Let this mind be in you.
We often ask the question…..”How can I be more spiritual? How can I bear the trials that I am going through?”
Well, the Philippians were a church born in persecution….yet knew joy.
Philippians 2:1-2 “If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies,
Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.”
“Consolation” means anything from comfort and solace….to exhortation. It is anything spiritually or emotionally that gives us what we need…..
…..Christ sends us His consolation in many ways.
A word of encouragement…..a call to a friend to see how they are doing…..a passage of scripture….a hug (I call them) from the Holy Spirit saying, I am here with you, in this.
Christ had sought them out…..He had sent Paul to them, to give them the good news of Salvation.
Christ had shown them His love by saving them and giving them the fellowship of the Spirit.
Christ had shown them mercy, and grown the church even under persecution….giving them a testimony in all the city.
Now, Paul says…..don’t become easily offended with others…..or seek a “position” in the church…..but seek to serve in the place you are….
…for Paul knew, that often when our testimony is strong….the devil seeks to get us by “strife, or vain glory”.
Instead, he says…..look to Christ…
…if we do that, we can look on others without judgement….rejoicing in any growth of grace each makes.
Philippians 2:5-8 “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus;
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:
And being found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto the death, even the death of the cross.”
“Let this mind be in you….me”
Here is the way we are to think about our path or way before us,….no matter how it is:
Christ Jesus came from the highest glory…..through His own Will and self-denial…
….moved by love of His Father’s Will, and for the love of His own, that He would save.
He came to the lowest depths….every step, giving up something….
….He humbled Himself.
He gave up the outward manifestation of His glory and power….He became man, submitting to His Father’s Will in everything.
(He who could feed 5000, waited by a well for His disciples to bring back some food, and asked a Samaritan woman to give His some water)
In everything He kept the goal in view….to honor His Father, and His law….and save all who would come to Him.
In His self-denial, He stooped to death…..even the death of the cross.
The death of the cross was not just a horrible, painful way to die,….but shameful…..outside the city….mocked, spit upon, cursed,…
…..all that went on, while the strength, and life slowly left Him…
….and it showed man’s rejection of Him and God….
….until the mass of our putrid sin was placed upon Him….but He still went on in self-denial….till all was accomplished
He did this…..He humbled Himself….He became obedient to death…..even the death of the cross.
And we are to think the same way….to follow His steps….for the love of God and Christ Jesus our Lord.
Self-denial needs to be our constant companion.
But that was not the end:
Philippians 2:9-11 “Wherefore God also hath highly exalted Him, and given Him a name which is above every name.
That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;
And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”
Because Christ fulfilled His Work….God….(can you hear the trumpets blowing in heaven?)….”highly exalted Him”.
Highly is to raise to the highest position….above all others. (Matthew 28:18, Revelation 3:21)
Here the Father manifests Christ’s Victory over all opposition…..raising Him…not just from death, but to a place in His Throne…with all power and authority….
….releasing His grace to flow out to the redeemed!
And commanding that at the name of Jesus, every knee shall bow, and every tongue shall confess that He is Lord….
….all for the glory of God.
(As Christians, born again ones, we will bow and confess here in our lives that Jesus is Lord…..our Lord and Savior.
As the lost, they will bow and confess that Jesus is Lord, at the White Throne Judgement….and then be cast into the Lake of Fire.
Their knees will bow…..knowing then Who they rejected here…that Jesus is the Lord and Savior with the power that could have saved them….
….and their tongues will confess it…..their will be no delight….only terror, knowing they refused to receive and confess Him here.)
What is the reason Paul states these truths?
Life is hard…..Christianity is harder. The consolation, that Christ chose them, each of them…..by the preaching of the gospel and the ministry of the Word….
….should yield unity and one accord with each other.
And the example of Christ’s humbling Himself….should yield submission and love…in all circumstances that they are….and will, go through.
To what lengths Christ came that I, a rebellious and wicked sinner might come to Him!
The glory of Christ and the Father is assured….have we entered into our part of it, by bowing to Christ? And confessing in life….His Lordship?
Preaching, Teaching, and Notes 