No Matter What Part 2

No Matter What Part 2 Philippians 2:1-11 Introduction • Happiness, we’re all seeking it. o Illustration: Declaration of Independence, “Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” Happiness is not a right … just the pursuit of happiness. o But happiness is elusive. (Ill. Keeping ice cold in a cooler) • Last Week: Paul remarkably challenges the Philippian church to have joy. The remarkable part of that is his situation. He has a joy in the face great suffering, loneliness, uncertainty, and fear of death. o The bottom line key to joy is 1) having hope beyond this life and 2) a greater purpose in this life. • Paul summarized this in his statement, “To live is Christ, and to die is gain”. o But what does this mean? How can we be confident in death—as joy? What does it mean to “live Christ”? • This week we’re going to answer what it means to “live Christ” o And like we said last week, “living Christ means living in the reality of the person and work of Jesus.” But what does that mean practically? • Main Idea: Here in Philippians 2, we see a key to joy in this life: genuine humility. o Let me tell you too … if you put these principles into action in your marriages, friendships, work relationships… you will experience Joy in those settings. • Transition: If humility is major factor in joy in this life … then how to we live in humility? 1. Humility Lives in Unity With Others • One of the areas of our lives that erodes joy more than others, is conflict with other people o It’s amazing how relationships with other people can bring the most joy in our lives, but at the same time can bring the most frustration, anger, and hurt. • Paul goes to the heart of the problem with our relationships … disagreement. o He says, “[be] of the same mind, [have] the same love, … in one accord and of one mind” (v. 2) • What is this unity and oneness of mind? That we'd always agree or have a cult like uniformity? o No! It's being so unified in what matters most, those other differences stop having the power they once had. o Illustration: Unity in sport and war – “two strangers hugging” 2. Humility Esteems Others Higher Than Yourself • Paul goes on to say: “Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.” Philippians 2:3 • Humility is not jut thinking poorly of yourself. o You can still be very self-centered and think the world revolves around you even if you don't have a high view of yourself. § Nate Larkin: "Worthless piece of crap the world revolves around." o Tim Keller: “Humility is not thinking less of yourself, but rather thinking of yourself less.” • This doesn’t mean we have a really poor view of ourselves. Yes, we’re messed up, broken sinners—but we are now redeemed, forgiven sons of God. • This means that we consider others more valuable than ourselves. In fact … we just consider others more than ourselves. o C.S. Lewis (Mere Christianity)—“If you met a truly humble person, you wouldn't think him/her humble, but happy and incredibly interested in you.” o Personal: Let me go ahead and confess at how much I’m convicted by this! • And we are able to do this because Jesus values us first. o Because I am fed by the bread of life, I can turn to feed others. § But a starving man will never feed others. § But because God has given me all approval and love, I don’t have to fight for it now. 3. Humility Looks to the Interests of Others • So when we value others (even higher than ourselves); we will be concerned for their “interests” o We will stop fighting for our “rights” • Here’s the beautiful design of this is that if everyone in a community is seeking the best of everyone else; everyone’s needs are met and no one is grasping for their own needs. • Illustration: Marriage picture in Eph. 5—two people trying to out do one another in submission and sacrifice. 4. Humility Bears Death for Others • So far this is pretty radical stuff. But Paul goes beyond what our world can understand. Paul calls us to an even more radical humility. o Philippians 2:5–8 –“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.” • Now what does this mean? Are we to go jump off a bridge for our neighbors or family members? No! He is not talking about needless suffering here. Let’s look closer at this ... • What “mind” is Paul talking about here? o Paul its saying, “have the same attitude/spirit/mode as Jesus” … who was willing to suffer and bear even death for the benefit of others. o Let me be honest here … I don’t even want to do the dishes for others! Definitely don’t interrupt my favorite show or the game! • True humility is willing to suffer for another person’s benefit. • Paul tells us here that Jesus “emptied himself”. This does not mean that He stopped being God. o Rather it means that he humiliated himself … From being the supreme being, God himself — to being a “servant” • Illustration: Love & Respect — Jesus was willing to take rejection on the one hand, and serious disrespect on the other. • Jesus gave us the ultimate example of humility! • What does this look like practically for us? o Forgiveness—paying the penalty for the sin of others (Mt. 18) Conclusion · Paul challenges us to have this “mind” of unity, humility, and selflessness. · How do we get there? o Receiving and believing the Gospel – Verse 1 o It is only when we really receive and embrace the truth of what Jesus has done for us that we can have this kind of humility. In the gospel … we are freed to love. · Unbeliever: Jesus gave everything for you … that you might become a son of God himself. · Believer: Are you humble?