How To Enjoy Your Christmas Dinner

“How To Enjoy Your Christmas Dinner”

Phil 2:1-11

Subject: What does Christ’s incarnation and sacrificial life teach us about relationships?

Complement: ... humility - to put others before self.

Exe idea: as Jesus came and died for us we also must die for others.

Preaching idea: To Enjoy your Christmas dinner take a healthy helping of humility.”

Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2 then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. 3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4 not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. 5 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: (NIV) Who, being in very nature[a] God,

did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;

7 rather, he made himself nothing

by taking the very nature of a servant,

being made in human likeness.

8 And being found in appearance as a man,

he humbled himself

by becoming obedient to death—

even death on a cross!

9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place

and gave him the name that is above every name,

10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,

in heaven and on earth and under the earth,

11 and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord,

to the glory of God the Father.

Introduction:

Christmas and the meaning of life – relationships matter more than things! Gift buying and shopping seem expected this time of year – consumerism and materialism rule without any shame or limitation

Black Friday this week... the sales are on... the flyers are being studied like sacred scripture. Price matching is an art form!

I was at Canadian Tire this week just walking past a display of cordless drills... I merely slowed down to look – and a guy comes over to tell me in a quiet voice ... “the same drill is cheaper at Home Depot.”

Now, Lets look ahead to Christmas dinner... the turkey is in the oven... food is plentiful... now the only thing left to decide is...

Where will I sit?

Who will I talk to?

Who will I avoid?

What if the conversation gets awkward or tense???

• Stressed out about who’s coming to dinner?

o Social anxiety

o What to wear!

• You want to on your best behaviour!

• People matter more than things...

Context in Philippi; friction? See 4:2 I plead with Euodia and Syntyche... “be of the same mind” – they worked with Paul!

• “in competition for status!”

• Could likely be founding members of the church

• Clement...co-workers

• So lets look forward a few weeks... whose coming to Christmas dinner? ... maybe some people you would rather not see!

• You want to be polite – but you also want to avoid certain people.

• What to do?

How to handle yourself?

1. Enjoy your dinner --- Sit At The Same Table(!) ...

...Get Along: v. 2

Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion,(theology) 2 then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. (application)

This is written to a church...

Does it work for Christmas dinner?

Here we have gospel followed by gospel implications!

Find your “same’s” – not your different

• Same mind – find common ground

• Same Love

• Same mind

• More in common than not

• Human!

• Image-bearer

• Citizenship

• Broken/scarred

• Hurt people will hurt people ? “help hurting people”!!!

There are no ordinary people – everyone is a masterpiece – made in the image of God – and someone for whom Jesus died.

2. Enjoy Your Dinner – Take A Healthy Helping Of Humility Is Calorie Free! V. 3

3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves,

• We have to fight against – by God’s grace – the innate tendency to “SELF”

Example ? dinner talk... table talk....

(“repeat after me ... “I could be wrong...” )

– did that hurt?

“in humility value others above yourselves” v. 3

You before me - self-service! Or sacrifice/

/manage selfish tendencies

Selfish ambition is... looking out for me and mine (reputation/image)

3. Enjoy your dinner - You First...then, Pass The Potatoes, please; v. 4.

"not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others."