Let this Mind be in You!

Have the mind of Christ in His Affection

Philippians 1:1–11 ESV

Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the overseers and deacons: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. It is right for me to feel this way about you all, because I hold you in my heart, for you are all partakers with me of grace, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel. For God is my witness, how I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus. And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.

Become Like Jesus! - “I yearn for you all with the affection of Jesus Christ.”

Our focus for our second year of unpacking our Purpose Statement - Be with Jesus; Become Like Jesus and DO what Jesus did - is to think about and enact those things that will make us become more like Jesus in 2023-24.

This is why we are going to spend the next 2-3 months looking at the theme of Having the Mind of Christ through Paul’s letter to the Philippians - Philippians 2:5 “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus”(NKJV)

KNOWING THE MIND OF CHRIST

Jesus always did the will of the Father who sent Him. He said that His “food was to do the will of Him who sent me and finish His work”

He knew that God was with Him and always heard Him(John 11). He literally lived out His own prayer which stated, “Your Kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in Heaven.”

So, if we are going to become more like Jesus we need to think like Jesus thought - Lord, I want to do your will; live always with the confidence that you hear my prayers and work so that your will is done on earth, as it is in Heaven!

And this is possible for us!

Having the mind of Christ is not just then a theological proposition it is a practical reality. It is living out the Christ life and allowing the fragrance and loveliness of Jesus to flow through us, to influence our behaviours, attitides and passions - As James Denney put it: ‘When Paul thinks of (the glory of Christ) he does not look back, he looks up … men [and women] were saved, not by dwelling on the wonderful words and deeds of One who had lived some time ago, and reviving these in their imagination, but by receiving the almighty, emancipating, quickening Spirit of One who lived and reigned for evermore … And so it must always be, if Christianity is to be a living religion.’

Our aim then - the direction of this series - is to have the mind of Christ, the constant presence of God and God’s work in our minds, to direct our ways and our works as we seek to build His Kingdom here in Whitby and this will break down over the next 10 weeks as we seek to have the mind of Christ in our:

1. Affection - Reading: Philippians 1:1-11.

2. Determination - Reading Philippians 1:12-30

3. Humility - Reading: Philippians 2:1-18

4. Confidence - Reading: Philippians 2:19-30

5. Attitudes - Reading: Philippians 3:1-16

6. Hope - Reading: Philippians 3:17-4:1

7. Joyful gentleness - Reading: Philippians 4:2-5

8. Serenity - Reading: Philippians 4:6-9

9. Faithfulness - Reading: Philippians 4:10-20

10. Grace - Reading: Philippians 4:21-23

2. THE MIND OF CHRIST AND OUR MIND!

The Prophet Isaiah asked: “Who has known the mind of the Lord or been able to give him advice?”(Isa 40:12-13) and the Psalmist complained that “there is no one who seeks God,…not even one” (Psa 13:11-13).

Paul takes this up in Romans 3:1-12, citing the Psalmist and then in Romans 8:7 he says, “for the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, it does not submit to the law of God and neither can it do so.”

In 1 Corinthians 2, Paul takes up the problem with this sinful, wilful ignorance and how it prevents people from receiving the wisdom of the Gospel, saying: “we declare God’s wisdom, a mystery that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began. 8 None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. However, as it is written: “What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived”—the things God has prepared for those who love him—these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit.”(1 Cor 2:7-11). His point being that, what those rebels of Isaiah’s day did not grasp or understand; indeed what he calls the present day “rulers of this world” did not understand and what people today do not grasp or undertand about the mind and will of God as revealed in the Gospel, is made known to us by the Spirit of God

This is the GOOD NEWS when it comes to our minds - thoughts “darkened” because of sin; they are enlightened by the Holy Spirit. God’s Spirit within us gives us access to the thoughts and mind of God, so Paul goes on to say in 1 Corinthians 2 - “The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. For who knows a person’s thoughts except their own spirit within them? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. What we have received is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us.  This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual realities with Spirit-taught words. The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit. The person with the Spirit makes judgments about all things, but such a person is not subject to merely human judgments, for, “Who has known the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ(1 Cor 2:11-16).

THIS IS SOMETHING TO ENCOURAGE US, TODAY - YOU and I, by the Spirit of God, understand the things of God because we have access to the “mind of Christ” as the Spirit of God moves and inspires us within!

And this is exactly what Jesus Himself promised in John 16, “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you. All that the Father has is mine; therefore I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you.”

So, going back to our PURPOSE statement - We want to BECOME LIKE JESUS by discovering the mind and will of God and doing His will! And the GOOD NEWS is that we already have access to “the mind of Christ” to make this possible!

As Dallas Willard has said in his book, the Renovation of the Heart(chapter 6 p. 112), the intention that moves us forward in Christlikeness is, “to be formed…to have the great God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ a constant presence in our mind, crowding out every false idea or destructive image, all misinformation about God, and every crooked inference or belief. Thus it is the intention to use divinely powerful weapons “for the destruction of fortresses. We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:3-5).”

But this is where we have a choice before us - Romans 12:1-2

Romans 12:1–2 ESV

I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. 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.

We can allow the “OLD MIND”, the “mind of the flesh”, control our thinking and keep us conformed to this world. That is an attractive proposition because is appeals to our human desires which are often sensual and self-centred. It is encapsulated by John in his Epistle 1 John 2

Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.

or we can allow our minds to take possession of an alternative reality - renew our mind, transforming the mind to discern and enact the “acceptable and perfect” will of God in our lives!

We are all being “formed” - either by the world of by God BUT we are not all being “transformed” by the Spirit of God and this is what we need to have happen, if we are to live as Jesus wants us to live and BECOME LIKE JESUS!

3. TAKING ON THE MIND OF CHRIST BY EXPRESSING HIS AFFECTION!

Today’s Sermon Focus is, to express the mind of Christ as we hold our brothers and sisters in Christ in an affectionate love, which causes us to grow together in the “fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God.”

Paul says: “I yearn for you all with the affection of Jesus Christ.” Now by affection we mean - “Favourable or kindly disposition towards a person or thing; fondness, tenderness; goodwill, warmth of attachment. Esp. in early use also more strongly: love” (for another person) (Oxford English Dictionary).

The word used by Paul, (Grk: σπλάγχνον) refers to a feeling of pity or sympathy which moves a person deeply on the inside, hence the terms “bowels of mercies”(Col 3:12 KJV) or “tender mercies”(Psa 25:6 KJV), conveying a reaction of intense emotion. To get the sense of this, Ralph P Martin in his commentary says that the phrase “the affection of Christ” is “an elegant paraphrase for the Greek, literally ‘in the entrails of Christ Jesus’.

To show “the affection of Christ” then is to have a deep feeling of love towards others, but even more than this, to love another win and in the love of Christ. It is to have the love of Christ flowing through me to others, whether it be God or our fellow Christians or those who are lost and “without God and without hope in the world”(Eph 2:11-12).

So, what does this look like in practice? to take on the character of Jesus Christ which would mean we would “love the Lord our God, with all” your “mind, heart, soul and strength.”(Luke 10:27).

This is what Jesus did and it is seen in Paul who followed Christ and says to us: “Follow me, as I follow Christ”(1 Cor 11:1). This is about imitation, following the example of Jesus and although it can be difficult to following someone you cannot see in general terms, Paul advises: 1 Cor 10:31 “whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all to the glory of God.” or as he advises in Philippians 4:8, “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.” This after all is the epitome of how Jesus lived His life!

So on seeking to know the mind of Christ we can follow the example of Paul and in regard to his showing “the affection of Christ” we can see what it looks like for us!

(a). He had heartfelt affection for the Church and so should we!:

This was his mindset! The affection of Christ was his motivating impulse. These Philippians were going through all kinds of trials and Paul is concerend for them!

By way of background (and reminder from what Mike shared last week), Philippi was a leading city in Macedonia, occupied and colonised by the Romans. It was named after Philip II of Macedon about the year 360 BC and he fortified it. It became part of the Roman Empiren in 167BC, but its real importance was not achieved until after 31 BC after Octavian defeated Antony and Cleopatra at the battle of Actium. Philippi had ‘received a settlement of Italian colonists who had favoured Antony and had been obliged to surrender their land to the veterans of Octavian’. and its name was officially lengthened to “Colonia Iulia Augusta Philippensis.” It thus became “a leading city of the district of Macedonia and a Roman Colony”(Acts 16:12) and among its benefits was the use of Roman law in local affairs , some exemption from tribute and taxation for its leading citizens and its possession of the “ius Italicum” defined as the privilege ‘by which the whole legal position of the colonists in respect to ownership, transfer of land, payment of taxes, local administration, and law, became the same as if they were on Italian soil; as, in fact, by a legal fiction, they were’. To be a citizen of Philippi was a cause for civic pride and its sutainenece was jealously guarded (see Acts 16:21,38)

(i). Because He Planted the Church:

You can understand why Paul felt such a fondness for the Church at Philippi given its origins and he notes this in these early verses: “I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you iwill bring it to completion at jthe day of Jesus Christ.”(Phil 1:3-6). The gospel came to Philippi through the efforts of Paul and Silas as recorded in Acts 16 and the church was first established after Paul preached the gospel at a riverside prayer meeting (Acts 16:13) and then was located in the home of Lydia(Acts 16:40), a wealthy buisness lady whose “heart was opened” by the Lord(Acts 16:14-15) to Jesus and soon by a newly converted fortune teller (Acts 16:16-18) and the Philippian jailer and his family, as part of this new Church plant(see Acts 16:19-34).

(ii). Because He was Concerned for the Church:

And we can also understand why he was so anxious for them because it was not easy to be a Christian in such a city - it was rich and oppulent; immoral and pagan, where occult practises were normal and highly valued. Paul likened the spiritual atmosphere to a “crooked and depraved generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world’(Phil. 2:15), so although confident in God’s power to keep the Philippians he knows that they too must do their part in remaining faithful to Christ in such a world, so he says: “It is right for me to feel this way about you all, because I hold you in my heart, for you are all partakers with me of grace, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel.  For God is my witness, how I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus. And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled uwith the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.”(Phil 1:7-11).

“I hold you in my heart” - even while writing to them from his Roman prison (see Acts 28:16, 30) Paul warns them that things are not going get any easier (Phil 1: 29-30) - as we shall be told about next week when we look at Having the Mind of Christ in His Determination - but they should not fear, persecution has come and is coming but it will result under God to “serve the advance of the Gospel”(see on Phil 1:12-18)

So, this is not mere sentiment and it is certainly not just words. Paul’s affection for the Church is borne out of his concern fort the glory of God and his connection with them, as their “father in the Lord” and as a fellow worker and sufferer in the Kingdom of God and for us today, our affection for one another and for the church of Christ, and in particular for the persecuted Church, requires a deep affection - this involves an intentional desire to love from the heart as Hebrews 13:1-3 says: “Keep on loving one another as brothers and sisters. Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it. Continue to remember those in prison as if you were together with them in prison, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering.” and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering.” - We are not simply to be informed about their pain but feel their pain! Tht will get us praying (Note: The case of little Bronson Battersby in the news and its emotional impact on us, shows the extent to which we can “feel” even for strangers!).

Paul in Romans 12:9-12 says, “Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints and dseek to show hospitality.” This is how “the affection of Christ” or “brotherly affection” works itself out practically speaking; it was the kind of reciprocal affection that Paul and the Philippiams demonstrated to one another and we are called upon to replicate in the Church, today!

(b). He learned affection by learning and following the example of Jesus, and so should we!

The Apostle John said: “Whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did.”  (1 John 2:6 see also Eph 5:2). In other words, what is happening on the inside in terms of character formation - becoming like Jesus - reflects itself on the outside.

The command to love one another (John 13:34) and to love our neighbor as ourselves (Matthew 22:39) were given and modeled by Jesus and now commanded of His followers.

Think of the COMPASSION he showed! Jesus was incredibly compassionate.  We see Him time and time again responding to the needs of the suffering such as referred to in Luke 7:21, “In that hour he healed many people of diseases and plagues and evil spirits, and on many who were blind he bestowed sight.” His reaching out to the Gentile woman whose “little daughter had an unclean spirit”(Mark 7:24-30) or to those who were isolated because of leprosy that he was “willing” to make clean(Luke 5:12-15) or to tax-collectors who were ostracised from society because of their connexions(Luke 19:1-10) or “the crowds” who were “harrassed and helpless like sheep without a shepherd”(Matt 9:36; Mark 10:21; Luke 7:13)

Think of His ACCEPTANCE of the disadvantaged and marginalised members of society - little children, women; the poor; Gentiles’ tax-collectors and sinners; the repentant (see Mark 10:13-16; Mark 1:30-31; Luke 4:18-19; Luke 7:11-15; 13:10-17 Because of Jesus, the perfect standard by which we live  The overflow of Jesus’s love for the Father was a life in constant service to others.  Our overflow and love for the Father (our seeking to conform to the character of Christ) should also result in a life of service and love to others.

Think of His SERVICE for those whom He loved, showing the full extent of His love by being willing to wash the feet of His disciples - John 13. Jesus healed the sick; fed the hungry; calmed anxious hearts’ taught people how to live and pray, His was a very practical ministry!

Think of His SACRIFICE for those whom He loved - “the Son of God loved me and gave Himself for me”(Gal 2:20). “Greater love hath no man than this, than a man lay down His life for His freinds…and you are my friends”(John 15:13-14).

George Bernard Shaw, observed that he “was taught when I was young that if people would only love one another, all would be well with the world. I found when I tried to put that into practice, not only were other people seldom lovable but I wasn't very lovable myself.”

Doubtless this is true but this is to fail to take into account how God loves humans - “God loves human beings. God loves the world. Not an ideal human, but human beings as they are; not an ideal world, but the real world. What we find repulsive in their opposition to God, what we shrink back from with pain and hostility... this is for God the ground of unfathomable love.”(Deitrich Bonhoeffer).

“To love someone means to see them as God intended them.” ― Fyodor Dostoyevsky

To show the “affection of Christ” then it to lone others with COMPASSION; ACCEPTANCE: PRACTICAL SERVICE and SELF-SACRIFICE. Listen to John the Apostle - 1 John 3:16-18

1 John 3:16–18 ESV

By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him? Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.

1 John 4:7–11 ESV

Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.

What John is saying, may be accurately summarised by Bob Goff, “Love one another. We don't need more instructions; we need more examples” .

APPLICATION - “But I’m not Jesus!”

Now it’s very tempting to say “BUT I’M NOT JESUS. I CAN’T LOVE LIKE JESUS!” to which I would answer that’s true, you can’t love like Jesus YET! But that does not excuse us from trying!

In 1766, William Cowper wrote a hymn entitled, “Hark my Soul, it is the Lord” in which the closing verse reads:

“Lord, it is my chief complaint that my love is weak and faint; yet I love thee, and adore; O for grace to love thee more!”

“But I love Thee and adore, O for grace to love Thee more!” To love God more; to love His people more; to love all people more is to love them with “the affection of Christ Jesus.”

Now this is really a demanding STEP UP from the norm. Think about it like this, it is relatively easy and natural for me to say, “I love my wife”, but to say “I love my wife with the very affection that Christ” or as Paul put it mmore accurately, I love my wife as “Christ loved the Church and gave Himself for her”(Eph 5:25). This involves a supernatural love; a love, not found in me,but a divne love of Jesus that flows through me!

This is the heart of what Mother Teresa meant when she said: “Christ prays in me, Christ works in me, Christ thinks in me, Christ looks through my eyes, Christ speaks through my words, Christ works with my hands, Christ walks with my feet, Christ loves with my heart. As St Paul's prayer was: I belong to Christ and nothing will separate me from the love of Christ. It was that oneness, oneness with God in the Holy Spirit.”

And how we need to pray for more of Christ’s love and affection in our hearts - 1 Thes 3:12

1 Thessalonians 3:12 ESV

and may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, as we do for you,

But its not just PRAYING for the infilling of Christ’s affection; its acting and working until we get it! So, if there is strife among believers as in Corinth, a church filled with dissent and division among the brethren, Paul says in 2 Corinthians 6:11-12, “We have spoken freely to you, Corinthians; our heart is wide open. You are not restricted by us, but you are restricted in your own affections.”

But if it is the opposite end of the spectrum, when beleivers are in union with one another, it can be as simple says Peter as to, “Greet one another with the kiss of love”(1 Pet 5:14).

We are to do these things whether we feel them ot not; we are indeed to do them UNTIL we feel them, just as I must still love my wife and not be satisfied that I have loved her as well as I should, until I love her as Christ loves her!

We are to learn from Christ to love, little by little; but by bit, as C.S. Lewis observed: “God lends us a little of His reasoning powers and that is how we think: He puts a little of His love into us and that is how we love one another. When you teach a child writing, you hold its hand while it forms the letters: that is, it forms the letters because you are forming them. We love and reason because God loves and reasons and holds our hand while we do it.”

Now why is this so important? To have the mind of Christ by expressing his affection?

John 13:34–35 ESV

A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

As we show the tender “affection of Christ” here in the Church, the world will know that God is our Father.

West Cliff Church is not a building; it is not only a human organisation; it is primarily the family of God.

To be a Christian means that you are “born again”(Jn 3:3) into the family of God and you are invited to belong to the family; to take an active role; and to demonstrate “the affection of Christ” toward the rest of the family!

Now of course you can “take a back seat”, you can “stay in your own room” if you wish BUT this is not the “will of God for you in Christ Jesus.” 1 Thessalonians 5:12-18

1 Thessalonians 5:12–18 ESV

We ask you, brothers, to respect those who labor among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, and to esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Be at peace among yourselves. And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all. See that no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to everyone. Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

The place to show the “affection of Christ” is in the Church, supporting, encouraging, admonishing, esteeming; bringing peace, being patient; reconciling; praising and praying with and for one another and being thankful for all things, as God sends them!

So, just as Paul did in 2 Thessalonians 1:3 did, I, like Him,

2 Thessalonians 1:3 ESV

We ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers, as is right, because your faith is growing abundantly, and the love of every one of you for one another is increasing.

God grant that our faith and love will grow abundantly, by the Help and impulse of the Holy Spirit, so that the affection of Christ may be seen in us!