To Be Like Christ

TO BE LIKE CHRIST

Philippians 2:1-2:11

Philippians 2:1-14 (NIV) Imitating Christ’s Humility

1.Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion,

2. then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind.

3. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves,

4. not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.

5 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:

6 Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;

7 rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.

8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming 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 acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

12 Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling,

13 for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.

14 Do everything without grumbling or arguing,

Introduction:

There is a true story about a man who hired somebody to record all the life of Hudson Taylor especially the negative sides. The hired man kept on following Hudson Taylor daily to record everything with him and after three months this guy became a Christian. I believe with all my heart, that as we study the life of Christ, we can gain many things about him and live like Him.

“To be like Christ is to be a Christian. And to be a Christian is to become like Christ!” – William Penn

Ill. A story of a soldier serving as a guard through out the night. Early in the morning this soldier reported to his commanding officer who demanded, “Did you sleep well while on duty?”

He replied , “ What made you think that I fell asleep while on duty asked the surprised soldier?”

Look in the mirror the officer replied. As a guard stood before the mirror he saw the Mercedez Benz Logo from his truck steering wheel.

In Philippians 2,Paul tells us that there should be a trademark on us as well.

This trademark should be the something that others will see and recognize because our attitude should be the same as that of Christ. V.5-8

l. To be like Christ we must make Christ as our pattern. Phil.2: 1-4

V5. In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:

V5. Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: (KJV)

Let’s make Christ’s life as our pattern.

The pattern here to be copied by the saints characterizes the beautiful Christian virtues of Unity, Humility, and obedience.

V1.Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion,

Let’s make Christ’s life as our pattern.

A. The exhortation to these virtues.Vv.1-4

1.They are available( Phil.2:1) Harold L. Willmington- in his personal translation of the text. “ Since therefore there is an encouragement in Christ, since there is consolation of love, since there fellowship of the Spirit, and affection and compassion”

2.They are attainable( (Phil.2: 2-4) v2 fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. v3 Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. v4 Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.

B. The Example to all virtues. ( Jesus Christ) There is unity in the Godhead. He said, “ I and my Father are one.”

1. Unity is a key ingredient for success and fulfillment in life.

• To have a successful business the employees must get along and work together.

• To have a successful Basketball team the players must work together.

Ex. Our Smart Gilas, Philippine basketball team got the silver medal during the newly concluded FIBA Asian tournament against the tallest players of Japan, Hongkong, Taiwan, China, Kazakstan and Arab player because of team work.