The Oldest Hymn, Part 1- Humility And Unity Series

The oldest hymn part one- Humility and unity. WBC 29/01/06 am

Philippians 2:1-11 (esp vv 1-8)

Well- did I get the cream, today, or what?

- one of the most fantastic passages in the Bible

- tremendously practical. Tremendous Christology

o Jesus: nature/form God. Nature/form servant/human

o The One who, after his willing subjugation, is raised, exalted - and before whom angels, men, demons and the realm of the dead will bow the knee and cry "you are Lord!" (come tonight!)

- stacks of songs/hymns from this

Not surprising- as virtually everyone thinks this (v 5-11) is an old Hymn in itself. Paul is citing something that had been around for a while

- so: eat your heart out Dan Browne and anyone who thinks that the concept of Jesus "being in very nature God" is a latter construct (ie from Council of Nicea 325AD)

o THIS has to be pre 62AD

Why do folks think it’s a hymn? (because the NIV prints it that way?!)

- different language to Paul’s. Words found nowhere else

- stress on words falls in such a way as to give rhythm & meter to it

Show example- PPT (clipped in at end of sermon)

so- this is hymn, liturgical confession. As early as you can get.

So- why put it in here?

- v1 starts off ’therefore’ or ’since’. So, this is an illustration/expansion on something. What?

o PHP 1:27 Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ

- act consistently. Particularly in your relationships with others

RECEIVED A BLESSING?

He basically says- if you’ve received any form of blessing from God

- …. And then he names four

1. any blessing… encouragement (paraclesis)… of Jesus being near to you. Feeling united with Him (v1 a)…..

2. Or you have felt comforted by His love (v 1a)…..

3. Or any blessing of the Spirit, fellowship with Him….

4. or any "bowels and mercies" (v2). Love that! Bowels being the centre of emotions to these guys. If you’ve received any subjective, internal blessing from God….

Fantastic, eh?

- fourfold appeal to evidence of God working

- and he’s not poo-pooing blessing. In fact- I think he’s affirming that God’s people need a good blessing! YOU need blessing, and God wants to bless you!

- Of course, we’d use different words, nowadays, but it’s not so dissimilar:

o "If you’ve had a bless up from God… or God has touched your life in any way… or you feel you’re pretty blessed, anointed"

then show it this way. Let this be the evidence of it. (otherwise it’s all a waste of time)

RESPOND IN UNITY

In fact- he gives four ’’responses’, that correspond with his four examples of blessing

- brilliant! (but shows he’s not a Baptist, or there’d be 3 all beginning with ’c’)!

…and they are all centred around loving one another, being one with oneanother

- would have been an apt text for last Sunday (unity Sunday)

so- ’if any unity with Christ-then have the mind of Christ and be (v2) "like minded!"

- what’s this saying? Do we have to all be the same? Feel the same on everything all the time?

o No! But if you don’t work through BEYOND your own opinions, differences, to find out what God really thinks is important - all the blessing in the world is a waste of time!

o Eg: there are those who consider themselves SO blessed but then spend their time engrossed in themselves, self-indulgent, elitist and looking down on others… or criticising others’ theology minutely

" While others who look on, needing Jesus, can’t get a look in!

o Or a those who are ’moving in the Spirit’, but leave a trail of collateral damage behind them. IS that God?

- Basically -if your blessing doesn’t make you love the Lord, the "lost" and His people more- it’s all been a waste of time. Doesn’t matter how ’good the worship’ was!

- The moving of God’s HS brings people together, more, not drives them apart

I was walking across a bridge one day, and I saw a man standing on the edge, about to jump. I ran over and said: "Stop. Don’t do it."

"Why shouldn’t I?" he asked.

"Well, there’s so much to live for!"

"Like what?"

"Are you religious?"

He said: "Yes."

I said: "Me too. Are you Christian or Buddhist?"

"Christian."

"Me too. Praise the Lord! Are you Catholic or Protestant?"

"Protestant."

"Me too. Praise Jesus! Are you Episcopalian or Baptist?"

"Baptist."

"Wow. Me too. Hallelujah! Are you Baptist Church of God or Baptist Church of the Lord?"

"Baptist Church of God."

"Me too. Glory to God! Are you original Baptist Church of God, or are you Reformed Baptist Church of God?"

"Reformed Baptist Church of God."