How’s Your Attitude?

Philippians 2:1-11

Introduction

·         Oh Lord, it's hard to be humble

When you're perfect in every way

I can't wait to look in the mirror

Cause I get better lookin' each day

To know me is to love me

I must be a hell of a man

Oh Lord, it's hard to be humble

But I'm doin' the best that I can!

I used to have a girlfriend

But I guess she just couldn't compete

With all of these love-starved women

Who keep clamoring at my feet

Well I could probably find me another

But I guess they're all in awe of me

Who cares? I never get lonesome

Cause I treasure my own company.

·         Good old-fashioned pride. Nothing like it.

·          Expressing pride is an integral activity of Americans.  Go down our street in Ruston—signs with kids’ names—football, cheerleader, etc. Bumper stickers. My child is an honor student at . . . My child beat up your honor student.

·         Rhode Island Red Rooster struttin’ across the yard.

·         Pride has no place in the kingdom of God!

·         James 4:6 God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble., 1 Peter 5:5 (See Prov. 3:34)

·         If there is . . . “if” may be translated “since.”

·          One mind, one love, one spirit, one purpose.

·         Paul's joy will be complete as the Philippians are united-one--humble--selfless.

·         What kind of attitude should I have as a Christian? An attitude of authentic humility.

·         Paul is obviously not asking us to die in the literal sense. Christ has done that. What Paul is getting at is that we be humble ourselves as Jesus humbled himself.

1.     What does authentic Humility look like?

·         Right here in this passage.

·         Jesus is the most amazing example of humility.

·         If any human ever had cause to strut their stuff, it was Jesus. But he didn’t!

·         The word translated nature (morphē) in verses 6 and 7 is a crucial term in this passage. This word (trans. “form” in the kjv and nasb) stresses the inner essence or reality of that with which it is associated (cf. Mark 16:12). Christ Jesus, Paul said, is of the very essence (morphē) of God, and in His incarnation He embraced perfect humanity. His complete and absolute deity is here carefully stressed by the apostle. Though possessing full deity (John 1:14; Col. 2:9), Christ did not consider His equality with God (Phil. 2:6) as something to be grasped or held onto. In other words Christ did not hesitate to set aside His self-willed use of deity when He became a man. As God He had all the rights of deity, and yet during His incarnate state He surrendered His right to manifest Himself visibly as the God of all splendor and glory. Christ’s humiliation included His making Himself nothing, taking the very nature (morphē) of a servant, and being made in human likeness (v. 7). These statements indicate that Christ became a man, a true human being. The words “made Himself nothing” are, literally, “He emptied Himself.” “Emptied,” from the Greek kenoō, points to the divesting of His self-interests, but not of His deity. “The very nature of a servant” certainly points to His lowly and humble position, His willingness to obey the Father, and serve others. He became a man, a true human being. “Likeness” suggests similarity but difference. Though His humanity was genuine, He was different from all other humans in that He was sinless (Heb. 4:15). Thus it is seen that Christ, while retaining the essence of God, was also human. In His incarnation He was fully God and fully man at the same time. He was God manifest in human flesh (John 1:14). The condescension of Christ included not only His birth—the Incarnation in which He became the God-Man— but also His death. And it was the most cruel and despicable form of death—even death on a cross! (v. 8) This form of capital punishment was limited to non-Romans and the worst criminals. No better example of humiliation and a selfless attitude for believers to follow could possibly be given than that of Christ. With this example before them, the saints at Philippi should be “like-minded” (v. 2) and live humbly before their God and each other.

·         As we reflect on the image of Christ presented in this passage: How does humility specifically express itself? Through:

a) Total dependence upon the Father

·         Pride reveals an independent spirit—I can handle it. However, the truly humble person looks solely to the Father for sustenance, security, etc.

·         Jesus placed himself in the hands of the Father, trusting that the Father would  take care of him.

·         Even death on a cross. “Father , into Thy hands, I commit my spirit.”

·         Come as a child.

·         Autumn and Ferrell—Autumn loves bananas! Going for a banana. Beautiful dependence.

b) Total obedience to the Father

·         LOOK at me, I’m God! How would we expect him to come?

o   Bullet-proof limo, surrounded by bodyguards

o   Long processional—people throwing flowers, etc.

·         But such was not what the Father wanted

·         He came not as Lord but as Servant (doulos=bond-slave)

·         Even death on the cross

·         Cicero—“To bind a Roman citizen is a crime; to flog him is an abomination; to slay him is almost an act of murder; to crucify him is—what? There is no fitting word that can possibly describe so horrible a deed.”

·         How does my own obedience to the Father stack up to that?

c) Total surrender of the “right” to go first

·         If anyone ever had the right to go first, it would have to be Jesus.

·         Yet he went to the end of the line—he allowed himself to be dead last, putting all the masses of humanity ahead of himself.

·         Jockeying for position in traffic. Breaking in line. This a.m. (Thursday) 3 fender benders on 165. Always those who try to make an end-run around the long line—to squeeze in—I have a confession to make—I try to squeeze them out—it’s not fair—it’s not courteous! We want to be first—whether it’s in traffic or grocery store line. True humility relinquishes this desire to always be first—in fact, those who exhibit authentic Christ-like humility delight in being last.

·         The needs of others take precedence in our lives.

·         M. Cox. Not feeling well. Came to prayer group instead of staying home. Put others first.

2.     Where does authentic Humility lead?

·         For Jesus, vindication, exaltation.

·         As Jesus emptied himself, he found fulfillment of his ultimate purpose. And so do we find fulfillment—purpose.

·         For us—shall fulfillment—satisfaction. God’s purpose for our lives—conformity to the image of Christ. Sharing in his glory.

·         Php 3:21 (NIV) who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.

Conclusion                                                                              

·         Who are we to think we have any reason to be proud? Who do we think we are? How can we ever put self first to the neglect of others in light of the sacrifice of Christ?

Hymn:  #