Established Thru Jesus’ Birth-2

ESTABLISHED THRU JESUS’ BIRTH-II—Philippians 2:1-13

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The TV short ‘A Charlie Brown Christmas’ was released in 1965.

In the movie, there is another scene at the very end which, since I’ve been saved, always brings tears to my eyes...

Its the final scene when Charlie Brown returns to find his friends have decorated his tree. All his friends say in unison.... “Merry Christmas Charlie Brown!”

And then they all begin to sing [my favorite Christmas hymn] ‘Hark the Herald Angels Sing.’

Hark, the herald angels sing, glory to the newborn king!

Peace on Earth and mercy mild, God and sinners reconciled.

Joyful, all ye nations rise!

Join the triumph of the skies!

With angelic host proclaim: Christ is born in Bethlehem.

Hark, the herald angels sing, glory to the newborn king.

Christmas is an absolutely fantastic time of year! But most are at a loss as to how to explain its true magic.

Christmas infuses secular tradition(trees, ornaments, wreathes, lights, etc.) with Christian meaning.

Paul discloses the importance of Jesus’ birth.

Jesus’ birth is of utmost importance to the Christian.

Why is Jesus’ birth of utmost importance to the Christian?

7 significant establishments of Jesus’ birth.

2—Jesus’ birth is significant in that it...

Establishes UNVAUNTED LOVE(:3-5)

Explanation:(:3-5) Attitude/Mindset

:3—“Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.”

Such unity as described above(:1-2) is manifested practically in the absolute absence of “selfish ambition”& “conceit” from our pursuits. True Christians will rather approach others in humility, with the consideration that “others”(unqualified) are to be highly esteemed even above ourselves. With this attitude in place within the heart of the Christian, no one will be taken advantage of & the world will see that the love of Christ is the supreme course of action for any person &/or people.

“Selfish ambition/Strife/Selfishness/Rivalry”—eriyeia—1) Electioneering or intriguing for office—1a) apparently, in the NT A courting distinction, a desire to put one's self forward, a partisan & fractious spirit which does not disdain low arts, 1b) Partisanship, fractiousness. This word is found before NT times only in Aristotle where it denotes a self-seeking pursuit of political office by unfair means. Strong—properly--Intrigue, i.e. (by implication--Faction. Used 7X.

“Conceit/Vainglory/Empty conceit”—kenodoxia—1) Vain glory, groundless, self esteem, empty pride; 2) A vain opinion, error. Strong—Empty glorying, i.e. Self-conceit. Used 1X.

From—kenov—1) Empty, vain, devoid of truth—&—doxa—1) Opinion, judgment, view; 2) Opinion, estimate, whether good or bad concerning someone; 3) Splendor, brightness; 4) A most glorious condition, most exalted state.

“Lowliness of mind/Humility of mind/Humility”—tapeinofrosunh—1) the having a humble opinion of one's self; 2) A deep sense of one's (moral) littleness; 3) Modesty, humility, lowliness of mind. Tapeinofrosunh is humility, not the making of one's self small when he is really great, but thinking little of one's self, because this is in a sense the right estimate for any human being, however great. Strong—Humiliation of mind, i.e. modesty. Used 7X.

From—tapeinov—Depressed, i.e. figuratively--Humiliated(in circumstances or disposition).—&—frhn—The midrif(as a partition of the body), i.e. figuratively & by implication, of sympathy--The feelings(or sensitive nature; by extension[also in the plural]--The mind or cognitive faculties).

“Esteem/Regard/Consider”—hgeomai—1) To lead; 2) To consider, deem, account, think. Hgeomai & nomizw denote a belief resting not on one's inner feeling or sentiment, but on the due consideration of external grounds, & the weighing & comparing of facts. Hgeomai denotes a more deliberate & careful judgment than nomizw. Strong—To lead, i.e. Command(with official authority); figuratively--To deem, i.e. Consider.

“Better/More important”—uperecw—1) To have or hold over one; 2) To stand out, rise above, overtop—2a) To be above, be superior in rank, authority, power—2a1) The prominent men, rulers, 2b) To excel, to be superior, better than, to surpass. Strong— To hold oneself above, i.e. figuratively--To excel; participle(as adjective, or neuter as noun) Superior, superiority. Used 5X.

:4—“Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.”

Likewise, with a lack of selfish ambition etc.(:3), the Christian individual, & thereby its corporate manifestations,will be colored by a concern for maintaining “the interests of others.”

Obviously one must also “look out for” one’s “own interests,” lest anyone think the Christian life is built completely around the petty satisfactions of the lost & his world.

“Look out for”—skopew—1) To look at, observe, contemplate; 2) To mark; 3) To fix one's eyes upon, direct one's attention to, any one; 4) To look to, take heed to thyself. Skopew is more pointed than blepw, often meaning “to scrutinize, observe.” When the physical sense recedes, “to fix one's (mind's) eye on, direct one's attention to” a thing in order to get it, or owing to interest in it, or a duty towards it. Hence often the same as "to aim at, care for etc." Strong—To take aim at(spy), i.e. figuratively-Regard. Used 6X.