Sermons
The Mind of Christ - part 1
Sun, Aug 26, 2018
Teacher: Tom Blackford Series: Sunday Sermons - 2018 Scripture: Philippians 2:5-11
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The Mind of Christ – Part 1
Philippians 2:5-11
INTRO:
Good morning. We spent sometime earlier this year looking at Philippians and Mark gave a couple great sermons earlier this month taken from that book. Today we are going to use Philippians chapter 2 as we talk about the mind of Christ. Most of the time I will use the NKJV but I will paraphrase at times
I suppose someone could be justified in asking the question; “Is this church having problems?” because of the lessons we have had recently. Lessons such as “Are We Lukewarm”, “Focusing On The Positive”, “Put Aside Worry”, “Left Your First Love”, and “Spiritual Dumpster Diving”. It is possible one might assume that something was going on. No, we are not having problems. But the inference is not completely out of line.
When we study the letters of the apostle Paul, we often infer that he was speaking to specific problems. We infer this by what Paul says about what he wants the congregation to do and the issues he speaks about. Paul’s letter to the Philippian church is very positive. Like any group of disciples, this assembly had their troubles. We might be able to infer from Paul’s injunctions that there was some disunity among the Christians at Philippi.
• He denounces selfish ambitions and actions in 2:3-4.
• In 2:14 he says... Do all things without complaining and disputing,
• And then he names two Christians specifically in Philippians 3:16 – I implore Euodia and I implore Syntyche to be of the same mind in the Lord. These two ladies had labored with Paul in the gospel and were important to him individually. But as Christians they needed to get along and be united.
What they were disagreeing about we really don’t know. What we see is that Paul was addressing an issue here. When we talk about unity among God’s people it is to address pertinent issues. It might be that a church is divided from a major rift within the congregation or perhaps there is a dispute among individuals. Problems can and do exist that cause disunity among members who are not showing the proper spirit or attitude. When these issues arise... they need to be resolved.
That’s what Paul addresses here in the text that we’re studying. How does Paul address these issues? How can we help Christians resolve their differences? How can we provide ground work so that when things do become difficult and people find it hard to get along with each other, they can be brought back together again?
Paul does not present them with a five-step plan for building unity in a local church.
He does not tell them to put their heads together and “come to a consensus or some common ground”. He doesn’t say we need to go out and make up the things that we need for a consensus. He addresses the real problem. That’s what we are looking at.
What he tells the Philippians is they need to change their minds. They have to learn to think differently. Real change always begins on the inside. It takes place within the heart, and then works its way out into our words and actions. The actions are vitally important. They are the aspects of unity. As Paul always does, he hits right at the heart of it and comes back to Jesus.
I. “Have this Mind in You” Listen to Paul’s command; Philippians 2:5 – “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus”. This was the true solution to the problems and issues they faced. It is for us as well—both personally and as a congregation. We must learn to have His mind in us, to think like Jesus.
A. As I considered these words I wondered. “What is the Mind of Christ?” “What is this attitude Paul wants us to have?” Paul will draw on the most powerful example possible to describe this attitude and make his point. Let us read Philippians 2:6-11 – “6. who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, 7. but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a servant, and coming in the likeness of men. 8. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. 9. Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, 10. that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, 11. and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” What is Paul describing here?
1. First, I need to say that we should be careful to stay close to the context of Paul’s words as we study them. These verses have been turned into a battleground on the issue of Jesus’ humanity and divinity—whether Jesus was fully man or fully God or fully both. That argument is not Paul’s intention and although I understand it is in view, Paul is not presenting a theological argument, but rather describing the attitude of Jesus portrayed in the choices He made on our behalf.
2. When He made those choices and He did the things that He did, He showed an attitude that reflected the principle of the mind we need in the choices we make. The point is... Jesus humiliated Himself and in that humiliation displayed a mind that you and I cannot ignore. He did it for us.
3. Paul lists the descending steps of Jesus’ self-humiliation that display His mind...
B. Where He started: In order to show us how far Jesus descended, he begins by telling us where He started “Although He existed in the form of God” (v. 6).
1. The word “existed” (in some translations “being”) is a present active participle which denotes the continuance of a previous state or existence. It stresses the essence of a person’s nature, that which is absolutely unalterable, inalienable, and unchangeable. In other words; Jesus was in essence God. He was God before and He continues to exist as God. William Barclay comments that the verb refers to “that part of a [person] which, in any circumstances, remains the same”.
2. Jesus exists eternally as God. The word “form” (morphe) here means the outward manifestation of an inward reality, or nature. The NIV gives a good reading of the meaning of this: “Being in very nature God.” That’s unchangeable. Jesus’ becoming a man did not in any way infringe on that fact. It certainly is not difficult to take the scriptures and show that Jesus claimed to be God and is God.
i. Paul expressed the certainty of Jesus’ deity in Colossians 1:15 – “He [Jesus Christ] is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation”[para]. John wrote in John 1:1-2, 14 – “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God... And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth” [para].
ii. Jesus spoke of His pre-incarnate position with the Father in His prayer in John 17 – “Now, Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was...” Jesus existed before this world. Before He was ever born in Bethlehem Jesus existed as God with the glory of the Father.
iii. The writer of Hebrews reminds us that God “in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world. And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power” (Hebrews 1:2-3).
iv. By His very nature and innate being, Jesus Christ is, always has been, and will forever be fully divine. This means that Jesus enjoyed all the glory and privileges that belong to God. We need to consider;
• How did Jesus react to those rights?
• How did His reaction to those rights and privileges of being God reflect His mind?
v. Jesus did not view His position as others might. He had a different mind about it. Notice Paul’s next statement...
C. “did not consider it robbery to be equal with God” (v. 6).This phrase is variously translated in the English.
• did not consider equality with God something to be grasped (NIV)
• did not consider equality with God as something to be used for His own advantage. (HCSB)
1. “robbery” – To be grasped translates a Greek noun which refers to something that is seized or carried off. It was also sometimes used as “to seize” a prize or award. Jesus already possessed equality with God, so the meaning here of to be grasped is holding on to, or clinging to.
i. Jesus refused to selfishly cling to His favored position as the divine Son of God, nor did He view it as a prized possession to be used for Himself. In Matthew 26:5 Jesus said – “Or do you think that I cannot now pray to My Father, and He will provide Me with more than twelve legions of angels?” He could have done that, but He didn’t. I couldn’t have done that. You couldn’t have done that. We couldn’t have gotten out of that situation. Jesus could have because He was God, but He didn’t do it because He was God.
2. That’s the point that Jesus was making. His “mind” was to forego this prerogative for our sake. This means that Jesus did not seek to hold on to or exercise these privileges or glory.
i. In our world people see position, privilege and glory as something to “grasp” and do whatever it takes to hold on to it. For example consider how difficult it is in other nations for them to demote their leaders or dictators. Why is that? Because the leader has the military at his disposal, he has the political power and influence and if you want to get rid of him you have a job on your hands. Why? Because he’s not going to let it go.
ii. Jesus had a different mind. He was not consumed with self and protecting His place. This will explain the bizarre turn of events that Paul is about to describe.
D. Verse 7 says “but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a servant, and coming in the likeness of men.” This verse strongly suggests Isaiah 42:1: “Behold! My Servant whom I uphold, My Elect One in whom My soul delights! I have put My Spirit upon Him; He will bring forth justice to the Gentiles.”
1. However we know that Christ did not actually become in any usual sense a servant to any man; rather his life was humble, clothed in meekness and poverty, encompassed with hatred and hostility, and marked by an earthly status fully comparable with that of slaves. He even suffered the death of a condemned slave, though he was King of kings and Lord of lords.
E. “Making Himself of no reputation” [emptied Himself – ASV; made himself nothing- NIV] (v. 7). I am certain that I do not know what all this means. There are different views and much discussion.
1. Some conclude that Jesus “emptied” Himself by adding to Himself all the attributes of humanity, but how does God add anything to Himself?
2. Some conclude that Jesus gave up some of the attributes of deity to become a man. But if God emptied Himself of a single attribute of deity, He would cease to be God in any sense. I am very confident that it does not mean Jesus stopped being God.
3. The very nature of God indicates that He is all that He is and all that He ever will be and He will never be less than He is. That’s why He’s God. There’s no sense in thinking that Jesus gave up the attributes of divinity or that He ceased being God.
4. How then are we to understand this? He did not empty Himself of His deity; but rather He relinquished His privileges and in some sense, the glory He shared with the Father before He came to earth. These words are best viewed in the context as an expression of Jesus’ self-humiliation and refusal to use His divine prerogatives—for Himself.
5. This thought helps us see the depth of Jesus’ sacrifice for us. We often think of the physical suffering at the cross, but Jesus’ sacrifice began before Calvary. Jesus’ sacrifice began before the world ever was. In the mind of God, He would come down and inhabit human flesh and He would live as a man. God would become man. God, the supreme being of all the universe, the creator, would become the creature and live as the creature. But there is more...
F. “taking the form of a servant” – [taking the very nature of a servant – NIV; by assuming the form of a slave – HCSB] (v. 7) The word “form” here is the same word as in v. 6 (form of God). It means nature. Paul said that Jesus was the very essence of God. He uses the word doulos to show what Jesus has descended to. He became the very essence of a slave. He didn’t just look like a slave. He didn’t just dress like a slave. It wasn’t Jesus’ hidden identity behind His clothes. Jesus did not just look or dress like a slave, He took the very nature of a slave.
1. The word here is doulos (slave) – (We studied previously on this prominent and powerful word of the first century.)
i. A doulos owned nothing. Everything belonged to His master. Jesus owned no land or house, no gold or jewels. He owned no business, no boat, and no horse. He had to borrow a donkey when He rode into Jerusalem. He borrowed a room for the Last Supper, and even was buried in a borrowed tomb.
ii. He refused any property, any advantages, any special service to Himself. John tells us that “all things came into being” through Jesus (John 1:2-3), yet He took nothing as His own that He had created.
iii. Jesus came to carry another’s burden. A slave was required to carry other people’s burdens. Jesus carried the burden that no other man could carry, the sin-burden for all. As Isaiah revealed, “The Lord has caused the iniquity of us all to fall on Him” (Isaiah 53:6).
iv. Jesus came to do His Father’s will above all else and before all else. He testified while heading toward Jerusalem for the last time: “The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:28). A few days later, during the Last Supper, He asked the disciples rhetorically, “Who is greater, the one who reclines at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who reclines at the table? But I am among you as the one who serves” (Luke 22:27). Jesus was pointing out exactly what Paul was saying. You know what I came for. You know who I am. Do you know why I’m here? I am God. I am the Master. And as such I take on the essence of the bondservant.
2. “Coming in the likeness of men”. [being made in human likeness – NIV; appeared in human form - NLT] (v.7) Jesus came as a man. He took on a human body, with all that it entails, and lived as one of us. He experienced hunger, pain, emotions, disappointment, fatigue. Weaver says that “...Christ voluntarily entered the stream of life as a slave, freely and lovingly choosing to live as a person without advantage, denying his own rights or privileges, and placing Himself completely at the service of all mankind.” (Walton Weaver, Truth Commentaries, Philippians, pg. 90).
• Hebrews 2:14-15 – “Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, 15 and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.” He was “in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin” ( Hebrews 4:15).
G. Being found in appearance as a man – [being found in fashion as a man- ASV] (v. 8) Paul amplifies the humility of Jesus’ humanity by stating that He was a man outwardly (in appearance – schema = outward shape). This does not suggest that He was not fully human (Paul just said He was), but that he was fully recognized as a man by others. There was no halo around His head. In fact, he was “despised and forsaken of men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and like one from whom men hide their face He was despised, and we did not esteem Him” (Isaiah 53:3).
1. John wrote, “He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him” (John 1:10-11).
2. The sinful multitudes who heard Him teach said, “Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How does He now say, ‘I have come down out of heaven’?” (John 6:42). We know who He is, He is a man just like us. This was the mind of Jesus this was the plan of God.
3. Sadly, “not even His brothers were believing in Him” (John 7:5).
4. We think that ironically and tragically, many of those who saw and heard Jesus not only failed to recognize Him as God, but concluded that he was just a man – who had a demon. John 8:48-50 – Then the Jews answered and said to Him, “Do we not say rightly that You are a Samaritan and have a demon?” 49 Jesus answered, “I do not have a demon; but I honor My Father, and you dishonor Me. 50 And I do not seek My own glory; there is One who seeks and judges.
i. How ironic these words are. Considering who Jesus really was, how much more wrong could these people be? They called Jesus a worthless man (Samaritan – one who did not know God) who had a demon! If someone was so wrong about you, how would you respond? How could Jesus have responded? Here is the mind of Jesus;
ii. After denying the demon thing, Jesus pointed them back to the Father, and Himself as the One who honors (serves) the Father. This was God being humble.
H. He Humbled Himself... I wonder, can God be humbled? – Turn to Isaiah 40:2 – “A voice of one calling: “In the desert prepare the way for the Lord; make straight in the wilderness a highway for our God.” To whom does this prophecy apply? We remember these words as they are applied to the ministry of John the baptizer, announcing the coming of Jesus, the Messiah. God coming to His people. Isaiah then proceeds to describe the Lord under discussion.
1. Isaiah 40:12-14 – 12 Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, or with the breadth of his hand marked off the heavens? Who has held the dust of the earth in a basket, or weighed the mountains on the scales and the hills in a balance? 13 Who has understood the mind of the Lord, or instructed him as his counselor? 14 Whom did the Lord consult to enlighten him, and who taught him the right way? Who was it that taught him knowledge or showed him the path of understanding? Is there anybody over God that could humble God? We have all been humbled at sometime in our lives. What could possibly humble God? Is there any scheme of man that can humble God? Of course not. God cannot be humbled. That’s what Isaiah points out. Only God can set aside His glory for His purpose.
2. Isaiah 40:17 – Before him all the nations are as nothing; they are regarded by him as worthless and less than nothing.
3. Isaiah 40:22-23 – He sits enthroned above the circle of the earth, and its people are like grasshoppers. He stretches out the heavens like a canopy, and spreads them out like a tent to live in. 23 He brings princes to naught and reduces the rulers of this world to nothing.
CONCLUSION:
When you have a moment – read all of the 40th chapter of Isaiah. As you read about the character and attributes of God – think of Jesus – being reviled, abused, mistreated, and put to death. Think of Jesus and ask, how could God (of Isaiah 40) be so humbled by humans? God Almighty could never be humbled – He could only humble Himself.
How far down would Jesus go? Look back up to where He began. You cannot conceive of a higher position than the one He voluntarily left. Now look down – as far down as the words of the apostle will take us here in Philippians 2 – Jesus went as far as a human can go – to death – even the death of the cross. That was the mind of Christ.
In verse 8 we see the essential truth of the whole passage bearing upon the eternal power and Godhead of Christ in the use of the word... "obedient." "Only a divine being can accept death as obedience; for ordinary men it is a necessity!"
What does Jesus’ self-humiliation mean to me today?
• Galatians 4:4-5 – But when the completion of the time came, God sent His Son, born of a woman, born under the law,5 to redeem those under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. (HCSB)
• Romans 8:3-4 – What the law could not do since it was limited by the flesh, God did. He condemned sin in the flesh by sending His own Son in flesh like ours under sin’s domain, and as a sin offering,
• Colossians 1:21-23 – Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. 22 But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation.
• 1 Timothy 2:5-6 – For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave himself as a ransom for all men — the testimony given in its proper time.
That concludes the first part of this sermon on the mind of Christ. I intend to present the conclusion of the lesson this evening.
What we have seen is that Jesus took on the flesh of the body and let it die because that’s what we needed most. He has humbled Himself before us, before we could ever understand what humility involved. God requires us to bow before Him and submit because Jesus first did that for us. He showed that humility before He went in the grave, but He is not in that grave. He was given a name above every name.
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We learn from the New Testament how to be saved. We need to hear the word; believe in Jesus; repent of our sins; we must confess our belief that Jesus is the Son of God; and be baptized for the remission of our sins... If we follow these steps, the Lord adds us to His church.
Perhaps there is someone in the assembly today with the need to come to Christ and be buried with Him in baptism. If you have never done these things, we urge you to do so today. If anyone has this need or desires the prayers of faithful Christians on their behalf, we encourage them to come forward while we stand and sing.
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Reference Sermon: Dave Schmidt
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