In Christ Jesus III

Have the same mindset of Christ Jesus

I would like to continue with our series, from the book of Philippians the letter of the apostle to the church in Philippi.

At the end of his third missionary journey the apostle Paul travels to Jerusalem. After arriving in the city he goes to the temple with four Jewish converts (Acts 21:23 - 26). Jews from Asia, assuming he brought Gentiles into a Temple area where they were not allowed, cause a riot.

Roman troops soon arrive to arrest him (which saves him from a certain death). Paul is soon escorted out of the city by Roman soldiers when one of his relatives discovers a murder plot against him. It is in Caesarea Maritima, which is roughly 60 miles from Jerusalem, that Roman governor Felix will hear the case against Paul made by the Jews.

Paul was brought to Rome to appear before Caesar, because he appealed to Ceasar, Paul was a Roman citizen.

While Paul was in Rome for 2years, he was able to rent his own quarters, but he had to be chained to a guard 24hours a day.

In Rome there were a royal guard of 10000 elite soldiers who had being appointed as the imperial guard who’s chief duty was the protection of the emperor Caesar in Rome.

One of these men was chain to Paul in shifts 24 hours a day, Paul saw this as a tremendous opportunity to preach the Gospel right in the heart of Rome, they couldn’t get away, as a result of this many of the elite soldiers came to Christ.

While Paul was in Rome the church in Philippi took an generous offering for him and send it through a man name Epaphroditus who on the way became extremely sick and almost died, but now that he was better Paul sent him back with this letter as a thank you for the generous gift, and for them to see that Epaphroditus was ok.

This letter was written as from a friend to another friend, the tone of this letter was of extreme joy even though Paul was in prison chained to a guard.

Scholars believe he was released from his first arrest after 2 years then arrested again and this time sent to Mamertine dungeon where he was eventually beheaded in 68 AD.

Have the same mindset of Christ Jesus

We are now on chapter 2 of Philippians

Let”s pray

1 Like-minded.

Php 2:1 Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion,

Paul’s usage of the noun “if” is not the same we use, like if you come next week bring a friend. His “if” is like “since” the adverb.

Yes we have encouragement from being united with Christ, comfort from His Love, common sharing in the Spirit, tenderness and compassion. Unless we don’t know Christ.

Php 2:2 then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind.

Unity in Christ is not about agreeing with an idea, vision, ministry, or political view, is about oneness with our Heavenly Father, The Son and the Holy Spirit.

Unity in Christ, is not organization unity, that’s not what Paul was talking about, he was talking about a spiritual unity,

I have heard in some Christian gatherings how we should all go to the same church or have the same stile of service, Paul could care less about that, unity in Christ demands our hearts, and our full submission to Christ.

It comes when I commit myself to God, with all my heart, and commit to walk with my brothers and sisters in unity, with the purpose of Glorifying Him.

By being of the same mind, having the same purpose, same love being one in spirit.

Our goal is to have the mind of Christ, his purpose, his love.

We don’t obtain unity out of strife, trying to figure out what is the best way, in our own minds, or manipulating others to agree with us, only Jesus knows what is best. We need to come before Him in all humility and ask His opinion, His ideas.

It is easy for us, to think and to do our own thing, but our choices are not always the best for us, or others, sometimes people with sincere hearts wanting to do good, will make great errors. Our human nature very best, can do great harm to others, unless is guided by God.

Ex: here in on the streets If someone is struggling with alcoholism, and ask you for money, to give them money is not the best thing, even though looks like an act of kindness, of giving not being selfish.

I love pastor JD Ward approach to work with the homeless, the goal is to lead them to the presence of God, into a miraculous encounter we don’t know how many times we need to pray with them, but all we need to do is offer a bottle of water and ask if you could pray with them. Our desire is always to throw money at them, food, clothing tents, sleeping bags, if they are on the streets their minds are not all there they need a miracle.

Jesus prayed for us, in John 17

20-23

Joh 17:20 "My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message,

Joh 17:21 that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me.

Joh 17:22 I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one—

Joh 17:23 I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.

Jesus already prayed and gave us the honor to be one with the God head, the trinity, Father son and Holy Spirit. All we need to do is to agree with our Heavenly Father. Check with Him ask what is pleasing to Him.

In our entitled society everyone seeks to have their own voice they want to be heard and doesn’t matter how stupid they sound.

Our forefathers wanted the voice of God to be heard many like the apostle Paul, gave their lives, died to glorify God, not themselves.

Today we have soccer players, movie celebrities, politicians, journalists all wanting to give their opinion, but God’s word is the farthest thing in their minds and hearts, they all sound great to themselves.

2 Take care of each other.

Php 2:3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves,

Selfish ambition, the word in Greek is Eritheia ,

Selfish ambition is focused on you and your wants and desires. It centers on what you can get from a person, place, thing, or situation. Selfish ambition thinks of your needs, wants, and desires above others and God.

Php 2:4 not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.

Php 2:5 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:

Php 2:6 Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;

Php 2:7 rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.

This is how we walk in unity with each other saying no to the ways of the world.

In our society what the bible calls selfish ambition is one of the keys for success.

Php 2:8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross!

Have the same attitude of Christ, walk in humility.

Jesus the Son of God, God himself did not regard equality with God. But emptied himself, assuming the form of a bond-servant, obedient to death.

We are called to serve one another, naturally, we are not going to do that, only when we are in Christ, desiring to obey Him and walking with Him, imitating Him, we will serve others.

There are many people who tried to help others on their own strength, in the flesh, soon they become burned out, or bitter against the people they are serving, or God who is not doing more for them.

Our capacity to give and serve is very limited, we are selfish, and we are humans. We need God.

Pretending or wearing a mask.

Never goes well, people catch’s on really quick, on our short comings, on our selfishness, then we are humiliated.

When we walk in pride, we want to show everyone how good we are, how we are much better than most people, how we can outsmart others, humility is the opposite of that.

Jesus gave us the example, is not easy but we have the map.

Dr. Howard Malmstadt, one of the founders of the University of the Nations, was a well-known scholar a professor in Chemistry very admire by his pears and the academic world. A brilliant Architect, develop the radar what help the US and allies during the second world war.

He was offered the position to be the president of a major US university, but he left all behind to join Loren Cuningham and develop the University of the Nations.

He would pick up his lunch plate at the university and sit among all the 18 -20 year old students and introduce himself as Howard just one of them, always interested in what they were doing and encourage them to fulfill their destiny, most of them never knew about all his accomplishments, until he had passed away, I had the great privilege to attended his classes on campus development, my early training to preserve Mokuaikaua, David Ross, was there too.

Follow Jesus

3 Let your Heavenly Father reward you.

Jesus came to serve us

Php 2:9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name,

Php 2:10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,

Php 2:11 and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Jesus was obedient to death and God rewarded Him,

Gave Him a name above all names,

Php 2:10 so that at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE SHALL BOW [in submission], of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, [Isa_45:23]

The day is coming where even those who mock him will bow and confess that He is Lord

Your Heavenly Father will reward you for your obedience and love for Him.

1Pe 5:6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.

1Pe 5:7 Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.

All we need to do is to trust in Him.

Heb 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to [walk with God and] please Him, for whoever comes [near] to God must [necessarily] believe that God exists and that He rewards those who [earnestly and diligently] seek Him.

We have this great friend in Kohala, who is a farmer and I remember the day he receive news that he had lost the crop of that entire year, what would affect all his workers, his chance to even stay in business, maybe even lose his house.

His love for God and obedience sustained him, yes, he cried different times, but never waved in his faith,

His expression was The Lord gave and the Lord have taken away.

And we pray together every day until God open a door.

His insurance covered the whole thing, he end up with a bigger profit that year than the years before. God supernaturally reward him for his obedience and faithfulness.

Jim Trump

Have the same mindset as Christ Jesus

Be like minded,

Take care of each other

Let your Heavenly Father reward you.

making Jesus the lord of our lives

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. Joh 3:16

To receive Him we need to accept Him as God’s son, repent from our sins and a life of selfishness, asking Him to be your Lord and savior, not that you deserve it, but is a gift from God.

If this is your desire today, please repeat this prayer after me?

Heavenly Father I’m sinner,

I’m sorry for my sins, I’m willing to turn away from my sins.

I receive Christ as my savior,

I confess him as Lord

from this moment on I want to follow and serve him,

in the fellowship of his church,

In Jesus name. Amen!

1Co 11:23 For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread;

1Co 11:24 and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, "Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me."

1Co 11:25 In the same manner Healso took the cup after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me."

1Co 11:26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death till He comes.

1Co 11:27 Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.

Heb 9:14 dead works, acts, sins

E mau aku ka loko maika’i o ka Haku, Iesu Kristo; me ke aloha a ke Akua, a me ka launa pu ‘ana mai o ka Uhane Hemolele ia ‘olua, a me makou apau. Amene.