VOl week 5

Philippians 2:1-4

Philippians 2:1–4 ESV

1 So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, 2 complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. 3 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. 4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.

This passage Begins with Paul stating “so if,” as in if you believe in what he is about to say. Let’s stop and answer if there is or is not.

Is there any encouragement in Christ?

Sometimes we read the bible or hear a message and we come across questions that we half-heartedly give an answer to. Here I want to give a strong united answer that we can everyone can here.

Is there any encouragement in Christ?

Is there comfort knowing that God loved you so much that He sent His son for you?

Is it encouraging that God offered you Salvation and grace for your sins?

Is there comfort knowing that after everything you did against Him that He still loves you?

Then Paul says to fulfill His joy. What is Paul’s joy? What is God’s joy? In one sense you might say that it is seeing people accept Christ. Watching people confess sins and be baptised is truly a celebration.

But I believe the joy Paul is speaking of comes as the believer is obedient to the Spirit. Obedience to the Spirit is reconciliation with the Father. Our lives are reconciled as we live as we were originally meant.

You might remember the first opportunity Pastor Tom asked me to speak that we were called to be ambassadors to Christ by being reconciled to God. I felt then that the reconciliation was such an important piece and I barely touched on it. But here we get to answer the question, what should a Christian that is reconciled to God look like?

Paul tells us here that we are to be of the same mind. Meaning that we begin to think and act like Christ.

We are to have the same love. And while we cannot die like Christ to provide the blood sacrifice; we can love others by humbly serving them as if they are more worthy than ourselves.

Then Paul says to be in full accordance and of one mind. That mind is that of Christ Himself. I could attempt to explain this but I want to finish by letting Paul explain.

Philippians 2:5–8 ESV

5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

Our reconciliation with God is demonstrated by having a mindset and loving as Christ, which is only possible through humility... and obedience to the Spirit.