From Jersey to the Mop Bucket

READY:  

“Adopt the same attitude as that of Christ Jesus, who, existing in the form of God, did not consider equality with God as something to be exploited. Instead, he emptied himself by assuming the form of a servant, taking on the likeness of humanity. And when he had come as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death- even to death on a cross.” – Philippians 2:5-8

SET:  

You’ve just walked into the arena of a professional basketball team. There are fans everywhere; thousands of people eating popcorn, hot dogs, nachos. The game plays on and the star player plays the game of his life. No mess ups, no mistakes: a complete perfect game with no errors and all the points. You’re in the nosebleed section, watching the game play out and then it ends. The crowds pour out of the arena, going back to their lives, leaving a complete and utter disaster of a mess for the custodian to clean up. You’re still in your seat, gathering your bag to leave and you see the same star athlete that played the most perfect game of his life dressed in all his splendor, walking up the bleachers, picking up trash. You watch him as he carefully cleans each spot, putting trash into a bag he hung around his waist. How completely insane does that sound? The professional athlete in all his glory, trading his jersey for a mop bucket and trash bag to clean up a mess he didn’t make. 

It's not a mirror image of Jesus, but it certainly points to Him. He left all His splendor, all the glory of being in the form of God, and He emptied Himself to the form of a servant. From the jersey to the mop bucket and trash bag- to clean up a mess He did not make. We are the ones who created the messes of our lives because of sin and rebellion against a Holy God. And yet, Jesus humbled himself to do way more than just simply pick up some trash and clean a spot. He died a horrific death on the cross, taking on the full wrath of God, so that we might not experience that wrath and so we can be free from the sin that entangles us and separates us from the Father.  

If Christ can do this for us, then we can adopt the same attitude. We can live by His example. In love, He cleaned up a mess He did not make for those who made it. He did it without grumbling or complaining.  

GO: 

1. What messes are around you that you didn’t make, but God might be calling you to clean them up? 

2. How can you adopt the same attitude of Christ, remembering His great sacrifice for our sins?  

WORKOUT:

OVERTIME: