Sermon Tone Analysis

Pray

Introduction

Variety is the spice of life.

It’s our differences that make the world go round, so to speak.

Because if we all liked everything and all our interests were exactly the same, the world would be a pretty boring place…although, if we all had the same interests and goals it wouldn’t be that boring because we’d be interested in the same thing.

When Paul talks about football, I switch off because I hate football - so there’s no conversation there about football.

But when Paul get into a room of Liverpool supporters, or any football fans, there’s great conversation.

Although Paul could talk the leg off a stool...

And speaking of goals…goals are things that are drummed into us from an early age.

Even Bethany, at 10 years old, is about to do her AQE (or 11 plus) - and she is now trying to figure out what her goal is - whether that is to get into a grammar school or not.

And culture and society is all about goals and achievements and being the best.

It’s a dog eat dog world out there where people are out for success and awards and status - or just even recognition.

And I say, ‘out there’ but it’s the same everywhere... everyone - even people who are Christians, want to be successful in their career, or do well and feel like they have some kind of value.

That’s human nature....

Or is it?

Perhaps a better description of that is, ‘that’s a fallen human nature’.

People’s goal in life is to have the best life possible, be happy and healthy and successful in their career so that they can be comfortable.

And there’s nothing wrong with that.

What if our goal in life was to forget about success if it meant that someone else could be happy?

What if our goal in life was to forget about status - in fact our goal in life was to be as low on the ladder as we could possibly be?

What if our goal in life was to only have enough money to survive and not be wealthy?

What if our goal in life was to be a follower of Jesus and nothing else?

How do you think your life would be different?

And what if everyone had the same goal - to put EVERYONE else before yourself.

To make sure that you are the LAST, the lowest, the least important in order to give someone else some importance - to consider yourself as insignificant and consider other people MORE significant than you.

Is that possible?

How would that look?

Pause

Let me ask you this?

Is there any encouragement in Christ?

Is there any comfort from being loved?

Is the Holy Spirit working among us here in fellowship?

Do we like each other here?

Do we care for each other here?

Well, IF that is that is the case, Paul says in verse 1...

But if variety is the spice of life and our differences make the world go round, what’s the point of being of one mind?

And if you’ve been to any meeting within the church you’ll know that people have different opinions and tastes.

We can’t change that - so if Paul is writing to US here today, how can we make his joy complete by being of the same mind when we can’t agree on so many things?

Think about the constant worship wars that churches have - we like the hymns…we like praise songs…we like the organ…we like the guitar…we want a band…we want to use the hymn books…we want to use the screen so we aren’t tied to the hymn books.

And I could go on.

So if we don’t agree on that, how can we do what Paul is asking - how can we be of one mind, which Paul mentioned a few times?

Well, the answer is in verse 5.

In other words - let’s all of us have the same mind that Christ had.

And what mind was that?

That should be our goal.

Well, Paul goes on to tell us what that is.

Here it is in the Message version...

THAT is the attitude that Paul is asking us to have.

So when it comes to status or achievements or success - being God is the best there is.

Nobody can get better than that.

That’s the best title anyone can have…God.

But Jesus wasn’t about the title or about what that title came with it.

In fact, he didn’t count equality with God something that he had to hold on to.

Instead, he emptied himself - not of his deity, but of his title and status and privilege - he emptied himself of what us humans consider important - his position.

And he became a human who didn’t want any of those things.

In fact, he became a slave to humanity - he got tired, he got hungry, he got sad - he experienced the effects of sin on the world without sinning himself.

He gave up his place in heaven to serve humans.

He made himself so low that he became a human and then we went lower to be hung on a cross.

He became cursed by his Father, he became a thing of disgust - dying the death of a criminal.

Jesus had it all and he gave it all up to give others a chance of life.

He looked to the interest of others and not to his own interests.

He was not ambitious or selfish - he was selfless.

And his humility and self-sacrifice was for our interest - so that we could have life everlasting.

And because he humbled himself like that, God lifted him up higher than anyone else - he exalted him and give him the name that is above every name.

Just like Abram and Jacob were given a new name, Jesus was given a knew name and that name is LORD.

And there will come a day when everyone - everyone in heaven, everyone on the earth, and everyone in hell will bow the knee, and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ IS LORD.

Pause

Jesus said the first will be last and the last will be first.

And the proud are the ones who want to be first - who THINK they’re important, when in fact it is the humble that will be exalted.

That’s the irony of the kingdom of God.

It’s an upside down kingdom.

Jesus humbled himself and that is why...

If we ALL have the same love, the same spirit and we all have the same mind of Christ who humbled himself....If we consider ourselves the least of the least, do you know what will happen?

God will lift us up!

But the proud who want to do life their way and want a place of power or status or position will be brought down.

The first shall be last and the last shall be first.

IF you want to be important and want to BE something, you’ve got to ask the question - do you want to be something for a few years on earth or forever in eternity?

If you want to be something for a few years on earth then work away - be someone, but you’ll be brought down.

You’ll be FORCED to be humbled.

You’ll be FORCED to bend the knee and confess that Jesus is lord.

But if you want to be someone and be exalted in eternity, then bend the knee NOW and confess NOW that Jesus is Lord and humble yourself before him and submit your life and your ambitions and your goals and dreams to HIM.

Consider yourself insignificant and make HIM the significant one and then others more significant than yourself, because when you do that for a few years on earth, you will be exalted for all eternity.

So, like I said, and there will come a day when everyone - everyone in heaven, everyone on the earth, and everyone in hell will bow the knee, and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ IS LORD.

And each of us here will be one of those people.

Question is, will we confess Jesus is Lord because we are his followers and he IS our LORD here on earth, or will we be forced to confess it?

One is easy to do, the other is hard and painful.

Either way we will confess that Jesus is Lord.

But either we’ll do it because we WANT to or we’ll do it because we are FORCED to - either way, EVERY knee will bow and EVERY tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.

Either humble yourself now on earth or YOU WILL BE HUMBLED in eternity.

Pause

Interestingly, the phrase, ‘the first shall be last and the last shall be first’ is best seen at some airports.

I remember being on a plane to somewhere.

I can’t remember where.

I think it might have been easyjet but I’m not sure.

But there were businessmen and women on this plane, and you could tell they thought they were someone.

You can tell these types of people.

People who think they’re important.

And when the plane stopped, they wanted to be off first.

They got up and rushed off the plane, probably because they had somewhere to be.

Everyone rushes around in London.