A Mind that Matters
Philippians 2:5-11
5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:
6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:
7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:
8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.
9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:
10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;
11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Introduction: Philippians is what we refer to as a prison epistle due to the fact that the Apostle Paul was in prison with his partner in ministry, Silas. It was a time of increasing persecution for Paul and for Christians in general. There was a storm brewing and believers were facing the antagonism of the Jewish religious leaders and the might of Imperial Rome was falling on them. Paul writes this letter to prepare them for this approaching storm. Remember, Paul was in prison for being a Christ follower, a person who was willing to share his faith and who was seeking to glorify God by living a godly separated Christian life. His point is that they would experience many of the same things and that they should be prepared. We will start our examination of this text at verse 5:
I. His Admonition
a. Christ mindedness should be the goal of every believer.
b. Christ mindedness is also the point of conflict for every believer.
ILLUSTRATION… Discipleship Journal, 11-12/92
A recent survey of Discipleship Journal readers ranked areas of greatest spiritual challenge to them:
1. Materialism
2. Pride
3. Self-centeredness
4. Laziness
5. (Tie) Anger/Bitterness
5. (Tie) Sexual lust
6. Envy
7. Gluttony
8. Lying
Survey respondents noted temptations were more potent when…they had neglected their time with God (81 percent) and when they were physically tired (57 percent).
Resisting temptation was accomplished by prayer (84 percent), avoiding compromising situations (76 percent), Bible study (66 percent), and being accountable to someone (52 percent).
c. Christ mindedness is critical for all believers who are serious about their faith and want to experience victory.
II. His Analysis
He uses the Lord’s example to teach us how to have Christ mindedness. The Lord “emptied” Himself…
a. Humble mindedness
ULTIMATE LOVE, COMPLETE HUMILITY
Only one act of pure love, unsullied by any taint of ulterior motive, has ever been performed in the history of the world, namely the self-giving of God in Christ on the cross for undeserving sinners. That is why, if we are looking for a definition of love, we should look not in a dictionary, but at Calvary.
SOURCE: John Stott, The Cross of Christ. Intervarsity Press: December, 1986.
b. A servant mindedness (bond slave)
F. B. Meyer once said, “I used to think that God’s gifts were on shelves one above the other; and that the taller we grew in Christian character, the easier we could reach them. I now find that God’s gifts are on shelves one beneath the other. It is not a question of growing taller but of stooping lower; that we have to go down, always down, to get His best gifts.”
c. A commitment to obedience to the
death.
The self life is giving up everything for one thing but the Christ minded give up the one thing to have everything.
III. His Acknowledgement
a. Christ’s sacrifice of Himself brought victory
b. Christ’s service to others brought Him unspeakable joy and full of glory.
c. Christ’s obedience to the Father’s will brought salvation to the entire world.
The selfless love to which God calls you and me produces a deep joy in our hearts. This joy or happiness of the Spirit has three dimensions.
Joy is the assurance of faith that we are acceptable to God and that God’s good providences are working on our behalf. This joy is an inner calm produced by confidence in God. It is untouched by outward circumstances and is not diminished by pain and sorrow.
Sometimes this joy gives us a sense of satisfaction and comfort.
The highest level of joy is a kind of ecstasy or overflowing happiness. There is no way of describing this – no more than we can say what it is like to be in love. It is simply a graced moment, and may only last a short time. We are cautioned by spiritual leaders not to seek this experience. God gives it when it pleases Him – it is always a by-product of faith.
Jerry Mercer from God’s Treasury of Virtues: An Inspirational Collection of Stories, Quotes, Hymns, Scriptures and Poems (Tulsa, Oklahoma: Honor Books, 1995), 82.
Scriptures: Philippians 2:1-13
Conclusion: What is your hearts desire this morning?
MY DESIRE, TO BE LIKE JESUS;
MY DESIRE, TO BE LIKE HIM.
HIS SPIRIT FILL ME,
HIS LOVE O’ERWHELM ME,
IN DEED AND WORD,
TO BE LIKE HIM.”
--Lillian Plankenhorn, 1946
Is that your heart’s prayer? How can one ever be like Jesus? The secret to being Christ mindedness! We must fill our minds with God’s Word. We must fully surrender to God’s will and commit ourselves to walking as He walked.
“A Path We Feared to See!” Philippians 2:5-11 Key verse(s): 8:“‘And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death--even the death of the cross.”
We love so many things in this life! Yet, there is one thing so worth loving that is seldom afforded even the smallest of tender emotions; it is our will to obey. From an early time in our lives forward, obedience comes at a high price and is most often accompanied by only a grudging will to comply. Whereas we love to comply when our will and that of our overseer or parent are one, when the gap grows and differences occur, obedience because a manacle and not the blessing that God intended it to be.
Obey! That’s one word we just don’t like dealing with. It conjures up all kinds of subservient images. In a society where independence, self-determination and equality are held in such high esteem, how can something like obedience even rate a sigh? What it comes down to is this: we have a will and it is going in this direction. If your will matches up, fine! If it doesn’t, see you later.
I ran across a poem entitled Obedience by George MacDonald many years ago that was so moving I kept copy of it. I’ve folded and placed it in my Bible so that I would be inclined to pull it out and read it when life and my own willful desires become become overpowering.
I said, “Let me walk in the fields.”
He said, “No, walk in the town.”
I said, “I shall miss the light
“And friends will miss me, they say.”
He answered: “Choose ye tonight
“If I am to miss you, or they.”
He pleaded for time to be given.
He said, “Is it hard to decide?
“It will not seem hard in heaven
“To have followed the steps of your Guide.”
I cast one look at the fields,
Then set my face to the town.
He said, “My child, do you yield?
Will you leave the flowers for the crown?”
Then into His hand went mine,
And into my heart came He;
And I walk in a light divine
The path I had feared to see.
When we take the time to stop and reflect on the paths that we “had feared to see”, it would be good to remember the One whose obedience was perfect. Even He, whose will was more perfect than any man who ever lived, subjected Himself to the will of His Father in Heaven. He who humbled Himself despite the fact that He bore no sin and rightfully should have placed Himself above all creation, submitted to the will of One still greater. When we consider His willingness, His devotion to finishing the work even thought that work was painful and the path was fearful, our hearts ought to be filled with a joy unending. His obedience merited that the very gates of heaven be opened to you and I, disobedient and undeserving as we are. In the face of such love there can be no other response from us other than obedience even to that same fearful path should that be our lot in this life. God calls you and I to obedience and holds us to that path just as He held His own Son to it. Becoming even the servant of all that is in this world should not dull the luster of such a love. For each day, you and I can behold something quite unspeakable: the unbounded love of God for His Son is that same love He has granted to us. A gift so unspeakable ought be a gift compelling enough to overcome any fear we might have.
Scriptures: Philippians 2:5-11
