Serving Like Christ 像基督那样服侍
Dexu Xia
In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus. Philippians 2:5
Today's Scripture Philippians 2:3-8
Today's Insights There’s been some debate about the meaning of Philippians 2:7: “[Jesus] emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men” (esv). The word translated “emptied” comes from the Greek word kenoō, resulting in what is known as the kenosis theory. If Christ “emptied himself” (or “made himself nothing” niv), of what did He empty Himself? Some suggest He emptied Himself of His deity or His divine attributes, but then His sacrifice on the cross would’ve been insufficient. Colossians 2:9 says, “In Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form.” Rather, He emptied Himself of the right to choose how to live and how to make use of His divine attributes—making Himself utterly subject to the Father’s will and “taking the very nature of a servant” (Philippians 2:7) Today, we can imitate Jesus’ attitude of humility and sacrifice as we serve others.
Today's Devotion As I visited a patient in the hospital, I was struck by the actions of a young doctor standing with a team of other inexperienced physicians. The group listened as a more seasoned doctor explained about the patient’s health. Suddenly, the patient anxiously announced that she needed to use the bathroom and couldn’t get up. In fact, she couldn’t wait for a nurse’s aide to be summoned to the room.
Amid the frantic scene, the young doctor got a bed pan off the shelf and assisted the patient. When the nurse’s aide arrived, she was shocked to find someone had already assisted the patient. The lead physician proudly acknowledged the assistance of the young doctor.
Jesus didn’t cling to His divinity and refuse to assist humanity. Though He was “in very nature God, [He] did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage” (Philippians 2:6). As a human, Christ was able to become our sin offering and sacrifice Himself for us. He saw our need for help and salvation, and He humbly laid down His life (v. 8). Paul wrote, “He made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant” (v. 7).
We’re called to imitate Jesus’ attitude and sacrificial ways in our relationships with others. As He helps us, let’s humbly serve them no matter how lowly the job may seem.
Reflect & Pray
How can you reflect the attitude and ways of Jesus? What will it look like for you to humbly serve someone today?
Thank You, Jesus, for humbly giving Yourself for my sin. Please show me how to sacrificially serve others.
By Katara Patton
“你们彼此相待，当存基督耶稣的心。”（腓立比书 2:5 ）
今日经文：腓立比书 2章3-8 节
今日洞见：关于腓立比书 2:7 的含义，一直存在一些争论：“[耶稣] 虚己，取了奴仆的形像，成为人的样式”。经文中译为“虚己”（emptied）一词，源自希腊文‘kenoō’，由此产生了所谓的“虚己论”。如果基督确实“虚己”（或如 NIV 版本所译“使自己成为无有”），那么祂究竟舍弃了什么呢？有人认为祂舍弃了自己的神性或神性属性，但是，果真如此，祂在十字架上的牺牲便显得不足以完成救赎了。歌罗西书 2章9 节说道：“因为神本性一切的丰盛，都有形有体的居住在基督里面。”事实上，祂所舍弃的，乃是选择如何生活以及如何运用其神性的权利，祂“取了奴仆的形像”使自己完全顺服于天父的旨意（腓立比书 2:7）。今天，当我们服侍他人时，也当效法耶稣那种谦卑与舍己的态度。
今日灵修：有一次我在医院探望一位病人，一位年轻医生的举动令我深受感动。当时他正站在一群资历尚浅的年轻医生同伴中，聚精会神地听着一位资深医生讲解病人的病情。突然，那位病人焦急地表示自己需要上厕所，却无法起身。事实上，她已经急得无法等到护工被叫进病房来协助她了。在这略显慌乱的场景中，那位年轻医生从架子上取来便盆，亲自协助了那位病人。当护工赶到时，她惊讶地发现已经有人协助过病人了。那位资深的主治医生则自豪地肯定了这位年轻医生的协助之举。
耶稣并没有紧抓着自己的神性不放，从而拒绝去协助人类。尽管祂“本有神的形像，却不以自己与神同等而强调自己应有的地位”（腓立比书 2:6）。正是因为耶稣取了人的样式，基督才得以成为我们的赎罪祭，为我们舍弃了自己的生命。祂洞察了我们对帮助与救赎的渴求，便谦卑地舍弃了自己的生命（8节）。保罗写道：“祂本有神的形像……反倒虚己，取了奴仆的形像”（7节）。
我们蒙上帝召唤，去效法耶稣的态度，并在与他人的交往中效法祂那种舍己的方式。正如祂帮助我们一样，无论所做之事看起来多么卑微，让我们都谦卑地去服侍他人。
反思与祷告 你该如何体现耶稣的态度与行事方式？若要在今天谦卑地服侍某人，具体会是怎样的光景？ 耶稣啊，感谢祢为了我的罪而谦卑地舍弃自己。求祢指引我，教导我如何以舍己之心去服侍他人。 作者：卡塔拉 帕滕