Untitled Sermon

Sermon Outline

Audience: Grand Rapids / Holland– July 29, 2018

Theme: Imitating the Divine Nature of Christ

Imitando la actitud divina de Cristo

Text: Christ’s Divine Design: (NIV)

5 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:

6 Who, being in very nature God,

did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;

7 rather, he made himself nothing

by taking the very nature of a servant,

being made in human likeness.

8 And being found in appearance as a man,

he humbled himself

by becoming obedient to death—

even death on a cross!

9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place

and gave him the name that is above every name,

10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,

in heaven and on earth and under the earth,

11 and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord,

to the glory of God the Father.

Filipenses 2:5-11 Nueva Traducción Viviente (NTV)

5 Tengan la misma actitud que tuvo Cristo Jesús.

6 Aunque era Dios,[a] no consideró que el ser igual a Dios fuera algo a lo cual aferrarse. 7 En cambio, renunció a sus privilegios divinos;[b] adoptó la humilde posición de un esclavo[c] y nació como un ser humano. Cuando apareció en forma de hombre,[d] 8 se humilló a sí mismo en obediencia a Dios y murió en una cruz como morían los criminales.

9 Por lo tanto, Dios lo elevó al lugar de máximo honor y le dio el nombre que está por encima de todos los demás nombres 10 para que, ante el nombre de Jesús, se doble toda rodilla en el cielo y en la tierra y debajo de la tierra, 11 y toda lengua confiese que Jesucristo es el Señor para la gloria de Dios Padre.

Opening Line:

We have become a church in decline in most parts of Europe because we have forgotten the true essence of God’s plan for the church in the twenty first century... Finding God’s Divine Design in Others... Jesus said it simply... “Go and Make Disciples of all Nations...”

Imitating Christ’s Divine Design isn’t simply the act of performing the action verb of the command, “Go and Make,” it is leading others into perfection in Christ by imitating Christ’s Divine Design...

(NLT), “And you should imitate me, just as I imitate Christ.”

1 Corintios 11:1 (NTV), “Y ustedes deberían imitarme a mí, así como yo imito a Cristo.”

Mimetes: An Imitator -

“All true imitation is a transformation that does not simply present again something that is already there. It is a kind of transformed reality in which the transformation points back to what has been transformed in and through it. It is a transformed reality because it brings before us intensified possibilities never seen before.” - Gadamer (1986, 64)

Introduction: For example, Timothy discovered Christ’s divine design because he imitated Paul. Paul was confident that Timothy had the right amount of humility and transformed mindset of Christ by his fruit

, New Living Translation (NLT) Paul Commends Timothy

19 If the Lord Jesus is willing, I hope to send Timothy to you soon for a visit. Then he can cheer me up by telling me how you are getting along. 20 I have no one else like Timothy, who genuinely cares about your welfare. 21 All the others care only for themselves and not for what matters to Jesus Christ. 22 But you know how Timothy has proved himself. Like a son with his father, he has served with me in preaching the Good News. 23 I hope to send him to you just as soon as I find out what is going to happen to me here. 24 And I have confidence from the Lord that I myself will come to see you soon.

Filipenses 2:19-24 - Nueva Traducción Viviente (NTV) Pablo encomienda a Timoteo “19 Si el Señor Jesús quiere, espero enviarles pronto a Timoteo para que los visite. Así él puede animarme al traerme noticias de cómo están. 20 No cuento con nadie como Timoteo, quien se preocupa genuinamente por el bienestar de ustedes. 21 Todos los demás sólo se ocupan de sí mismos y no de lo que es importante para Jesucristo, 22 pero ustedes saben cómo Timoteo ha dado muestras de lo que es. Como un hijo con su padre, él ha servido a mi lado en la predicación de la Buena Noticia. 23 Espero enviarlo a ustedes en cuanto sepa lo que me sucederá aquí, 24 y el Señor me ha dado la confianza que yo mismo iré pronto a verlos.”

· He was probably around 30 when Paul first came to Lystra/Derby (46 AD)

· He was around 33 when Paul took him with him ( / 49 AD)

· He was around 45 when Paul wrote Philippians (62 AD)

· Timothy shared many characteristics that many of us may have experienced

He was born to a multi-cultural family / religion

He may have been a social outcast from his mother’s side

His father was an unbeliever, while his mom was a believer

He was possibly shy, looked young and inexperienced

But what he did have... Was the Divine heart of Christ...

[Leading up to the text in Chapter 2]

Paul is deliberately placing this text at this point for a couple of reasons. The chapter begins with the concept of unity through humility, “Do nothing in out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves” (vs. 3). Pablo está deliberadamente colocar este texto en este punto por un par de razones. El capítulo comienza con el concepto de la unidad a través de la Humildad “No sean egoistas; no traten de impressionar a nadie. Sean humildes, es decir, considerando a los demas com mejores que ustedes” (vs. 3)

o Humility: In Scripture, 5012 /tapeinophrosýnē ("lowliness, humility") is an inside-out virtue produced by comparing ourselves to the Lord (rather than to others). This brings behavior into alignment with this inner revelation to keep one from being self-exalting (self-determining, self-inflated). For the believer, 5012 /tapeinophrosýnē ("humility") means living in complete dependence on the Lord, i.e. with no reliance on self (the flesh).[1]

o Humilda: es una virtud de adentro hacia afuera producida por compararnos con el Señor (más que con otros). Esto lleva al comportamiento a alinearse con esta revelación interna para evitar que uno se exalte a sí mismo (auto-determinante, auto-inflado).

Then Paul moves into the Attitude of Christ (vs. 5-11), a Hymn from the early church that captures the essence of Christ’s example of humility, “Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus” (vs. 5). Es un himno de la iglesia primitiva que capta la esencia del ejemplo de humildad de Cristo “Tengan la misma actitud que tuvo Cristo Jesús” (vs. 5).

Paul then describes his circumstance, in the same way as Christ suffered and died for us, Paul says, “But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service coming from your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you” (vs. 17). “Sin embargo, me alegrare aun si tengo que perder la vida derramándola como ofrenda liquida a Dios, así como el fiel servicio de ustedes también es una ofrenda de Dios. Y quiero que todos ustedes participen de esta alegría” (vs. 17).

Paul then adds a new character within the story line. By depicting Timothy, a person who represents you and I, an average “Joe,” as having the same qualities as Jesus Christ, and the Same essence of Paul as someone being like-mined.

Theme: Imitating the Divine Nature of Christ requires that we…

Imitando la actitud divina de Cristo requiere que nosotros…

· Affirm who we are in Christ; afirmamos quien somos en Cristo

· Surrender our Titles or Position; Entregamos nuestros títulos o posiciones

· Posture ourselves as a Servant; nos postulamos nosotros mismos como un siervo

· Humble ourselves before our neighbor; humillarnos ante nuestro prójimos

· That we Present everyone Perfect in Christ; presentamos todos perfectos en Cristo

1. That we Affirm who we are in Christ; Afirmamos quienes somos en Cristo, “Who, being in very nature God,” (v.6) As a believer we are restored thru Jesus Christ the status of sonship, , “So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, 27 for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus”. Gálatas 3:26-28 (NVI), “Todos ustedes son hijos de Dios mediante la fe en Cristo Jesús, 27 porque todos los que han sido bautizados en Cristo se han revestido de Cristo. 28 Ya no hay judío ni griego, esclavo ni libre, hombre ni mujer, sino que todos ustedes son uno solo en Cristo Jesús.”

a. [the story of the fall where man and woman first lose their status]

i. Adam’s source of sin was his pride... Eve’s source of sin was her doubt... two distinct motives, two distinct responses... La causa del pecado para Adán era su orgullo... La causa del pecado para Eva era su duda... dos motivos distintos, dos respuestas distintas...

1. Adam says, “The woman you put here with me—she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it” (V.12). “La mujer que me diste por compañera me dio de ese fruto, y yo lo comí.”

2. Eve says, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate” (V.13). La serpiente me engañó, y comí”

ii. The consequence of their sins...

1. Adam is to be reminded of the importance of humility in obedience (v.17)... Adán siempre recordará la importancia de la humildad en la obediencia de Dios

2. Eve is to be reminded of the status she voluntarily gave up (v.16)... se le recordará para siempre a Eva el estatus que voluntariamente rechazó…

2. Surrender our Titles or Position; Entregamos nuestros títulos o posiciones: “did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;” (v.6) “quien, siendo por naturaleza Dios, no consideró el ser igual a Dios como algo a qué aferrarse” (v.6).

a. Kenosis – He emptied himself, “…kenosis, then, places us in a state of receptivity. We develop an instinctive attitude of listening, trying to understand, letting ourselves be permeated with the atmosphere of our surroundings, passing beyond what is merely heard and seen to reach the personality of the people with whom we love, or those we may meet.” (Raguin 1973, 111) El Se vació, "... Kenosis, entonces, nos sitúa en un estado de receptividad. Desarrollamos una actitud instintiva de escuchar, de tratar de entender, de dejarnos impregnar de la atmósfera de nuestro entorno, pasando más allá de lo que es meramente escuchado y visto para alcanzar la personalidad de las personas con las que amamos, o de las que nos podemos encontrar. "

b. Paul writes in , “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.” Filipenses 2:3-4 (NVI) “No hagan nada por egoísmo o vanidad; más bien, con humildad consideren a los demás como superiores a ustedes mismos. 4 Cada uno debe velar no solo por sus propios intereses, sino también por los intereses de los demás.”

c. Paul sets an example in , “If someone else thinks they have reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more: 5 circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; 6 as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for righteousness based on the law, faultless. 7 But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ.” Filipenses 3:4-7, “Si cualquier otro cree tener motivos para confiar en esfuerzos humanos, yo más: 5 circuncidado al octavo día, del pueblo de Israel, de la tribu de Benjamín, hebreo de pura cepa; en cuanto a la interpretación de la ley, fariseo; 6 en cuanto al celo, perseguidor de la iglesia; en cuanto a la justicia que la ley exige, intachable.7 Sin embargo, todo aquello que para mí era ganancia, ahora lo considero pérdida por causa de Cristo.

3. That we Posture ourselves as a Servant / Nos postulamos nosotros mismos como un siervo: “rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant being made in human likeness” (v.7). Por el contrario, se rebajó voluntariamente, tomando la naturaleza[a] de siervo y haciéndose semejante a los seres humanos.

a. We take on the very nature of Christ… I borrow the term Servant Posturing from Corne Bekker a South African Theologian. It is from knowing who we are in Christ that we can then position ourselves as servant.

b. , Jesus washing Peter’s feet, “I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you,” [Explain principle]

c. , Jesús lavando los pies de Pedro, “Les he puesto el ejemplo, para que hagan lo mismo que yo he hecho con ustedes” [Explica el principio]

d. New International Version (NIV), “28 just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

e. Mateo 20:28 Nueva Versión Internacional (NVI), “28 así como el Hijo del hombre no vino para que le sirvan, sino para servir y para dar su vida en rescate por muchos.”

4. Humble ourselves before our neighbor; humillarnos ante nuestro prójimos: “And being found in appearance as a man, 5 he humbled himself” (v.8a) Y, al manifestarse como hombre, se humilló a sí mismo (v.8a)

a. “The ethics of lowliness in the New Testament can combine with a theology of the cross, which presents a stark challenge to the comfort... and individualism that permeates much of middle-class Western culture. True freedom in Christ means the freedom to enter into relationship with persons who bring one outside of one’s socioeconomic or religious comfort zone – freedom to break bread with the outcasts, the poor, and all of the other ‘neighbors’ that Christians are commanded to love”. Billings, J. T. 2004. Incarnational Ministry and Chriostology: A Re-appropriation of the Way of Lowliness. Missiology. Vol. XXXII, No.2, 187-201."la ética de la humildad en el nuevo testamento puede combinarse con una teología de la Cruz, que presenta un duro desafío a la comodidad... e individualismo que impregna gran parte de la cultura Occidental. La verdadera libertad en Cristo significa la libertad de entrar en relación con personas que son afuera de nuestro zona de comodidad socioeconómica o religiosa – libertad para romper y comer pan con los marginados, los pobres, y todos los otros ' prójimos ' que los cristianos son mandados amar ".

b. Paul’s use of his freedom: (NIV) Though I am free and belong to no one, I have made myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. 20 To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. 21 To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law), so as to win those not having the law. 22 To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some. 23 I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.

c. 1 Corintios 9:19-23 (NVI) “Aunque soy libre respecto a todos, de todos me he hecho esclavo para ganar a tantos como sea posible. 20 Entre los judíos me volví judío, a fin de ganarlos a ellos. Entre los que viven bajo la ley me volví como los que están sometidos a ella (aunque yo mismo no vivo bajo la ley), a fin de ganar a estos. 21 Entre los que no tienen la ley me volví como los que están sin ley (aunque no estoy libre de la ley de Dios, sino comprometido con la ley de Cristo), a fin de ganar a los que están sin ley. 22 Entre los débiles me hice débil, a fin de ganar a los débiles. Me hice todo para todos, a fin de salvar a algunos por todos los medios posibles. 23 Todo esto lo hago por causa del evangelio, para participar de sus frutos.

5. That we Present everyone Perfect in Christ / presentamos todos perfectos en Cristo : “by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross!” (v.8b) y se hizo obediente hasta la muerte, ¡y muerte de cruz! (v.8b)

“This call to obedience for the “sake of others, not insisting on one’s own position or promotion” carries within it an ethical demand to the early Christians in Philippi to abandon the social games of honor and shame and to follow a new way of humane mutuality and humility set forth by the example of Christ.” Corne Bekker

b. (NIV) 23 Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.

c. Lucas 9:23-24 (NTV) 23 Entonces dijo a la multitud: «Si alguno de ustedes quiere ser mi seguidor, tiene que abandonar su manera egoísta de vivir, tomar su cruz cada día y seguirme.

d. (NIV) He is the one we proclaim, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone [perfect] fully mature in Christ.

e. Colosenses 1:28 (NVI) 28 A este Cristo proclamamos, aconsejando y enseñando con toda sabiduría a todos los seres humanos, para presentarlos a todos perfectos en él.

Closing:

Imitating the Divine Nature of Christ requires that we…

Imitando la actitud divina de Cristo requiere que nosotros…

· Affirm who we are in Christ; afirmamos quien somos en Cristo

· Surrender our Titles or Position; Entregamos nuestros títulos o posiciones

· Posture ourselves as a Servant; nos postulamos nosotros mismos como un siervo

· Humble ourselves before our neighbor; humillarnos ante nuestro prójimos

· That we Present everyone Perfect in Christ; presentamos todos perfectos en Cristo

Last Line of Sermon: Story...

(NKJV) 10 The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.

Juan 10:10 Reina-Valera 1960 (RVR1960) 10 El ladrón no viene sino para hurtar y matar y destruir; yo he venido para que tengan vida, y para que la tengan en abundancia.

[1] “Strong’s Greek: 5012. Ταπεινοφροσύνη (Tapeinophrosune) -- Humility,” accessed July 29, 2018, http://biblehub.com/greek/5012.htm.