Go! And Have the Mind of Christ
Philippians 2:5b–7 (NLT): “Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form…”
Introduction: The Mindset That Changes Everything
There are moments in life when we catch a glimpse of selflessness that stops us in our tracks. Perhaps you’ve seen a nurse staying long after her shift ends to comfort a dying patient, or a father working two jobs to provide for his children, or a missionary who gives up comfort and family to serve among the unreached. In those moments, we see something beautiful — a reflection of the heart of Jesus Christ.
The Apostle Paul, writing to the Philippian believers, gives us a glimpse of something infinitely greater than human sacrifice — the self-emptying love of God Himself. This passage is one of the most profound in all of Scripture, revealing the humility of the Son of God who became man for our salvation.
Paul’s exhortation is simple but life-changing: “You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.” (Philippians 2:5 NLT). The Greek word for “attitude” is phroneo, meaning to think, to set one’s mind, to have a disposition. Paul is calling believers to pattern their inner mindset after Christ — not merely to admire Him, but to imitate Him.
This is the message of today’s sermon: Go! And have the mind of Christ.
1. The Humility of the Eternal Son
Philippians 2:6 (NLT): “Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to.”
Before Bethlehem’s manger, before the cross of Calvary, before the foundation of the world — Jesus was God. The Greek word Paul uses is morphe theou — meaning the very nature, essence, and form of God. This is not a mere appearance; it means Jesus possessed all the attributes of deity — eternity, omnipotence, glory, and holiness.
Yet, astonishingly, Paul says Jesus “did not think of equality with God as something to cling to.” The Greek verb harpagmon implies something to be grasped or exploited for personal gain. In other words, Jesus did not cling to His divine privileges for His own advantage. He let go — not of His divinity, but of His rights.
As Charles Stanley once said, “True humility is not thinking less of yourself; it is thinking of yourself less.”
And that’s exactly what Jesus did. He didn’t cease to be God; He chose to live as a man dependent on the Father, obedient to the Spirit, and surrendered to the Father’s will.
John 1:1, John 1:14 (NLT):
“In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God…
So the Word became human and made his home among us.”
The eternal Word — God Himself — became flesh. This is the miracle of the Incarnation. Theologians call this the kenosis — from the Greek word kenoo, meaning to empty oneself. Christ did not empty Himself of His deity, but of the independent use of His divine powers. He chose to be limited by humanity so that He could redeem humanity.
In a world obsessed with status, self-promotion, and influence, Jesus calls us to the opposite mindset. To have the mind of Christ means releasing our grip on personal rights, comfort, and ambition, so that the glory of God may be revealed through our obedience.
Tim Keller once said, “The essence of gospel-humility is not thinking more of myself or less of myself, it is thinking of myself less.”
Let that sink in — to have the mind of Christ is to have a heart that serves rather than seeks to be served.
2. The Servanthood of the Saviour
Philippians 2:7 (NLT): “Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being.”
Here we see the depth of Christ’s humility — the King became a servant. The Greek word for slave is doulos, meaning one who has no rights of his own. Jesus took the lowest position — the position of submission, obedience, and service.
Mark 10:45 (NLT): “For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
This verse reveals the heart of God’s mission. The infinite Creator humbled Himself to wash the feet of His creation. Jesus did not come demanding honour — He came bringing grace. He did not wear a crown of gold but bore a crown of thorns.
John Piper wrote, “The essence of greatness is not rising up in power, but bending down in love.”
And that’s what our Saviour did — He bent down into our world, our sin, our brokenness, and He lifted us up.
There’s a famous story about a missionary doctor in Africa. When leprosy patients arrived, no one would touch them — their bodies were disfigured and their wounds oozed. But the doctor would kneel, wash their sores, and dress their wounds. One day, a visitor said, “I wouldn’t do that for a million pounds.” The doctor smiled and said, “Neither would I — but I would do it for Jesus.”
That’s the heart of Christ — and it’s the heart He wants to form in us.
3. The Obedience That Led to the Cross
Though not in our key verses, verse 8 completes the picture:
Philippians 2:8 (NLT): “He humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross.”
The humility of Jesus led to the horror of Calvary — and the greatest victory in human history.
Isaiah 53:5 (NLT): “But he was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins. He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be healed.”
Every lash, every nail, every drop of blood was an act of obedience and love. The righteous One died for the unrighteous so that sinners like us could be reconciled to God.
The Gospel Message:
The Son of God came down from heaven, lived the perfect life we could never live, died the death we deserved to die, and rose again to give us the eternal life we could never earn. That is grace.
The call of the Gospel is this: Repent and believe. Turn from sin, and trust in the One who emptied Himself for you.
As Max Lucado wrote, “The maker of the stars would rather die for you than live without you.” That’s the Gospel — divine humility motivated by divine love.
4. The Exaltation of the Humble
Philippians 2:9–11 (NLT): “Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honour and gave him the name above all other names, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow… and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord.”
Humility led to exaltation. The cross led to the crown. The suffering led to glory.
This is God’s pattern — not only for Jesus but for us. The way up is down. The path to glory is the path of humility.
R.T. Kendall once said, “The anointing that costs nothing accomplishes nothing.”
Jesus paid the ultimate cost — and now He reigns forever.
Believer, when you choose humility — when you forgive, serve, and obey — you are walking the same path your Saviour walked. God honours humility. He lifts up those who lay down their pride.
5. The Call: Go! And Have the Mind of Christ
This is not just theology to admire — it is a lifestyle to adopt.
To have the mind of Christ means:
To surrender our will to the Father’s.
To serve others with joy.
To sacrifice for the sake of love.
In 1987, when a Northwest Airlines flight crashed after take-off, a rescuer found a four-year-old girl alive under her mother’s body. The mother had unbuckled herself and thrown her arms around her child to shield her from the impact. That mother gave her life so her daughter could live.
That’s what Jesus did — only infinitely more so. He didn’t just shield us from death — He took our death upon Himself.
Invitation to Salvation:
If you’ve never surrendered to Jesus, the invitation is clear: Come. Repent. Believe.
You cannot have the mind of Christ without first having the Spirit of Christ within you. Jesus humbled Himself to save you — will you humble yourself to receive Him?
Romans 10:9 (NLT) says, “If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”
This is not religion; this is relationship. This is the God who stooped low so that you could be lifted up.
Conclusion & Benediction:
As followers of Christ, we are called to reflect His humility in our homes, our workplaces, and our communities. In a proud world, be a humble witness. In a selfish age, be a servant. In a dark world, shine His light.
Go! And have the mind of Christ.
“Now may the same mind that was in Christ Jesus dwell richly in you.
May His humility shape your heart,
His love guide your actions,
and His Spirit empower your witness —
until the day every knee bows and every tongue confesses
that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Amen.”
