AN ATTITUDE ADJUSTMENT
PHILIPPIANS 2:5-11
INTRODUCTION
What is an attitude? An attitude is much more than an opinion and much more than a mere feeling. An attitude is an opinion that is acted upon. For example, a person may feel that he or she is more superior to those around them and it hurts no one. Yet, if that person starts acting more superior and says certain things, then it is an attitude. Another example, a person may not like you. You may never know that they dislike you unless they act on it or say certain things, and then we know about their "attitude."
Genesis 31:1-2 explains this wonderfully. Jacob had deceived Laban and had taken a lot of wealth from Laban and his family. Laban’s sons began to grumble against Jacob and disliked how Jacob had acquired his wealth. He hears what they are saying and concludes that "Laban’s attitude toward him was not what it had been" (verse 2). The opinion gave way to words and Jacob was treated poorly by Laban’s family. Their attitude was negative towards him.
You can tell a lot about a person by their attitudes... can’t you? The actions and the way they speak reveals their heart and their feelings. 1 Kings 11 records that Solomon said he believed in God, but his life was turned away from God. God calls this, in verse 11, "your attitude." Solomon’s attitude about life was that wine, women, and song were more important than God. It was his attitude and the way he lived his life.
Our attitudes about things can change... can’t they? I recall growing up that vegetables were not my favorite part of the meal. They still aren’t, but I have changed my attitude about many of them. Some by necessity. When you marry into a family and your new grandmother-in-law serves you corn, you eat it and do not offend. Plain and simple. My attitude has changed about many vegetables as I grow older.
Attitudes are very powerful. They shape our lives and the society that we live in. I want to share some observed attitudes (observed by me) in our society and show how those attitudes are reflected and acted upon in our society. Some of them are good and some are bad.
* "Money and Success brings happiness." = American Dream, new car commercials, commercials about getting education, TV shows about rich people, consumerism, materialism, and the existence of malls
* "I want it my way." = customizable bank accounts, Burger King’s slogan ‘Have it Your Way’, Abortion Issue, divorce rates, genetic experimentation, liberality of sex, cohabitation acceptance
* "All people are created equal." = Civil Rights Movement, Homosexual Agenda, Constitution, War in Iraq, labor laws outside the USA
* "Truth is Relevant." = Oprah Winfrey, acceptance of magic and mysticism, all roads lead to God, mix of religious traditions, varying beliefs among denominations
The passage today describes the "attitude of Christ Jesus" (Philippians 2:5). I do not know what your attitude is about the church or your life or those people around you. I do not know what your attitude is about politics or public issues. Our attitudes will vary from good to poor in all of the areas of our lives. I do not know what your attitudes are... but I do know what we should strive for. We should strive for the "attitude of Christ Jesus." Let’s read.
READ PHILIPPIANS 2:5-11
I. THE ATTITUDE OF JESUS CHRIST IS A CHOICE (2:6-8)
I think there is much about Jesus that we never think about. One of the areas that we sometimes miss in thinking and speaking about Jesus is His existence before the manger. Perhaps we do not understand it all that well. Before the manger, Jesus did in fact exist. Jesus was God. He was in fullness God. John 1:1-2 echoes Philippians 2 when it says, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning." Philippians 2:6 tells us that Jesus and God are one and the same for they had one nature. God chose to come to earth and to empty Himself and become a servant. God chose that! Jesus chose to go from King of the Universe to Servant of All. Jesus chose to become a worker ant... very small in the scheme of things. It was a huge change. Verse 7 continues to tell us that not only was Jesus God, but He became a human being. Verse 8 goes even further and explains that this Emmanuel, "God with us" died on the torture device known as a cross. The cross was the lowest form of punishment. Jesus went from God to being killed like the lowest of animals. I say all of this in order to show you that God chose this! What happens between verses 6 and 7? God makes a choice to become a human being and to live as humans do. God made a choice to enter His Creation and fix what was broken. What happens in verse 8? God makes the choice to pay for the sins of humanity. He chose to die on the cross. He chose to be a servant. He chose a life of need to provide for us.
ILLUSTRATION... Who was Jesus? By Gregory of Nazianzus, 381AD, www.bible.org/illus.asp?topic_id=835
He began His ministry by being hungry, yet He is the Bread of Life.
Jesus ended His earthly ministry by being thirsty, yet He is the Living Water.
Jesus was weary, yet He is our rest.
Jesus paid tribute, yet He is the King.
Jesus was accused of having a demon, yet He cast out demons.
Jesus wept, yet He wipes away our tears.
Jesus was sold for thirty pieces of silver, yet He redeemed the world.
Jesus was brought as a lamb to the slaughter, yet He is the Good Shepherd.
Jesus died, yet by His death He destroyed the power of death.
So, if we want to be like Jesus, what does it require? It requires that we make a choice? The way of Jesus is not something that we can do naturally. It must be a conscious choice. It must be a life-altering attitude adjusting choice. It must be a lifelong choice. It must be a permanent choice.
II. THE ATTITUDE OF JESUS CHRIST IS COSTLY (2:5-11)
What does it cost to choose to be like Jesus? What does it cost to have the same attitude as Jesus? Martin Luther once said, "A religion that gives nothing, costs nothing, and suffers nothing, is worth nothing" (www.bible.org/illus.asp?topic_id=414).
What did Jesus’ choice cost Him? Verse 6 tells us that the choice of Jesus to come to Earth cost Him equality with God. Jesus of course remained God, but not in the same sense. The Oneness that had always existed from the beginning of Creation was changed when Jesus arrived in Mary’s womb. Verse 7 tells us that the choice of Jesus to come to Earth cost Him his eternal/spiritual reality. Jesus was a real person at a real point in time that lived in a certain place. God is above time and eternal and not bound by any one place or any one point in time. God is omnipotent (all-powerful) and omniscient (all-knowing) and omnitemporal (eternal, outside of time) and omnipresent (everywhere).
ILLUSTRATION... Two Gods? (personal story)
"One a recent trip, I called home to talk to the kids and let them know that I would be home soon. I called at a time when our two boys were asleep and only our four-year old daughter was awake. We chatted for awhile. She began to ask me questions about my week. ‘Have you learned anything?’ I explained that I had. She then asked a strange question, ‘Is God there with you?’ I affirmed that He was. "God is here with me, too?’ she half stated and half questioned. She knows that God is always with her and protecting her. She heard her dad say that God was with him. She knows there is only one God. She wasn’t exactly understanding. I explained that God can be everywhere at once. He can be with her and me and all the other members of our family all at once. That is part of God’s nature."
Verse 8 tell us that the choice of Jesus to come to Earth cost Him His life. Jesus was a real person and lived His life for thirty-three years before He died on the cross. He had friends and family members. He ate and drank. He wept. He laughed. He had harships and temptations. The choice of Jesus to save you and me cost Him that life.
What has your choice cost you? What has your choice to follow Jesus cost you?
III. THE ATTITUDE OF JESUS CHRIST IS... WHAT EXACTLY? (2:5-11)
Verse 7 tells us that Jesus was taking "the very nature of a servant." What does that mean? What is Jesus’ attitude? What is the attitude of a servant?
1) Available: I think of a servant as someone who is available. What good is a butler that does not asnwer the door? What good is a maid who only comes once a month? Part of being a servant and a good servant is being available. A servant is someone who makes themselves available to those around them. This doesn’t always sit well with us because we learn that we are the most important person in our lives. Yet, our attitude should be that of Christ Jesus.
2) Humble: Verse 8 tells us that Jesus humbled Himself. Verses 1-4 of Philippians 2 describe being humble and putting others before yourself. That is what a servant does. A servant humbly puts others’ needs before their ownb and thinks not of their interests, but the interests of others. A servant is a very humble person. There is a sense that the servant is humble and obedient. We do things others want or need. This doesn’t always sit well with us because we are taught as Americans to have an attitude of independence, strenth, and pride. Yet, our attitude should be that of Christ Jesus.
3) Willing: In all of the verses that speak about Jesus, I notice that He was willing to do all that He did. Nothing was forced on Jesus. In the Garden of Gethsemane (Matthew 26), Jesus prayed and wasnot forced to submit Himself to the authorities and the cross. He did so willingly. Jesus was willing to do wahtever it took to save us. This doesn’t always sit well with us either because our pride or opinion of ourselves tells us that we are above certain jobs or above doing certain things. Yet, our attitude should be that of Christ Jesus.
CONCLUSION
There is one part of the passage that I have not yet touched. Verses 9-11 describe how Jesus was exalted in Heaven because of what He had done. Jesus’ service allowed Him to become Lord of Lords. Philippians 2:10 says that all will bow before Him. Jesus became great because He was a servant.
I don’t want this to sound self-serving on a sermon about serving others, but out service is noticed by God and rewarded. Do you want your faith to grow... serve. Do you want to be closer to God... serve. Do you want to be more like Jesus... serve. Do you want others around you to know you love them and that God loves them... serve. Those will be your rewards.
