Encouragement in Christ
Notes
Transcript
Our text today… equality with God <not> a thing to be grasped. What kind of things do we grasp/hang on to? Giving up the ability to be autonomous.
1 So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, 2 complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. 3 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. 4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. 5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Assuming: We’ve been warned not to. But let’s take the ‘if’ out of verse 1 and replace it with assuming. “Assuming there is any encouragement in Christ. Assuming there is comfort from love…” Paul’s conclusion following his first instruction starts with ‘so/therefore’. And his phrasing is actually giving us the assumption he is thinking they in fact have received this encouragement, comfort etc.
Then have the same love, be in one accord, be of one mind. Nothing self centered but looking out for others. This will make my joy complete.
SO much more than ‘can’t we all just get along’. This is the foundation of kingdom work! Of reaching a community for Christ. Paul knows if UNITY can be the mark of this church he loves so much, they can change the world from where they are.
Do you think we are so different? Philippians is where we are introduced to Epaphroditus. He comes later in our journey through this letter, but you need to know he was likely a former soldier for the Roman Empire, maybe even a palace guard. It was common for retired soldiers to move out to Philippi when their service was over. It is not a stretch to understand in the first century A.D. this little town had become a retirement community. Let me ask again: Do you think we are so different? As you sit here today, more than 50% of the people in this room are retired.
What can a bunch of retirees in a rural community church do for the kingdom of God? That’s a blank check. Written on the storehouses of heaven. We can reach the lost. We can feed the hungry. We can set free those who are enslaved to sin and shame and regret. We can rescue the perishing. We can each tell the story of how God has worked in our lives to bring us to this point.
But we have to be united to do so. Not selfish or conceited. Looking to meet the needs of others.
Paul said we can do this if we adopt the mindset of Christ.
Three things about this:
Position was not important
Creator. Ruler. And He said “I’m going to shuck this and step into the world I created in order to save it.” I can’t help but wonder if there was a collective gasp as the cherubim and seraphim and angels saw the Son leave His place, give up His glory and head to the womb of Mary. Remember, He was present in her belly when she visited Elizabeth. Her little John leapt in her womb at the presence of the Messiah.
Jesus’ willingness to abandon His ‘position’ is our example for serving the kingdom and one another. His words to the disciples in Matthew 20:16 “So the last will be first, and the first last.””
Emptied of self
When Jesus talked about Himself it was in relation to the Father. In relation to salvation. I Am the bread of life. I Am the light of the world. I Am the door. I Am the good shepherd. I Am the resurrection. I Am the way, truth, life. I am the vine. All point to connecting to the Father. When He said ‘believe in me’ it was in relation to believing in the Father.
How can we empty ourselves in a culture SHOUTING at us to look out for #1. To love self. To be my best self. By serving. By humbling ourselves. By looking out for the interest of each other. It is much easier to have a spirit of unity with people who are humble than with people who are vain, conceited and arrogant.
When you pull someone to the side and tell them ‘I’ve been praying for you but would like to know if there are specifics I can pray for’ you are putting their needs up there with your needs.
Obedient to the end - Jesus learned obedience through suffering. Heb 5
The line between obedience and performance can be a blurry one. Yet it is an important distinction to grasp, because obedience leads to life, and performance to death …
Obedience is seeking God with your whole heart. Performance is having a quiet time because you’ll feel guilty if you don’t.
Obedience is finding ways to let the Word of God dwell in you richly. Performance is quickly scanning a passage so you can check it off your Bible reading plan.
Obedience is inviting guests to your home for dinner. Performance is feeling anxious about whether every detail of the meal will be perfect.
Obedience is doing your best. Performance is wanting to be the best.
Obedience is saying yes to whatever God asks of you. Performance is saying yes to whatever people ask of you.
Obedience is following the promptings of God’s Spirit. Performance is following a list of man-made requirements.
Obedience springs from fear of God. Performance springs from fear of failure.
Obedience brings peace. Performance brings anxiety.
Jesus promised His yoke is easy, and His burden light.
1 Samuel 15:22 “And Samuel said, “Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams.”
Luke 6:46 ““Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you?”
John 14:15 ““If you love me, you will keep my commandments.”
Obedience, at its core, is a response to God’s love and grace. Struggling with obedience in your walk? Count your blessings. List the graces of God toward you and your heart will YEARN to be obedient.
Let’s finish today with
Matthew 21:28–32 ““What do you think? A man had two sons. And he went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work in the vineyard today.’ And he answered, ‘I will not,’ but afterward he changed his mind and went. And he went to the other son and said the same. And he answered, ‘I go, sir,’ but did not go. Which of the two did the will of his father?” They said, “The first.” Jesus said to them, “Truly, I say to you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes go into the kingdom of God before you. For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes believed him. And even when you saw it, you did not afterward change your minds and believe him.”
Church, in the end every knee will bow and every tongue will confess Jesus is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Those who do so out of obedience, responding to the love and grace of God will be welcomed into His presence. Those who bow and confess only out of necessity will be cast into outer darkness, separated from God for eternity.
Which will you choose?
