Philippians 2:5-11
“Be Contagious: with your attitude”
In the person of Jesus we have who we should be.
Sunday Morning Sermon
05.06.07
Intro: (Start with Title and Text)
Let me ask you a question this morning – how many of you in the last two weeks have been sick? My problems started about two weeks ago, and slowly gotten better – but I’ve been coughing and congested, everything I eat tastes the same. This sickness stuff is contagious – Amanda got it shortly after I did, same problems – congestion, coughing. Who knows where we got it from? Listen, church, just as a sickness is passed from person to person, so our attitudes can be contagious. If you are doing something, taking a test, playing a sport, asking someone on a date – and you don’t think you will succeed – the truth is – you probably won’t. If you look at every obstacle or every trial in your life as a great mountain that you are neither qualified nor ready to climb – chances are you will pack up the gear and go home.
If those things are true – than the opposite is true as well – if I look at the obstacles, and trials in my life as another chance for God to prove his presence – chances are he will be with me.
If you remember your bible history this morning – think back to Joshua – he’s suppose to take over for Moses – because Moses is dead, and Joshua’s it. He’s the leader. The Bible never says he was scared but I doubt God would have wasted his time telling him to be strong and courageous if the guy had it all figured out. His attitude would determine and feed those around him, and would dictate how God could use them. We know that God did use the leadership of Joshua, and did great things through the Israelites.
Discussion:
So let me ask you this – if your attitude about church, about God, Christianity all things that have to do with God – were contagious, would it be worth catching?
God blesses every church with a unique personality. The church in Piggott, where we were for 3 years had a very unique personality. There was this lady named Doris – Doris and I share the same birth date – although she’s in her 70’s. She’s been in church all of her life – but had this bitter attitude. She literally would sit in the back of the church and gripe to another older lady about everything – the temperature, the preacher, the preacher’s wife, the music. Doris wasn’t going anywhere – 3 services a week, she was there, special events she was there. But this other older lady that would receive the complaints slowly dropped off – she began to believe and accept those complaints as valid and truth – it affected her relationship with God. It’s unfortunate, that we – those who should take the most ownership of the church, either because of a leadership calling or because our time here – that we, do the most to run people away. We don’t even know it, but we can say things that cut the hard work of people who go beside us, in half. I wonder how many times when Doris was in the back of the church spitting out her complaints – who else heard. I wonder who made a choice not to come back. Her attitude, unfortunately was highly contagious – but not worth catching.
So let me ask you – if your attitude were contagious --- would it be worth catching?
Paul tells us a little about attitude – a church he started, a church he loved, they were having problems with unity. He tells them that the solution isn’t more fellowship or more times to come together – his solution is a change of their attitude. Changing their attitudes so that it matches that of Jesus. Changing their attitudes would not only solve their unity problems, but would also prepare them for growth. Church, I’m suggesting that we do the same – that we take our attitudes – good or bad, encouraged or discouraged, motivated or unmotivated, and we mould them to be more like that of Jesus. So that if your preacher asked you – about your attitude – you could say that it was worth catching.
Turn with me to Philippians 2:5-11 (Read) (Advance)
I see three things about the attitude of Christ:
(Advance)
I. He gave up what he had full rights to
Let me give you some history here – most of the commentaries agree that that this is a hymn – His objective is not to give instruction in doctrine, but to reinforce instruction in Christian living. He does this by looking at the life of Christ.
a. Jesus was in the very nature of God – a better way of saying that is “In the form of God”
This is the John 1:1-2 – Jesus – Remember, (Advance) 1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning.
i. Jesus is that word – Logos
ii. He was not one of many – but the only one
1. And given for a purpose (Advance)
John 3:16 – "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
iii. Jesus was around before he was human
He was in the form of God – No one has seen God, so I can’t understand what this means – I know that I couldn’t take the form of God and neither could you – Jesus apparently before his birth and after the resurrection had the ability to be in the form of something – (Advance) Mark 16:12 – Afterward Jesus appeared in a different form to two of them while they were walking in the country.
Can you imagine taking on the form of God? Having all those powers – it seems like this would be something that would fill a person up – but just the opposite was true with Jesus.
b. He was lowered
Jesus emptied himself – he made himself nothing. This is the same as Isaiah –
(Advance)
Isaiah 53:12 – Therefore I will give him a portion among the great, and he will divide the spoils with the strong, because he poured out his life unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors. For he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.
While he could have considered being equal with God something to hold on to – he chose not to. Instead of taking on the form of a king, or royalty, instead of taking the entrance into the world that would be fit for GOD – he came in the form of a baby, and slept in a bed of hay. Instead of his birth being protected, and him having this place of honor – we know that he was rushed away, and many of the infant boys died. My question to you this morning – if your attitude were contagious, would it be worth catching?
Jesus gave up what he had full rights to
c. Taking on the very nature of a servant --
He chose servant hood. He chooses the opposite position. The exalted, the position of good standing, the position of high authority – is not the path he chose.
If our attitudes are to the be the same as that of Christ Jesus – What I’m encouraging you to do – change your attitude to be the same as that of Jesus.
d. Jesus didn’t have to serve
e. He didn’t have to do what Isaiah says – Pour himself out
f. He didn’t have to come and give himself as the sacrifice
g. He didn’t have to give himself – for what the Bible calls the ungodly – it wasn’t after we were cleaned up and all shiny that he gave himself – it did it while we were still in rebellion.
He didn’t have to do any of those things – but he did willingly because he loves you – every part of you.
Hailey, our daughter is all about Jesus, -- she loves Jesus – she brags about him loving her – and the other day we’re sitting on the bed and she proclaims that Jesus love her, Jesus loves daddy and Jesus loves mommy – we’re all good with that. She then proclaimed that Jesus loves her feet. Which is funny if you think about it, but it’s also deep with meaning – Jesus loves every part of who you are – and he demonstrated that love through the cross.
If your attitude were contagious – would it be worth catching?
Here’s the second thing about the attitude of Jesus: (Advance)
II. He was obedient
Let me remind you of our text – (Advance)
Philippians 2:8 – And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death— even death on a cross!
Let’s start with humility
a. If the church, in general, were more humble – it would captivate our world so much, that we couldn’t make enough room.
Humility is not easy – St. Thomas Aquinas, a 13th century philosopher and theologian defines humility "consists in keeping oneself within one’s own bounds, not reaching out to things above one, but submitting to one’s superior.”
In other words – humility means – you understand your limits, and you submit to authority. Humility is not a weakness, but a display of strength. It’s knowing what you could do in a situation – but holding back. Humility is the removal of the spotlight from yourself – but allowing those around you to receive glory. Humility does whatever it is, whenever it is asked, many times for nothing in exchange.
b. Saying Jesus was humble
i. Takes him to another level – you can see this through out the gospels.
He was happy with large crowds of people, he was able to teach in the boat because there was standing room only on the beach – but what kept Jesus humble was --
c. His relationship with the father
i. Often times – he would go to a solitary place and pray
ii. He would be alone and pray
Church, when was the last time you were alone – and you simply prayed? When was the last time you were with the father, and poured out your heart, not with a list of requests, but with a list of gratefulness? If humility is connected to church growth – humility starts with our relationship with the father. If our attitudes need to change and become more like Jesus – we need to start with the relationship part. Let us start here and now. Let us make the decision to do something with our lives that will be long term – and although this is not a quality that the world values – it is a quality that will make the body of Christ stand out, and be noticed for the right reason.
d. Jesus became obedient to death
i. This is foreign land for the Son of God
ii. Jesus was all about LIFE (Advance ONCE)
John 11:25
Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies;
John 14:6 – Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
Jesus is life – he’s all about living. He came so that you and I could have LIFE more abundant and free. Jesus becoming obedient to death is not something he got excited about, because it was the opposite of what he stood for, not the obedience part, but the death part.
e. It wasn’t just death
i. Death on a cross!
He was obedient to something he didn’t have to be obedient to. He gave himself to something – he didn’t have to. So that you and I could know freedom, from sin. He did what he did not have to do – for you and me, because he loves all of who we are – but is not satisfied leaving us where we are.
He died the cruelest death, was wounded because of our sin – he did this so that you and I could gather for an hour on Sunday morning – while I preach a sermon and you watch your clock – he did this, church, so that you could have a deep relationship with him.
So I ask you – if your attitude were contagious would it be worth catching?
Here’s the third thing I see this morning (Advance)
III. He was exalted
a. He’s given a high place
Notice besides starting out there in heaven, because he’s God – he doesn’t start out with the exalted place on earth.
i. The path to greatness is not a pathway up – like most corporate structures would have to believe
The path to greatness is downward – the way of suffering.
b. It’s after he has suffered – he’s exalted
c. It’s after the cross – that he’s given the crown
We live in a world of no suffering – there is a pill or a product for every kind of perceived suffering – We don’t like to suffer – so when we start to suffer, when God starts molding us and shaping us into what he wants us to be through suffering, through events in our lives – we think something’s wrong or we look for a way out.
David looked at his suffering and said that God’s promise was a sustainer in his live. I won’t even mention JOB – because we couldn’t stand in the shadow of his suffering. We look at suffering and start questioning everything about God.
d. What if we took the view that Jesus did
i. There is a bigger picture
ii. There is something bigger at stake than my own little world
We would begin to see the crown – through the cross.
Because Jesus is exalted – because he is glorified, because his name is highest – he’s giving a position and certain things are going to happen
e. We will bow – at his name
That’s right. At his name – we will bow – not just you and me – but everyone – not just those in heaven and on earth – but even under the earth.
f. The reign of Jesus is EVERYWHERE
i. It is permanent
ii. It’s not restricted by boundaries
If you and I take the gift we are given with this life. If we move forward with our purpose – if we endure in this life – if we don’t give up – We will reign with him in heaven. The crown will be a reality. (Advance)
2 Timothy 2:12 – if we endure, we will also reign with him. If we disown him, he will also disown us;
So, let me ask you – if your attitude were contagious would it be worth catching?
Conclusion:
I told you earlier – that I’ve been sick. Amanda caught my sickness. And that’s the way it goes in families – someone brings the sickness in and it spreads, usually within a week or two everything is back to normal. Hailey hasn’t caught whatever we had. What if there were a way to make yourself immune to the sickness that is a lack of unity? What if there was a way to make yourself immune to the sickness that is a lack of humility? Hailey hasn’t gotten sick, and she probably won’t because she takes the right stuff in – she eats a banana a day. We can’t eat a banana a day for spiritual food – but when we are given the chance – we can prayerfully and intentionally change our attitudes to be the same as Jesus. If you want to grow, in your personal spiritual life, if you want unity in our church – seek after the humility that Jesus lived.
Let’s Pray
