Day 20 - A Church that faces outward

Day 20 - A Church that faces outward

Theme: Service

Focus: Living an outward facing faith

Scripture: Philippians 2:3–8 (NIV)

“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, 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!” Phil 2:3 - 8

Reflection: Jesus is Our Centre

In many ways we are wired toward self. Me. Mine. My problems. My schedules. My family. My friends.

Serving sacrificially and loving beyond our comfort zone means fighting against that

gravity. It requires constant realignment, changing our centre of gravity.

An outward facing faith begins not with what we do, but with who we follow. It is the " the mind of Christ, Jesus’ attitude.

Jesus: The Mindset of a Servant

Jesus could have clung to His privilege, security, and power. Instead, He emptied Himself.

He laid aside his rights in the heavenly and planted Himself firmly into a life of a servant on earth. Jesus made Himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant.

This truth should dismantle every excuse we have. When we think, "I don't have enough time, money, or energy to look beyond" we remember Jesus had it all, and poured it out.

When we worry about losing our status, comfort, or safety, we need remember Jesus

gave his life.

If we are not convinced that God’s agenda should become our lives' agenda, we will

always look inwards. How can we look beyond ourselves unless we are convinced that

the best way to spend our lives is on the interests of others? That "life hack" is not selfish individualism; it is the pathway of Christ-likeness.

Living counter culturally - The Upside-Down Kingdom

The upside down mindset of Jesus must redefine how we look at the world. Everything

from our calendars to our hearts must be revolutionised.

True justice starts with the attitude of the incarnation. An incarnational mindset pulls us out of transactional generosity and into the justice that flows from truly loving our neighbours as ourselves. It is the difference between asking, "What can I do for them?" and asking,

"How can I be with them?”

This is the mind of Christ, sacrificial service. Service that costs us something. A service that empties us of self-sovereignty. It requires us to see every person as image-bearers who deserve our grace because Christ died for them.

Jesus did not just serve as a one-time example. He serves as our constant source. We are "rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as [we] were taught, and

overflowing with thankfulness" (Colossians 2:7, NIV).

We look outward because we're looking upward

The antidote to self-centredness is Christ, community, and his cause. If our minds are not set on Jesus, our forms of activism ultimately breeds anger and bitterness. Good intentions get bogged down in the hopelessness of our own efforts and often become cynicism.

We "look to the interests of others" because we have the mind of Christ. We "serve

sacrificially" because we follow His lead. We "pursue justice" because it aligns with how He views the world.

He is our lifeline to a love far greater than we could live on our own.

Reflection Questions

1. What is my default "gravitational pull" towards right now? What fears, comforts, or

routines cause me to look at "me and mine" first?

2. If I had to pick one simple way to "value others above myself" where I live this week,

what would it be?

3. Does my service flow out of my relationship with Christ, or is it my way of earning

favour?

Pray

Lord Jesus, you humbled yourself to be nothing. You became obedient to death on a

cross. Our natural inclination is to cling to our rights. Forgive us. Re-shape our minds. Give us your mindset. Break our hearts for what breaks yours. Give us the courage to move toward the world's need instead of away from it. May our service look like an overflow of your sacrificial love, not a performance for our own glory. Keep us so filled with you, our true centre, that we never serve out of emptiness. In Jesus' mighty name, Amen.

Going Deeper

Choose one practical way you can live out Philippians 2:3-4 this week. Pick a simple,

tangible way to embody this mindset shift. Practise listening without rehearsing your response. Give up your seat on the bus or at a cafe. Read about a local issue. Ask a neighbour, "What's one way I could serve you this

week?" Do not overcomplicate it. Start small, and remember, you are dying to self this week by embodying the mind of Christ.