Let This Mind Be In You

Introduction

‘Ye Must Be Born Again’ - Salvation: (Joh. 3:1-21)

An Examination (Of Nicodemus)

He was a Religious Leader; He Recognized Jesus’ Authority; He Reached Out to Jesus; He Needed Redemption

An Education

The Duality of Life; The Necessity of Spiritual Birth; The Analogy that He Gave

An Explanation

The Source of Salvation; The Singularity of Salvation; The Simplicity of Salvation

Last Week we examined the doctrine of Restoration in the message titled ‘Back Where You Belong’ - because if you as a child of the Heavenly Father find yourself in a pig sty - you don’t belong there! Many Christians are in need of Restoration. Bringing them back into a state of being that is worthy of a child of the King.

‘Back Where You Belong’ - Restoration: (Luk. 15:11-24)

The Sons Decisions

His Wealth; His Withdrawal; His Waste; His Want; His Work; His Weariness; His Wisdom

The Father’s Reactions

His Allowance; His Anticipation; His Acceptance; His Abundance

In our last message, we focused on Information and Application. This in a word would be ‘wisdom’. So we looked into God’s book of wisdom and preached the message titled ‘Wisdom is the Principal Thing’.

‘Wisdom is the Principal Thing’ - Information & Application: (Pro. 4:1-9)

Good Doctrine (Wisdom)

The Heritage; The Heart & The Hope of the Doctrine

It’s Gained Deliberately

Should be Requested; Something to Remember; Should Strive to Retain; Something to Regard

It Gives Delight

It will Preserve Thee; Promote Thee; Give Prominence & Prestige to Thee

Today we’re going to conclude our series on ‘New Beginnings’ with this message focused on the subject of ‘Dedication’ - and I could find no better example for which to look to than the LORD Jesus. Never before or since has there been a man more dedicated and driven to accomplish His Purpose than that of our LORD and SAVIOUR Jesus Christ.

And as you know, Jesus had a purpose. He called it ‘His Cup’ in the garden. The Bible tells us: Mat. 26:39 “And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.” Mat. 26:42 “He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done.”

Jesus had a purpose. And I say this with complete confidence that God’s Purpose for me is not that I should be taken by wicked hands and hung on a Cross to bear the sins of man… but God still has a purpose for me. There’s still a ‘cup’ for me. That being said, I want to drink that cup! I want to fulfill my purpose! And I believe that in truth you do too, it’s just that man of us are too distracted by the world that we can’t seem to understand that calling, or we are slaves unto the flesh to where we don’t pursue it.

Do you want to fulfill you purpose in this life? Then let this mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus! We’ll look at that mindset today and what it took for Jesus to fulfill His purpose, in hope that it will move us to do the same.

So as we begin examining our Scripture, the first thing that I want to point out is Our Call. This thing that the apostle Paul is calling for Christ’s Church to do.

I. Our Call (v5)

The Plea

I want to examine this statement first from Paul. “Let this mind be in you” - in other words ‘This is the way you ought to think’.

One of the most amazing things in mankind is the variety of thought.

What I mean is that people think differently. We see this played out in:

Political Ideologies

Some believe in Federal Supreme Authority while others cherish states rights.

(Ill.) Last year Texas passed a law protecting the rights of the unborn. Since then, opponents of the law have pleaded their case in federal courts to try and overturn it. In this we see the rights of the States vs. the authority of the Union. This has been an issue of contention in our country before the Constitution was even formed.

Moral Philosophies

Some think it’s ok to kill a baby as long as the baby currently resides in the mothers womb. Then others (such as myself) believe see no difference in where the murder takes place, only IF it does. Killing a baby in the womb is just as wrong as killing it in the living room.

Some think it’s ok for men to marry men and vice versa.

Religious Ideologies

Some think that God’s Word was preserved in the original language.

Some think that the KJV is the best translation in English

I believe the KJV is God’s PERFECT Word - not just the best translation.

Some think there is no God

Gender Viewpoint

Let’s face it - men and women think differently!

So as we can see - and as you know, people think differently. This fact has not escaped Paul. And it’s BECAUSE there are such varied mindsets in mankind, these words are written ‘Let THIS MIND be in YOU’

Hey, I know that your natural inclinations might get you to think differently, I know that you might have been taught differently - BUT THIS IS THE WAY YOU OUGHT TO THINK!

We see the Plea, next he mentions the Person

The Person

‘Christ Jesus’.

Paul didn’t say simply ‘Jesus’.

Nor did he say ‘Jesus of Nazareth’

Paul said specifically - Christ Jesus.

He wasn’t speaking of just a man, but he’s reminding the reader that this Jesus is the Christ. He is God in the flesh! He’s the one born of promise by the Holy Ghost of God!

So in effect, he is saying ‘you need to stop thinking like you and start thinking like God!’

Church, I know that we all think differently.

We come from different backgrounds

We have been raised differently with different priorities

Some from wealth, others from poverty

Some religious others not

Some have more education than others & some have more experience.

We’re very different people here today, but one thing that we should all have in common (for those that are born again) is that we should all have the mind of Christ!

So we see Our Call. But what does that mean to have the mind of Christ? Well Paul elaborates on that and we see first His Commitment

II. His Commitment (v6-8a)

His Position (v6)

As we’ve already mentioned, Christ is as this text says ‘equal with God’. John’s introduction puts it: Joh. 1:1-3 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.” Joh. 1:14 “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.”

I stress this point for the purpose of making known that it doesn’t get any greater than God. Christ is the top of the food chain. Unless you own your business, you may be a boss, but you still answer to a boss. (Ill.) Here at this church, I am the under-shepherd. I am not at the top, I answer to the Shepherd. But here we’re talking about God. God answers to no one. There is none greater. This is important for the reason of what He did.

We see His Position, in v7 we see His Decision

His Decision (v7)

‘He made Himself...’ We see that in this part of the verse that it was Jesus’ WILLINGLY CHOSE to lay aside His Glory. To lay aside His Honor & Majesty, to take upon Himself a form of a servant & of one of no reputation.

‘He made Himself...’ this was a Conscious Decision

It was a Conscious Decision

This was not something that just happened. It’s something that Jesus WILLINGLY DECIDED to do.

Mainly, because it was Contrary to His Nature

It was Contrary to Nature

Remember, we’re speaking about God.

The Supreme being.

The Alpha and Omega, beginning and end

The Creator of Heaven and earth

The Great ‘I AM’

It’s not of God to Worship, but to be Worshiped

It’s not of God to Serve, but to be Served.

It’s not of God to be Abased, but to be Exulted

So Christ made this Conscious Decision that is Contrary to Nature to make Himself of no reputation, take the form of a servant and humble Himself.

This is great illustration, for if we’re to have the mind of Christ, we must do the same.

We must make the Conscious Decision to do so. We must purpose in our hearts and dedicate ourselves because like Christ, but in different capacity, humbling ourselves and becoming a servant it contrary to our nature.

Our natural inclination is to desire for others to serve us. Our flesh desires to be recognized.

So if we’re to have the mind of Christ, we must simply Decide to do so and Dedicate ourselves to to that end!

We see His Decision, then we also See His Continuation

His Continuation (v8a)

‘Unto death’. In other words, it wasn’t a decision for the moment - but something that was settled.

(Ill.) I'm guessing it’s something that I heard from bro. Shoemaker I’m assuming at the marriage conference, but the principle stuck out with me. It was something to the effect of how the current generation is so quick to divorce compared to say bro. Ancil’s generation. And the reasoning was given was that when something is broken today, it’s just thrown away, but in that generation, they fixed it. (i.e. if a lamp goes out, we just get on Amazon and buy another as opposed to before they would tear into it and try to fix it).

This speaks to the difference in which I’m speaking. Some decide when they say their vows that for better or worse, this decision is final, whereas others don’t. They revoke that decision whenever it proves inconvenient.

When Jesus was at the whipping post, the decision to submit and humble Himself was more than inconvenient.

When Jesus walked up Mt. Calvary, the decision to be obedient was more than inconvenient.

But Jesus Dedicated Himself to the Cause - and continued! That’s what God needs today! He needs some Christians to make the decision to be OBEDIENT, to be a SERVANT and then STICK TO IT!

We see Our Call, Then we see His Commitment. Next we see His Cause.

III. His Cause (v8b)

We’ve essentially looked at the ‘What ‘ and the ‘How’, now we’re going to take a look at the ‘Why’.

What was the reason / catalyst for Jesus’ Commitment?

Many when they read this verse, it speaks of the cruelty of such a wicked death that was thrust upon our LORD. But what I want to focus on is not the horror of the Cross, but the Cause of the Cross, and that’s ‘To Die so that Others Might Live’.

To Die so that Others Might Live

Jesus died so that you and I might live. He died not for Himself.

In a greatly misunderstood passage of prophetic Scripture, it says: Dan. 9:26a “And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself:

Jesus died so that you and I might live!

Rom. 5:8 “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”

1Ti. 1:15 “This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.”

Jesus said: Luk. 19:10 “For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.”

Aren’t you glad for that? But I want to examine what it took for Jesus to do that:

That which was Necessary:

Humility (v3; v7a; v8a)

We see this mentioned three different times in this passage: v3 - ‘lowliness of mind’; v7a - ‘no reputation’; v8a - ‘humbled Himself’.

The Bible makes mention of the blessings that follow humility:

Pro. 22:4 “By humility and the fear of the Lord Are riches, and honour, and life.”

Pro. 29:23 “A man’s pride shall bring him low: But honour shall uphold the humble in spirit.”

Jesus said: Mat. 18:4 “Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.”

To Help others, it takes Humility

A Concern for others (v4)

Jesus had to care more for others than He did for His own comfort & well being.

If you’re going to have the mind of Christ, you’ll have to as well.

God calls no man to seek to enlarge himself - but He calls men to love and live for others.

We must have a concern for others.

A Servant’s Heart (v7b)

(Ill.) Do you all remember the story of where Jesus as they are eating the ‘last supper’, He gets up and He then instructs the disciples to wash His feet? Me neither. I do remember how Jesus - the King of Kings - girded Himself and washed their feet.

If we’re to have the mind of Christ, we’re not going to look to be served - but rather to serve.

Obedience (v8b)

Christ Humbled Himself, was Concerned for others, sought to Serve them and finally , was obedient to His Calling.

If we’re to have the mind of Christ, we must be obedient. Obedient to OUR Calling!

What is our Calling? Mar. 12:29-31 “And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.”

If we Love God, we’ll listen to Him

If we Love our Neighbor, we’ll tell them about Him.

We see Our Call, We See His Commitment. Then His Cause. & Lastly, we see His Compensation

IV. His Compensation (v9-11)

Recognition by God (v9-11a)

Eph. 6:7-8 “With good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men: Knowing that whatsoever good thing any man doeth, the same shall he receive of the Lord, whether he be bond or free.”

We ought not seek our recognition here by men, but look forward to that day when God recognizes the dedication we have unto Him.

Recognition by God - but not only that: Recognition of God

Recognition of God (v11b)

Best of all - God gets Glory from those who are Dedicated unto Him.

Conclusion