&U&&& 'l'''C(D(t(((2)x)))*a***--/11w3x333,4S44"5g55576b6c679C=X0X0X0X0X0X0X0Z0X0X0X0X0X0X0X0Z0X0X0X0X0Z0X0X0Z0X0X0X0X0X0X0X0X0X0X0X0X0X0Z0Z0Z0Z0 X0X0X0X0Z0X0X0Z0Z0X0Z0X0Z0X0X0X0X0X0X0Z0Z0X0Z0X0X0X0X0X0X0Z0X0X0X0Z0X0X0X0X0X0X0Z0X0Z0X0X0Z0X0X0Z0X0X0X0X0X0X0Z0Z0X0X0X0X0X0X0Z0X0X0X0X0X0Z0X0Z0X0X0Z0X0X0X0X0X0X0X0X0X0X0Z0Z0X0X0Z0Z0Z0Z0Z0Z0X0X0X0X0Z0X0X0X0X0X0X0Z0X0X0X0X0X0X0X0X0X0X0X0X0X0X0X0X0X0X0X0X0X0X0X0X0X0X0X0#@0X0Z05X0000000000000000000B?%.55h;S>BAE#(,.0134 ,vf$*0,<AE$&')*+-/2AE%8@0(  B S  ?uԞVu4Su\YPu|oPu|SuDLu|UutQUuQUuQUu SutSuSuSddWW666888C=     ii^^666888C=   9 *urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttagsState8*urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttagsCity= *urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags PlaceName=*urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags PlaceType9 *urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttagsplace -   GMSX###))h6n6":(:C=  lp 7=AD **22p5v577C=3333333333333!!##$$,,,,E-J-:5<5Y;a;;<<<@=@=C=C=M)VJddq )VJdddA)VJddk)VJddRk$)VJdd.9)VJdd)VJ/~T)VJddU)VJddzxX)VJddkxe)VJdd/g)VJddwEx)VJddkaz)VJddM]{)VJdd*)O5m> <K)2G6$9H^sUDg_ecDhG3h2m,6y( zF{Y6>}Pb.H[<Qyt::P(Wpx2bW !!@P AA=P@UnknownGz Times New Roman5Symbol3& z Arial;Wingdings7&  Verdana"qh:lƦ:lƦ$ 4o$ 4o24"="=2HX)?Dg_2Living Out of the SpotlightJamesSonja GriesbachOh+'0 $ D P \hpxLiving Out of the SpotlightJamesNormalSonja Griesbach2Microsoft Office Word@@$@$$ 4՜.+,0 hp  First Baptist Churcho"= Living Out of the Spotlight Title  !"#$%&'()*+,-./012345789:;<=?@ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ[\]^_`abdefghijlmnopqruRoot Entry FwData 61Table>IWordDocument.jSummaryInformation(cDocumentSummaryInformation8kCompObjq  FMicrosoft Office Word Document MSWordDocWord.Document.89q