River of Life Church
Pastor Greg Temke
Sunday, July 19, 2026
www.rolfamily.com
“SERVANTS NOT SENSATIONS”
Text: Philippians 2:5-11
1. JESUS THINKS OF OTHERS. Vs. 5-6
I Cor. 2:16, “For who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct Him?” –But we have the mind of Christ.”
John 1:1, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”
Jesus said: “He that hath seen Me, hath seen the Father” (John 14:9). That’s why Jesus could say, “My Father and I are one” (John 10:30).
John 5:18, “For this reason the Jews tried all the harder to kill Him, not only was He breaking the Sabbath, but He was even calling God His own father, making Himself equal with God.””
- Vs. 6 (AMP) “Who, although He existed in the form and unchanging essence of God [as One with Him, possessing the fullness of all the divine attributes—the entire nature of deity], did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped or asserted [as if He did not already possess it, or was afraid of losing it];”
- Jesus did not think of Himself. He thought of others. His attitude was always for other people. The attitude of Christ says: “I cannot keep my privileges for myself; I must use them for others.”
2. JESUS SERVES OTHERS. Vs. 7
John 13:14-15, “So if I, the Lord and the Teacher, washed your feet, you ought to wash one another’s feet as well. 15 For I gave you [this as] an example, so that you should do [in turn] as I did to you.”
- The Son of God became the Son of man. He who was without a heavenly mother in eternity came to earth as a son without an earthly father. He became God in the flesh. God became man.
- Kenosis theory: He that was essentially and equal with God set aside His outward expression of deity and assumed the outward expression of humanity. (emptied)
Matthew 20:28 “Just as the Son of man came not to be served, but to serve and give His life as a ransom for many.”
3. JESUS SACRIFICED. Vs. 8
- The person who is submissive does not avoid sacrifice. He lives for the glory of God and others. If paying a price would honor Christ and help others, then he is willing to do it.
- SERVICE AND SACRIFICE GO TOGETHER.
The test of sacrifice is not what we are willing to take in terms of sacrifice, but what we are willing to give in terms of sacrifice. We must be willing to sacrifice for others, not just let others sacrifice.
4. JESUS GLORIFIES GOD. Vs. 9-11
John 3:31, “He who comes from above is above all; he who is of the earth is earthly and speaks of the earth. He who comes from heaven is above all. “
Isaiah 45:23 “By myself have I sworn, the word is gone forth from my mouth [in] righteousness, and shall not return, that unto me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear. “
All creation will bow at His feet. Vs. 10
“Things in heaven.” ______________________________________
“Things in earth.” ________________________________________
“Things under the earth.” __________________________________
“You can sacrifice and not love. But you cannot love and not sacrifice.”
“Love, to be real, it must cost – it must hurt – it must empty us of self.”