Follow After the Mind of Christ

Introduction

In our last session we looked at 7 distinctives of Biblical Leadership. In case you don’t remember them, they were:

Be a Christian.

But more than that, be an Committed Follower of Christ.

Be a Seeker of Divine Truth.

Be Christlike.

Be Aware of Our Motives.

Live in the Power of the Holy Spirit.

Serve Others!

Tonight, I want to look at a specific passage to help us get a picture of what servant leadership looks like. And in the process, hopefully we are going to learn more about Jesus and see some key characteristics that we should have if we are going to be like Christ.

If you have your Bibles, and I hope that you do, turn with me to Philippians chapter 2. Philippians 2:5

Philippians 2:5 NIV

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

Paul begins this section by telling us that there is a particular way that we should act towards one another. And the way we should act is by having the same “mindset” as Jesus. In other words we are supposed to walk, talk, and think like Jesus walked, talked, and thought!

Not only are we supposed to have that attitude, but we are to express that attitude in our dealings with the people around us! One of my favorite authors is A.W. Tozer. In his book The Knowledge of the Holy, he writes:

Christians today appear to know Christ only after the flesh. They try to achieve communion with Him by divesting Him of His burning holiness and unapproachable majesty, the very attributes He veiled while on earth but assumed in fullness of glory upon His ascension to the Father’s right hand. The Christ of popular Christianity has a weak smile and a halo. He has become Someone-up-There who likes people, at least some people, and these are grateful but not too impressed. If they need Him, He also needs them.

A. W. Tozer

This, however, is NOT what it means to be like Christ, because this is not the Jesus that I know.

And it is NOT the Jesus we see in Philippians 2. So let’s look at what Paul says it means to have the mind of Christ, when we deal with the people around us.

If you have your Bibles and I hope that you do, turn with me to Philippians chapter 2.

Philippians 2 begins by saying,

Philippians 2:1–2 NIV

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

Jesus Christ should unite His followers together. We are to be united in love, and Paul says we are to be one in spirit and one of mind! But what should that mind look like. Skip down to verse 5.

The Mind of Christ

Philippians 2:5 NIV

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

We are to have the same mind as Jesus. So let’s look at what it means to have the same mind or mindset as Jesus!

He Knew Who He was

Philippians 2:6 NIV

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

Paul says Jesus was in very nature God. Jesus was/is God! That’s the wonder that John explains in John 1.

John 1:1–4 NIV

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind.

John 1:14 NIV

The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

Back to verse 6 of Philippians 2. It says that Jesus did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage.

I personally do not like the way the NIV translates this verse. It seems like the NET has a better translation, did not regard equality with God as something to be grasped. Jesus did NOT feel the need to hang onto the fact that He was God! Or flaunt the fact that He was God.

He was secure in who He was, so He had NOTHING to prove. And that brings us to verse 7.

Philippians 2:7 NIV

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

He Laid Aside His Godly Attributes.

The phrase made himself nothing is the Greek word kenoo and this passage is often called the kenoosis passage. Kenoo has the idea of taking off or laying aside or emptying Himself—Jesus laid aside His godly attributes or emptied Himself of His godly attributed.

Taking the Form of a Servant!

In doing so, Jesus made Himself nothing. Think about this for a minute—Jesus went from being God, the creative force of every thing to be a frail, fragile human-being. Even worse, He became a servant! By choice, Jesus went from being the King of EVERYTHING to being a servant.

All because he was made in human likeness.

Humbled Himself

Because Jesus knew who He was—fully God while being fully man—He was able to become a servant of all mankind. Now look Jesus takes being a human servant a step farther. Look at verse 8.

Philippians 2:8 NIV

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

First, He humbled Himself by submitting to death. Some Biblical scholars say that if Jesus had not willing submitted to death that he would not have died—that’s right some believe He would still be here 2,000 plus years later. Yet because He was in all ways completely human He humbled Himself and submitted to death.

The second thing we need to notice is that Jesus didn’t just die, but he went the extra mile. Not only did He submit to death, but He went the extra mile submitting to death on the cross!

I don’t know about you, but when I began to understand that agony associated with dying by crucifixion, I am amazed at the love that Jesus demonstrated! I also understand why He went three times before God the Father pleading to gain salvation for mankind a different way (Mark 14:36 “‘Abba, Father,' he said, 'everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.'”).

So What?

If you and I are going to be effective leaders. Leaders at work, in our homes, at church, in our schools—leaders wherever—Then we need to have the same mind as that of Christ Jesus!

Jesus knew who He was—He was secure in this. If you and I are going to be effective leaders, then we need to be secure in who we are. The best way for us to do just that is to find our identity in Jesus Christ. If you know Him as your Savior, and if you are seeking to make Him Lord of your life, then your identity is simply this—You Are A Child of The King! A Child of God! At one time you were an enemy of God and now you have be adopted into God’s family and are His child! Now that’s an amazing identity!

Because Jesus knew who He actually was, He had nothing to prove. This allowed Him to lay aside many of His godly attributes and become fully man (while at the same time being fully man). If we are going to be effective leaders then we need to realize we have nothing to prove! When we truly understand our identity in Christ, we can lay aside our need for all that the world has to offer. Things like prestige, power, position, and prosperity. And we can let go of desire to prove ourselves to everyone!

Having nothing to prove, allowed Jesus to become a servant of all. Remember what Jesus said in Mark 10:44 “and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all.” If we are going to be effective leaders, then there should be nothing too great or to small for us to do! We need to develop a servant’s heart.

Being a man, Jesus humbled Himself. Having nothing to prove and being a servant of all, allowed Him to be humble—not braggadocios and proud. We need to develop an attitude of humility. And that can only come when we are comfortable in who we are. Godly leaders do not long for the limelight, but rather humbly and lovingly serve those around them.

Finally, Jesus went the extra mile—submitting to death on the cross! If you and I are going demonstrate godly leadership in our lives, then we are going to be the hardest most diligent people around. That’s because godly leaders always to the extra mile!

These are five characteristics of a leader that possesses the mind of Christ!