Last week I got a little nervous as Dave (our worship leader) began his introduction to worship by talking about Billy Joel.. I soon realised the huge importance of the point he was making. He was reminding us that in one of Joel’s most famous songs we hear these words “we didn’t start the fire – it was always burning since the world’s been turning.” Our focus last week was this verse in Philippians he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
Dave was reminding everyone that God began the work in us, He started the fire and that’s why we worship Him. Everything we do as Christians is a response to what Jesus has already done for us. Tonight we followed on that thought a bit more as we saw that humility and a concern for the interests of others should be some of the markers of Christian faith. We have no reason to boast in ourselves because God began the work and He will complete it. Jesus considered our need for rescue to be greater than His need for equality with God.
Tim Hughes puts it this way…
King of All Days – oh so highly exalted,
glorious in heaven above,
humbly you came to the earth you created,
all for love’s sake became poor.
Long lasting joy is only possible when in humility we consider others needs more important than our own. This is at the heart of God’s character and is revealed fully to us at the cross. Paul issues a challenge to us in chapter 2 of Philippians when he says Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus. Billy Joel sings that the fire has been “burnin since the world’s been turnin” The Bible says that God’s love for us was in existence way before that!
Wylie's World 