A Guide To Detoxing Of Self

 

A dispute also arose among them, as to which of them was to be regarded as the greatest. 25 And he said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them, and those in authority over them are called benefactors. 26 But not so with you. Rather, let the greatest among you become as the youngest, and the leader as one who serves. 27 For who is the greater, one who reclines at table or one who serves? Is it not the one who reclines at table? But I am among you as the one who serves.

On Sunday, we looked at a prescription for the Christian Life from Luke 22:24-30, where we find the genius disciples in a good old fashioned debate: which of them is the greatest. The whole situation makes you feel like you are back in high school, where these types of conservations are pretty frequent. Remarkably, Jesus responds much differently than you and I. He doesn’t kick them off His team. He doesn’t look for replacements. He doesn’t even rebuke them, but Jesus responds mercifully and leverages it as a teaching opportunity. He redeems their aspirations for power, position, and status according to the economy of the Kingdom, “become as the youngest, and the leader as one who serves.”

BECOME A YOUNG UNIMPRESSIVE BUS BOY

We have all been in the restaurant and seen the teenage boy that buses tables. He doesn’t look real thrilled about his job, but you can observe him clumsily moving from table to table. He’s so unimpressive you forget he’s there. This is how Jesus defines true greatness for his disciples—deny yourself of position, power, status, and become a young unimpressive bus boy. That’s not Facebook or Instagram worthy at all. Indeed, this challenges the ideology of culture, but even more it challenges us individually.

You know how this becomes really attractive?

BE SERVED BY THE YOUNG IMPRESSIVE BUS BOY

Jesus states something startling in verse 27, “But I am among you as the one who serves.” Jesus came to serve (Mark 10:27). He takes the lead. He practices what He preaches. Remember, just hours earlier Jesus tied a robe around his waist and took a basin to wash the feet of His disciples (religious) and His betrayer (irreligious). He took the job of a servant, stooping lower than we ever could or would want to. He comes to bus our messy table of sin, completely cleans it, then refuses to take a tip (John 13:1-20). You and I must be willing to be served by the young impressive bus boy, King Jesus. This truth is what guides us to the detox of self.

QUESTIONS TO GUIDE THE DETOX

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

Romans 12:2

Questions reveal thoughts. Thoughts expose beliefs. The battle of self-detoxing begins with renewing your mind by taking your thoughts and measuring them next to Scripture to see the gap between your will and God’s.

ASK YOURSELF GOOD QUESTIONS*

  • What are you desiring more than anything else?

  • What do you daydream about?

  • Where in your life have you made much of yourself and little of God?

  • What consumes your thoughts when you have time alone?

  • Does this glorify God? Or how can I glorify God doing _______?

  • What do you spend time talking about most?

  • What does your Facebook & Instagram feed expose about yourself?

BEHOLD SCRIPTURE

How from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.

2 Timothy 3:15

  • Read it.

  • Listen to it.

  • Meditate on it.

  • Memorize it.

  • Speak it Aloud.

LIVE IN COMMUNITY

And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.

Hebrews 10:24-25

Are you committed to a Doxa Community?

SERVE THE BODY OF DOXA

But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it, 25 that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another.

1 Corinthians 12:24-25

  • What are your talents?

  • What are your gifts?

  • How are you serving the body? Visit doxaop.church/serve

* some of these questions were taken and influenced by a Jonathan Dodson book called, “Fight Club”

 
 
Jeth Looney