Spiritual Check-Up For The Road Ahead

Philippians 2:1-4

Introduction:

We are continuing in our series, Joy In The Journey, and today is the 7th message in Philippians.

Today’s title is this: Spiritual Check-Up For The Road Ahead and we are starting chapter 2. We will be in the first 4 verses of chapter 2 today.

Let’s Recap Philippians 1:27-30, it helps set up today’s text

This passage encourages us to depend on Jesus, walk in unity as the church, and live selflessly by putting others first.

Prayer:

Read The Text:

Philippians 2:1-4

Central Idea: Making a difference for Christ requires a deep dependence on Jesus, unity in the body, and selfless love.

Walk Through The Text:

POINT ONE: Encouraged Together In Christ

Read Verse 1

Because the Philippians are suffering now and will continue to suffer for Christ as they share the Gospel in a lost Roman colony, they are called to live in a way that stands apart from the world around them.

(Use white board to show this) There are four ways Paul wants the Philippians to be encouraged as they progress in their own walks with Christ: Therefore if there is-

Any encouragement in Christ

Any comfort from love

Any participation in the Spirit (The Holy Spirit)

Any affection and sympathy

You have to understand your suffering is for a reason, it's for Him. Because you will endure the suffering, you need to delight in Him in all the ways He just mentioned. THAT is how you get through it, He is with you as you go through it because HE WENT THROUGH IT!

POINT TWO: Unity Together In Christ

Read Verse 2

Complete my joy- by having the same mindset, the same love (agape/unselfish/others focused), being in full or one accord and having the same mind. One mind/same mind go hand in hand.

Paul, wrestling still with whether he may live or die, realized what truly matters in life. It's all about Jesus. And he got to a place in prison where he needed the Philippians to shift their focus to the Savior, not their suffering. When the suffering would come, as a body of Christ united, in one mind/same mind, they could encourage and lift each other up when the other was in need of it.

Application: When WE go through trials and tribulations, let us have the same mind as the Philippians- it's about Jesus. He is the focus, not the circumstances we are in.

What happens reveals two things:

The way you live for Jesus stirs something in others, and reflect on their own life and how they handle tough times

You’ll experience greater peace and harmony with Jesus as you continually turn to Him, rely on Him, and walk with Him—it all begins and ends with Him.

POINT Three: Humility Together In Christ

Read Verse 3

Do NOTHING/NOT ONE THING from selfish ambition or pride/arrogance, but in humility or lowliness. You can't focus on others or serve others when you are thinking about yourself. Christ came not to be served but to SERVE! (Matthew 20:28/Mark 10:45). Pride can wreak havoc in our churches if we are not careful. This happens when the focus is on ourselves and not Jesus. Count others or value others as more significant than yourselves. JOY (Jesus, Others, Yourself).

Living this way is RARE (it was 2000 years ago when Paul wrote this letter and it is the same today). Our world teaches us we should look out for ourselves, live our best life today. Companies make millions and billions of dollars each year by us being selfish and focusing on ourselves. C.S. Lewis said “Humility is not thinking less of yourself, but thinking of yourself less”

Read Verse 4

Remember in this time period, they would have received this letter and read it aloud with the whole church together in one sitting. Reading this whole letter aloud over and over. Everyone would have heard the same challenge: Let EACH of you look not only to his own interests (he knew they naturally would, but also to the interests of others).

Churches are more effective for the Kingdom when they are united and working towards the same goal- glorifying Christ with everything they say and do. When your brothers and sisters in the church get down or are struggling, we lift them up. We pray with them, encourage them, we are there for them. When they face opposition together, they're always looking out for each other.

Application: Choosing humility won’t be easy—it will require sacrifice

Applications:

1. Continue to stay unified/humble as a church.

2. Encourage each other

Where Do We Go From Here:

Spend the next few minutes in prayer. God may be calling you to repent. God may be calling you to draw closer to Jesus this morning if you have strayed. God may be calling you to surrender to Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior and start your relationship with Him today. If you do not have a relationship with Jesus, if he truly is not your Lord and Savior, I would love to talk to you right now about how you can leave here with a relationship with Jesus Christ today!

However God has spoken to you this morning to respond, do it!