Developing The Attitude Of Christ

07/06/2020 Developing The Attitude Of Christ

Series: Philippians - Know Jesus, Know Joy  

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What Does The Bible Say?

Philippians 2

God gives us a plan to be less selfish and more humble.

3 Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. 4 Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too. 5 You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. 6 Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. 7 Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, 8 he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross. (Philippians 2:3–8 NLT)

God gives us Christ as an example of how to live.

12 Dear friends, you always followed my instructions when I was with you. And now that I am away, it is even more important. Work hard to show the results of your salvation, obeying God with deep reverence and fear. 13 For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him. (Philippians 2:12–13 NLT)

God gives us His power to please Him.

How Can You Obey?

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. (Philippians 2:19–20 NLT)

Genuinely care for others.

21 All the others care only for themselves and not for what matters to Jesus Christ. (Philippians 2:19–21 NLT)

Care for what matters to Jesus Christ.

What matters to Christ?

14 Do everything without complaining and arguing, 15 so that no one can criticize you. Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people. (Philippians 2:14–15 NLT)

Be an example to others as a child of God.

28 So I am all the more anxious to send him back to you, for I know you will be glad to see him, and then I will not be so worried about you. 29 Welcome him in the Lord’s love and with great joy, and give him the honor that people like him deserve. 30 For he risked his life for the work of Christ, and he was at the point of death while doing for me what you couldn’t do from far away. (Philippians 2:28–30 NLT)

Be willing to die for Christ.

Additional Notes:

Explore:

In Philippians 2:7, Paul stated that Jesus emptied Himself or made Himself nothing. In theology, this is known as the doctrine of kenosis, a term that literally refers to a self-emptying. It has been the topic of much discussion and debate throughout Church history. What does it mean that Christ emp- tied Himself? While the Greek term for “emptied” points to the divesting of self-interests, at no time did Jesus cease to be God. Both His humanity and deity were necessary for Jesus to accomplish the mission for which He was sent. In light of the verses preceding and following verse 7, the term seems to imply that He temporarily laid aside His rights as God in order to become the servant of men. It is not that Jesus laid aside His divinity, but that He took on humanity. God the Son emptied Himself by taking on that which He was not—flesh and blood. In doing so, He counted Himself nothing; He rejected any and all self-centered considerations to serve all humanity. This is the greatest demonstration of humility.  

Explore:

Christian humility begins with the example of Jesus. To remind them of what Jesus did, Paul quotes a Christian hymn (2:6–11). It may be a hymn he has written himself. Jesus is God—equal with God the Father in status and glory. But when he became a human being, Jesus put all his status and glory aside. He didn’t cling to it or grasp at it, as Adam and Eve did when they tried to become equal with God (Genesis 3:5).

Jesus did not use his godly nature and power to promote himself in any way. Instead, he ‘emptied’ himself. He put aside his heavenly glory to become a human being. Then he shed every layer of human status and descended through every level of human dignity: He became not just a human being but a servant; not just a servant but a slave; not just a slave but a dead slave, degraded and disgraced by execution on a cross (2:7–8). But now the scene has changed. God has raised his Son to life. He has given him the highest place in heaven: Jesus reigns supreme. His name is the highest authority in every part of creation; and every creature must own that he is ‘Lord’; the Lord who continues to give glory to God (2:9–11).

Here is the truth about God—that his nature is to give and his glory is to serve. This is also to become the nature and glory of his Christlike people, the church.

Knowles, A. (2001). The Bible guide (1st Augsburg books ed., pp. 626–627). Minneapolis, MN: Augsburg.

Explore:

PHILIPPIANS: A Snapshot

Audience- The Philippian believers were the first European Christians (Acts 16:11–40)

Philippi in Acts:

Led to the city by divine intervention (Acts 16:6–10), Paul founded the church on his second missionary journey. Lydia, a proselyte or God-fearer (16:13–15), and the Philippian jailor (Acts 16:25–34) are among the first converts. After exorcizing a slave girl, Paul and Silas are imprisoned on charges of anti-Roman activities, but later released. Luke emphasizes the city’s Roman character:

• Only here in Acts is Paul charged with anti-Roman behavior (Acts 16:21)

• Luke calls only Philippi a “colony” (Acts 16:12)

• Only for Philippi did Luke mention titles of city officials such as the “chief magistrates” (Acts 16:20, στρατηγοί) and the “policemen” (16:35, ῥαβδοῦχοι)

Opposition mentioned:

Paul’s imprisonment (1:13, 17); Christian opponents of Paul (1:15–17); suffering of Philippians (1:29–30); Judaizers (3:2–3); see also 1:28; 3:18–21

Special Features:

• So-called “Christ hymn” (2:6–11; Latin Carmen Christi); only in this letter does Paul call Jesus a “slave” (2:7, NRS μορφὴν δούλου)

• Only in Philippians and Romans does Paul call himself a “slave” in the prescript (1:1, HCSB; Rom. 1:1, HCSB)

• Paul’s many self-references (1:12–26; 2:16–19, 23, 3:4–14; 4:12–13)

• Only in Philippians and 1-2 Thessalonians does Paul not call himself an “apostle”

• Only in Philippians does Paul address “overseers and deacons” (1:1)

• Only in Philippians does Paul list his social honors as a Pharisaic Jew (3:5–6)

• Paul uses the Roman term “conduct yourselves” (πολιτεύομαι 1:27; cf. 3:20) for his more common term “to walk” (περιπατέω, e.g., Gal. 5:16) when describing Christian behavior.

• Women play an instrumental part in the church (Acts 16; Phil. 4:2–3)

Purpose(s):

1. Apologetics: to defend (shameful) suffering as a pattern of Christian life.

2. Pastoral: to strengthen faith and fellowship of believers who disagree in their definition of honor and, because of that, are discouraged because of suffering and sickness.

Kierspel, L. (2012). Charts on the Life, Letters, and Theology of Paul (p. 125). Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Academic.

Question 1 of 5

What are some examples of ways we can put others’ interests ahead of our own?  

Question 2 of 5

Practically speaking, what does it look like for people to humble themselves?    

Question 3 of 5

Name some practical ways in which believers today can live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people.    

Question 4 of 5

What are the negative effects of Christ-followers who are not shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people?  

Question 5 of 5

Why was it such an act of humility for Christ to give up the rights to some of His characteristics and come to die on the cross for us?