THE SPIRITUAL WARFARE BEHIND HUMILITY AND SELFISHNESS
PHILIPPIANS 2:3-4 DO NOTHING FROM SELFISHNESS OR EMPTY CONCEIT, BUT WITH HUMILITY OF MIND REGARD ONE ANOTHER AS MORE IMPORTANT THAN YOURSELVES; 4 DO NOT MERELY LOOK OUT FOR YOUR OWN PERSONAL INTERESTS, BUT ALSO FOR THE INTERESTS OF OTHERS.
PHILIPPIANS 2:3-4 (MSG)
3 DON'T PUSH YOUR WAY TO THE FRONT; DON'T SWEET-TALK YOUR WAY TO THE TOP. PUT YOURSELF ASIDE, AND HELP OTHERS GET AHEAD.
4 DON'T BE OBSESSED WITH GETTING YOUR OWN ADVANTAGE. FORGET YOURSELVES LONG ENOUGH TO LEND A HELPING HAND.
PHILIPPIANS 2:3-4 (AMP) DO NOTHING FROM FACTIONAL MOTIVES [THROUGH CONTENTIOUSNESS, STRIFE, SELFISHNESS, OR FOR UNWORTHY ENDS] OR PROMPTED BY CONCEIT AND EMPTY ARROGANCE. INSTEAD, IN THE TRUE SPIRIT OF HUMILITY (LOWLINESS OF MIND) LET EACH REGARD THE OTHERS AS BETTER THAN AND SUPERIOR TO HIMSELF [THINKING MORE HIGHLY OF ONE ANOTHER THAN YOU DO OF YOURSELVES]. 4 LET EACH OF YOU ESTEEM AND LOOK UPON AND BE CONCERNED FOR NOT [MERELY] HIS OWN INTERESTS, BUT ALSO EACH FOR THE INTERESTS OF OTHERS.
PROPOSITION: THE ISSUES OF HUMILITY AND UNITY ARE VITAL TO THE CHURCH
INTRODUCTION: IN OUR TIME THIS MORNING, I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE A LOOK AT THE VERY ROOT OF THE ISSUE PAUL IS DEVELOPING IN THIS SECOND CHAPTER OF PHILIPPIANS – HUMILITY AND UNITY. FOR ITS ROOTS GO BACK TO THE VERY TIME OF ETERNITY PAST, AND WIND THEMSELVES THROUGH HE FABRIC OF SCRIPTURE AND DIG DEEP INTO THE LIFE OF THE CHURCH TODAY.
TRANSITION: ACCORDING TO JONATHAN EDWARDS, “THE BEST PROTECTION ONE CAN HAVE FROM THE DEVIL AND HIS SCHEMES IS A HUMBLE HEART”.
OPENING ILLUSTRATION: THERE WAS ONCE A STORY ABOUT A PASTOR WHO WAS VOTED THE MOST HUMBLE PASTOR IN AMERICA. HIS CONGREGATION GAVE HIM A MEDAL THAT SAID, “TO THE MOST HUMBLE PASTOR IN AMERICA”. THE NEXT SUNDAY THEY TOOK THE MEDAL AWAY FROM HIM – HE WORE IT TO CHURCH!
I. THE REALITY OF SELF CONCERN
a. INGRAINED AND UNCONTESTED IN US
b. LOVERS OF DARKNESS
JOHN 3:19 "THIS IS THE JUDGMENT, THAT THE LIGHT HAS COME INTO THE WORLD, AND MEN LOVED THE DARKNESS RATHER THAN THE LIGHT, FOR THEIR DEEDS WERE EVIL.
c. KNEW BUT CHOSE NOT TO ACT
ROMANS 1:21 FOR EVEN THOUGH THEY KNEW GOD, THEY DID NOT HONOR HIM AS GOD OR GIVE THANKS, BUT THEY BECAME FUTILE IN THEIR SPECULATIONS, AND THEIR FOOLISH HEART WAS DARKENED.
d. THE PRIORITY OF ONE WHO IS NOT FULLY DEVOTED TO CHRIST
i. FOR THE UNBELIEVER IT IS: ME, YOU AND GOD
ii. FOR THE CARNAL BELIEVER IT IS ME, GOD, AND YOU
e. RESULT OF LESS THAN FULL DEVOTION TO CHRIST CREATES DISCORD IN THE BODY OF CHRIST
i. WHAT IS DONE IS NOT DONE WITH A PURE MOTIVE
ii. ACTIVITY WITHOUT PURE MOTIVES PRODUCES
1. FACTIONS
2. DRIVES PEOPLE AWAY
3. LEAVES NEGATIVE IMPRESSIONS THAT LAST
f. THE CHARACTERISTICS OF SELF CONCERN
i. SELFISH AMBITION OR STRIFE
1. THE GREEK WORD MEANS TO SEEKING TO WIN FOLLOWERS, FACTIONS OR PARTY MAKING
2. THINKING AT A LEVEL THAT DOES NOT ALLOW ONE TO THINK HIGHER
3. A LEVEL OF ACTIVITY OR THOUGHT THAT PUSHES GOD OUT.
ii. VAIN CONCEIT OR VAINGLORY
1. EMPTY GLORY
2. IT IS USED TO DESCRIBE THE FOLLY OF WORSHIPPING IDOLS
3. IN OTHER WORDS THERE IS NO POSITIVE RESULT TO IDOL WORSHIP
4. EMPTY – KIND OF LIKE BREAKING OPEN YOUR FORTUNE COOKIE, ONLY TO FIND THERE IS NO FORTUNE!
iii. LACK OF CONSIDERATION
1. EVIDENCE OF A LACK OF HUMILITY
a. HUMILITY MEANS TO HAVE A DEEP SENSE OF ONES SELF
b. KNOWING WHO YOU ARE WHEN COMPARED TO GOD
2. CONSIDER OR ESTEEM
a. GREEK WORD MEANS TO LEAD
b. HUMILITY IS A QUALITY OF LEADERSHIP AS A FOLLOWER OF CHRIST – A SIGN OF SPIRITUAL MATURITY
c. IN ACTS 7:10 IT IS USED OF JOSEPH AND HIS LEADING THE PEOPLE THROUGH THE FAMINE
ACTS 7:10 AND RESCUED HIM FROM ALL HIS AFFLICTIONS, AND GRANTED HIM FAVOR AND WISDOM IN THE SIGHT OF PHARAOH, KING OF EGYPT, AND HE MADE HIM GOVERNOR OVER EGYPT AND ALL HIS HOUSEHOLD.
d.
iv. PRIORITY OF INTEREST
1. “OTHERS BETTER” – TO ELEVATE
2. “INTERESTS OF OTHERS” – FIXING YOUR ATTENTION
a. DO OTHERS DRAW OUR ATTENTION IN THE BODY OF CHRIST?
UNITY AND SELFLESSNESS CANNOT EXIST IN THE BODY OF CHRIST IF VANITY AND SELFISHNESS ARE THERE!
II. THE ORIGIN OF SELF CONCERN – IT GOES BACK FURTHER THAN YOU THINK!
EZEKIEL 28:14-17 "YOU WERE THE ANOINTED CHERUB WHO COVERS, AND I PLACED YOU THERE. YOU WERE ON THE HOLY MOUNTAIN OF GOD; YOU WALKED IN THE MIDST OF THE STONES OF FIRE. 15 "YOU WERE BLAMELESS IN YOUR WAYS FROM THE DAY YOU WERE CREATED UNTIL UNRIGHTEOUSNESS WAS FOUND IN YOU. 16 "BY THE ABUNDANCE OF YOUR TRADE YOU WERE INTERNALLY FILLED WITH VIOLENCE, AND YOU SINNED; THEREFORE I HAVE CAST YOU AS PROFANE FROM THE MOUNTAIN OF GOD. AND I HAVE DESTROYED YOU, O COVERING CHERUB, FROM THE MIDST OF THE STONES OF FIRE. 17 "YOUR HEART WAS LIFTED UP BECAUSE OF YOUR BEAUTY; YOU CORRUPTED YOUR WISDOM BY REASON OF YOUR SPLENDOR. I CAST YOU TO THE GROUND; I PUT YOU BEFORE KINGS, THAT THEY MAY SEE YOU.
ISAIAH 14:12-14 "HOW YOU HAVE FALLEN FROM HEAVEN, O STAR OF THE MORNING, SON OF THE DAWN! YOU HAVE BEEN CUT DOWN TO THE EARTH, YOU WHO HAVE WEAKENED THE NATIONS! 13 "BUT YOU SAID IN YOUR HEART, 'I WILL ASCEND TO HEAVEN; I WILL RAISE MY THRONE ABOVE THE STARS OF GOD, AND I WILL SIT ON THE MOUNT OF ASSEMBLY IN THE RECESSES OF THE NORTH. 14 'I WILL ASCEND ABOVE THE HEIGHTS OF THE CLOUDS; I WILL MAKE MYSELF LIKE THE MOST HIGH.'
a. SATAN WAS “ANOINTED” – SET APART FOR A SPECIAL SERVICE
b. SATAN WAS THE LEADER OF WORSHIP TOWARDS GOD
c. SATAN WAS A WIDESPREAD OR ABUNDANT TRADER
i. THE WORD TRADE MEANS ANYTHING THAT PASSES THROUGH THE HANDS
ii. DECREES OF GOD PASSED THROUGH SATAN TO OTHERS
iii. WORSHIP OF GOD PASSED THROUGH SATAN TO GOD
d. SATAN WANTED TO BE LIKE “THE MOST HIGH” GOD
i. INTERESTING NAME FOR GOD
ii. REFERS TO THE FACT THAT GOD POSSESSES HEAVEN AND EARTH
iii. SATAN WANTED TO BE LIKE GOD BECAUSE HE WANTED GOD’S STUFF!
e. SATAN WAS THINKING OF HIMSELF FIRST
i. MANIFESTS IN PRIDE
ii. RESULTED IN CONDEMNATION
f. ALSO SET UP A STRATEGY THAT HAS BEEN SUCCESSFUL THROUGH THE AGES
i. ADAM AND EVE – THINK OF YOURSELF FIRST – DON’T OBEY GOD, BE LIKE GOD!
ii. JESUS AND HIS TEMPTATIONS – AVOID THE CROSS – GET WHAT YOU CAME FOR NOW!
g. JESUS DID IT DIFFERENT
i. HIS TEMPTATIONS WERE AN OPPORTUNITY TO PUT HIMSELF FIRST – CHRIST DID NOT!
ii. HIS INCARNATION (WHICH WE WILL COME TO LATER IN OUR SERIES) – HE HUMBLED HIMSELF
iii. HIS CRUCIFIXION – COULD HAVE CALLED ANGELS – COULD HAVE AVOIDED, BUT DID WHAT HE DID IN OBEDIENCE TO GOD THE FATHER AND FOR OUR BENEFIT!
III. THE REMEDY TO SELF CONCERN – WINNING THIS SPIRITUAL BATTLE
a. IT STARTS WITH MY MIND – THE WORD “DO” IN VERSE 3 MEANS THINK
i. ALL SPIRITUAL BATTLES ARE BATTLES OF THE MIND, BEFORE THEY ARE BATTLES ANYWHERE ELSE!
b. ADMIT RIGHT NOW THAT LEFT TO MY OWN DEVICES, I WILL NATURALLY GRAVITATE TO MYSELF
i. WILL CHOOSE SATAN’S WAY OVER GOD’S
ii. WILL BLIND ME TO THE NEEDS OF OTHERS
iii. CANNOT EVER EXPECT TO HAVE A UNIFIED BODY NEGLECTING THE NEEDS OF OTHERS
c. UNDERSTAND THAT THE NEED OF UNITY IS AN INDIVIDUAL DECISION
i. VS. 4 – “EACH OF YOU” – WE CAN ONLY DO THIS OURSELVES
1. CAN HAVE STRENGTH IN COMMUNITY
2. MUST MAKE THE INDIVIDUAL DECISION
ii. IN MAKING THE DECISION TO SEEK UNITY MEANS I WILL NOW LOOK AT OTHERS DIFFERENTLY
1. WORD LOOK MEANS TO REGARD AS MY AIM
2. TO ZOOM IN ON THE BULL’S EYE – OTHERS!
d. HUMBLE OURSELVES BEFORE GOD
1 PETER 5:5-6 YOU YOUNGER MEN, LIKEWISE, BE SUBJECT TO YOUR ELDERS; AND ALL OF YOU, CLOTHE YOURSELVES WITH HUMILITY TOWARD ONE ANOTHER, FOR GOD IS OPPOSED TO THE PROUD, BUT GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE. 6 THEREFORE HUMBLE YOURSELVES UNDER THE MIGHTY HAND OF GOD, THAT HE MAY EXALT YOU AT THE PROPER TIME,
i. SEEING GOD’S WORTH ALLOWS US TO SEE OUR WORTH IN THE PROPER LIGHT.
ii. OPENS US UP TO “CONSIDER” OTHERS – TO COME TO A CAREFUL CONCLUSION BASED ON FAITH, NOT SELF
e. PURPOSE TO HAVE DAILY FELLOWSHIP WITH GOD
i. STAY CLOSE TO THE SOURCE
1 JOHN 1:7 BUT IF WE WALK IN THE LIGHT AS HE HIMSELF IS IN THE LIGHT, WE HAVE FELLOWSHIP WITH ONE ANOTHER, AND THE BLOOD OF JESUS HIS SON CLEANSES US FROM ALL SIN.
CONCLUSION: UNITY IS A SPIRITUAL BATTLE BETWEEN SELF AND GOD. IT WAS FORMULATED BY SATAN, HAS BEEN SUCCESFUL THROUGH THE AGES AND CON ONLY BE DEFEATED IF WE ARE WILLING TO EMBRACE HUMILITY INSTEAD OF PRIDE.
