“MAKE ME LIKE JOE”

Luke 17:11-19 and Philippians 2:1-11

In a little booklet entitled “More Stories from the Heart,” there’s a story about an old drunk named Joe, who by the grace of God was miraculously converted at a Bowery mission.  Prior to this, he had gained the reputation of being hopeless – there was no hope for Joe.  However, one day he stumbled into the Bowery mission and met a chaplain – he said that this chaplain was no great shakes at preaching, but my did he love.  And it was through this Bowery chaplain that Joe completely turned his alcoholic life around and come to know Jesus as his personal Savior.

Once this happened, there was nothing Joe wouldn’t do.  He took care of the most derelict of derelicts, spending days and nights doing whatever needed to be done.  There was nothing beneath him from cleaning up vomit to scrubbing toilets.  And he did it with a smile and a sense of gratitude.  He could be counted on to feed the feeble or tuck into bed the sickest resident.

One evening after one of the worship services, the chaplain asked if there was anything he could do for anyone.  One of the men came forward with bowed head and shaking a little from a rough life said, “Chaplain, make me like Joe, make me like Joe, make me like Joe.”  The chaplain leaned over and spoke with the man as he said, “Son, don’t you think it would be better if we prayed, ‘Make me like Jesus.’”  The man looked up at the chaplain with a puzzled look and said, “Only if Jesus is like Joe.”

We can smile a little at stories like that, but isn’t that what the Lord wants for each 2 says, “Then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose…”  Verse 5 says, “Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus…who made himself nothing, take the very nature of a servant.”  And it goes on, “Do nothing out of conceit, but in humility, consider others better that yourselves…look not only to your own interest but also to the interest of others.”

The entire text is asking us to take on the very nature of our Savior Jesus, who came into the world, not to be served, but to serve.  And that is not just what Paul is asking of the church in Philippi, but this is what he is asking of the churches in Miami, Ft. Lauderdale, Boca Raton and yes, even in Plantation.

When we look to the Gospel for today, we see a perfect example of how we are to live and how we are not to live.  Ten men came to Jesus believing they could be cured.  Ten men expected the gift of healing.  All ten men celebrated the gift of healing, but one of them celebrated the Giver of the gift.

Where are we?  You know the story as well as I do.  Jesus created the world perfect, but we lost that perfection, but God was not satisfied in allowing us to stay in that lost condition.  He had a plan and he sent His Son and verse 6 says, “Being in the nature God did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but make himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant…”  He came to change us, to remodel us, “To Make us like Joe??”

This is what Paul say in the church at Philippi.  They were a wonderful congregation who were excited about serving their Lord, but they lots that focus for awhile.  Instead of focusing on Jesus, they began to focus on themselves.  They needed a remodeling.  And what an example they became for the rest of us, even today, several thousand years later.  They were a congregation filled with love, joy and peace in the Lord.

And that is what the Lord wants for Our Savior, Plantation.  We hear a lot of criticism about the Christian church…justified?  Mork and Mindy story…follow me around today, I am one of his children and I reflect my Father’s image.  But why is that so important?  Not focusing on ourselves, but…at the name of Jesus, even more knees will bow…  Yes, “Make me like Joe, make me like Joe…a true servant of the lord…a congregation of servants so that others might come and enjoy the mansions of heaven for all eternity.