S09 Mind of Christ

Mind of Christ  Philippians 2:2-5

Context

Paul has been talking about the benefits that have come to the kingdom of God because of the imprisonment (chains) of Paul.

[Phil 2:2] Then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose

The KJV uses the word “accord” for being one , agreement, harmony , settlement.

·         It clearly relates to sing the same song by many voices..

·         Western music has great beauty because of the multitone harmony, the sound of Christians singing the same song in harmony is beautiful

·         Some of the worst criticism of Christianity comes from those non-christians who know how Christians ought to act.

 [3] Do nothing out of selfish ambition ….

·         You say if that is true then we wouldn’t go to work and would head out tomorrow.  The verse is talking about whether you want to steer the kingdom’s work into directions which are for your interest or to the directions which you feel are closely associated with needs/God’s interest.

·         The offering of a van to be donated to the church – the church had  not identified a need but the individual wanted the status of a “church van” to go to events.

[3b  Do nothing out of …vain conceit....

·         Ro 12:3 … Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought

·         Ga 6:3 If anyone thinks he is comething when he is nothing, he deceives himself

·         Witnessing to a confused man who had hard questions.  When I was able to explain some very great mysteries, I felt proud of my own mind.  Later, when it happened again, I correctly identified that this was insight from God not from me.

 [3c] …in humility….

·         Ma 5:5 Blessed are the meek   Those people who have a healthy vision of their value and their humility that recognizes that man without God is a sad sight indeed.  We recognize that our value comes from the endowment of our Creator.  It is loaned to us to use just as the talents that were loaned to the servants.

·          

 [3d] …consider others better than yourselves.

·         Not that everyone else is superior or more talented, but that Christian love sees others as worthy of preferential treatment.

·         Acts 20:35 … (Jesus’ Words) It is more blessed to give than to receive.

·         I thought again of the vision of hell with everyone sitting around a grand banquet table with beautiful food.  What punishment was this you ask? All the people had 6’long spoons and could not fee themselves.---

·         Then the vision of heaven with the same table, same food and the same spoons – But – here the people were feeding each other.

[5] Your attitude should be the same as that  of Christ Jesus

·         Who , being in the very nature, God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness and being found in appearance as a man he humbled himself and became aobedient to death even death on a cross!  Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name.

The application:

·         Only as a team can the load be pulled.

·         The success will come when we become a tool in God’s hand.

·         The benefits to the kingdom by our hardships.

Pas 1st, 12-30-87