Losing Your Mind
8/6/00 (Phil. 2:5-11) RPBC p.m.
Maybe you have read this letter before, but let me share it with you.
Dear Sis,
I thought I’d take a few minutes to write this letter to you. I hope you are doing well. I think I’m losing my mind. The other day, I was standing at the bottom of the stairs in the house. When I thought about it, I was not sure whether I had come down the stairs for something or was going up to go to bed. Then, I wsa standing in front of the refrigerator. I’m not sure whether I was getting something out of it to eat or putting something back. It really got bad when I found myself standing in front of the bathtub wondering whether I was going to get my bath or if I had just finished it.
Well, anyway, I am standing at the mailbox to mail your letter, and once again I’m mixed up. I’m not sure if I came to look the mail or mail your letter?
Signed,
Your Sis, losing my mind
I don’t know about you, but I can identify with this dear sister. Sometimes I too feel like I’m losing it.
I want to speak to you tonight on that subject, “Losing Your Mind.” Now, some people think that you have lost your mind by virtue of the fact that you are a Christian. They cannot believe that you go to church as much as you do. They cannot believe that you enjoy going to church. They cannot believe that you could give a tenth or more of your income to your local church when you could use it for a new car, or a nice vacation, or something you deserve to have. As a matter of fact, quite frankly, they think you have lost your mind, and maybe you have.
You see, in a spiritual sense, to be the kind of Christian that God wants you to be it is necessary for you to lose your mind. Paul issued the command to the Philippians that they were to take on the mind of Christ. It is impossible for us to have the mind of Christ while having minds that are filled with other things.
BI - TO BE THE KIND OF CHRISTIAN GOD WANTS YOU TO BE YOU MUST BE WILLING TO GIVE UP YOUR ATTITUDES, ASPIRATIONS AND ACTIONS SO THAT CHRIST’S ATTITUDE AND ACTIONS BECOME YOURS.”
I. THE COMMAND - (5)
Php 2:5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:
This is not a suggestion. It is in the imperative form. It means, just do it. You and I are expected to develop the attitude and actions that Jesus had. By virtue of the word, Christian, meaning “like Christ,” we are to be like Christ. To be called a Christian and act or live some other way is contrary to the definition of the word Christian.
Letting the mind of Christ be in us means that we are to think as Christ would think, resulting in behavior typical of Christ. If we have the mind of Christ we are not going to act different than Christ would act.
That’s the command. Lose your mind and take on the mind of Christ. Think like Christ would think so you will do what Christ would do. Please notice secondly:
II. THE CATALOG - (6-11)
If we are commanded to take on the attitudes and actions of Christ, then how are we to act? What things should be commonplace in our lives so that we might possess the mind of Christ? Paul mentions some of them here. There is a catalog items that Paul shares with us to help us here. The mind or thinking of Christ would that of:
A. SELFLESSNESS - (6, 7)
Php 2:6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:
Let no one doubt that Jesus was God. He was co-equal with the Father. How many times in the Bible are we told that Jesus was divine?
Joh 10:30 I and my Father are one.
Joh 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
Joh 1:14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
Php 2:7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:
This is an interesting verse. Literally, it says that Christ “emptied Himself.” This describes the action of Christ. Be careful here. Some say that Christ emptied Himself of His deity when He came earthward. But He did not. He emptied Himself of His divine privileges, but not of His divinity. He imposed upon Himself limitations so He could identify with mankind. He was then and always will be 100% God. He was then and always will be 100% man. He is the God-man!
The first attitude we are to develop if we would have the mind of Christ is the attitude of selflessness. The second in Paul’s catalog is that of:
B. SUBMISSION - (8)
Php 2:8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.
Besides submitting Himself to the worst demotion in history, Christ yielded Himself to ridicule, arrest, mockery, beatings, and finally death on the cross. If you want to know how much Jesus loves you, look at the cross. He gave up His throne in Heaven to submit Himself to the most excruciating and dehumanizing form of human punishment. Why?
1. For Love -
Joh 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
2. For Loyalty -
Mt 26:39 And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.
The first attitude we are to develop if we would have the mind of Christ is the attitude of selflessness. The second attitude in Paul’s catalog is that of submission. And the third attitude is that of:
C. SACRIFICE - (8)
Php 2:8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.
- the command, the catalog, last:
II. THE CONCLUSION - (9-11)
Why should we lose our minds and take on the attitude and actions of Christ?
A. EXALTED NAME - (9)
B. EVENTUAL EVENT - (10-11)
BI - TO BE THE KIND OF CHRISTIAN GOD WANTS YOU TO BE YOU MUST BE WILLING TO GIVE UP YOUR ATTITUDES, ASPIRATIONS AND ACTIONS SO THAT CHRIST’S ATTITUDE AND ACTIONS BECOME YOUR OWN.”
