Joy Through Humility

Introduction

This is one of two messages where we will be focused on how joy supersedes an issue or problem; rather this is one of two places where we will see joy found THROUGH a certain attitude.

Could have labeled this Joy Over Disunity but really the focus of this passage is vs. 5:

5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus,

How is there joy through humility? How do they relate?

Background:

When Epaphroditus brought Paul the gift from the church in Philippi he also brought news of possible division and fighting in the church family.

False teachers were coming in and stirring up trouble:

Philippians 3:2–4 (ESV) — 2 Look out for the dogs, look out for the evildoers, look out for those who mutilate the flesh. 3 For we are the circumcision, who worship by the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh— 4 though I myself have reason for confidence in the flesh also. If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more:

And there was fighting among the members themselves:

Philippians 4:2–3 (ESV) — 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.

So personal pride was evidenced and working itself out in the church through division.

Right away we see that pride can exist in the heart of the believer — even those who would be considered workers for the gospel.

Unity in the church - unity and peace in any relationship - begins with a Bible and Mirror.

"If anyone would like to acquire humility, I can, I think, tell him the first step. The first step is to realise that one is proud. And a biggish step, too. At least, nothing whatever can be done be- fore it. If you think you are not conceited, it means you are very conceited indeed."

C. S. Lewis, Mere Christianity (London: Collins, reprint 1986), 112

This could be a difficult message because the main action point requires confession.

But, if we will approach this text humbly I believe we will find:

Joy through humility is possible when we desire and defer to God's glory.

Call for Unity in the Church (1-4)

So.

Paul is making a shift here from 1:27 — standing against external difficulties to working on internal unity.

Philippians 2:1–11 (ESV) — 1 So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, 2 complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. 3 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. 4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.

The Reasons for Unity (1-2)

We have the help of Christ.

Since we belong to Christ we belong to each other. We have more in common with another believer with whom we are at odds than we are with our best friend who does not know Jesus.

Encouragement = paraklesis = come alongside to help

We will all be in one big church in heaven.

John 15:5 ESV

5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.

We have the love of God.

We were made a part of the family of God through an unwarranted, selfless love (agape), what right do we have to show anything different?

We have community in the Spirit.

(Participation in the Spirit)

koinonia - We share in the Spirit. Not any one of us has all of the Spirit. We need each other to fully express the Spirit.

Neither you nor I corner the market on the Spirit. As we speak to others, we need to remember that the Spirit can speak through them if they are a believer. We share in the Spirit.

We have the kindness of a believer.

(Affection and Sympathy)

Affection = ‘inward parts’ - guts.

and sympathy = pity, mercy

‘roots and fruits’ - affection is the seat and sympathy is reaching from the seat to make a change.

A true believer will not be cruel

Paul is saying, “If these things are true (and they are). . .” If they are not then we do not need to have unity.

*The only real way for us to have unity is to first exhibit humility.*

The Practice of Humility (3-4)

We are to be likeminded.

Being ‘likeminded’ does not mean we all think the same. It has more to do with internal unity than external uniformity.

If Christ is that which binds us, everything beyond the foundational aspects of our faith simply describe us.

Uniformity describes our outside, while unity is borne from within.

We are to share the same love.

Some people in the church are ‘porcupine Christians’ - they have lots of good points but they are really hard to get close to. Cute from a distance, but you really not wanting to hug them. (If you can’t think of anyone like that - it’s probably you!)

We’re not called to like our brothers and sisters - we are called to love them - love them:

John 13:34 ESV

34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.

What’s the difference? When things are going well it is often hard to tell the difference between ‘like’ and ‘love.’ When difficulties arise in a relationship ‘like’ is removed and ‘love’ is revealed.

We are to display a united spirit.

sunpsuche - We share with our brothers and sisters at the soul level. If we compare are share at the deepest level of our faith we would likely find unity, when we move away from the center is when we find disunity.

We are to live for one purpose.

We share one mind - one purpose.

This is the second time Paul uses the word ‘mind.’ Humility requires our cognition not our reaction.

Humility may begin in the mind, but must move to the heart otherwise it will be an empty action and not a heart-filled attitude.

This is where I believe most churches falter. Most churchgoers are more focused on their preferences for church than they are the purpose of church.

ILLUST - treating church like a restaurant.

If we removed the possibility of preferences in the church, we would remove 90% or more of that which causes disunity in the church.

We are to avoid destroyers and live out defenders of unity.

Selfish Ambition

The word ‘do’ is supplied in the English but is not there in the Greek. It is possible to infer the verb from the previous sentence which would mean the intention of the statement would be not simply at the level of action but at the level of thought.

Conceit

Whereas selfish ambition has more to do with a prideful direction, conceit is more about making prideful assessment.

‘vain glory’ = ‘empty glory’ = ‘delusion’

Basically it means to become so full of yourself you get stupid.

Personal Humility

Ephesians 4:1–3 ESV

1 I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 3 eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

The problem with humility is that it is a trait we all seem to have in a static state.

Focus on Others

Romans 12:10 ESV

10 Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.

‘Think of others more highly’ does not mean other’s are worth more than we. It means we do not make other’s character worthless. (I suspect, I imagine, etc)

Humility is the opposite of the sense of entitlement. Entitlement says, “Because of who I am I deserve.” 

Don’t you know how long I’ve been here, don’t you know my title is, don’t you know how much I give, don’t you know how much I serve? I am I would respect I deserve your service. 

When you act differently from what I believe I deserve, I get mad. 

Here’s the problem with entitlement, I have it. By default my natural inclination is a sense of entitlement that I am owed. Would you pray for me? Would you pray for me for humility?

The gospel destroys my sense of entitlement. I was owed hell. I was given heaven. 

The less we see humility in our lives, the more we need to hear the gospel. The less we see humility in our church, the more we need to preach the gospel. 

Entitlement says, “Because of who I am I deserve.” Humility says,”Because of who you are I will serve.”

What if we operated in our marriages this way? Parenting / church? 

How radical would that be in the church let alone the world?

3 Big Dangers Of Pride:

Dishonest Humility

False humility = words or actions aimed at someone else for the purpose of lifting self

Selfless giving with a selfish return.

ILLUST -- vanity Smurf -- always did things while carrying a mirror.

Devious Pride

The insidiousness of Pride - EX Hezekiah

Pride tends to sneak in in the areas of gifts, gains, and goals.

gifts -- areas of natural ability -- things that come easy to us -- that people will often praise us for.

gains -- achievements we have gained perhaps by hard work that put us ahead of others.

goals -- those things we love and are striving for

Deceitful Reasoning

Example of Humility in Christ (5-11)

5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

The Mind of Christ (5-8)

Have this mind which is yours in Christ Jesus

could mean is yours by virtue of being united with Christ

or which was also in Christ

Both are true — Christ is a past example of this mind and he is our present help in maintaining this mindset.

v 6.

Jesus was (is) equal to God. He didn’t need to prove anything.

Imagine being able to say “I’m perfect. I’m God.”

Jesus knew he was God — he didn’t need to grasp it

Isn’t that what pride often is — a grasping after something to bolster our identity — a job title, a role, etc.

v 7.

But emptied himself — not of being God. How did he empty himself? BY taking on the form of a servant — human

Jesus didn’t lose anything — he emptied himself of his manifest glory by putting on human flesh

Think about how far down that stoop was.

How far have you ever stooped?

It is like the ultimate Undercover Boss

v 8.

Beyond this he humbles himself and becomes obedient.

Even the worst death!

How did Jesus do it? With the mind of Christ:

He understood who he was. (in relation to God and in relation to others)

His view was not too high and not too low

He served for others' benefit.

He put aside what he could do for what he should do

He humbly obeyed for God's glory.

You cannot approach God with a prideful heart -- Adam and Eve could not

For the Glory of God (9-11)

Therefore -- tells us what comes next is a result of what happened before

Next - Christ's glory (and joy)

Before - Christ's humility

GOD is the one who gave Jesus glory

Why did God do it? Because Jesus wanted God's glory and not his own so God could use him for his glory.

Action Steps:

Find yourself in Jesus first.

Focus yourself on others second.

Feel the joy of God's glory.

Conclusion