Philippians: Imitating the Incarnation

Text: Philippians 2:1-11

Theme: The disciple of Jesus Christ must have the "mind" and the "attitudes" of the Lord.

Philippians 2:5-11 is one of the most exalted views of Christ in all the Scriptures. It's theological scope is breathtaking. The passage tells us four essential truths about Jesus: 1st, It says that he was God, 2nd, it says that he became human, 3rd, it says that as a human, he humbled himself and became a servant, even to his death on a cross, and 4th, because he was obedient unto death, God has highly exalted him.

What I find so fascinating is that the reason for writing this passage about the deity of Jesus resulted from a squabble between two women in the church at Philippi. The incident that prompted Paul's writing of this letter and this passage in particular was a hostile rivalry that started as a private matter but soon affected an entire congregation. Paul writes; “I entreat Euodia and I entreat Syntyche to agree in the Lord. 3 Yes, I ask you also, true companion, help these women, who have labored side by side with me in the gospel together with Clement and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life.” (Philippians 4:2–3, ESV).

Paul does not record what the squabble is about, but whatever it’s over, it’s a squabble that 1) has become quite public, 2) is threatening to become a wider issue within the congregation, 3) threatens the unity of the church, and 4) will diminish the effectiveness of the gospel message. A church warring with itself is in danger of losing its testimony to outsiders. Euodia and Syntyche needed to be “of the same mind in the Lord,” and the other church members were to do all that was necessary to heal the breach. They were all fellow-laborers in the Lord’s work, and their names were all part of the book of life.

Pride and stubbornness kept Eudoria and Syntyche from resolving their problems. The result was that Jesus Christ was eclipsed. Any sin whether it be individual or corporate that overshadows the glory of Christ in his church must be dealt with.

I. PAUL'S PLEA FOR UNITY AMONG THE BRETHREN

“Therefore, my brothers, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm thus in the Lord, my beloved. 2 I entreat Euodia and I entreat Syntyche to agree in the Lord. 3 Yes, I ask you also, true companion, help these women, who have labored side by side with me in the gospel together with Clement and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life. 4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice.” (Philippians 4:1–4, ESV)

1. unity is basic to the spiritual health of any local congregation

a. without it, a church will focus on itself and its problems instead of focusing on a lost world that needs Jesus

b. the importance of unity among the brethren is a theme repeated in many of the Apostle Paul’s letters

1) he knows that disunity can kill a church, discourage believers and stymie the spread of the gospel

2. verse 1 of chapter two begins with the all-important therefore which means we need to look backward to see why the Apostle is about to say what he says

a. he has just encouraged them to stand firm in one spirit, contending as one man for the faith of the gospel (vs. 27)

b. chapter two begins to instruct them how to do that

2. in verses 1-4 Paul lists four incentives for spiritual unity

A. THE FIRST INCENTIVE FOR UNITY IS OUR STATUS IN CHRIST

"If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ," v. 1

1. we are united with Christ, and in that we are united with every other believer in the Body of Christ

a. we are not strangers united around a common purpose

b. we are family united around a common love interest the Lord Jesus Christ

2. our first incentive for unity is a vital and spiritual kinship, not just a common label

ILLUS. In his book A Purpose Driven Life, Rick Warren writes that there are four levels of church membership.

The First Level Is Membership: Choosing to Belong. This is the most basic level. That means you find a church family and you choose to get connected to it. But let’s be honest this evening—this is where about 80% of believers end their fellowship.

The Second Level Is Friendship: Learning to Share. God's children were made for relationships. The Christian life is not a solo act, and neither is the Christian life— believers need other believers. The Bible says we're to share our experiences, we're to share our homes, and we're even to share our problems.

The Third Level Is Partnership: Doing My Part. Partnership is realizing that you've got a contribution to make—that the family of God needs you. God did not bring you to this church to sit and soak in some spiritual spa. He brought you here to serve. He wants to make a difference in our church and in our community through your life.

The Forth Level Is Kinship: Loving Believers like Family. It’s a level I think very few believers ever arrive at in their church life. The deepest level of fellowship in the family of God is what we might call kinship. Kinship literally means your closest relationships and refers to your closest family.

3. the Bible tells us that we are to be as committed to each other because we have been united in Christ through the fellowship of the Spirit who lives in all confessing believers

B. THE SECOND INCENTIVE FOR UNITY IS A BOND OF LOVE

"If any comfort from his love," v. 1

1. God loves us because, according to 1 John 4:8, God is love

a. the Father’s love was revealed to the world through the redemptive work of Christ

“but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8, ESV)

b. the Father’s love is poured out into our lives through the presence of the Holy Spirit

“and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.” (Romans 5:5, ESV)

2. God loves us and if He loves us we ought to love each other

a. our love for fellow believers is modeled after the love of the Godhead

1) like the Father, we love each other because love becomes an essential attribute of who and what we are

a) I don’t think it’s any accident that the very first attribute of the spiritual fruit that God gives us upon our conversion is love

2) like the Savior, we love each other redemptively, by being a people who are slow to judge and quick to forgive

3) like the Spirit, we love each other by pouring ourselves into each other’s lives through fellowship and ministry

b. the world will know that we are the children of God not ...

1) when we perform great signs and wonders ...

2) when we preach in the power of the Spirit ...

3) when we have theological unity ...

4) when we have doctrinal conformity ...

5) when we reach political harmony ...

3. no, the world will know that we are the children of God when we love each other

“Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.” (1 John 4:11, ESV)

C. THE THIRD INCENTIVE FOR UNITY IS A FELLOWSHIP OF THE SPIRIT

"if any fellowship with the Spirit" v. 1

1. when each believer in a local New Testament church is filled with the Spirit, there will be unity

a. Paul tells us that “by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit” (1 Cor. 12:13)

b. the proper response of believers should be a compelling motivation to be “diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit” by always pursuing peace (Eph. 4:3)

2. the Holy Spirit is never a party to shady deals, insincerity, haughtiness, arrogance and condescension

3. our fellowship with the Spirit is proved by our fellowship with others in whom the Spirit dwells

D. THE FOURTH INCENTIVE FOR UNITY IS SPIRITUAL EMPATHY

"if any tenderness and compassion," v. 1

1. those who name the name of Christ are the recipients of compassion and tenderness

a. the recipient of the grace of God should be able to be compassionate and tender toward others—especially toward those of the household of God

2. Paul wants these two ladies, as well as the church, to "complete my joy by being of the same mind"

a. this unity that Paul refers to does not mean that Euodia and Syntyche must see eye-to-eye on all points

b. to be of the same mind does not mean to agree completely on everything, but to “flesh out” the four incentives of spiritual fellowship

3. these two ladies were going at each other tooth and claw

a. selfish ambition and vain conceit were posing a serious threat to the fellowship and ministry of this congregation

b. to counter these attitudes, Paul insists that their demeanor toward each other be grounded in the attitude and humility of Christ himself

II. PAUL'S CORNERSTONE FOR UNITY AMONG THE BRETHREN

1. what is Paul's solution to this problem?

Philippians 2:4 “not looking each of you to his own things, but each of you also to the things of others.” ASV

2. the antidote to the sin problem in this church is the right attitude the puts other first

ILLUS. Every Christmas the founder of The Salvation Army in London England, William Booth, looked forward to addressing the crowd at the Army's annual convention. He loved seeing the faces of those who were dedicated to the charity and were passionate about its mission to serve. But on Christmas in 1910, General Booth's health was poor and he knew he would not be able to attend the convention in person. When the thousands in attendance were told that he would not be present, a wave of sadness and disappointment swept over the crowd. General Booth's speech every year was the highlight and something everyone looked forward to all year round. However, Booth had sent a telegram to be read. As the moderator opened the telegram the thousands waited in anticipation to hear his message. His telegram was then read out loud to the crowd. It was one word ... Others!

Signed, General Booth.

One word. "Others." That was it. But one word was all that was needed. Those six letters had reminded the crowd what was at the very heart of the charity—serving others. Putting the needs of people before their own. Not focusing inward, but looking outward to serve, love, and give to others.

A. OUR ATTITUDES DETERMINE OUR BEHAVIORS

1. Paul knew that the believer's mind is the battle ground of your life where you either win or loose the fight for practical Christian living in this world

a. what you view with your eyes ...

b. what you hear with your ears ...

c. what you perceive with your other senses ...

d. are all indelibly imprinted upon that great storehouse of information called the human brain

2. all this information finds expression through what social scientists call attitudinal formation

a. attitudes are a culmination of our thoughts, perceptions, beliefs and feelings we hold toward subjects, ideas and even people

b. these things called attitudes ultimately affect our behavior

3. now, if all that seems confusing to you, listen to the way the writer of the Book of Proverbs puts it: "For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he"

a. the Scriptures affirm that the disciple's attitudes determine the disciple's behavior in the church and in the world

ILLUS. Somehow, some way, a wall of hostility had been built up between these two women. Perhaps an unkind word had been spoken. The hurt was nursed along until it became bitterness, and the bitterness was nursed along until it became anger, and then one day the anger exploded into wrath, and the war was on.

1) the attitude of sisterly love based on the love of Christ was ruptured, and became a rivalry of opponents within the congregation

b. this is why the Apostle Paul says, "Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus." (Phil. 2:5, ESV)

c. the NIV says it this way: "Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus"

B. THE DISCIPLE'S MIND MUST BE A CHRIST-CENTERED AND SPIRIT CONTROLLED MIND

1. our goal is to imitate the incarnation

a. whoa-boy! BIG challenge!

b. let this mind be in you Paul tells the Philippian believers

c. the implication is that the mind of Christ is something we are to regularly, consistently, daily strive to achieve

2. in verses 5-8 Jesus Christ is introduced as the exemplary illustration of the sort of attitude we are to assume in our interpersonal relationships

a. in John's gospel, the apostle wrote: "the word was made flesh and dwelt among us"

b. in John's 1st epistle he said, "the life was made manifest and we saw it"

c. Paul said it another way, "Who, being in very nature God . . . he emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant"

3. we imitate the incarnation through a life of humility

a. at the incarnation, Christ gave up His environment of glory to be born in a stable

b. the KJV says, " Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:

1) the preincarnate Christ did not regard the advantage of his position of glory as something to be held on to at all costs, greedily grasped as a robber seizes his plunder

2) he regarded it as something to be readily relinquished for the higher gain and the greater glory which would become his through obedience

c and so God Almighty became a man!

1) He set aside His right to glory and honor to be despised and rejected of men

2) this is the key to humility according to vs. 3—that we esteem others as more important than ourselves

3) this means laying aside selfish ambition (not laying aside ambition, but selfish ambition)

a) the word translated selfishness in this verse refers to an unbridled ambition that builds one’s self up by tearing others down

d. selfishness breeds anger, anger breeds resentment, and resentment breeds jealousy

1) no church, even the most doctrinally sound and spiritually mature, is immune from the threat of this sin, and nothing can more quickly divide and weaken a church

e. a man can counterfeit love, he can counterfeit faith, he can counterfeit hope and all the other graces, but it is very difficult to counterfeit humility

1) we imitate the incarnation through a life of humility

4. we imitate the incarnation through development of a servant's heart

a. Jesus temporarily stripped Himself of the glory of majesty to become a servant

b. this role was not forced upon him—he willingly took servanthood upon himself, not only to serve the Father, but to serve men

c. though He was God in the flesh, our Lord did not exalt himself and demand to be honored or served

1) instead, he chose to be a servant

2) the translators of the NT have been kind to our sensibilities by translating the Greek doulos as servant, but quit literally it means slave

a) it's a word that refers to the lowest form of slavery

d. you and I will never have the mind of Christ until we are willing to be servants to all

1) we must constantly ask ourselves the question, "Who can I serve today?"

e. we imitate the incarnation through development of a servant's heart

5. we imitate the incarnation through obedience unto death

a. how far do we go with this humility and servitude attitude stuff?

b. Jesus was obedient unto death, even the death of the cross

c. the more difficult death to die is the death to self

ILLUS. Before Jesus ever died on the cross, he died to his own desires and his right to himself. Now where else is his death to self more apparent then when we see him face down in the dirt in the Garden of Gethsemane: "Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.'" Mat. 26:39

d. we imitate the incarnation through obedience unto death particularly death unto yourself

These, then, are the attitudes which should characterize believers. We are to look at the world as He viewed it. His love for others carried Him from the heights of heaven to the depths of servitude and ultimately unto death. The eternal, all-knowing, all-powerful, everywhere-present, sovereign, living and just God gave us the perfect example of humility when He submitted to becoming a man, a servant, and a sacrifice. "Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:"