NIV Philippians 2:5 Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:
6 Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, 7 but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death-- even death on a cross!
9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Adjust your attitude with the power of Christ Jesus!
Determined to be selfless
Destined to be exalted!
Do you have a positive attitude? Everyone will say yes, but less than one in 100 actually do! One percent. Are you really in the top percentile? All you have to do is pass this simple test. Answer these questions yes or no:
· I watch the news for about one hour per day.
· I read the paper every day.
· I read a news magazine every week.
· I sometimes have a bad day, all day.
· I get angry for an hour or more.
· I look to blame others when something goes wrong.
· When something goes wrong or bad, I tell others.
· I get angry at my spouse and don’t talk for more than four hours.
· I bring and discuss problems to work from home.
· I plan for the worst.
If you gave as many as two answers of "yes," you have a positive attitude; three to six answers of "yes," you have a negative attitude; seven or more answers of "yes," you have a problem attitude. Serious problem. Most people when questioned about it will admit they have a bad attitude. Today’s entrepreneurs have found a need: attitude adjustments. Today you can adjust your attitude by subliminal tapes, motivational speakers, inspiring books and even a Chiropractor in San Antonio advertises “Attitude adjustments: Free with first visit” As far as God is concerned, Paul says that all people have a bad attitude towards him and their neighbors. But we are not all people are we? We are Christians! We have the proper attitude. We have the attitude just like Jesus: we always think of others before ourselves, we always do our job out of love for Jesus and are always willing to help a friend in need, we do nothing out of selfish ambition and pride, right? Well, if we are honest with God and ourselves, we must admit with Paul that even as Believers in Christ we still struggle with a bad attitude towards God, His Will for our life and the sinners around us. We must admit with Paul, “Our attitude should be that of Christ Jesus” but it is not. We need an attitude adjustment! To change our sinful attitudes towards God and our fellow believers and fellow sinners, we need more than a good speech, a good book or good crack to realign our spine, even though those things might make us feel good for a time. We need a powerful message that can realign our thoughts, our inner desires and our natural reactions. We need a miracle of creation. We need God’s dynamite Word; yes even the Word made Flesh: Jesus Christ. We need the example of the proper attitude as well as the power to change our attitudes. The attitude of Jesus Christ towards His Father and us sinners is no where more clearly evident then in the last week of His Life
As a child growing up, I always enjoyed Lent, especially Holy Week. Not because of the great music or the great sermons but because of the mysterious aura around thiis Jesus Christ. With each account of Holy Week there is a tension. There is a conflict between what is real and what it appears to be. Palm Sunday: The reality is the Long Promised Son of David is riding triumphantly into Jerusalem to save his people, the appearance is of a normal man riding a beast of burden. Or take the Garden of Gethsemene, what a mystery there. The reality is the Son of God is battling against the disgusting sins of the world covering him head to toe and now he must take into his body the filth of the ages, the appearance is of a weak man praying to get out of the situation he’s in, but to no avail he is arrested tried, falsely convicted and executed. The Key that Paul points us to use in unlocking the secret of Jesus Christ’s suffering and death is found in Jesus’ attitude as true God and true Man.
The teaching of Jesus true divinity is sure. In John 8 :58 Jesus says, “before Abraham was, I am.” In john 17:5 Jesus asserts that he had glory with the Father before the foundation of the World. And in 1 Cor 10:1-5 Paul states that Christ was the One who led the children of Israel through the wilderness. John clearly states that the Word became flesh… and the Word was in the beginning.” “In Christ dwells the whole fullness of the Godhead in bodily form.”
You know those facts. You know those verses of God’s Revelation of truth. What is the point of learning, memorizing and yes even fighting for the fullness of the Godhead in bodily form? Ahhhh.. what great comfort comes from this one clear doctrine of the Divine nature in Jesus Christ.
The Word became flesh, through whom all things were made. The apostle Paul backs up John’s statement of Christ being an integral part of creation, in “NIV Colossians 1:17 He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18 And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy.
The Son of God through whom all mankind was created, and through whom all creation stays together and runs, was sent by the Father to restore what he originally created. Do you think it is an easy thing to put people back to the original state of righteousness they were created in? Do you think it is a simple thing to put the proper attitude of love and trust back into a world of sinners that are dead in their hatred and fear of their creator? We can’t even begin to imagine what the relationship between animals was like before the fall, let alone the glorious relationship between God and His dearly loved crown of creation; Adam & Eve. Sin totally obliterated the proper attitude God wanted for mankind’s relationship with him and with each other. God could and should have obliterated Adam & Eve for their blatant disregard for Him and start over from scratch. But in order that God might not destroy those whom he had made, he donned the body of a servant that He might re-create a perfect man with a perfect attitude towards him and other people, first in His flesh then in our flesh. There is no doubt as to the Will of God. That’s what he wanted. That’s why he took the form and appearance of servant in human flesh. That’s why the Divine Son of God rode into Jerusalem on a donkey, was in agony in the garden of Gethsemane. That’s why the Glorious, immortal Son of God emptied himself in order to die. His attitude was one of selfless determination to due whatever it would take to re-create his people to have the perfect relationship, the perfect attitudes of love and trust again. Jesus Christ the Son of God marched from the manger in Bethlehem to the cross of Golgotha emptying himself of all his Divine right s and powers so that we would be re-created. What a great comfort it is for me to know that the True Son of God, through whom God created the world, was determined to re-create me with the perfect attitude of love and trust. I found that Paul uses this fact to encourage the believers in two more areas of the world in Corinth and Galatia, NIV 2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! NIV Galatians 6:15 Neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything; what counts is a new creation.
In trying to digest and commit to my memory and my heart the great work of love, the Son of God did for me, I am reminded of the times in my life when I was so determined to obtain something that I would do just about anything to get it. There are days in my life, when I would do just about anything to love my wife. There are times in my life when I am determined to do anything to love my children and keep them happy. There are times in my life when I am determined to serve Christ’s Kingdom, spreading the Gospel to all I know. No matter what I must go through there are times that I will put up with and endure disgusting and shameful acts.
Have you ever used a plunger to unclog a stinking, filthy toilet that is overflowing with refuse? At first you approach the toilet warily, maybe hoping that magically it will all go down the drain, but it doesn’t. So you slowly place the plunger into the toilet so as not to spill any of the contents. And you gently push the plunger into the toilet, you know that this will not work. After a few minutes, you find yourself frantically plunging the toilet as you and the bathroom are covered in filth. Now you are determined. You get down and dirty almost face to face with toilet frantically plunging with all your might to accomplish your task. You simply set your mind on the goal, no matter how disgusting it may be or smell. Is that not what our Savior did for us? Did he not set aside his beautiful heaven, his glorious appearance and ultimate authority in order to clean out humanities filthy sins. Did he not get down and dirty to rescue us? Did he not put on human flesh and become the curse for us? And all along why was he doing it? Was it for the money? The glory? The honor? No it was for the salvation of our souls. He was determined to save you and nothing would stop him, not the birthing process, not acne, not the flu, not pain, not suffering, not ridicule and not death. He emptied himself of all his God power, authority and rights that he might die for you a cross death.
A cross death was reserved for the worst offenders in order to put them on display as an outcast, someone who was a non-citizen, a nuisance to society in general. “The punishment that brought us peace was upon him.” He became the curse for us. God made him who had no sin to be sin for us. We are used to the filth of our sins. We live in the garbage of this world, breathing it, eating it, playing in it every day. We see sin and many times it’ doesn’t even make us blink an eye. But remember who this is, this is the Son of God the Word made Flesh, who had no sin. The revolting nature of sin to God’s holiness is like water and oil. They don’t mix. Jesus Christ, true God, got down and dirty to save us by becoming the curse for us, even the curse of the cross. What a change in attitude this truth creates in us. Can we go on sinning any longer? Can we continue to live selfishly, when we see what Christ the immortal God, did for us? Let us look to the author and perfecter of faith and put away our attitudes of selfishness, and be determined to serve our Creator and Re-Creator in love and thanks. The events of Holy Week are a glorious picture of Jesus Christ’s determination to be our sacrificial lamb; our curse. He is both Our God and Our Lamb! He is our motivation and our example. Praise be to the attitude of our Christ, determined to be selfless and determined to be sacrificed.
Part 2. Destined to be exalted
How could Jesus be so determined to be selfless and do whatever it took to save us? He knew he was destined to be exalted and so would we. Jesus Christ took on a real human body, flesh and bones. He ate and drank, he grew tired, he felt pain and sadness, he felt loneliness and betrayal. He felt in his heart and in his soul the pain and isolation of sin. He felt the anger and wrath as God turned His back on him on the cross. Jesus did it all willingly. He didn’t complain once. He didn’t shout, “No Fair.” He quietly obeyed His Father’s Will, even becoming obedient to death. He scorned the cross and its shame. He forgave his executioners. He wanted to be the victim of sin. He designed it, he planned and he accomplished it. He wanted to be just like us in every way except without sin. NIV John 10:18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I have received from my Father.” He was just like us in our bodies, blood, bone and skin, but he had the perfect attitude towards his Father: willing obedience.
Because of his humble and willing obedience to his Father’s Will, he was exalted. After his death, “he descended into hell in glory, third day he rose gain from the dead he ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God the father almighty from there he will come to judge the living and the dead.”
The obvious question is what does the exaltation of Christ, have to do with our attitude? We didn’t give up our life for the world? We didn’t obey God the Father perfectly? No matter how much we try we will never gain the right to be resurrected from the dead, let alone taken up into heaven and seated on a throne. My attitude won’t even get me into the waiting area of God’s throne room. We simply as natural born sinners have a bad attitude when it comes to obedience to God and His ideas for life.
NIV 1 Corinthians 15:57 But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 58 Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.
Through Christ we have pleased God. Through Christ we have earned a resurrection of our own. Through Christ, we have earned a place in God’s Throne room. Once we were not the people of God. Once we were foreigners and aliens to God’s people, under God’s curse, NIV Ephesians 2:13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ.
Is it that big a deal that who is in very nature God, sits on God’s throne? And that he who is called the Son of God should be placed next to the Father in judging the universe? No of course not, that’s where the Son of God should be. But what is so amazing and stupendous to me is that a Jesus Christ, with flesh and bones, now sits at God’s right hand and is waiting to judge the world. Do you know what this means for us? Jesus Christ didn’t die for angels. Jesus Christ didn’t die for the animal kingdom. Jesus Christ died and rose again for people. He took a human body plagued with the results of sin and re-created it with the perfect attitude toward God, His Will and other people and brought it into heaven. The very same type of body we have has been made pure and holy, re-created and brought into fellowship with God, yes even more than fellowship with God, but yes into the God-head itself. Jesus has made it acceptable for people with human bodies once tainted by sin to be reborn and enter paradise with God forever. Jesus Christ has destroyed the dividing wall of Hostility and made the two one by his body and blood. “NIV John 14:1 "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. 2 In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.
God the Father was so pleased he gave Jesus a title of honor that will never be surpassed. There is no other name given to men by which they can be saved. Every knee will bow, every tongue will confess one day that “Jesus Christ is Lord!” And on that one day, all believers will be given new bodies to match our new man already in our hearts. We will be given new bodies like His glorious body. We too are destined to be exalted! NIV Romans 6:4 We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.
What a great attitude to have, confident you are destined to be exalted. We need to continually adjust our attitude as we remember we are destined to be exalted. This past year was the first year for my daughter to go to “Jesus School” as she calls it. Her birthday falls in August, so she had a party and invited her whole classroom. A boy named Aaron, also was in his first year at a “Jesus School”. Aaron was having some problems at school, but seemed to take a liking to Charis. At the birthday party, the children were all in the back yard playing, while I was cooking on the grill. As I was cooking, I heard a scream from behind me. As I turned around I saw Charis with her arm twisted behind her back by Aaron. I yelled stop it Aaron, but he continued to smile at me as he twisted Charis’s arm tighter behind her. By this time Charis is in tears screaming, I am screaming at Aaron to stop, but Aaron continues to smile and twist. He didn’t stop until we physically separated him from her. I was beside myself. Aaron was rushed away from me, and I am left to console Charis. Before I can say anything Charis says, ‘I know Daddy, he doesn’t know Jesus yet.” I was literally out of breath when she said that. What an example of our new attitude in Christ Jesus. Oh that we might have this attitude in our service to Our Creator and Savior. We are destined for better things Christian brothers and sisters. We are destined for glory and exaltation. Call it what you want: positive thinking, positive attitude, hope, vision, optimism, but it is nothing else than trust in Jesus Christ for my salvation no matter what the circumstances may be. With him, I have God’s forgiveness for yesterday and heaven for tomorrow. It is only a matter of time, before we realize every blessing God has promised us. How can those facts not change your attitude about today? Let us live with an attitude that is determined to be selfless and destined to be exalted for the sake of our Savior Christ Jesus!
If you take the hour a day that you currently use watching the news , reading the newspaper or magazine and convert it into a time of studying the powerful Gospel for you and your family, at the end of one year you will have captured more than 15 full 24-hour days. Which will help you adjust your attitude more -- 15 days a year watching the news, or 15 days a year learning the attitude of Christ Jesus? You have a choice. Adjust your attitudes with the power of Christ Jesus Determined to be selfless and Destined to be exalted! AMEN
