2_1-11 Whose Image Do You Emulate

Whose Image Do You Emulate?

Introduction:

1. As a child who did you view as a role model?
2. When I was younger I wanted to be like John Harks, (Alexei Lalas)
1. Most of you probably don’t even recognize the name.
2. He was a professional soccer player of the DC United Team.
3. One of the first men signed to the MLS in the United States.
4. He was a forward/midfield, the one who scored the goals.
5. So what did I do?

                                                              i.      I got a training video that he hosted.

                                                            ii.      And I watched and watched that video.

                                                          iii.      Then I would go outside and practice and practice.

                                                          iv.      Obviously I never got as good as he was but seeing him in action and trying to imitate his skills did help to improve any soccer skill that I might have had.

1. I am sure that if we were to go around each and every one of you would be able to relate a similar story as to a “role model.”
2. Every four years when the Olympics role around there is a hype in athletics and kids will become very interested in the different events that they watched on TV and want to be just like, “Michael Phelps”
1. And join the swim team.
2. Only to find out that it take a lot more effort and time than they had originally thought.
3. Lets be honest, how many of us have seen Tiger Woods on TV and wanted to play golf just like him.

                                                              i.      Does it come easy?

                                                            ii.      No, it takes hours and hours and hours of practice time.

                                                          iii.      And still the little ball just doesn’t want to go into the cup

1. Our role models do shape us—but not just our role models.
1. Truth is there are all sorts of forces that shape who we become.
2. We often talk about the peer pressure that teens are under—and what we mean is that teens feel tremendous pressure to conform themselves to the expectations of their friends.

                                                              i.      There is some truth to that isn’t there.

                                                            ii.      We can all remember wanting to be like our friends in junior high and high school.

                                                          iii.      We did try to shape ourselves into their likeness—at least to a small degree.

                                                          iv.      But the truth is, adults are no less subject to the pressures to be like someone or something else than are our children.

                                                            v.      There are more forces than we can imagine trying to shape us this way and pull us that way until we become like them.

                                                          vi.      We are shaped by our parents, our schools, television, peers at work, neighbors, credit card companies, marketing firms, computer games, movies, the news, and so on.

                                                        vii.      The truth is still undeniable—we are surrounded by forces that are constantly trying to shape us into their image.

                                                      viii.      The greater truth however is this, we are going to be shaped by something—

1.      Our attitudes, actions, beliefs, values, sense of style and taste are going to be and are being shaped by something.

2.      The frightening thing is that we are fairly unaware of the forces trying to shape us.

3.      I do not know about you, but if I am going to be shaped into someone or something’s likeness, then I want that someone to be worthy and I want that someone to have my best interests at heart.

1. Saint Paul wrote a letter to a church in the ancient Roman city of Philippi.
1. He wrote to encourage his dear Christian friends.
2. He told them that if they were going to survive in the hostile Roman world then they needed to have the same mind.

                                                              i.      That is, they needed to think alike and have the same values and attitudes.

                                                            ii.      They needed to have a baseline agreement on what was most important so that they could all work together to achieve it.

                                                          iii.      Paul was saying that they needed the same shape.

                                                          iv.      In fact, Paul said they needed to be shaped into Jesus’ likeness.

1. This brings us right to our passage this morning:
2. Philippians 2:1-11 Read
3. In essence Paul is saying here that our role model should be Jesus Christ
4. In this passage I see the attitude of Christ which is four fold.

·         Let’s take at look at the Four Traits of Christ’s attitude.

Outline:

I         He thinks of others, not himself. (vs. 5-6)

A      As God Christ did not need anything, he had it all.  All the praise of heaven and earth was his.  He created it all and reigned over it all.

B       Verse 6 is very interesting in what it says:  “Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,”

1        Christ did not think of himself, he though of others.

2        His outlook (or attitude) was that of unselfish concern for others.

3        This is “the mind of Christ,” an attitude that says, “I cannot keep my privileges for myself, I must use them for others; and to do this, I will gladly lay them aside and pay whatever price is necessary.”

4        Illustration

a         A reporter was interviewing a successful job placement counselor who had placed hundreds of workers into their vocations which they enjoyed.

1)      When asked the secret of his success. The counselor replied:

a)      “If you want to find out what a worker is really like, don’t give him responsibilities—give him privileges. Most people can handle responsibilities if you pay them enough, but it takes a real leader to handle privileges. A leader will use his privileges to help others and build the organization; a lesser man will use privileges to promote himself.”

b        Jesus used his heavenly privileges for the sake of others – our sake.

5        Lets compare Christ’s attitude with Lucifer

a         Isa. 14:12-14 “How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning!  How you are cut down to the ground, you who weakened the nations!  For you have said in your heart:  ‘I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will also sit on the mount of the congregation, on the farthest sides of the north; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High.”

b        He once was the highest of the angelic beings, close to the throne of God.

c         But he wanted to sit ON the throne of God.

d        Lucifer said, “I Will.”  Christ said, “Thy Will be done.”

e         Lucifer was not satisfied being a creature he wanted to be the creator.

f         Christ was the creator, yet he willingly became man.

g        Lucifer was not satisfied being a rebel himself he invaded the “Garden of Eden” and tempted man to follow him.

1)      Adam had all that he could ever need; in fact he was the king of the earth.  Gen. 1:26 God gave them rule or dominion over everything.

2)      But Satan said, “You shall be as God.”

3)      Adam deliberately grasped after something what was out of his reach.

4)      As a result he plunged the whole human race into sin and death.

5)      They thought only of themselves.

6)      Christ thought of others.

C       We expect the unsaved to be unselfish and grasping but not a Christian, one who has experienced the love of Christ.

1        We are instructed over twenty times in the New Testament how to live with each other.

2        We are to “honor others above ourselves” (Rom. 12:10), “build each other up” (1 Thes. 5:11), and “carry each other’s burdens” (Gal. 6:2). We “should not judge one another” (Rom. 14:13) but rather “instruct one another” (Rom. 15:14).

3        Others is the key word in the vocabulary of the Christian who exercises the selfless attitude of Christ.

D      Let’s look at the second trait of the attitude of Christ.

II      He Serves (vs. 7)

A      What an attitude of service it took for Christ to go from:

·         Heaven to earth, glory to shame, Master to servant, from life to death (even death on the cross)

B       In the Old Testament Christ made special visits to earth for specific reasons

1        But these were all temporary,

2        When Christ came in Bethlehem, he entered into a permanent union with man from which there could be no escape. 

3        He willingly humbled himself that we might be lifted up.

C       “Taking the very nature (form) of a servant”

1        Jesus did not pretend to be a servant;

2        He was not an actor playing a role.

3        He actually was a servant! This was the true expression of His innermost nature. He was the God-Man, Deity and humanity united in one, and He came as a servant.

D      Have you ever noticed when you read through the Gospels that Jesus is Always serving others and is never being served?

·         He is at the beck and call of all kinds of people—fishermen, harlots, tax collectors, the sick, the sorrowing.  

a         “Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give His life a ransom for many.” (Matt. 20:28)

b        He healed the sick, brought the dead back to life, fed the thousands, washed the disciples feet, and ultimately died in our place!

c         He was a servant to the human race, the creator serving the created.

E       So he thinks of others (selfless), he Serves others (Servant).

F        Let’s look at the third trait of the attitude of Christ.

III   He Sacrifices (vs. 8)

A      We are all willing to server others if it does not cost us anything.

1        “If it’s convenient for me to help then I’m there but if not don’t count on me.”

2        But when there is a price to pay we all too often lose interest.

B       Christ was obedient to death, even death on the cross.

1        His death was not the death of a martyr,

a         He willingly laid down his life for the lives of the world.

b        He sacrificed his life for mine.

2        We have all seen “Crosses” around for sale.

a         Christ did not buy his Cross he willingly accepted it.

b        Each of us needs to willingly take up our cross and follow Jesus

1)      It takes a sacrifice to truly do that.

2)      It will cost you something, you will have to set aside something that you really love doing and take the cross and serve him. 

3)      Abraham was commanded by God to sacrifice his one and only child.

a)      He had the choice to take up that cross or ignore it

b)      He obviously chose the right course of action and God blessed him immensely because of that act of Sacrifice.

C       Dr. J.H. Jowett has said, “Ministry that costs nothing accomplishes nothing.” If there is to be any blessing, there must be some “bleeding.”

1        The person with the “mind (attitude) of Christ” does not avoid sacrifice.

2        He lives for the glory of God and the good of others; and if paying a price will honor Christ and help others, he is willing to do it.

3        The test of being like Christ is not just how much we are willing to take in terms of suffering, but how much we are willing to give in terms of sacrifice.

a         Christ gave it all. 

b        The ultimate the sacrifice is laying down your life for another. 

c         What an awesome God we have to sacrifice his own son for the lives of such and sinful species.

4        Of course when love is the motive, the sacrifices are never measured or mentioned.

a         If it is true love we don’t lord it over people.

b        The person who constantly talks about his sacrifices does not have the same attitude as that of Christ.

D      Is it costing you anything to be a Christian?

E       And finally let’s look at the fourth trait of Christ’s attitude that we should all be emulating.

IV   He Glorifies God (vs. 9-11)

A      This is of course the chief purpose of man:  “To glorify God.”

B       Vs. 3 Paul warns us:  “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit,”

C       These are the reasons that Christians are against Christians and ministries are against ministries, this is not spiritual or satisfying, it is vain, empty.

D      When man buried the body of Christ after taking him down form the cross,

1        This was the last thing that man did to Jesus,

2        From there on everything that happened was Gods doing

a         He arose from the grave

b        He appeared to many

c         He walked and talked

d        And he arose back into heaven

e         All of these things were God’s working.

3        Man did their worst to the Savior but God exalted him above everything!!!

4        He was exalted to the place of “Sovereign Authority” over all the creatures in heaven, on the earth and under the earth.

a         All will bow to him

b        It is not a matter of “If you will bow,” it is a matter of “When will you bow.”

1)      Read vs. 9-11

c         To bow before him now means Salvation, to wait and do it at the Judgment means Condemnation.

E       The whole purpose in Christ’s humiliation and exaltation;

1        Was that God be Glorified

a         The work of salvation is much greater and grander than simply the salvation of a lost soul, as wonderful as that is.

b        Our salvation has as its ultimate purpose the glory of God.

F        The person, who lives his life emulating Christ, must expect sacrifice and service, but in the end it is going to lead to Glory.

1        1 Peter 5:6 “Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.”

a         Joseph suffered and served for thirteen years;

·         Then God exalted him and made him the second ruler of Egypt.

b        David was anointed king when he was but a youth.

·         He experienced years of hardship and suffering, but at the right time, God exalted him as king of Israel.

2        The joy of emulating Christ comes not only in helping others and sharing in the fellowship of Christ suffering, but primary from the knowledge that we are glorifying God.

a         Matthew 5:16 “In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.”

b        We may not see the glory today or even in this life time, but we will when Christ comes and rewards his Faithful servants.

Conclusion:

1. So who are you emulating in your life.
2. We will all be shaped and molded by someone or something in our lives
1. Who we hang around, what we watch on TV, what we listen to, what we read, who we look up to, etc.
2. Are you looking up to God, namely Christ?
3. Is he your role model?
4. Are you patterning your life after His?
5. If not who?

                                                              i.      Does that person have your best interests in mind?

                                                            ii.      Do they care about you?

                                                          iii.      Do they even know you?

1. Christ knows you personally

                                                              i.       He even laid down his life so that you will not have to spend eternity in hell.

                                                            ii.      He does have your best interests in mind.

                                                          iii.      He cares about you more than you will ever know.

                                                          iv.      And yes of course he knows you.

1.  So why in the world would we let our lives be shaped by someone other than the one who personally created us?
1. As it says in Jeremiah 1:5 “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,” #. God personally knit each and every one of us together in our mothers’ wombs. 
2. How awesome is that???