His Mind, His Example, His Glory!
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· 7 viewsIf you and I, by the power of the Holy Spirit, will have the mind of Christ and follow in His example of humility, then the church will be unified and joyfully bring glory to God the Father.
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Transcript
Purpose/Thesis: If you and I, by the power of the Holy Spirit, will have the mind of Christ and follow in His example of humility, then the church will be unified and joyfully bring glory to God the Father.
Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
LETS PRAY
INTRO:
95 Thesis Story
October 31st, 1517, Martin Luther affixed his 95 thesis to the door of the church in Wittenburg. Although the famous paintings have him Nailing his 95 thesis to the door of the church, this isn’t entirely accurate. I did confirm with Dr. VanDixhoorn that he probably didn’t nail them to the church door, but he definitely affixed these thesis and made them public…
Many scholars believe this single act was the start of the Protestant reformation! But was this Luther’s intention? He was still a Catholic Monk, devoted to the Pope. There is no mention of any Reformed doctrine or theology in these thesis,
Luther was simply teaching against Indulgences!
Yet this small problem in Luther’s world, would have a massively significant outcome…
We cant read through the 95 Thesis as if Luther was a ex-catholic reformer, we have to keep them in context.
Paul and the epistle to the Philippians
This is very similar to what we have in our passage today. Paul is addressing what seems to be some small, insignificant discord within the church in Philippi.
And out of this discord Paul unleashes one of the most profound truths about the incarnation and exaltation of Jesus.
Just a few weeks ago when the passages were assigned to us.. i vividly remember most of the class saying oohhhhh you got the incarnation passage!!!
This passage is so incredible, but for Paul, it was just simply the truth. He wasn’t attempting to enlighten the Philippian Church or reveal some new mystery about Christ… HE was stating simple facts about Jesus as the greatest example of Humility this world has ever seen!
We will come back to this later on…
We cannot read this letter and take out verses 5-11 as if they are set apart and standing on their own.
Paul is writing a letter to a church he cares for deeply. He has great love and affection for them.
We can see this clearly in the beginning of chapter 1. Paul Holds the philippians in his heart,
He explains that even through his immense suffering, he can REJOICE, he knows that through the prayers of the Philippian believers he will be delivered in life and in death.
Although he would rather die and Gain Christ! He continues to live and suffer for the sake of the Church!
He deeply longs for the Church in Phillipi to stand firm in one spirit striving side by side for the sake of the Gospel.
This leads us to our Scripture today…
Thesis…
THIS AFTERNOON My purpose is simple… I want to show that….
If you and I, by the power of the Holy Spirit, will have the mind of Christ and follow in His example of humility, then the church will be unified andJOYFULLY bring glory to God the Father.
BODY:
Transition: Two of the major themes in Philippians are Joy and Unity. Our passage today is no exception…
Main points:
You and I are
1) Commanded to have the mind of Christ, 2) Called to follow in His example of Humility, and 3) Created to glorify God
Restate if necessary
1. You and I are commanded to have the mind of Christ
Lets Go back and read verses 1-5…
So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.
So Paul is stating that the church in Philippi can complete his Joy by having the same mind, by not being selfish and considering others as better than themselves, and looking out for the interests of others rather than just their own…
BUT, if you just keep reading right into verse 5… it may be confusing.
Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus.
In verse 5 is he referring to verses 2-4 or something after verse 5?
Why do we need to have something that is already ours? IT is a little confusing.. As a wise man once said “the ESV is gonna ESV.
I usually am committed to the ESV, I LOVE IT. But if I am being honest, I truly believe the King James Version has translated verse 5 a lot better. The KJV has it as:
Philippians 2:5 , “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus”
This translation points more to a mindset, or an attitude, that Christ had rather than his literal mind.
Illustration: WWJD Bracelets…
DO any of yall remember the WWJD Bracelets? what would jesus do…
well he is God and put on human flesh to die for sinners…
He fed 5000 with a kids lunch…
He raised Lazarus from the dead…
In his mind, he never sinned or even had a bad thought!!
WE CAN’T Do exactly what Jesus did. BUT THANKFULLY, He hasn’t asked us to do exactly what he did…
We haven’t been commanded to DO everything Jesus did.. but to have his mind…
Its not about what Jesus would do… its about his thinking, his motivation, his disposition.
As one scholar writes, having the mind of Christ is to have his “moral temper, his way of thinking, and specifically his humble and unselfish devotion…. Paul wishes his readers to cherish a mental attitude that is CONFORMED to the mind of Christ… JESUS regarded no sacrifice as to great, no humiliation as too painful in accomplishing his redeeming work.” Erdman, 72
SLOW DOWN… MAKE IT CLEAR
Transition: AND this mind, this humility, this sacrifice is exactly what Paul shows us in verses 6-8…
2. You and I are called to follow in His example of Humility
Lets read these verses about Christ:
who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.
This section is often referred to as the “Incarnation”. God putting on flesh and taking on the likeness of man.
These 3 verses have been ENDLESSLY debated. I could go on and on about critical scholars and the ins and outs of these few verses, BUT
Philippians is not the Epistle of Incarnation and Exaltation, it is the Epistle of Joy and unity in the Body of Christ.
If we read these verses in context we will see that Paul in using Christ as the ultimate example of Humility!
Verse 6:
who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped,
what does it mean that he was in the form of God?
Some would say that this means Jesus was simply an Image bearer like all humans were.
He was created just like other humans… He became God later on…. after the exaltation…
The main problem with this is right here in the text, the very next phrase..
He did not count EQUALITY WITH GOD as something to be grasped!!!!
The author of Hebrews in Chapter 1 writes this…
Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,
Just as we see in John Chapter 1, Jesus was there in the beginning…
I love how it was written in the Nicene… “one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of the Father before all worlds; God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God; begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father, by whom all things were made.”
Christ Jesus was, is, and always will be GOD.
And what humility it was for him to not count his DEITY as something to be grasped or HELD ONTO..
this leads us to Verse 7:
but (Christ) emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.
He emptied himself. This emptying is from the Greek Word “KENOSIS”.
Listen to what Pastor Kevin DeYoung says about this: (READ SLOWLY AND CLEARLY) “It means that though He was fully God, Christ did not cling to His Godhood as something to be used for selfish gain. Rather He set aside some of His divine rights as God and came to earth as a servant. More than that, He came as a human being, willingly, obedient to His Father in everything, even to the point of dying a shameful death on the cross… He was rightfully a sovereign king, but He came as a lowly servant. He was truly the Creator of the cosmos, but He came as one who was birthed by one of His own creatures. He was in the form of God deserving of all praise, but He came to be despised as a man of sorrows.”
What an example Paul is giving us as believers.
Our human nature desires to fill ourselves up with accolades, achievements, popularity, and status, Yet, Christ, Fully God, emptied himself to become a humble servant..
We complain about having to do the smallest of tasks, cleaning up at the church,
sharing the same lesson for the 10th time to that hard headed young person,
Just this past sunday I was carrying a container full of ice to dump it out after church, and the thought crossed my mind “WHy am i having to do this”
Are you kidding me, Christ Came and EMPTIED HIMSELF AND TOOK ON THE FORM OF A SERVANT!
You and i are called to follow his example.
Verse 8:
And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.
Christ came to earth, put on this humble, degrading flesh, and was perfectly obedient to the father.
EVEN TO THE POINT OF DEATH ON A CROSS. He was mocked, beaten, spit on, and crucified…
And what was his mindset through all of that?
looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.
Think about the Mind of Christ, EVEN ON THE CROSS!
Filled with Joy in his obedience to the father in the worst of circumstances..
NO WONDER paul is rejoicing in Prison! He is pleading with the Philippians and to all believers to LOOK AT CHRIST!
Transition: NO WONDER Paul is rejoicing in Prison! He is pleading with the Philippians and to all believers to LOOK AT CHRIST! Though he was fully God, he humbled himself and took on flesh and the likeness of men, he emptied himself, and became obedient even to the point of death on the cross. Christians are called follow his example and give him all the Praise!
3. You and I are Created to glorify God
Verses 9-11
Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Jesus humbled himself and submitted himself to the Father, THEREFORE, God highly exalted HIM. He is SUPREME, HE IS LORD.
In verses 10 and 11 Paul is Quoting a passage from Isaiah 45…
“Turn to me and be saved,
all the ends of the earth!
For I am God, and there is no other.
By myself I have sworn;
from my mouth has gone out in righteousness
a word that shall not return:
‘To me every knee shall bow,
every tongue shall swear allegiance.’
— We have to understand that PAUL is revealing that Jesus is YHWH. HE is God.
So if we are created to bring God Glory.. How can you and I as sinful humans bring Glory to an eternal and Holy God?
There are many ways, but i want us to focus in on one… Follow Christs example and humbly die…
I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
Die to yourself and Live for Christ. A life of faith, unity, and joy that brings Glory to God.
CONCLUSION:
Transition: Paul’s plea for unity within the Body of christ is not a new idea. In John Chapter 17 we have one of Jesus’s prayers to the father. Listen to what he says…
“I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me.
Can you picture A Unified, Humble, Joyful Body of Christ?
A group of believers who have the mind of Christ,
they look at his incarnation and humble themselves as servants, dying to themselves, putting others first!
They joyfully and willingly get on their knees and profess that Jesus is Lord and give him all the Glory!
Do you believe this is Possible? Have faith! Have the mind that was also in Christ, follow in his example of humility, and live a life that brings Him glory.
Lets Pray
