Christmas: With The Mind Of Christ-2

CHRISTMAS: With The MIND Of CHRIST-II—

—Philippians 2:1-18[part-2--2:1b-2a of 2:1-4]

Attention:

Attitude Problem:

A husband & wife had been married a few short years, & the husband was felt he was being bossed around by his wife.

So he went to see a psychiatrist.

The psychiatrist told the husband that he needed to build his self-esteem, & gave him a booklet on ‘assertiveness’ to read.

By the time he reached home that night after work, he had finished reading the booklet.

He ‘assertively’ stormed into the house. He confidently walked up to his wife, pointed a finger in her face & said,:

•“From now on, I want you to know that “I” am the man of this house, & my word is law!...I want you to prepare me a gourmet meal tonight, & when I'm finished eating my meal, I expect a sumptuous dessert. Then, after dinner, you're going to draw me my bath so I can relax.

And with an ‘air of arrogant confidence’, he finished his tirade by saying, Woman, when I’m finished with my bath, guess who's going to dress me & comb my hair?”

Without a second’s hesitation, she quickly replied, “I know who!”...

...“The funeral director!!”

The husband received was some ILL-ADVISED assertiveness!

And THAT produced an attitude problem, threatening his marriage & very life!

We can get ‘all-kinda’ ‘out-of-sorts’ with our ‘attitude’ toward certain things. And that is when that ‘attitude’ of ours, needs to be adjusted! That ‘attitude’ needs to be fixed before things really get out-of-hand with yourself & others!

In like manner, Any of us Christians are capable of ‘Doing Church’!...When we operate WITHOUT the power of God!

When merely ‘doing church’, we are operating by the self-righteous, self-centered, feeble, & ineffective power of the flesh!

2Tim. 3:1-5—“But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!”

Instead of ‘doing Church’, God’s people are to operate with the mind of Christ Jesus, our Savior & Lord!

Need:

The apostle Paul counseled the Philippian church to minister empowered with the mind of Christ Jesus.

And so, God’s people are to minister with the mind of Christ Jesus.

But, How do God’s people minister with the mind of Christ Jesus?

5 characteristics of Christians who enter ministry with the mind of Christ Jesus.

Last Sunday(Christmas Week) we only began to explore the depth of meaning

in the truths presented in verses :1-4 & following....

....TODAY we’ll continue our examination of those truths, seeing that....

(CONT...)1—Christmas with the mind of Christ...

LOVES As JESUS LOVES(:1-4)[Part-2--2:1b-2a]

Explanation:(:1-4) ‘Agape’ love

(CONT...):1b—“Therefore if there is any consolation[encouragement] in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection & mercy,”

•Thru these shared virtues that characterize the committed Christian(God’s people), not only is there “consolation in Christ” that belongs to them.

*BUT ALSO there is “comfort” that is their’s thru “Christ’s” selfless & self-giving “love”(agaph)! And that “comfort of love” is ‘strengthened’ thru the gathering of God’s people.

•The “love” expressed by & thru God’s people, brings “comfort” to them, rather than discomfort. And so, thru living out the “comfort of” God’s “love” before others, they likewise, offer ‘the mind of Christ’ to others.

•A lifestyle lived in the “comfort of love” CANNOT be kept from being shared!

•A life lived in the “comfort of” Christ’s self-giving “love”, in some way, shape, or form is ‘CAUGHT’ by the lost, so that they too might put their trust in Jesus, the One thru whom His people receive such compelling “comfort”!

“Comfort/Consolation”—paramuyion—Noun Neuter - Nominative Sing. Neuter—1) Persuasive address. Strong—Consolation(properly, concretely). Used 1X--Php. 2:1.?From—paramuyia—1) Any address, whether made for the purpose of persuading, or of arousing & stimulating, or of calming & consoling—1a) Consolation, comfort. Strong—Consolation(properly, abstract).

“Love”(see :2)—agaph—Noun Fem. - Genitive Sing. Fem.—1) Brotherly love, affection, good will, love, benevolence; 2) Love feasts. Strong—Love, i.e. Affection or benevolence; specially(plural)--A love-feast. R.H. Mounce—Agaph is selfless love, which cannot be turned in on itself. J. MacArthur—‘...one of the rarest words in Greek literature, but one of the most common in the New Testament.’

*None of God’s people can experience any ACTUAL “Comfort of love”, & offer it to others, UNLESS it comes from God’s truth...God’s reality that already exists within them!

(CONT...):1c—“Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection & mercy,”

•Thru these shared virtues that characterize the committed Christian(God’s people), not only is there “consolation in Christ”, & “comfort of love” that belongs to them....