Beyond the Weekend

December 23 | “Send Me”

December 23, 2016

Philippians 2.5-8 

No one would want to be born in a stable and laid in a feeding box. Yet this is where we find God when he enters our world. We’re so used to seeing it acted out by children in bathrobes on Christmas Eve, that we’ve become dull to the audacity of God in the flesh lying in hay next to smelly animals. Yet he chose this.

“[Jesus] being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross” (Philippians 2.6-8).

Jesus values giving up self-desire to serve others. He demonstrated it by giving up his divinity to become human so he could die for our sin. He drove it home by washing his disciples’ feet hours before he’s crucified. Jesus wanted to leave behind a community of people who would follow his example by serving others and not seeking status.

As Pastor Manion shared, “Send me” is a powerful prayer of willingness to serve God and others, and is the prayer God wants to hear. Make this Christmas one where you ask God to “send me” by showing you where you need to give up self and serve those around you. It could be by inviting a lonely person over, not demanding your way with relatives, or taking a meal to someone in need.

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