Choosing To Follow Christ In Humility

Choosing To Follow Christ In Humility

Philippians 2:1-4 1993

We are going to continue going through the book of Philippi

ans this morning. The apostle Paul is in prison and one of the

burdens upon his heart was the unity of the church. He appeals

to them and to us to remember one of Jesus’s last prayers which

was John 17:20-21 "My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also

for those who will believe in me through their message, {21} that

all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in

you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that

you have sent me." The most important evangelism tool a church

has is the way in which the members treat each other.

Turn with me to Philippians 2:1 and we are going to go

through this verse taking our time looking at each segment to

discover what God is saying to us today. The apostle recognizes

that there is an encouragement not from being around Christ, or

near Christ, but in being united with Christ. God desires an

intimate relationship with everyone who claims to know Christ.

The motivating factor of Paul’s faith is his desire to become all

that Jesus wants him to be. He is encouraged because despite his

temporary problems, he knows He is on the winning side.

This expression "united with Christ" suggests being tied

together. Our fate is tied up in the fate of Jesus Christ. We

know that everything else is going to pass, but Jesus is going to

endure forever. Do you want to be united with Christ, or do you

want to keep him at a distance. Far too many Christians treat

Christ like a fire alarm, that’s to be broken only in times of

emergencies. Paul’s saying no, now is the time to be encouraged.

Don’t live for that one day when you will get to know Christ, go ahead get to know Him right now.

The word says "If is any comfort from His love." God’s

love for us should overwhelm us. Who do you know, that if they

knew everything about you, including those things we have kept

completely to ourselves, would say, yes beyond a shadow of a

doubt I will die for you?. God sees all the ugliness, and the

unloving sides of us, and yet still wants to claim us as His own.

If Jesus had not loved us, there would have been no Calvary.

Since Jesus does love us, that opens the doors for all kinds of

possibilities for our lives. Jesus would not love us unless He

cared about us. If Jesus cares about us, then we are never in

anything alone. There is always hope if we are willing to take

it God’s way. We all know that we live in a broken and often

times cruel and unjust world. It’s not because God is angry at

us and gave us this place as punishment. It’s because God loved

us, that He was willing to let us make our own decisions. We are

the ones that have made the world what it is.

There’s a comfort in knowing that God loves us. He shows us

His love in Jesus Christ and in the plans He has for our lives.

He tells us in Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for

you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm

you, plans to give you hope and a future. There’s not a pain or a

hurt that comes into our lives that God does not feel.

The word says "if any fellowship with the Spirit." Fellow

ship is more than being good friends or having a good time to

gether. Fellowship involves a recognition that we serve a common

Lord and Savior. It doesn’t come by us singing songs, or get

ting all worked up. Fellowship comes as a result of day to day

living for Jesus Christ.

This is what God calls us to do. Fellowship is one of the

reasons God called us. It says in 1 Corinthians 1:9 says God,

who has called you into fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ our

Lord, is faithful. Although this is what we are called to, many

of us are missing out on this unity and fellowship because we

won’t let go and let God direct the way we live. Sin will always

lead to depression for a Christian if the sin is not repented of.

It is so easy for us to deceive ourselves in regards to our

relationship to Jesus Christ.

1 John 1:6-7 If we claim to have fellowship with Christ yet

walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. {7}