The Mind Of Jesus

The Mind Of Jesus

Phil 2:5-8

Intro.

When Paul spoke of the mind of Christ he was talking about becoming more like Christ by changing our attitude to begin with. We are to treat others as Christ did. If we feel we are too important, then we must understand that Christ Jesus was more important than we are.

If we feel we have too much to give up think about what Jesus had to surrender for you and I. He was not mere man but the sovereign holy God of the universe. Both John and Paul declared him to be the creator of all things. John said, “All things were made by him; and without him was not anything made that was made.” John 1:3

And the Apostle Paul said in his letter to Collose, “For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.” Col 1:16-17

We aren’t talking about a man with nothing to lose, but an incarnate God who gave up much of his glory:

I. The Glory Of Christ:

We find that Christ had more to give up than you and I could ever imagine. He left the adoration of angels to stand before an angry mob that cried out, “crucify him, crucify him.” This may shock you and I but he knew where it was going from before the foundation of the world.

“Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you,” 1 Pet 1:18-20

Calvary was not a surprise to Jesus he lived beneath the shadow of the cross his whole life here on earth. You and I know that there will be a day when we die but I believe Jesus knew the exact time, the hour, the very moment, and all the sufferings that came with it.

He left the beauties of heaven to meet with beastly brutes from hell; he who knew no sin became sin for you and I. Remember the song, “Were you there when they crucified my Lord,” yes we were there in type, we are guilty of driving cruel nails through those wonderful hands that had done no evil.

He had enjoyed all the coronations of heaven and he traded that for the cruelty of that old rugged cross. Can we actually stand and say I have too much to give up for the Lord? He traded the wealth of heaven for the poverties of life.

He left his throne to bear our cross, are we too busy to honor him? He gave up a palace in heaven to sleep in a manger of straw. Angels worshipped and adored him night and day, he gave this up to be cursed and spat upon.

He was willing to be forsaken by the Father that you and I would never be forsaken. He faced the noonday darkness that you and I might continue to walk in the light.

“Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men” Phil 2:6,7

He being the very God of the very God was willing to give all this up to travel to Calvary. I don’t understand a love this great but he said I should feel this type love for my brother and sister in the Lord.

Another translation of the text reads:

“Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death-- even death on a cross!”

Max Lucado’s book, “Would you do what Jesus did? He swapped a spotless castle for a grimy stable. He exchanged the worship of angels for the company of killers.

If you were God would you sleep on straw, nurse on a breast and be clothed in a diaper? I wouldn’t but Christ did.

If you knew that only a few would care that you came, would you still come? If you knew those you loved would laugh in your face, would you still care? If you knew that that the tongues you made would mock you, the mouths you made would spit upon you, the hands you made would crucify you, would you still make them?