Ten Minute Bible Talks Devotional Bible Study - How to Be Great | New Testament | Philippians 2

Episode Date: September 1, 2023

What does it look like to climb to the top in this world? How does the Bible define greatness? How should you strive for success? In today's episode, Patrick contrasts a brazen and cold CEO's leadership style with that of Jesus's described in Philippians 2. Your support makes TMBT possible. Ten Minute Bible Talks is a crowd-funded project. Join the TMBTeam to reach more people with the Bible. Give now. Join the TMBT community in reading the entire New Testament in one year. Get your FREE reading plan here. Like this content? Make sure to leave us a rating and share it with others, so others can find it too. Use #asktmbt to connect with us, ask questions, and suggest topics. We'd love to hear from you! To learn more, visit our website and follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter@TenMinuteBibleTalks. Don't forget to subscribe to the TMBT Newsletter here. Passages: Philippians 2

Welcome to 10 minute Bible Talks, where we connect the Bible to your life. In the time it takes to get to work. I'm Patrick Miller. Mike Davis was a chauffeur who worked his way up from there all the way to being the CEO of a major oil company. So how would this man, who knew what it was like to have no power, use his power? Well, he took on the nickname Tiger Mike and he let it rip. Let's read a few of his memos. In 1978, he wrote to all of his employees, quote, idle conversation and gossip in this office among employees will result in immediate termination. And then in all caps. Do your jobs and keep your mouths shut. Or how about this one?

Quote, there will be no more birthday celebrations, birthday cakes, levity, or celebrations of any kind within the office. This is a business office. If you have to celebrate, do it after office hours on your own time. Or how about this one? Quote, I cuss, but since I am the owner of the office. company, that's my privilege. And this privilege is not to be interpreted as the same for any other employees. That differentiates me from you, and I want to keep it that way. There will be absolutely no cussing by any employee male or female in this office ever. In every possible way, Tiger Mike used his power to dominate, to use, to magnify himself. Now, I hardly know anyone who would talk like this to someone's face. It's brazen and cold, but I do know people who sell. I do know people who

silence others with the weight of their presence. I do know people who think of themselves as being special, who think everybody should listen to them, who think that they are where they are because of their own special brilliance, who think that they deserve special privileges that others don't, who love standing out above the peons. Maybe the truth is that sometimes I'm that person. And maybe the truth is that sometimes you're that person too. But do you know who wasn't that person? Jesus. Paul, who was writing to the church in Philippi, where they had their own internal struggles with their own internal Tiger Mike's. This is what he wrote to them. Philippians 2, verse 3. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility, value others above yourself, not looking to your own interests, but each of you to the interests of the other. Verse 5, 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. Jesus was the opposite of Tiger Mike. He started as the CEO of reality, but stepped down to become a servant. Even though he could have called down legions of angels to serve him, he served his own creation and laid down his life for rebels. But here's the strange part. Far from debasing Jesus or making him powerless, these acts became the very source of his glory and power. Paul continues in verse 9. Therefore, God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus, every knee should bow in heaven and on earth and under the earth and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord

to the glory of God the Father. The glory of God is not like the glory of this world. Greatness in God's kingdom is not like greatness in this world. You haven't been called to lord it over others at your work, in your school or in your family. You've been called to serve. The last or first, the least or the greatest. That is the way of the kingdom of Jesus. So where do you need to confess that you've been like Tiger Mike? Who have you hurt? run over or made small. What would it look like to serve that person? What would it look like to love that person to put their needs first?

Your Savior stooped down to save you. Because he laid down his life for you, you don't have to fear laying down your life for others. Even if you lose your comfort, your desires, your whatever, you can never lose what Jesus has given you.