Dr. Robert Jeffress

Robert Jeffress - Developing A Servant's Heart (Part 1)

August 19, 2025 | S25 E397 | 29:0

Pathway to Victory offers a practical application of God’s Word to everyday life through the clear, biblical teaching of Pastor Jeffress.

#inActive #Heart #Serving #ServantofGod #SpiritualGrowth #Disciples #Discipleship #Humble #Humility #Sacrifice #KingdomofGod

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Dr. Robert Jeffress | Robert Jeffress - Developing A Servant's Heart (Part 1) | August 19, 2025

♪ music ♪
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From the pulpit of the first baptist church
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Of dallas, texas, this is pathway to victory
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With dr. robert jeffress.
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Hi, i'm robert jeffress
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And welcome again to pathway to victory.
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Putting someone else's needs
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Before our own doesn't come naturally does it?
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We have to make an intentional effort
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To sacrifice our own comfort
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Or convenience for the sake of someone else.
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Well, jesus is our ultimate model
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Of servanthood and humility
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And following his example brings us one step closer
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To experiencing a changed life
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That comes from a transformed heart.
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My message is titled, "developing a servant's heart,"
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On today's edition of pathway to victory.
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♪ music ♪
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Give your heart the encouragement it needs,
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Start and end each day meditating
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On god's word with encouragement
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For the heart of a disciple.
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This brand new, beautiful,
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Full color patterned hardcover book
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By dr. robert jeffress features
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80 breathtaking images of creation,
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Paired with scripture, prayers and insights
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You can read in under two minutes,
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Perfect for your coffee table
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Or as a thoughtful gift for a loved one.
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Request encouragement for the heart
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Of a disciple when you give a generous gift
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To pathway to victory.
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♪ music ♪
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Epitaphs, do you know the word?
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An epitaph is an attempt to reduce somebody's life
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Into a sentence or two that will fit on a grave marker.
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And i came across recently some epitaphs
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That may or may not be legitimate,
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But they sound legitimate.
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Here's one,
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Here lies lester moore.
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Four slugs from a 44,
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No less, no more.
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(people laughing)
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That's kind of fitting.
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For those of you who are attorneys,
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You'll appreciate this.
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Sir john strange.
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Here lies an honest lawyer and that is strange.
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(people laughing)
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Another one, here lies the body of jonathan blake,
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Stepped on the gas, instead of the brake.
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(people laughing)
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Or my own favorite here.
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I told you i was sick.
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(people laughing)
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What about you?
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Have you ever thought if you were able
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To write your own epitaph, what would it be?
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What accomplishment,
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What attribute would you want those you leave behind
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To remember you for?
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Now that may seem a little ghoulish on a sunday morning
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To be composing your own epitaph.
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So let's change the focus for a moment.
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Instead of writing your own epitaph,
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What if you were going
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To compose an epitaph
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For the empty tomb of jesus christ?
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A sentence that you think would best describe
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Who he was and who he is.
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Perhaps king of kings and lord of lords.
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That'd be a good one.
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Or the alpha and the omega, the beginning and the end,
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Or for by him, through him,
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And for him, all things were created.
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Those are all epitaphs, by the way,
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That people actually wrote about jesus christ.
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They're found in the new testament to describe jesus.
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But the epitaph we might write for christ,
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I think differs greatly
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From what jesus would write if he were
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To compose his own epitaph.
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If he were to reduce to one sentence
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What he would want people
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To know about him, what would it be?
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Do you know we actually have his epitaph in scripture?
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It's what he said about himself
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That he wanted you and me to know.
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In mark 10:45, he said,
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"for even the son of man did not come to be served,
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But to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many."
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You know, when you think about those words,
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They take your breath away,
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If you really think about it.
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Here is jesus who is equal to god,
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Who before the world was created was in heaven
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And being worshiped by all the heavenly beings.
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Here is jesus who will one day be worshiped
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By every being in heaven on earth and under the earth.
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People will be bowing down before him in heaven.
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Revelation 5:12 says,
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"here's what we will be singing to jesus."
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It's the song by the way, we just read about this morning.
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Revelation 5:12,
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"worthy is the lamb that was slain
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To receive power and riches and wisdom and might and honor
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And glory and blessing."
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I mean we are here to serve christ.
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And yet, what he wants to be remembered for
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Is that he came to serve us.
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In fact, that revelation 5:12 praise,
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We will be giving to jesus christ,
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Will be for what he did
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On our behalf.
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Jesus said, "if there's one thing i want you
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To know about me is that i didn't come to have you serve me,
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I came to serve you."
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Is that not an incredible thought?
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I mean over and over again in scripture,
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Jesus talks about the importance,
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The premium he places on servanthood.
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The same quality
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That he valued in his own life is the quality he wants
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In everyone who would be his disciple.
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For example, matthew 20:25-27,
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"but jesus called them to himself and said,
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You know that the rulers
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Of the gentiles lorded over them
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And their great men exercise our authority over them.
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But it is not so among you,
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But whoever wishes to become great
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Among you shall be your servant.
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And whoever wishes to be first
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Among you shall be your slave."
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Or consider matthew 23:11-12.
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"but the greatest among you shall be your servant
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And whoever exalts himself shall be humbled
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And whoever humbles himself shall be exalted."
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Or in matthew 25, he predicts during a period
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Of time we call the great tribulation,
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"then the righteous will answer jesus saying,
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Lord, when did we see you hungry
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Or feed you or thirsty and give you drink?
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And the king will answer and say to them,
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Truly, i say to you, to the extent
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That you did it to one of these brothers of mine,
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Even the least of them, you did it to me."
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Jesus puts a priority on servanthood.
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But what does it mean to be a servant of other people?
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Simply put, servanthood means putting the needs
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Of other people above your own needs.
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It means meeting the needs
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Of other people the priority in your life.
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Now, we read this passage from matthew 25
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About jesus and honestly,
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Very few people we run into every day have
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As their greatest need, a loaf of bread,
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A cup of water or an article of clothing.
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But nevertheless, we run into people every day
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In our families, at our workplace,
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In our church, who have legitimate needs.
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And the greatest struggle we have many times is,
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Is meeting their need,
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The priority in my life, or meeting my own need.
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In my last church i remember very well,
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It was about this time of the year,
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It was over spring break
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That we had a lot of staff gone on vacation.
00:08:15.318 --> 00:08:17.353
And one day i received an email from one of the networks
00:08:17.353 --> 00:08:20.723
That carried our pathway to victory program
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And they were saying there needed
00:08:23.025 --> 00:08:24.694
To be a content change in the following week's program.
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And the staff member who was in charge
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Of all of that was not around.
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He was on a much deserved,
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Much needed vacation with his family.
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So i called him on my cell phone and he answered the phone
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And i explained the situation that we needed
00:08:44.113 --> 00:08:46.816
To take care of this.
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And he said, "well pastor, i am driving right now
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And i can't write down the information.
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Would you mind calling my assistant back at the church
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And allowing her to handle that?"
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I wish i could have told you.
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I said, "oh sure, let me serve you any way i can."
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That was not my first reaction.
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My first reaction was, who do you think you are?
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Who do you think works for whom here?
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I mean, i didn't say it,
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But i thought it.
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"you're here to help me, not vice versa.
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I'm the teacher on this national program
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Teaching about servanthood.
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You're the one who's supposed
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To be getting the message out."
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I mean, that was my first thought,
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But the truth is the need he had that moment,
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The greatest need he has was to spend time with his family.
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Now, don't look at me that way.
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(people laughing)
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Well, i can't believe you did that, pastor.
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I mean, every day you face the same dilemma as well.
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I mean, husbands, you face the dilemma,
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Are you going to put your wife's need for conversation
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After dinner above your own need to unwind,
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Read a newspaper or relax?
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Parents, are you willing to put your children's need
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For a quality education
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Above your need
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For an early retirement?
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Wives, are you willing to put your husband's need
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For admiration above your need to correct him?
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I mean, we all face that choice, don't we?
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Are we going to put other people's needs above our own?
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And by the way, this idea of servanthood,
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It doesn't come naturally.
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From the moment we draw our first breath, we are thinking,
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Me, my and mine.
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I mean, have you ever seen a little baby
00:10:47.937 --> 00:10:51.240
Crying his heart out, hungry?
00:10:51.240 --> 00:10:54.009
Looks up at his mother and says,
00:10:54.009 --> 00:10:56.045
"oh mom, pardon me for crying.
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I know you need some rest.
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You take a nap and feed me when it's convenient."
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Do you know of a baby like that
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Or any one of the triplets like that?
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Julia, i haven't seen it yet.
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We had 'em all afternoon.
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They weren't like that.
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When they were hungry, they wanted to be fed.
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That was the priority in their life.
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That's the way we're born
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And we don't get better the older we get.
00:11:16.799 --> 00:11:20.002
You know, one of the great myths people have is?
00:11:20.002 --> 00:11:22.638
The older we get the godlier we get,
00:11:22.638 --> 00:11:25.307
It doesn't work that way.
00:11:25.307 --> 00:11:27.143
Getting older doesn't mean you're going to become more godly.
00:11:27.143 --> 00:11:31.180
I know many churches right now, thank god,
00:11:31.180 --> 00:11:34.617
I mean literally thank god our church isn't one of them,
00:11:34.617 --> 00:11:37.520
But many churches have become war zones
00:11:37.520 --> 00:11:40.156
Because of battles between the senior adults
00:11:40.156 --> 00:11:42.591
And the young adults.
00:11:42.591 --> 00:11:44.627
Who's going to get their way in the church?
00:11:44.627 --> 00:11:47.263
No, we have to develop this idea of servanthood.
00:11:47.263 --> 00:11:51.133
We have to develop a heart that says,
00:11:51.133 --> 00:11:53.402
I came not to be served, but to serve.
00:11:53.402 --> 00:11:57.606
How do we do that?
00:11:57.606 --> 00:11:58.874
How do we develop that servant's heart?
00:11:58.874 --> 00:12:01.143
I remember a few years ago
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Seeing an infomercial on television.
00:12:03.279 --> 00:12:05.981
I didn't watch much of it, but i watched a little bit of it.
00:12:05.981 --> 00:12:09.185
And it was about golfing.
00:12:09.185 --> 00:12:10.886
If you were willing to give the operator
00:12:10.886 --> 00:12:13.956
Your credit card information for $99.95,
00:12:13.956 --> 00:12:17.726
She would send you a dvd
00:12:17.726 --> 00:12:19.795
That would show you how you could improve your golf swing.
00:12:19.795 --> 00:12:23.899
And they had an expert golfer on there,
00:12:23.899 --> 00:12:25.901
And the idea was you watch the dvd,
00:12:25.901 --> 00:12:28.771
You emulate what that golfer does
00:12:28.771 --> 00:12:31.540
And you can become an expert golfer.
00:12:31.540 --> 00:12:35.978
Well, the apostle paul wanted
00:12:35.978 --> 00:12:38.214
To help the church at philippi,
00:12:38.214 --> 00:12:40.316
The christians there, not improve their swing,
00:12:40.316 --> 00:12:45.221
But improve their serve.
00:12:45.721 --> 00:12:47.656
He didn't have any dvds to send to 'em,
00:12:47.656 --> 00:12:50.593
But he did have a great illustration of somebody
00:12:50.593 --> 00:12:54.330
That if you copy,
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You'll learn how to develop a servant's heart.
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Turn over to philippians chapter two for just a moment.
00:12:59.335 --> 00:13:03.005
You know, the church at philippi
00:13:03.005 --> 00:13:04.306
Had become its own war zone.
00:13:04.306 --> 00:13:06.542
There were factions, fighting, division.
00:13:06.542 --> 00:13:09.411
The church at philippi had become a burger king
00:13:09.411 --> 00:13:12.081
Where everybody wanted to have it their way.
00:13:12.081 --> 00:13:15.451
And that's always the recipe for conflict in a church,
00:13:15.451 --> 00:13:18.687
Where everybody clings to his own rights.
00:13:18.687 --> 00:13:21.156
What was the answer to that kind of division in the church?
00:13:21.156 --> 00:13:25.794
In a word, it was servanthood.
00:13:25.794 --> 00:13:28.530
Putting the needs
00:13:28.530 --> 00:13:29.698
Of other people above their own needs.
00:13:29.698 --> 00:13:32.334
Look at philippians 2.3-4.
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"do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit,
00:13:34.336 --> 00:13:38.073
But with humility of mind.
00:13:38.073 --> 00:13:39.808
Let each one of you regard one another
00:13:39.808 --> 00:13:42.811
As more important than himself.
00:13:42.811 --> 00:13:45.547
Do not merely look out for your own personal interest,
00:13:45.547 --> 00:13:49.618
But also for the interest of others."
00:13:49.618 --> 00:13:53.555
Oh gee, paul, that sounds great,
00:13:53.555 --> 00:13:55.057
But exactly how do i do that?
00:13:55.057 --> 00:13:57.860
Well, paul gives us that illustration, that example,
00:13:57.860 --> 00:14:00.796
That if we will look at carefully
00:14:00.796 --> 00:14:02.932
And emulate in our own life, we can be a servant.
00:14:02.932 --> 00:14:06.302
And that illustration is jesus himself.
00:14:06.302 --> 00:14:09.805
Look at verse five,
00:14:09.805 --> 00:14:11.240
"have this attitude in yourselves,
00:14:11.974 --> 00:14:15.010
Which was also in christ jesus."
00:14:15.010 --> 00:14:16.812
What attitude?
00:14:16.812 --> 00:14:18.347
The attitude of putting the needs of others above your own.
00:14:18.347 --> 00:14:21.350
Do what jesus did, paul says.
00:14:21.350 --> 00:14:24.253
And of course, what follows is one
00:14:24.253 --> 00:14:26.288
Of the most beautiful passages in human literature.
00:14:26.288 --> 00:14:31.160
We call it the kenosis,
00:14:31.160 --> 00:14:32.728
The emptying of jesus christ.
00:14:32.728 --> 00:14:35.431
The great scholar fb meyer says,
00:14:35.431 --> 00:14:37.266
"these verses that follow are inapproachable
00:14:37.266 --> 00:14:41.036
And unexampled majesty."
00:14:41.036 --> 00:14:44.373
In fact, these words were probably the foundation
00:14:44.373 --> 00:14:47.042
For one of the earliest hymns that were sung in the church,
00:14:47.042 --> 00:14:51.113
And yet sometimes we get
00:14:51.613 --> 00:14:52.848
So lost in the beauty of the passage,
00:14:52.848 --> 00:14:55.651
We forget the teaching of the passage,
00:14:55.651 --> 00:14:57.886
And what follows beginning in verse six
00:14:57.886 --> 00:15:00.189
All the way to the end of the chapter,
00:15:00.189 --> 00:15:03.058
Are three essential ingredients
00:15:03.058 --> 00:15:05.194
For developing a servant's heart.
00:15:05.194 --> 00:15:06.729
Remember paul was saying,
00:15:06.729 --> 00:15:07.830
I want you to do what jesus did
00:15:07.830 --> 00:15:09.732
If you want to be a servant.
00:15:09.732 --> 00:15:11.633
What did jesus do?
00:15:11.633 --> 00:15:12.768
What were the qualities that allowed him
00:15:12.768 --> 00:15:14.670
To become that servant?
00:15:14.670 --> 00:15:16.405
First of all, paul mentions humility.
00:15:16.405 --> 00:15:19.942
You'll never be a servant.
00:15:19.942 --> 00:15:21.477
You'll never put other people's needs
00:15:21.477 --> 00:15:23.245
Above your own without humility.
00:15:23.245 --> 00:15:26.515
Now, i'm not talking about false humility.
00:15:26.515 --> 00:15:30.352
I used to have a seminary professor who described
00:15:31.353 --> 00:15:34.390
What happens in many churches at 12 o'clock
00:15:34.390 --> 00:15:36.959
After the morning service.
00:15:36.959 --> 00:15:39.094
He used to call it the glorification
00:15:39.094 --> 00:15:41.563
Of the worms ceremony.
00:15:41.563 --> 00:15:44.199
He's adding so many churches,
00:15:44.199 --> 00:15:46.035
At the end of the service,
00:15:46.035 --> 00:15:47.336
The pastor stands at the back of the sanctuary
00:15:47.336 --> 00:15:49.805
And the members file by one by one
00:15:49.805 --> 00:15:52.374
To shake the pastor's hands
00:15:52.374 --> 00:15:54.443
And the member will say,
00:15:54.443 --> 00:15:55.377
"oh, pastor,
00:15:55.377 --> 00:15:57.146
That was the greatest sermon i've ever heard."
00:15:57.146 --> 00:16:00.716
And the pastor will bow his head and said,
00:16:00.716 --> 00:16:02.918
"oh, thank you, dear brother, dear sister,
00:16:02.918 --> 00:16:05.854
But i am nothing.
00:16:05.854 --> 00:16:07.089
I am just a lowly worm in god's eyes,"
00:16:07.089 --> 00:16:10.692
The glorification of the worm.
00:16:10.692 --> 00:16:12.294
Neither person believes what he's saying at the time.
00:16:12.294 --> 00:16:15.998
It's false humility.
00:16:16.465 --> 00:16:19.334
You never find jesus making any
00:16:19.968 --> 00:16:22.071
Of those false humility statements.
00:16:22.071 --> 00:16:24.873
That's not what humility is.
00:16:24.873 --> 00:16:26.408
It's not saying you're nothing,
00:16:26.408 --> 00:16:28.243
That you have nothing good about you,
00:16:28.243 --> 00:16:30.879
That you have nothing to honor god with.
00:16:30.879 --> 00:16:33.849
I think about romans chapter 12:3.
00:16:33.849 --> 00:16:36.785
Paul says, let every man
00:16:36.785 --> 00:16:38.554
Not think more highly of himself than he ought to think,
00:16:38.554 --> 00:16:41.723
But think so as to have sound judgment as god allotted
00:16:41.723 --> 00:16:45.094
To each a measure of faith.
00:16:45.094 --> 00:16:46.862
And then he launches into a description of spiritual gifts.
00:16:46.862 --> 00:16:50.165
You know, people go to one of two extremes, christians do.
00:16:50.165 --> 00:16:52.568
They say, "oh, i am god's gift to the church.
00:16:52.568 --> 00:16:55.070
What could the church ever do without me?"
00:16:55.070 --> 00:16:57.372
And the other is, "i'm just a lowly worm.
00:16:57.372 --> 00:17:00.008
How could i ever do of anything of any consequence?"
00:17:00.008 --> 00:17:02.411
Neither is the right assessment of yourself.
00:17:02.411 --> 00:17:05.447
Instead, paul says, "think soberly about yourself.
00:17:05.447 --> 00:17:08.417
God has given you certain gifts.
00:17:08.417 --> 00:17:10.119
He's given you certain hindrances,
00:17:10.119 --> 00:17:13.055
But you can use those for the glory of god."
00:17:13.055 --> 00:17:16.358
We're not talking about false humility
00:17:16.358 --> 00:17:18.527
When we're talking about becoming a servant.
00:17:18.527 --> 00:17:20.329
Think about jesus.
00:17:20.329 --> 00:17:21.763
Again, he never said, i am a worm.
00:17:21.763 --> 00:17:24.399
He said, i am god's equal.
00:17:24.399 --> 00:17:27.202
And the father, one, he who has seen me,
00:17:27.202 --> 00:17:30.205
Has seen the father.
00:17:30.205 --> 00:17:32.141
Remember what he said, to the apostle peter
00:17:32.141 --> 00:17:34.610
In the garden of gethsemane after the soldiers
00:17:34.610 --> 00:17:37.179
Came to arrest jesus.
00:17:37.179 --> 00:17:38.413
And you know, peter took out the sword
00:17:38.413 --> 00:17:40.182
And cut that guy's ear off and jesus said,
00:17:40.182 --> 00:17:43.318
"peter, thanks for the thought,
00:17:43.318 --> 00:17:45.287
But that's really not necessary."
00:17:45.287 --> 00:17:47.356
In fact, in matthew 26:53, he said,
00:17:47.356 --> 00:17:49.791
"peter, do you not think
00:17:49.791 --> 00:17:51.593
That i cannot appeal to my father
00:17:51.593 --> 00:17:54.029
And he will at once put at my disposal
00:17:54.029 --> 00:17:56.899
More than 12 legions of angels?"
00:17:56.899 --> 00:18:00.469
You know how many angels that is?
00:18:00.469 --> 00:18:01.937
A legion was 6,000 roman soldiers.
00:18:01.937 --> 00:18:04.673
So 12 legions would be
00:18:04.673 --> 00:18:07.643
72,000 angels.
00:18:08.010 --> 00:18:09.778
Jesus said like that, i could have 72,000 angels here.
00:18:09.778 --> 00:18:14.249
Remember, it was only one angel,
00:18:14.249 --> 00:18:16.485
Only took only one angel
00:18:16.485 --> 00:18:17.886
To kill 186,000 assyrian soldiers.
00:18:17.886 --> 00:18:21.089
So that's a lot of angel power jesus had at his disposal.
00:18:21.089 --> 00:18:25.961
He said, "peter, just like that,
00:18:25.961 --> 00:18:28.063
I could call all of these angels."
00:18:28.063 --> 00:18:30.098
Now at first that may sound kind of braggadociou to us.
00:18:30.098 --> 00:18:34.069
Jesus kind of take it down a few notches here.
00:18:34.069 --> 00:18:37.206
Sounds like the rich kid who's about to be beat up
00:18:37.206 --> 00:18:40.008
By the school bully who says,
00:18:40.008 --> 00:18:41.577
"oh, before you do that, you better think who my daddy is."
00:18:41.577 --> 00:18:46.048
But that's not what's going on here.
00:18:46.048 --> 00:18:48.217
Jesus wasn't bragging, he was simply stating a fact.
00:18:48.217 --> 00:18:51.386
He had equal authority to god the father,
00:18:51.386 --> 00:18:55.023
But humility meant he was willing to let go
00:18:55.023 --> 00:18:58.860
Of that authority in order to meet the greatest need
00:18:58.860 --> 00:19:03.365
That you and i have.
00:19:03.365 --> 00:19:04.933
And that's what he says
00:19:04.933 --> 00:19:06.235
In verses five and six of philippians two.
00:19:06.235 --> 00:19:08.203
Paul said, have this attitude in yourselves,
00:19:08.203 --> 00:19:10.839
Which was also in christ jesus,
00:19:10.839 --> 00:19:12.774
Who although he existed in the form of god,
00:19:12.774 --> 00:19:16.111
He did not regard equality with god,
00:19:16.111 --> 00:19:18.747
A thing to be clung to, grasp, held on to.
00:19:18.747 --> 00:19:23.318
And that leads to the second component
00:19:24.152 --> 00:19:27.522
Of servanthood, humility.
00:19:28.090 --> 00:19:29.691
Secondly, sacrifice.
00:19:29.691 --> 00:19:32.394
Sacrifice.
00:19:32.394 --> 00:19:34.129
Many of you know the name rick warren,
00:19:34.963 --> 00:19:36.932
The pastor of saddleback church in california.
00:19:36.932 --> 00:19:40.168
Rick has had all kind of success.
00:19:40.168 --> 00:19:42.671
He's written the bestselling nonfiction book of all time,
00:19:42.671 --> 00:19:46.742
"the purpose driven life."
00:19:46.742 --> 00:19:49.077
He's achieved a certain level of wealth,
00:19:49.077 --> 00:19:52.014
A certain level of influence that few people experience.
00:19:52.014 --> 00:19:55.784
But i'll never forget what he said to a group
00:19:55.784 --> 00:19:58.553
Of us one time.
00:19:58.553 --> 00:20:00.122
He said, "god gives each of us either affluence
00:20:00.122 --> 00:20:05.294
Or influence for one reason
00:20:05.894 --> 00:20:09.164
To build god's kingdom, not our kingdom."
00:20:09.164 --> 00:20:14.136
Isn't that a great thought?
00:20:14.736 --> 00:20:16.204
God gives every person either affluence or influence
00:20:16.204 --> 00:20:20.375
In order to build his kingdom,
00:20:20.375 --> 00:20:22.744
Not our kingdom.
00:20:22.744 --> 00:20:24.646
And he's lived by that.
00:20:24.646 --> 00:20:26.248
And that's exactly the same attitude jesus had.
00:20:26.248 --> 00:20:29.985
Jesus had everything.
00:20:29.985 --> 00:20:32.354
He was equal with god,
00:20:32.354 --> 00:20:34.256
But he was willing to let go of those things in order
00:20:34.256 --> 00:20:38.126
To meet the greatest need you and i have.
00:20:38.126 --> 00:20:40.329
Look at verses six to eight again of philippians two,
00:20:40.329 --> 00:20:42.864
Who although he existed in the form of god,
00:20:42.864 --> 00:20:45.534
Didn't regard equality with god a thing to be grasped,
00:20:45.534 --> 00:20:49.204
But he emptied himself,
00:20:49.204 --> 00:20:51.506
Taking the form of a bond servant
00:20:51.506 --> 00:20:53.675
And being made in the likeness of men
00:20:53.675 --> 00:20:55.811
And being found in appearance as a man.
00:20:55.811 --> 00:20:58.113
He humbled himself by becoming obedient
00:20:58.113 --> 00:21:01.616
To the point of death, even death on a cross.
00:21:01.616 --> 00:21:06.221
That's important to understand what is it
00:21:07.122 --> 00:21:08.523
That jesus emptied himself of?
00:21:08.523 --> 00:21:11.526
He didn't empty himself of his godliness,
00:21:11.526 --> 00:21:14.596
His godlike qualities.
00:21:14.596 --> 00:21:16.732
You know, i can't empty myself.
00:21:17.366 --> 00:21:20.769
I can't give up being 5'8" tall
00:21:20.769 --> 00:21:24.606
Or having brown eyes.
00:21:24.606 --> 00:21:25.941
That's who i am.
00:21:25.941 --> 00:21:27.042
I can't give those things up.
00:21:27.042 --> 00:21:28.410
In the same way jesus could not
00:21:28.410 --> 00:21:30.112
Give up being the son of god,
00:21:30.112 --> 00:21:31.747
His omniscience, his omnipotence.
00:21:31.747 --> 00:21:34.116
What he gave up was his rights.
00:21:34.116 --> 00:21:37.619
He gave up his divine rights
00:21:37.619 --> 00:21:40.021
And privileges as the son of god.
00:21:40.021 --> 00:21:43.392
Dorothy sayers, the very gifted writer,
00:21:43.392 --> 00:21:46.395
Describes what that meant for jesus
00:21:46.395 --> 00:21:49.064
To willingly give up the comfort,
00:21:49.064 --> 00:21:50.999
The privileges, the rights of heaven.
00:21:50.999 --> 00:21:53.335
Listen to this.
00:21:53.335 --> 00:21:54.302
"for whatever reason,
00:21:54.302 --> 00:21:56.204
God chose to make man
00:21:56.204 --> 00:21:58.673
As he is
00:21:58.673 --> 00:22:00.342
Limited and suffering and subject to sorrows and death.
00:22:00.342 --> 00:22:05.614
And yet he had the honesty
00:22:06.181 --> 00:22:07.616
And courage to take his own medicine.
00:22:07.616 --> 00:22:10.886
Whatever game god is playing with his creation,
00:22:10.886 --> 00:22:14.523
He has kept his own rules and played fair.
00:22:14.523 --> 00:22:18.460
God can exact nothing from man
00:22:18.460 --> 00:22:21.596
That he has not exacted from himself.
00:22:21.596 --> 00:22:24.399
He has himself gone through the whole of human experiences,
00:22:24.399 --> 00:22:29.304
From the trivial irritations of family life
00:22:29.304 --> 00:22:32.741
And the cramping restrictions of hard work
00:22:32.741 --> 00:22:35.444
And lack of money,
00:22:35.444 --> 00:22:37.279
To the worst horrors of pain
00:22:37.279 --> 00:22:39.781
And humiliation, defeat, despair,
00:22:39.781 --> 00:22:43.752
And even death.
00:22:43.752 --> 00:22:45.320
♪ music ♪
00:22:45.654 --> 00:22:46.488
When god was a man,
00:22:46.488 --> 00:22:47.656
He played the man.
00:22:47.656 --> 00:22:49.558
He was born in poverty
00:22:49.558 --> 00:22:51.393
And died in disgrace and thought it well worthwhile."
00:22:51.393 --> 00:22:56.031
Why did he do all that?
00:22:56.531 --> 00:22:57.933
Why did he voluntarily limit himself to experience
00:22:57.933 --> 00:23:01.570
What you and i experience every day?
00:23:01.570 --> 00:23:03.939
Not just so that he could identify with us, but so that
00:23:03.939 --> 00:23:07.108
He could meet the greatest need we have.
00:23:07.108 --> 00:23:13.648
For even the son of man did not come to be served,
00:23:14.649 --> 00:23:17.686
But to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.
00:23:17.686 --> 00:23:22.090
And in the same way, jesus calls us to put the needs
00:23:22.090 --> 00:23:25.393
Of others before our own.
00:23:25.393 --> 00:23:27.863
Now, before i close today,
00:23:27.863 --> 00:23:29.331
I want to thank those of you
00:23:29.331 --> 00:23:30.532
Who partner with pathway to victory
00:23:30.532 --> 00:23:32.767
With your generous support,
00:23:32.767 --> 00:23:34.803
You're demonstrating a servant's heart
00:23:34.803 --> 00:23:37.439
By investing in the spiritual needs
00:23:37.439 --> 00:23:39.374
Of people you may never meet.
00:23:39.374 --> 00:23:41.409
Because of your faithfulness,
00:23:41.409 --> 00:23:43.111
People across america
00:23:43.111 --> 00:23:44.613
And around the world are discovering what it means
00:23:44.613 --> 00:23:47.682
To follow jesus christ.
00:23:47.682 --> 00:23:49.851
Together we're making an eternal difference
00:23:49.851 --> 00:23:52.921
As we pierce the darkness with the light of god's word.
00:23:52.921 --> 00:23:57.292
Now stay right there,
00:23:57.292 --> 00:23:58.860
I'll be back with more pathway to victory in just a moment.
00:23:58.860 --> 00:24:03.231
(dramatic music)
00:24:03.598 --> 00:24:05.133
We all need god's strength to make it through the day.
00:24:05.133 --> 00:24:07.569
"encouragement for the heart of a disciple,"
00:24:07.569 --> 00:24:09.704
By dr. robert jeffress,
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Provides the spiritual refreshment you need.
00:24:11.206 --> 00:24:14.009
In a large print format,
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Every page bursts with breathtaking imagery
00:24:15.610 --> 00:24:18.380
That draws you toward the beauty of god's creation.
00:24:18.380 --> 00:24:21.616
I know how challenging it can be to stay connected
00:24:21.616 --> 00:24:24.486
With god in our busy lives.
00:24:24.486 --> 00:24:26.588
In my new devotional,
00:24:26.588 --> 00:24:28.089
I provide personal reflections
00:24:28.089 --> 00:24:29.925
And practical insights
00:24:29.925 --> 00:24:31.560
That will help you experience god's presence
00:24:31.560 --> 00:24:33.962
And encouragement throughout your day.
00:24:33.962 --> 00:24:36.665
Filled with stunning images of creation,
00:24:36.665 --> 00:24:39.067
Scripture verses and prayers,
00:24:39.067 --> 00:24:40.669
You can read in under two minutes,
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This padded hardcover book is the perfect daily companion
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To help refresh your spirit, morning and night.
00:24:46.007 --> 00:24:49.077
It also makes a thoughtful gift
00:24:49.077 --> 00:24:50.779
To encourage a friend or loved one.
00:24:50.779 --> 00:24:52.781
Request your copy of encouragement
00:24:52.781 --> 00:24:54.916
For the heart of a disciple when you give a generous gift
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To support the ministry of pathway to victory,
00:24:57.752 --> 00:25:00.422
Or when you become a pathway partner.
00:25:00.422 --> 00:25:02.991
With your ministry gift of $100 or more,
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Containing the new devotional,
00:25:08.430 --> 00:25:10.165
Six clutter-free prayer cards,
00:25:10.165 --> 00:25:12.067
The clutter-free christianity book
00:25:12.067 --> 00:25:14.002
And life application guide,
00:25:14.002 --> 00:25:15.637
And the seven marks
00:25:15.637 --> 00:25:17.038
Of a disciple message series on both cd and dvd.
00:25:17.038 --> 00:25:20.742
Thank you for supporting pathway to victory.
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Your generous partnership helps us impact you
00:25:23.345 --> 00:25:26.114
And your family and a nation in deep spiritual need
00:25:26.114 --> 00:25:29.351
With the transforming truth of god's word.
00:25:29.351 --> 00:25:33.188
(upbeat music)
00:25:33.555 --> 00:25:35.056
Becoming a servant doesn't come naturally to any of us,
00:25:35.056 --> 00:25:38.326
But jesus modeled a radically different way
00:25:38.326 --> 00:25:41.029
Of living when he said,
00:25:41.029 --> 00:25:43.131
I came not to be served but to serve.
00:25:43.131 --> 00:25:46.468
And that same servant's heart should characterize every true
00:25:46.468 --> 00:25:49.904
Follower of jesus christ.
00:25:49.904 --> 00:25:52.540
Well, the two most important issues in life deal
00:25:52.540 --> 00:25:55.043
With the subject of forgiveness,
00:25:55.043 --> 00:25:57.646
Choosing to receive god's forgiveness from god
00:25:57.646 --> 00:26:01.216
And choosing to extend forgiveness to those who wrong us.
00:26:01.216 --> 00:26:04.986
And the latter will be our focus next time as we learn
00:26:04.986 --> 00:26:08.590
To develop a forgiving heart.
00:26:08.590 --> 00:26:11.226
Stay tuned for a preview
00:26:11.226 --> 00:26:12.494
Of what's coming up next in our series,
00:26:12.494 --> 00:26:14.729
Seven marks of a disciple.
00:26:14.729 --> 00:26:17.465
No, none of us will ever be asked to make
00:26:18.366 --> 00:26:20.835
That kind of sacrifice.
00:26:20.835 --> 00:26:22.737
The same kind of, not just physical,
00:26:22.737 --> 00:26:24.806
But spiritual sacrifice that christ made.
00:26:24.806 --> 00:26:27.475
But every day you
00:26:27.475 --> 00:26:28.977
And i are facing decisions about whether we are willing
00:26:28.977 --> 00:26:31.946
To give up what belongs to us, to let go of it,
00:26:31.946 --> 00:26:35.517
To meet the legitimate needs of others.
00:26:35.517 --> 00:26:38.687
Again, parents, are we willing to sacrifice a bigger home
00:26:38.687 --> 00:26:42.223
Or a newer car in order to meet the real needs
00:26:42.223 --> 00:26:44.859
Of our children?
00:26:44.859 --> 00:26:46.961
Set your dvr and join us next time
00:26:46.961 --> 00:26:49.230
For part two of the message,
00:26:49.230 --> 00:26:50.765
"developing a servant's heart," here on pathway to victory.
00:26:50.765 --> 00:26:55.637
♪ music ♪
00:26:55.970 --> 00:26:58.273
Take a journey through alaska's awe-inspiring wilderness
00:26:58.273 --> 00:27:01.476
On the 2026 pathway to victory cruise to alaska.
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With dr. robert jeffress aboard holland america's
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Magnificent koningsdam
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Share laughter with dennis swanberg
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Be inspired by award-winning musician
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Michael o'brien's powerful worship
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Make plans to set sail
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For an unforgettable week of adventure,
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June 13 through 20, 2026.
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Call 888-280-6747 or visit ptv.org.
00:27:22.430 --> 00:27:22.430

Robert Jeffress - Developing A Servant's Heart (Part 1)

August 19, 2025 | S25 E397 | 29:0

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