Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction

***Note: This has been written purposely circumventing any issue involving Christology.

We are going to look at one of the most crucial passages in all the Bible, .

If you were lost and only had one passage from all the Bible you would do well to have this be your passage.

One person said of this passage that, “If the New Testament was a mountain range this passage would be one of the two or three highest peaks.”

Another person said of this passage, “There is no passage in the Bible that more powerfully, dramatically, intensely puts this fact that Jesus is God, God himself.”

I have seen this passage used to teach joy, humility, and how Jesus was both a man and God.

But this passage teaches so much more.

This passage teaches:

How Jesus was God.

How Jesus was God.

How Jesus was human.

How Jesus was human.

How a Christian should think.

How a Christian should think.

How a Christian should act.

How a Christian should act.

What Jesus thought, his innermost thoughts and motives.

What Jesus thought, his innermost thoughts and motives.

Finally, the outcome of Jesus’ actions.

Finally, the outcome of Jesus’ actions.

The Book

Context

So, to begin the first thing we must do is have an overview of the context of the passage.

This passage was written by the Apostle Paul in his letter to the church at Philippi.

The founding of the church of Philippi can be read about in .

This is where Paul cast the demon out of a slave girl being used for divination.

This caused him and Silas to be thrown in jail and after they were miraculously freed they led the Philippian jailer to salvation.

Scholars believe the letter was written in approximately 60 A.D from Rome where Paul was in prison.

The letter itself comprises only 60 sentences in Greek and was written apparently because the Philippians had learned that Paul was not doing well and Paul wanted to encourage them.

The letter is very practical in nature and full of encouragement.

It is very different than the other letters from Paul as it does not instruct in church order, correct false doctrine or address any wrong living.

It is the only letter Paul writes that does not have something negative to say about the readers.

Now you might think we would start our study with chapter 2 verse 1.

But one thing you should always do is when someone gives you a verse or passage to look at look a couple verses before to get a closer sense of the context from which the passage or verse takes place.

Paul here states that we shouldn’t be frightened when our opponents come at us, because by our not being frightened it is a sign to them that they are headed for destruction and that our salvation is from God.

He then states that we have been granted to suffer for the sake of God, just as Paul did and this is the direct context of our passage.

Paul here states that we shouldn’t be frightened when our opponents come at us, because by our not being frightened it is a sign to them that they are headed for destruction and that our salvation is from God.

He then states that we have been granted to suffer for the sake of God, just as Paul did and this is the direct context of our passage.

Exegete

Paul begins our passage by directly referring to his previous statement.

The ESV “so if” and the KJV “If there be” both refer the previous statement, but more than that it affirms that what follows is true.

Paul is not asking if there is encouragement, comfort or participation, but stating that there is encouragement, comfort, etc.

So, Paul is saying that since you are saved and being granted to suffering for God’s sake, and since you have been encouraged, and since you have been gotten comfort from love and since you participate in the spirit, have affection and sympathy you should do what follows in verse 2-4.

Paul begins our passage by directly referring to his previous statement.

The ESV “so if” and the KJV “If there be” both refer the previous statement, but more than that it affirms that what follows is true.

Paul is not asking if there is encouragement, comfort or participation, but stating that there is encouragement, comfort, etc.

So, Paul is saying that since you are saved and being granted to suffer for God’s sake, and since you have been encouraged, and since you have been gotten comfort from love and since you participate in the spirit, have affection and sympathy, and you should do what follows in verse 2-4.

Have you been encouraged?

Have you gotten any comfort from love?

Is there any participation in the Spirit, any affection or sympathy in your life?

If there is and you are a Christian then you should be living out the mind of Christ.

I love Paul’s statement here, complete my joy.

He is saying here that they should “make his joy be full.”

The joy here that Paul is suggesting is the anticipation of presenting a mature group of Christians to the Lord.

I love Paul’s statement here, complete my joy.

He is saying here that they should “make his joy be full.”

The joy here that Paul is suggesting is the anticipation of presenting a mature group of Christians to the Lord.

Now this passage is known as “the mind of Christ,” and here we run into our first use of the word mind.

to have an opinion with regard to someth., think, form/hold an opinion, judge

This is the Greek word phroneo (fro-nay-oh).

This has the meaning of thoughtful planning, have attitude regarding, give one mind’s to, set one’s mind on, to think, and to form an opinion.

It could be best summed up in modern English by the word attitude.

Have this attitude.

Paul is saying this is the attitude we should have.

This is the Greek word phroneo (fro-nay-oh).

This has the meaning of thoughtful planning, have attitude regarding, give one mind’s to, set one’s mind on, to think, and to form an opinion.

It could be best summed up in modern English by the word attitude.

Have this attitude.

Paul is saying this is the attitude we should have.

This verse speaks of a unity in love and “being in full accord.”

There are many who abuse this passage to say that everyone has to think the same, be the same.

There are even those today who are using this to preach that we Christians must accept other religions and wrong doctrine.

But the unity this passage speaks of is not found in identical life-style or personality.

It occurs when Christian people have the same values and loves.

It is a unity found among those going in the same direction.

It is not superficial, but comes from the core of one’s being.

Paul has stated that we should have the same love and be going in the same direction.

Now he continues his instruction on the attitude of Christ and says we should do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit and we should show humility.

Paul has stated that we should have the same love and be going in the same direction.

Now he continues his instruction on the attitude of Christ and says we should do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit and we should show humility.

Before the NT humility was a negative term frequently employed to the mentality of a slave.

Paul in many ways here is saying that we should think of ourselves as the slave of others.

How do you do this?

Humility begins with a realistic appraisal of oneself and others being in the image of God.

Once you realize others have the image of God you can place yourself in better relation to them.

In verse 4 Paul sums up the purpose of verse 2 and all of verse 3. We are to think not of ourselves, but of others.

Our attitude, our mind, is always to be about others.

Look at love.

We are to be known by our love, that is what Jesus said in

In verse 4 Paul sums up the purpose of verse 2 and all of verse 3. We are to think not of ourselves, but of others.

Our attitude, our mind, is always to be about others.

Look at love.

We are to be known by our love, that is what Jesus said in

Look at these passages on love.

Look at these passages on love.

Do you notice something about these passages?

It is always about other people.

Love requires action and another party.

This is the reason Christianity can never be done alone in a vacuum.