Dear Christian friends:

We Christians are in the Lord's service. The Bible says "Serve the Lord with Gladness!" (Psalm 100:2) We should serve God, one another and others.

But often we fail to serve the Lord. Why? Because we do not have the spirit to serve.

Jesus had the spirit to serve. In our text St. Paul tells about that spirit:


Jesus had the spirit to serve. The events of that first Palm Sunday and Holy Week show this. He did not have a proud, selfish spirit. Although He was equal with God, the Son of God, He did not boast or show off and try to impress others. He hid His glory and became a man, a servant. He obeyed God the Father and served Him even to die that terrible, shameful death on the cross.

By His humble, loving spirit Jesus did wonderful service to God and to us. He saved the world from sin and hell. If He was proud and interested only in His own things, then He could not save anyone or help anyone. Jesus has shown us the perfect spirit to serve.

On this Palm Sunday as we look back almost 2,900 years to that first Palm Sunday and the other events of that first Holy week, we must feel ashamed about our pride and selfishness. Also we must praise Jesus like the choir did before when they sang:

"When I survey the wondrous cross
On which the Prince of Glory died,
My richest gain I count but loss,
And pour contempt on all my pride."
(When I Survey the Wondrous Cross, hymn, verse 1)

Paul admonishes us Christians to have the same humble spirit as Jesus had. He writes, "The spirit you should have is the one Christ Jesus had." (verse 5) We like Jesus need to have the spirit of service. In the verses before our text Paul writes, "Don't do anything from selfish ambition, or from a cheap desire to boast; but be humble toward each other, never thinking you are better than others. And look out for each other's interests, not just for your own," (verses 3-4)

On the night before He was crucified, before He established the Holy Supper, all the disciples were proud and selfish. Not one of them volunteered to wash the other's feet. Each one thought he should be chief and the others should serve him. So Jesus got up from the table, poured the water in a basin, tied a towel around His waste and washed each one of their feet. When He had finished washing their feet He asked them a question: "Do you know what I have done unto you? You call Me Master and Lord: and you say right; that You are. Now, if I, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; you also ought to wash one another's feet. Because I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you." (John 13:12-15)

As Jesus loved us and humbly served us, so we now should love one another and serve one another. That is why the Lord gives us to each other: husband He gives to wife and wife to husband; brother He gives to brother and sister to sister that we in our families at home and here in our church family give love to one another and humbly serve one another.

And when we become tired of serving others and we feel that we always give, give and never receive, then we must hurry back to Jesus' cross and see again His great love and how He gave Himself, even His life for us to help us in our need. That will renew our spirit so that we can humbly love and serve one another.

This Holy Week we will have many special opportunities to stand before Jesus' cross and be touched by His love and humble service. We will have special church services each day. I hope you will not think that is too much. Some people say, "Church every day? Are you crazy?" No! I am not crazy, but I am a sinner, and I have a lot of pride that I need to push out of my life. I often think I am better than others and I'm not very sharp in humble service to others. I need to see Jesus on the cross everyday for two reasons: first to receive forgiveness of my sins and pride, secondly to learn of Jesus how to humbly serve God and others. Maybe you don't need church every day, but I do. At least, I need to see Jesus in His Word each day whether in public church service or in my private room. I think it is a wonderful opportunity to have church services here everyday this Holy Week. I hope you will agree with me.

Because of His humble service God highly honored Jesus as we read in our text. (verses 9-11) That means that Jesus now has the power to help us serve one another. We are so weak and proud, but Jesus now has the power to help us. We receive that power through His Word and Baptism and the Holy Supper. This we will use often during this Holy Week. Only Jesus' power can change proud selfish people and make them humbly love and serve others.

Jesus has given us the Spirit of service, Hosanna To Him!

Amen.