Sermon Tone Analysis

Intro:

Last week we talked about displaying unity to the world around us.

This week we are going to look at displaying unity in the church.

We are going to look at Jesus’ example and hopefully replicate it in our own lives and in our own church!

Read

Pray:

Phil 1:

It would read better as “since” or “because”.

Because we can have encouragement in Christ.

Is there anything more encouraging that knowing Jesus and His resurrecting power?

The fact that we can have eternal life in heaven because of what Jesus did for us should encourage us to do whatever it takes to glorify His holy and precious name!

Because of comfort from love- We can have comfort because we know that Jesus loves us more than anyone else ever could.

He knew us before we were even born.

2 Therefore if there is any encouragement in Christ, if there is any consolation of love, if there is any fellowship of the Spirit, if any [a]affection and compassion, 2 make my joy complete [b]by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose.

3 Do nothing [c]from [d]selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves;4 do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.

5 Have this attitude [e]in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be [f]grasped, 7 but [g]emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men.

8 Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death [h]on a cross.

9 For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Because of comfort from love-

Because of comfort from love-

Paul starts out by saying “So” some translations say “therefore”.

Paul is referring to the Scripture we looked at last week.

Chapter 1 verses 27-30.

He is referring to walking in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ.

To be in unity with each other.

Now he is re enforcing unity.

Especially unity in the church.

It would seem that there must of been some disunity in Philippi.

In chapter 4 Paul pleads with a couple ladies who seemed to have some kind of disagreement to get along, to “agree in the Lord”.

Whenever we get people together whether it be in the church or outside of the church we will have disagreements.

Everybody wants to things there own way.

And sometimes its their way or the highway.

If they don’t get what they want they get mad, and either don’t participate or they start to stir up trouble.

folks that should not be the way things are done, especially in the church!

Share what Pastor John said about painting the church

Paul then goes on with four questions.

(Say the questions)

Because of participation in the Spirit-

If in the English translations doesn’t really emphasize these conditions properly.

They make it seem like the outcome is uncertain.

The outcome is certain.

there is encouragement, there is comfort, there is participation in the Spirit, and there is affection and sympathy in Christ.

but Paul is asking these questions to provoke the Philippians and us for that matter to reflect on our lives and see if these qualities are evident in us.

Because of affection & sympathy-

We must have these qualities in us for unity in the church and to display Christ to this dark world.

It is not common now days for people to have these qualities not only in the world but also in the church.

We must be careful to ALWAYS work together for the greater good to be a good example of what living for Jesus looks like.

When Paul says of “one mind” he is not saying that we must all be the same like robots, but that we would all use our different gifts in a cooperative spirit to magnify and glorify Jesus!

1 cor 12

What a boring place this would be if we were all the same.

We can be different, have different gifts, be from different walks of life, but still have the same goal in mind!

Our goal above all else should be to show Jesus in our lives so everyone we meet can see His love in us and our love for them!

If we work together, pray together, worship together, honor God together, with the Holy Spirit working through us, we can do great and mighty things for God and His Kingdom!

What a different world this would be if just the church lived this way let alone the rest of the world!

But the problem is what verses 3 & 4 tell us.

Lets look at them.

If there wasn’t a problem here in Philippi Paul would not have to tell them not to be selfish or conceited.

But just as we have today, if we are honest with ourselves we can have pride issues.

I have heard it said we have a “I” problem.

I want this, I want that, “I”, “I”, “I”.

Everything is about me!

What kind of shape would we be in if that’s was how Jesus lived His life.

Well I can tell you.

We would be destined for hell with no chance of heaven.

Jesus could have not went to the cross, or He could of not stayed on the cross, He could of called legions of angel to fight for Him, but He didn’t!

There was not a more humble man that ever lived than Jesus Christ!

Do you and I live our lives the way Jesus did?

Do we in humility count others more significant than ourselves.

Do we not only look out for ourselves but just as much look out for other people.

When we do put other first is it out of love or out of “we have no other choice”.

Pride is the root of disunity.

Pride is looking out for #1.

In worldly standards that is looking out for me, myself, and I.

There is that “I” problem again.

Pride can make us do things that are unbecoming of us to say the least.

It can make us lie, cheat, and steal.

If we have to have the very best, or be the very best, if pride is what drives us, there is not much we won’t do to get it!

Humility says I am looking out for #1=Jesus

From an unknown source comes an article titled, "How To Be Miserable."

It says, "Think about yourself.

Talk about yourself.

Use "I" as often as possible.

Mirror yourself continually in the opinion of others.

Listen greedily to what people say about you.

Expect to be appreciated.

Be suspicious.

Be jealous and envious.

Be sensitive to slights.

Never forgive a criticism.

Trust nobody but yourself.

Insist on consideration and respect.

Demand agreement with your own views on everything.

Sulk if people are not grateful to you for favors shown them.

Never forget a service you have rendered.

Shirk your duties if you can.

Do as little as possible for others."

(Unknown)

On the opposite side of pride is humility.

Humility says to lovingly put others first, to put their needs before yours.

I can see in a marriage were we might even put our spouses wants before ours.