CHRISTMAS: With The MIND Of CHRIST-I—
—Philippians 2:1[part-1--2:1a of 2:1-4](2:1-18)
Attention:
When I was a little guy, I never thought much about Christmas being associated with anything other than receiving presents. I was raised in the church, but wasn’t saved.
And every year near Christmas, church family, friends, bridge-Club members, my Daddy’s professional acquaintances(dental), etc. would drop by[Jack & Brite, the Peelers, the Browns, & others] to say hello & exchange small gifts.
Every Christmas season our home would be the location for the ‘Family Christmas Party.’ Nanny & Bean[my maternal grandparents] from High Point, NC, would come. Aint Neeome & uncle Dump[a maternal aunt & uncle] from Winston-Salem would come with our cousin Debbie. Peg & Wolfe[another maternal aunt & uncle] from Atlanta, would come with my cousins Jo & Patty. Uncle Paul & aunt Sarah would come with our cousins Phil, Judy, Jan, & Susie. And even though we weren’t as close to Daddy’s side of the family, every ‘once-in-a-blue-moon’ from the East Flat Rock/Hendersonville, NC area, my aunts Doris & Eunice would come.
We would always have finger foods set up buffet style. And a fire would always be burning in the fire-place.
At some point in the Christmas party, we would have a time where everyone would be seated around the perimeter of the room, & would exchange gifts.
The grandparents always got very nice gifts, because the adult children would pool their money together & supply them.
But most of the gifts exchanged among the men were ‘gag gifts’, whereas the ladies seemed to be a tad more thoughtful with theirs. I always got socks, which, as a kid, I hated!
I remember always hearing laughter. And I fondly remember those gatherings!....
...*Now it’s entirely possible that I don’t remember one particular aspect of our gatherings...All I remember are joyous celebrations between good friends & family. There was no booze, or drug use, or thievery to spoil our gatherings.
But I DON’T remember any part of those friendships & family gatherings being SPECIFICALLY Christ oriented.
Yet, it’s very probable that there was an atmosphere of Christian closeness, care, & love, that drove all the joy I remember.
The Family Christmas Parties were genuine celebrations of & for family, but they were ‘not necessarily/ celebrations of the birth of Jesus, our Savior & Lord!
Need:
The apostle Paul counseled the Philippian church to minister empowered with the mind of Christ Jesus.
God’s people are to minister with the mind of Christ Jesus.
How do God’s people minister with the mind of Christ Jesus?
5 characteristics of (Christmas)ministry with the mind of Christ Jesus.
1—Christmas with the mind of Christ...
LOVES As JESUS LOVES(:1-4)
Explanation:(:1-4) ‘Agape’ love
:1—“Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection & mercy,”
Among those who belong to Christ(God’s people), there is to be a characteristic presence of “Consolation”, “Comfort”, “Fellowship”, “Affection” & “Mercy.”
•Those virtues are expressions of the mind & attitude of Christ Jesus Himself!...
•And so, those virtues that are sourced in & flow from Christ, are to be accepted & ‘received’ by God’s people. Those same Christian virtues that offer “consolation in Christ”, are to also characterize all true Christians!
God’s people individually(the saved), & in their gathering together as ‘the body of Christ’, must also possess & exhibit the mind &/or attitude of Christ(:5-8)!
1Cor. 12:12, 27—“For as the body is one & has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ.”..... “Now you are the body of Christ, & members individually.”
*•Those virtues are all applicable to & should characterize the living & lifestyle of God’s people.
•And so, Christian virtues....those virtues that arise from the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, become readily/strictly attributed to & associated with God’s people, making it obvious that God’s people belong to & serve Christ Jesus!
•The lifestyles of Christians exhibit these virtues because they are inwardly resident! The virtues of Christ are expressed toward ALL people, both lost & saved!
•Such Christian virtues are to be lived out in a way that gives GOD glory.
•To do otherwise, is to dishonor the expression of God’s love overall. These virtues are a defining part of what it means to have a ‘Christian’ attitude.
:1a—“Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ,...”
•Thru these shared virtues that characterize the committed Christian(God’s people), the “consolation in Christ” that is their’s is strengthened.
•And so, a lifestyle lived by “consolation in Christ” CANNOT be kept from being shared!
•A life lived with the “consolation of Christ”, in some way, shape, or form is ‘CAUGHT’ by the lost, so that they too might put their trust in Jesus, the One thru whom His people receive such compelling “consolation” or ‘drawing near’ Jesus Christ!
“Consolation/Encouragement”—paraklhsiv—Noun Fem. - Nominative Sing. Fem.—1) A calling near, summons, (especially for help); 2) Importation, supplication, entreaty; 3) Exhortation, admonition, encouragement; 4) Consolation, comfort, solace; that which affords comfort or refreshment—4a) Thus of the Messianic salvation(so the Rabbis call the Messiah the consoler, the comforter); 5) Persuasive discourse, stirring address—5a) Instructive, admonitory, conciliatory, powerful hortatory discourse. Strong—Imploration, hortation, solace. Used 29X.?From—para—From, of at, by, besides, near. Strong—properly--Near, i.e. From beside; At(or in) the vicinity of; To the proximity with; Beyond or opposed to; On account of.—&—kalew—To “call”(properly, aloud, but used in a variety of applications, directly or otherwise).
*None of God’s people can experience any ACTUAL “Consolation” or “encouragement in Christ”, & offer it to others, UNLESS it comes from God’s truth...God’s reality, that already exists within them!
Illustration:
Just prior to my being saved by the grace of God thru my faith in Christ...
In my lost state, I wrestled with trying to understanding how I could possibly love our first child(who was soon due) as much as I loved my wife. I wondered & I really couldn’t grasp, how that could be possible, & it frightened me.
However, AFTER our first child, our daughter, was born I immediately discovered that I my fears had all been unfounded, for naught, & unwarranted! Such love was very different than I imagined, & it was totally freeing!
*No one is able to comprehend the love of God has for them, & to extend His love to others across fleshly drawn lines that are: national, racial, spiritual, language limited, geographical, familial, economic, social, cultural, etc....UNLESS he or she accepts Jesus as their Savior & Lord! ONLY THEN can a person, a Christian, God’s people, LOVE in the fullness that God designed & intended for all people to love!
*LOVE As JESUS LOVES!
Application:
?Do YOU, celebrate Christmas with the mind of Christ, by LOVING As JESUS LOVES?
?Are YOU celebrating Christmas with the mind of Christ?
CONCLUSION:
Visualization:
Recall my family Christmas celebrations....
....Yes, they were genuine celebrations of & for family, but not necessarily celebrations of the birth of Jesus, our Savior & Lord!
Action:
Christmas: with the mind of Christ...
1-A. LOVES As JESUS LOVES(:1-4)[part-1--2:1a]
Pnt# 1-A--2:1-4[part-1--2:1a] presented 12/21/2025am(Christmas week Sunday) to:
Salem Baptist Church
1618 Salem Rd.
Bennettsville, SC 29512
