Daily Worship (Aug 24)

Philippians 2:5–8 (NIV)
5 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; 7 rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross!

Devotional Thought
Paul tells us to copy the mindset of Jesus. Even though Jesus was fully God, He did not cling to His rights. He didn’t demand the honor, privilege, and comfort that were His by nature. Instead, He gave them up and became a servant. He went lower and lower—down to death on a cross—for us.
This connects directly to the sermon’s theme: The Cross Culture means losing your rights. In Corinth, Paul said, “I am free from all, but I made myself a servant to all.” In the same way, Jesus shows us that freedom in God’s kingdom is not about doing whatever we want. Freedom means choosing to give ourselves away in love, even when it costs us comfort.
For us today, this might mean letting go of preferences in worship so others can feel at home, welcoming people different from us, or surrendering our time and resources for the sake of the gospel. When we give up our rights, we reflect the heart of Jesus, who gave up everything to bring us near to God.

COMMA Questions

• Context: How does Philippians 2 fit into Paul’s letter about unity and humility in the church?
• Observation: What do you notice about the downward steps Jesus takes in verses 6–8?
• Meaning: What does it mean that Jesus “did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage”?
• Main Idea: How does this passage teach us to give up our rights for others?
• Application: Where is God calling you to let go of a right or preference for the sake of someone else?

Prayer
Lord Jesus, thank You for giving up Your rights and becoming a servant for me. Teach me to let go of my own comfort and privileges so I can love others well. Help me follow Your example of humility, so that my life points people to You. Amen.

Luke 7:33–34 (NIV)
33 For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine, and you say, ‘He has a demon.’
34 The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’

Devotional Thought
Jesus was constantly misunderstood. People accused John the Baptist of being crazy. They accused Jesus of being sinful because He ate with the wrong people. The Son of God, perfect in holiness, was called a glutton and drunkard. He lost His “good reputation” in the eyes of religious people because He cared about reaching the lost.
This reminds us of Paul’s words in 1 Corinthians 9. He said he was willing to “become as one outside the law” to win those outside. That meant stepping across cultural boundaries, being misunderstood, and sometimes even rejected by his own people.
In our world, following Jesus may cost us our reputation too. We may be labeled as naïve, “too soft,” or even traitors if we love across lines of race, class, or politics. But in the Cross Culture, reputation is not the goal. Faithfulness is. Jesus teaches us that being called names is worth it if it means people far from God experience His grace. The gospel is not about protecting our image but pointing people to Christ.

COMMA Questions

• Context: How does Luke show the different reactions people had to both John and Jesus?
• Observation: What accusations do people make about Jesus in verse 34?
• Meaning: What does it show us about Jesus’ mission that He was known as “a friend of tax collectors and sinners”?
• Main Idea: Why is losing our reputation sometimes necessary to be faithful to Jesus?
• Application: Who in your life might see the love of Jesus if you were willing to risk your reputation?

Prayer
Father, thank You that Jesus was willing to be called names and misunderstood so that sinners like me could be saved. Help me not to fear what people think, but to be faithful in showing Your love across dividing lines. Give me courage to risk my reputation for the sake of the gospel. Amen.

James 2:1–4 (NIV)
1 My brothers and sisters, believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ must not show favoritism. 2 Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in filthy old clothes also comes in. 3 If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, “Here’s a good seat for you,” but say to the poor man, “You stand there” or “Sit on the floor by my feet,” 4 have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?

Devotional Thought
James warns the church against showing favoritism. When believers treat the wealthy and powerful with honor but push the poor aside, they deny the gospel. That is living by the world’s ranking system, not by the cross.
This is the same theme Paul raised in 1 Corinthians 9. He said, “To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak.” The weak are often overlooked or dismissed, but Paul chose to identify with them because Jesus did the same. In Christ’s kingdom, there is no rank—no higher seats for the rich, no lower seats for the poor. We are all equal at the cross.
In our lives today, we may not assign literal seats, but we still give preference—whether by education, income, social circles, or even race. Living out the Cross Culture means refusing to play by those rankings. It means seeing every person as made in God’s image, worthy of dignity, and loved by Christ. When we lose rank, we gain true fellowship with brothers and sisters who might otherwise be pushed aside.

COMMA Questions

• Context: How does James 2 connect with his larger theme of faith that is alive and active?
• Observation: What differences in treatment do you see between the rich man and the poor man in verses 2–3?
• Meaning: What does it mean to “show favoritism,” and why is it called evil?
• Main Idea: What does this passage teach us about how the gospel changes the way we view rank and status?
• Application: Where do you need to stop favoring certain people and start treating others as equals in Christ?

Prayer
Lord, forgive me for the ways I show favoritism and value people by the world’s standards. Thank You that Jesus became weak to save the weak. Help me lose my rank so that I can love all people with the dignity and honor that You give them in Christ. Amen.