Humility and Jesus -- 12/27/09

Sunday, December 27, 2009

HUMILITY AND JESUS

Phil. 2:3 +

Let’s begin this morning by reading that passage that has become so familiar to us. Phil. 2:1-11…

If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies, 2. Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. 3. Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. 4. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. 5. Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: 6. Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 7. But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: 8. And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. 9. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: 10. That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; 11. And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Two weeks ago we began to look at verse 3. Quite literally it says, “Nothing through selfishness or empty conceit, but in lowliness of mind, regarding others better than self.” I acknowledged that I don’t have all the answers to what it means to regard others as better than self. What we focused on was how we view ourselves and how we view others. I suggested that while we don’t know ourselves perfectly, we know ourselves better than we know others. Suppose we do a good deed similar to what someone else does. The deeds may be identical, but we may be aware that our motive was not absolutely pure. We don’t know that about the other person. So I can view the other person as better than myself. In support of that idea, we looked at Isaiah 5-6. Isaiah pronounced woes on the wicked people around him. But when he saw himself more clearly in the light of God’s glory, he said, “Woe is me, for I am undone” (Is. 6:5).

We didn’t get around to it then, but we also might have read about the apostle Paul. I Cor. 15:9, “For I am the least of all the apostles…” A few years later he wrote these words in Eph. 3:7-8, “Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power. Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given…” Then still a few years later, Paul wrote these words to Timothy in I Tim. 1:15, “This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief.” As time progressed and Paul came to know himself better, he said he was the least of all the apostles, and then the least of all the saints, and finally the first among sinners.”

Having said that, I confess that this idea of seeing our own sinfulness is at best only a small part of the idea of regarding others better than self. A couple of brothers encouraged me by challenging me to continue thinking about this concept. I praise God for those brothers. We need one another in the body of Christ. We are on the same team. Their goal was not to prove me wrong, but to prayerfully work together that the Lord might bring us to truth through which our lives will be transformed. The question brought to my attention was this: What about Jesus? How does this concept fit in with Jesus, in light of Phil. 2:5, “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus”?

I believe the Lord is shedding light on this passage. Please allow me to read Phil. 2:3 from several translations…

… let each esteem others better than himself (NKJV)

… count others more significant than yourselves (ESV)

… let each of you regard one another as more important than himself (NASV)

… consider others better than yourselves (NIV)

… let each regard the others as better than and superior to himself [thinking more highly of one another than you do of yourselves]

Here is the big question: What does “better than” mean? Does it mean “superior to”? Does it mean “more spiritual”? What does it mean? The Greek word translated “better than” is used five times in the New Testament. Literally, it means “to have over or above,” or “to hold over or above.” I think it will be helpful to read those five New Testament occurrences of this word. Interestingly enough, three of them are in this letter to the Philippians.

Rom. 13:1… Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God; the powers that be are ordained of God. We might translate it, “Let every soul be subject to the authorities above him, to the authorities over him, to the surpassing authorities.”

Phil. 3:8… Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord… We might translate it, “I count all things but loss for the surpassing greatness of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord.” The idea is that this knowledge surpasses all other knowledge. Everything else is beneath it.

Phil. 4:7… And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. We might render it, “And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, which rises above all understanding, which is higher than all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

I Pet. 2:13… Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme… We might translate it, “Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake, whether it be to the king, as that which surpasses, as that which is above, as that which is higher…”

Do you see the idea? This term translated “better than” in Phil. 2:3 carries the idea of “surpassing, higher than, above.” So let’s come back to Phil. 2:2. “Nothing through strife or vainglory, but in lowliness of mind, esteeming others better than self.” The idea is this: “esteeming others higher than yourself, esteeming others above yourself.” But even then, we must be careful to define our terms. This does not mean that we are to regard others as superior to ourselves, for we are all one in Christ Jesus (if we are truly believers).

Let’s put it in terms of Phil. 2:6-8, which we looked at last week. Jesus “made Himself of no reputation and took upon Himself 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 death, even the death of the cross.” As we are going to see, Jesus took the lowest place. I am suggesting to you that this is the idea of “esteeming others better than self.” It is embracing the idea that it is appropriate for you to place others above yourself by becoming their servant. Here is the point. You can consider another higher than yourself without necessarily regarding him as more spiritual. Even if she just came to know the Lord last week, you can consider her above yourself, humbling yourself to be her servant.

So how does that work? Let’s begin to answer that question by looking at our example. And who is our example? Phil. 2:5, “Let this mind (attitude) be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.” Did Jesus regard others as higher than Himself? He did. We talked about this last week. From eternity past to the cross Jesus came down, down, down. He laid aside the riches of His glory, becoming a man. But that wasn’t low enough; He took the form of a servant. But that still wasn’t low enough. Jesus humbled Himself to the point of death, to die like every other man. But no, He couldn’t did like any other man. He had to take the lowest place. Jesus became obedient to the point of death, even death of a cross, taking upon Himself the wrath of God when He bore our sins.

And what attitude is it that allows us to regard others above ourselves, according to Phil. 2:3? “Nothing according to selfishness and empty deceit, but in lowliness of mind, let each regard others as higher than self.” It is lowliness of mind (or humility) that gives rise to this attitude. As Jesus emptied Himself, making Himself of no reputation, humbling Himself, so it must be in us.

Humility -- what is it? It’s being humble. Yes, and what does that mean? It does not refer to a false modesty that denies the truth. Let’s suppose I ask one of you guys to preach. Afterwards, someone says to you, “Jake, you are really a good teacher.” Jake might respond, “Well, if that’s so, it’s only because the Lord is working in me.” That would be true and would give credit to God. Or, he might simply say, “Well, thank you. Please pray that God would make me a good steward of what He has given.” That would be very appropriate. I hope Jake would not say, “Well, it’s about time you realized it.” But at the same time, I hope he wouldn’t say, “No, I’m not a good teacher. I’m just about the lousiest teacher that ever lived.” That would not be humility; that would be dishonesty.

So what is humility? Humility is not an easy concept to define. It is much easier to picture it by example than to describe it in abstract terms. So let’s come back to our example. And who is that example? Yes, our Lord Jesus. You understand that Jesus is far more than our example. He is our Redeemer, our Substitute, our Propitiation, our Savior and Lord, and more. Nevertheless, He is indeed our example. He who says he abides in Jesus ought himself to work (to live) even as Jesus walked (I John 2:6). And that walk begins with attitude. “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 2:5).

Think with me about our precious Lord and how He always took the low place. Jesus once said, “Take my yoke upon me and learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, and ye shall find rest unto your souls” (Matt. 11:29). Yes, He was lowly.

The Scandal of Jesus’ Genealogy

Let’s go to the beginning of Jesus’ life on earth and even before. Who knows how Matthew’s gospel account begins? [Give a little time]. I know some of us have memorized the first 14 verses of the Gospel of John. Have any of you memorized the first 14 verses of Matthew? Let’s read the first two verses. Matt. 1:1-2, “The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. 2. Abraham begat Isaac; and Isaac begat Jacob; and Jacob begat Judas and his brethren…” Oh yes, it is one those exciting passages that is filled with nuggets of spiritual truth. Some of you wonder how it made its way into the New Testament!

We’re not going to read this whole passage. As we just scan the passage, we see that this genealogy goes from Abraham to Jesus. One of the most unusual things about this particular genealogy is that it includes some ladies. That is very, very unusual. Just go back through some of the genealogies and see what you find. Though you will occasionally find a woman in a list, there will be a specific reason for her inclusion. That is not what you find here. What reason is there for the inclusion of Rahab? On the other hand, it would seem there would be every reason to exclude her, especially since it was not customary to include women.

Now let’s take a look at the five specific women that Matthew includes in the genealogy of Jesus. The last woman Matthew mentions is Mary (vs. 16). You might say, “But Mary has to be mentioned, because she is the mother of Jesus Himself.” No, that is not the case. Luke also gives a genealogy of Jesus, and Mary is not mentioned at all. Well, perhaps Mary is listed because she is such an upstanding woman. It is certainly true that she was a noble young woman who is a wonderful example of faith. However, we will soon see that Matthew does not confine his list to women like Mary.

Now let’s start at the other end. The first woman in the list is Tamar. Let’s read verse 3, “And Judas begat Phares and Zara of Thamar…” What’s such a big deal about that? Judah and Tamar had two sons, and one of those sons was in the lineage of Jesus. Besides the fact that Matthew includes a woman, it is interesting that he would include Tamar. Do you remember the story? I am not going to go back through it, but if you have been around here for a while, you should remember that we studied it in one of the “ugly chapters” of Genesis (chapter 38). Tamar was not the wife of Judah; she was his daughter-in-law, who was posing as a prostitute. Surely that is enough said.

Then come to verse 5, “And Salmon began Booz (Boaz) of Rachab (Rahab)…” Who was Rahab? First of all, she was not an Israelite. Where was Rahab from? Yes, she was from Jericho, that city which the Israelites marched around seven times and then destroyed. She was also the one who hid the spies. And what was her profession? She was a harlot, a prostitute. If you didn’t know better, you would think I was making up these descriptions. But no, these are the facts.

Now the second part of verse 5, “… And Booz begat Obed of Ruth…” Boaz was the father of Obed, but for some reason Matthew includes Ruth, who was the wife of Boaz and the mother of Obed. What was unsual about Ruth? She was a foreigner. More specifically, she was a Moabitess. That means that she was of the nation of Moab, but that isn’t the end of the story. The country Moab was named after the man Moab. And who was he? He was the older son of Lot. Considering only that, we would have to say that Ruth was not of noble birth, but there’s more. Lot impregnated his own daughter and she bore Moab. No wonder the law declares that a Moabite shall not enter the congregation of the Lord even to the tenth generation.

And then verse 6, “And Jesse begat David the king; and David the king begat Solomon of her that had been the wife of Urias (Uriah).” The woman’s name isn’t given here, but we know who she was. And what was her name? This was Bathsheba. Now David had many other sons. Solomon was not the firstborn, by the way. Of all David’s sons, the Lord chose the one who was born to Bathsheba. You remember that David was at home, while his soldiers were engaged in battle. He saw Bathsheba bathing, sent for her, and entered into the relationship that produced Solomon. Then to cover up his sin, he ended up having her husband Uriah killed in the battle. That is not a noble birth for one who would be an ancestor of Jesus.

I heard a pastor share an interesting thought about this genealogy. Remember that this is the ancestry of Jesus. For every Jew his ancestry was vitally important. That is why so many genealogies appear in the Old Testament. A Jew was pleased to have men like Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in his lineage. These were noble men. Again, women were not generally listed. But if Jesus was going to have a woman listed in his genealogy, a Sarah wouldn’t be too bad. She was indeed an ancestor of Jesus. Just list her alongside Abraham. But that isn’t the case here in Matthew 1.

Think of it this way. Jesus is the only man ever born who had any say about His lineage. Did you ever consider that? (If you say this was the Father’s decision and not the Son’s, you still come out at the same place, for if that was the case, Jesus willingly accepted it.) Do you see? Even before He was born into this world, Jesus was taking the lowest place. Surely the Lord could have found a wife for Salmon (vs. 5) among all the men of Israel, but instead, he went to Jericho and chose a foreign woman who was a prostitute. Jesus took the lowly place, even before he was born.

What child isn’t pitied when he or she has to bear the stigma of being born out of wedlock? That may not seem to be a big deal to people in our day because of the standards that rule our present culture, but go back a hundred years. It was different then, but even that was nothing compared to the climate in Jesus’ day. The ridicule of such a condition in his day was almost unbearable, but our Lord chose to bear it. He didn’t have to bear it, but He did so in order that He might take the lowest place.

The Washing of the Feet

Now come to that scene the night before Jesus was crucified. He had two of His apostles arrange for a place where they could eat the Passover meal. Understand that Jesus knew what was about to take place. He had repeatedly told His apostles that they were going to Jerusalem and that He would be killed there. Jesus knew He was going to be the Passover Lamb. Can you imagine the weight that was upon Jesus? The next day He would be nailed to a cross, where He would be mocked and ridiculed. But that wasn’t the half of it; He would bear the sins of the world. He would drink that cup that He dreaded so much, even the wrath of God His Father.

As Jesus and the twelve gathered for this final meal together upon this earth, who could have blamed Him for being lost in deep thought? Surely it would have been appropriate for Him to say, “Listen. I only have time for a quick meal, and then I must retreat for some time alone to prepare myself for what is coming.” Now come to John 13 and let’s see the Holy Spirit-inspired record of what actually happened. Read John 13:1-21…

Now before the feast of the passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end. 2. And supper being ended, the devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray him; 3. Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he was come from God, and went to God; 4. He riseth from supper, and laid aside his garments; and took a towel, and girded himself. 5. After that he poureth water into a basin, and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded. 6. Then cometh he to Simon Peter: and Peter saith unto him, Lord, dost thou wash my feet? 7. Jesus answered and said unto him, What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter. 8. Peter saith unto him, Thou shalt never wash my feet. Jesus answered him, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me. 9. Simon Peter saith unto him, Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head. 10. Jesus saith to him, He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit: and ye are clean, but not all. 11. For he knew who should betray him; therefore said he, Ye are not all clean. 12. So after he had washed their feet, and had taken his garments, and was set down again, he said unto them, Know ye what I have done to you? 13. Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am. 14. If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another's feet. 15. For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you. 16. Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him. 17. If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them. 18. I speak not of you all: I know whom I have chosen: but that the scripture may be fulfilled, He that eateth bread with me hath lifted up his heel against me. 19. Now I tell you before it come, that, when it is come to pass, ye may believe that I am he. 20. Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that receiveth whomsoever I send receiveth me; and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me. 21. When Jesus had thus said, he was troubled in spirit, and testified, and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me.

Even in what we read, we see that the plot leading up to His crucifixion was rapidly unfolding. Satan had put into the heart of Judas to betray Him. Jesus is now getting ready to identify Judas as the betrayer. Yet right in the midst of it, Jesus stooped down and washed their feet, even the feet of Judas Iscariot.

What was the significance of washing their feet? It is not a complicated concept that requires great depth of insight. Jesus took the place of the servant. Servants washed feet. That was their place. That was what was expected of them. That was their role. It was a necessary service, because feet got dirty and sweaty as they walked the dusty unpaved roads of Palestine. Someone had to do it, and it made sense that the lowly servants should perform this humiliating duty. Kings and nobles did not wash feet. Such a duty was beneath them.

Jesus washed the feet of His disciples, the feet of the very men who had followed Him better than three years so they could learn from Him. He was the Master; they were His disciples, but He took the lowest place of service. No wonder Peter found it so hard to let Jesus wash His feet. Again, He was thinking as men think, but that way of thinking was foreign to Jesus’ attitude of lowly service.

The Culmination of Humility

And now let’s come to the end. Jesus humbled Himself to the point of death, even the death of the cross. We talked about this a good bit last week. I trust it is still fresh in your mind. Perhaps there is no term that describes the outward aspects of Jesus’ death more accurately than the word “humiliation.” They stripped Him down o His under garments, beat Him severely, and then hung Him on that cross for all the world to see. They mocked Him and inflicted pain by forcing a crown of thorns down upon His head. Listen to how people treated Jesus while He hung there. Read Mark 15:29-32…

And they that passed by railed on him, wagging their heads, and saying, Ah, thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days, 30. Save thyself, and come down from the cross. 31. Likewise also the chief priests mocking said among themselves with the scribes, He saved others; himself he cannot save. 32. Let Christ the King of Israel descend now from the cross, that we may see and believe. And they that were crucified with him reviled him.

Jesus took the lowest place, but even that was not low enough. The outward aspects of the cross were nothing compared to that cup that Jesus dreaded so much. Let’s refresh our memory by reading Matt. 26:39, "And he went a little farther, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt." Then we read in verse 42, "He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done." And finally verse 44, "And he left them, and went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the same words."

What was this cup? You young people, please pay attention. You must understand why the cross was such a horrible experience for Jesus. It wasn’t the nails He dreaded. It wasn’t the agony of pushing Himself up again and again so that He could breathe. Though it has been said that crucifixion was the harshest method of execution ever devised by man, that was not the cup about which Jesus was speaking. We find the answer in the simple words of Is. 53:6, “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned everyone to his own way, and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.” II Cor. 5:21, “For He [God] hath made him [Jesus] to be sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him.” The agony of the cross was bearing our sins in His own body. Jesus took the lowest place, crushed under the weight of our sins. No other man will ever or could ever take that lowly place.

But we must stop right there. That was as far down as Jesus could go. Phil. 2:9-11…

Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: 10. That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; 11. And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Praise God that Jesus has been raised to the heights, where He sits at the right hand of the Father. And some day He will be revealed as King of Kings and Lord of Lords for all the world to see.

Conclusion

Can you see the humility of Jesus? Can you see how He regarded others above Himself, how He set Himself under them, taking the lowest place? Brothers and sisters, understand that Jesus is our example. We too in lowliness of mind must take the lowest place. That is how we esteem others better than self. That is how we regard others as higher than self, as surpassing ourselves. This is the humility that takes the focus off self and places it on others. We will talk more about this other-centeredness next week, as we come to 2:4.

Now we come back to the context of Philippians 2. Paul is concerned that the Philippian believers be likeminded, literally that they think the same thing. That is the Lord’s concern for us as well. In verse 1 Paul gives us the proper motivation for thinking the same thing. Can you hear the Lord speaking to us through Paul’s words? “Brothers and sisters, since you have received such great encouragement through your union with Christ, since you have gained great comfort from His love, surely you will want to pursue the unity that is dear to His heart. And since you have been blessed with fellowship with the Holy Spirit, long for that unity which was established by that same Spirit. Do the Spirit’s tenderness and compassion not motivate you toward the likemindedness that is dear to Him? So for the sake of the Lord Jesus and the Holy Spirit, be likeminded. And dear brothers and sisters, do it for me. For if you pursue this likemindedness that is dear to Jesus and the Spirit, nothing could give me more joy.”

Then after giving the command, in verses 2b-4 Paul gives us a description of this likemindedness. He unfolds it and shows us what it looks like. He does it with the participial phrases…

… having the same love

… thinking the one thing

… regarding others higher than self

… looking on the things of others

These are the attitudes that go hand in hand with thinking the same thing. Can you see how that works with considering others higher than self? When all of us in the body of Christ are learning to take the lowest place, considering others above self, it will not be difficult to think the same thing. We will find ourselves being more and more likeminded. Why is that? Because it is selfishness and empty conceit that tear us apart. But when we relate in humility, taking the lowest place, the divisiveness loses its power. The last thing we want to do is contend with one another. Rather than competing with one another, we find ourselves cooperating with one another.

So what is our problem? Our problem is simply this -- we have been conformed to this world. This world knows nothing of taking the lowly place. Even though humanitarianism and philanthropy are finding a place in the world, such actions are not necessarily rooted in humility. A person can give thousands of dollars and still not be willing to be a servant. People in the world are striving to attain the highest place; Jesus came to take the lowest place. We saw it in His lowly birth, in the washing of the feet of His disciples, and ultimately in His obeying the Father even to the point of death, even death on the cross. Only the living Christ within us can cultivate such an attitude of humility.

Brothers and sisters, here is the good news. The Lord isn’t done with us yet. As we turn our eyes away from the world and gaze upon Jesus, we will find ourselves taking the low place. And as we do, we will become more and more likeminded. We will find ourselves thinking the same thing, even thinking the thoughts of our Lord. This is not some pie-in-the-sky dream; this is reality. This is what happens when we gaze continually upon Jesus. But we must understand that nothing else will do it. We can’t be likeminded because we determine to be so.

The key is that little command of verse 5, “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.” Literally, “Think this in you, which also in Christ Jesus.” The secret is not for you to try to line your mind up with mine or with his or with hers. The secret is for each of us to line our minds, our attitudes, up with that of Jesus. Praise God that we can do just that, for we have the mind of Christ. Let’s read it from I Cor. 2:16, “For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.” Did you hear that? We have the mind of Christ. By the power of God may we give free course to the mind of Christ within us. “Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom” (Col. 3:16).

I leave you with a simple statement about humility. It doesn’t come directly from the Bible, but I believe the truth of the scriptures will testify to its truth. Humility is not thinking less of yourself, but thinking of yourself less.

Down from His Glory -- 12/20/09

Sunday, Dec. 20, 2009

DOWN FROM HIS GLORY

Phil. 2:6-8

In just a little bit Rita is going to sing a song entitled “Down from His Glory.” As most of you know, we have been looking at Phil. 2:1-11. The title of that song – “Down from His Glory” – is a good summary of Phil. 2:6-8. Let’s read it…

Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 7. But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: 8. And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

If you want to a concise but full statement about what Jesus did, this is the place you want to look. I want to encourage you to think long on these verses about our Lord. We are living in a time when there is still talk about Jesus, but there is little understanding. God has blessed us with this wonderful revelation about His Son. Let’s take it to heart and then let’s take it to a world that desperately needs the Lord. So this morning let’s try to digest what is being said here.

In this brief passage, we see that Jesus does three very definite things…

I. He Emptied Himself

Notice the words at the beginning of verse 7. The KJV has it, “But (he) made himself of no reputation.” Later on we will study this in more depth, but now let’s understand that Jesus left the glory of heaven. Shortly before His crucifixion, He would pray to His Father, “And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed” (John. 17;5 ESV). Jesus was willing to leave the presence of His Father to come to this earth. He let go of unmingled joy in heaven to come to this earth. He emptied Himself of heaven’s glory for what?

He came to this earth to become a man. We read it earlier this morning: “And Word was made flesh and dwelt among us” (John 1:14). We read about this Word who was made flesh back in John 1:1-2, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God."” Wow! We’re talking about the one we know as Jesus of Nazareth. He was with God and He was indeed God, as much God as the Father is God. But He became flesh. That is, He became a man. He was as much a man as I am. He was no less God that He had ever been, but He became fully human.

But Jesus didn’t just become a man. That wasn’t low enough for Him.

II. He Humbled Himself

We read in verse 8 that Jesus humbled Himself. Actually, we see that humility back in verse 7 as well, where we are told that Jesus took upon Himself the form of a servant. It wasn’t enough that He was born into this world as a man. That wasn’t low enough for Him. This morning we have read some of the details of His birth. Was He born in a palace? No, He was born in a barn. Was He clothed with the robes of kings. No, He was wrapped and laid in a feed trough.

That was only the beginning. Jesus lived on this earth as a poor man. Jesus said, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head” (Lk. 9:58). Best we can tell, about all He had was the clothes on His back. When Jesus came into Jerusalem the final time and was hailed as King, He had to borrow a donkey to ride on. When it was time to eat the all-important Passover shortly before His death, He had to borrow a place to celebrate the meal.

Jesus was the bread come down from heaven, but He lived as a servant in this world. He put it like this in Mark 10:45, "For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many." “Minister” is kind of a dignified word, but it simply means “serve.” Jesus was a servant. No place did He demonstrate it more fully that when He washed the feet of His own disciples. Lord willing, we will talk about that more next week.

So Jesus emptied Himself, and He humbled Himself, but that still wasn’t lowly enough.

III. He Became Obedient to the Point of Death

This was a part of Jesus humbling Himself. When we read that He became obedient unto death, that does not mean that Jesus was obeying death. No, He was obeying His Heavenly Father, but He obeyed even to the point of death. Even when God the Father prevailed on Him to die, He obeyed. What humility and what obedience.

Surely Jesus had a right to demand His own way. After all, He was God in the flesh. There was no good reason for Him to have to die. We die as a consequence of our sins, but Jesus had no sins. He had done exactly what the Father wanted Him to do; there were no exceptions. But did God the Father truly want Jesus to die? Yes. But why? Because it was the divine plan for the redemption of man and for the glory of the Father and the Son.

But that isn’t the end of the story. Even death wasn’t low enough for Jesus. Do you remember during that last week of His life when Jesus began to speak of His death? “The hour has come that the Son of man should be glorified. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a kernel of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abides alone; but if it die, it brings forth much fruit” (John 12:23-24). Jesus understood that it was the Father’s plan for Him to die, so that He could bring life to many others. A couple of verses later Jesus said, “Now is my soul troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour?’ But for this cause I came to this hour” (vs. 27). He couldn’t ask the Father to save Him from that hour, because it was for that very cause He had come into this world.

But what exactly was Jesus talking about? He wasn’t just talking about death; He was talking about death on a cross. And what was so different about the cross? Oh yes, it was a terrible way to die physically. In order to stay alive on that cross, a man had to push himself up in order to get enough air to breathe. When he did, it caused excruciating pain, as the nails pushed against his feet. From exhaustion and pain, he would have to relax and let himself down. When he did, the nails in his hands would tear against the flesh and bones.

Please hear me. That wasn’t what troubled Jesus’ soul. Two other men would be crucified beside him. Their death would be just as painful as His physically. Then was so bad about the cross? It was there that Jesus would take upon Himself the sins of the world. As we read in Is. 53:10, “It pleased the Lord to bruise him” (literally to crush him). How He wanted to cry out, “Father, save me from this hour.” But if He did, He would be forsaking the very cause that brought Him there. So what did He pray? John 12:28, “Father, glorify your name.” He knew what that would mean; it would mean going through with the unthinkable, taking upon Himself the wrath of God. That’s something of what it means when Paul says that Jesus humbled Himself, becoming obedient to the point of death, even death of a cross.

So what does it all mean? How can we make sense out of such a gruesome story? We could explain it in many ways, but let’s go back to the explanation we read earlier in 2 Cor. 8:9, "For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich." Jesus had all the riches of heaven, even the riches of everything. He had it all. But He became poor for our sakes. Why? So that through His poverty, we might be rich. I trust you understand that Jesus isn’t talking about dollars and cents, about houses and lands, about fame and fortune. He put it this way in John 10:10, “I have come that they might have life, and life more abundantly.” That’s what Paul meant when he said that we might be rich – that we might have real life, eternal life, life in its fulness. The person who knows Jesus has every spiritual blessing there is.

Apart from Jesus Christ and the life He gives, there is no eternal life. Every person who dies without Christ will ultimately experience eternal agony in hell. That is poverty to the extreme. Jesus came to deliver us from that poverty and give us all the riches He has. That’s right; we can become heirs together with Christ of all the Father has. Please understand that such riches come at a great price, the price of Jesus’ death on the cross.

Let’s end on a high note this morning. The Jesus who came into this world as a man, humbled Himself as a servant, and obeyed His Father to the point of death, even the death of that cross… that same Jesus rose from the grave and ascended to the right hand of the Father. Let’s just read it here in Phil. 2:9-11, "Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: 10. That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; 11. And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."

Do you know that Jesus? Are you experiencing His life? Have you been rescued from your slavery to sin? Have your sins been washed away by the blood of Jesus? I’m not talking about getting religion; I’m talking about life, the life of Jesus Himself. You can have that life. Repent and believe. Admit that you have made a mess out of life, that you have rebelled against your Creator. Acknowledge that hell is what you deserve for your sins. And when you have been broken before a holy God, then cry out for a Savior. I assure that the Savior is here, and His name is Jesus. You may think that you are too far gone, that your sins are too bad for God to forgive. Jesus said, “The Son of man has come to seek and to save the lost.” Has He found you? Will you cast yourself upon Jesus? No one else can do it for you. Repent and believe on the Christ who took your place on that cross and endured the wrath of God that you might have life.

Pray

"Details of Likemindedness" -- 12/13/09

Sunday, December 13, 2009

THE DETAILS OF LIKEMINDEDNESS
Phil. 2:2-4

How good and how pleasant it is for brothers to dwell together in unity (Ps. 133:1). I remind you again that it is not only good for brothers and sisters to dwell together in unity, but it is pleasant. When the body of Christ is operating as it should, we find joy in our fellowship with one another. Let me give you an example. [Have two brothers come in through the door. They are patting one another on the back and having a great time. Ask one of them, “What do you think of all the snow?” He looks at the other man and says, “I think whatever he thinks.” “And what do you think of the snow?” He answers immediately, “I think whatever he thinks.” “So the two of you are really together in your thinking?” One replies, “If he thinks we are.” “Do you ever disagree?” One them turns to the other, “Not unless he thinks we disagree.” Please sit down before you drive us crazy.] That is not an example of dwelling together in unity. Paul tells the Philippians to think the same thing. That was not an example of what he meant.

So what did he mean? To get our minds together and back to our text let’s read again Phil. 2:1-4…
If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies, 2. Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. 3. Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. 4. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.

Technically, the command of verses 2-4 is, “Fulfill my joy by being likeminded, by thinking the same thing.” Nevertheless, it is obvious that the focus is not so much on Paul’s joy as upon the importance of them thinking the same thing. Paul’s joy will be a desirable by-product of their likemindedness. Last week we took a look at the phrase “think the same thing.” How can we think in such a way that we will think the same thing? Last week we looked at some other passages that use the same word (phroneo) that is used here in Phil. 2:3. After Peter confessed truthfully that Jesus was the Christ, the Son of the living God, Jesus reminded Peter that he didn’t come up with that on his own, but it was the Father in heaven who revealed it to them. But then when Jesus told His apostles that He would be mocked and even killed at Jerusalem, Peter rebuked him and said it would never be so. That’s when Jesus said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan; you are an offense to me, because you do not mind the things of God but the things of men.” Jesus rebuked Peter because he was now thinking as a man and not thinking the thoughts of God. In Colossians 3:1-4, Paul told the Colossian Christians to set their mind on things above. And what is the significance of that? That’s where Christ is sitting. We were raised with Christ. We died, and our life is hid with Christ in God. Christ is our very life. We are to think like Christ. And then we read in Rom. 8:4 that we who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit fulfill the righteous requirement of the law. How can it be? It is because “they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit” (Rom. 8:5). We are to think like the Holy Spirit. It is as we think like God the Father, Christ the Son, and the Holy Spirit that we will think the same thing.

The key is not for us to try to think alike, but to think like God. His thoughts are much higher than our thoughts. For that reason, we must set our minds on Him until we think like He thinks. This is that renewing of our minds that we read about in Rom. 12:2.

This morning we are going to look at this idea of thinking the same thing from another angle, as we come back to our text here in Phil. 2:2-4. Let me remind you again of the structure of this passage. There is only one command in verse 2-4, and that is, “Think the same thing” in verse 2. Regardless of which translation you are reading, it probably reads as if there were at least three commands. If you ask me why English translations don’t preserve the original structure of the language, I can’t give you a good answer. If you need me to show you, I would be happy to do so. If you want to read a translation that does preserve the structure, read “Young’s Literal Translation.” Because it is old, it uses King James language, and it doesn’t supply words to make it smooth, but you will see that there is only one command.

After the command, the rest of verses 2-4 is carried on the weight of four participial phrases. We looked at it on the screen last week; let’s look at it again…

Be likeminded….
… having the same love
… thinking the one thing (=being of one accord, of one mind)
… esteeming others better than themselves
… looking also on the things of others

All of these phrases either describe what it is to be likeminded or show how to become likeminded. In other words, “Think the same thing… that is, having the same love, thinking the one thing, esteeming others better than self, looking also on the things of others.” Or, “Think the same thing by having the same love, thinking the one thing, esteeming others better than self, looking also on the things of others.”

Now we are going to begin to look at each one of these phrases in order to learn more about what it means to think the same thing, to be likeminded, to dwell together in unity.

I. Having the Same Love

Notice that when Paul begins to give the details of likemindedness, he begins with the concept of love. Paul is a man after the heart of our Lord. When the scribe came to Jesus and asked, “Master, what is the great commandment in the law?” what did Jesus tell him? “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets” (Matt. 22:37-40). And Jesus Himself was following the lead of what is written in Deuteronomy 6: “Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord; and thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might” (Dt. 6:4-5). Love is at the heart of everything, and Paul recognizes that truth. The very first thing he says in detailing likemindedness is, “having the same love.” If you are truly thinking the same thing, you will have the same love.

Now comes the logical question: “What love is that?” What is the love we just read about in the scriptures? Love for God and love for neighbor. While Jesus said that all the law hangs on those two commandments, Paul sometimes boiled all the law down to just one of these commandments. Which was it – love for God, or love for neighbor? While we might think it would be love for God, because that is where love for neighbor comes from, we find it is just the opposite. We read in Gal. 5:14, "For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself." (We find the same thing in Rom. 13:9-10). Surely Paul did not believe that a person can come to love his neighbor as himself before he comes to love God supremely. Rather, it seems most likely that Paul was assuming love for God, for no one can love his neighbor if he has not first come to love God. On the other hand, it is love for neighbor that gives practical evidence of love for God. It is easy to say, “I love the Lord with all my heart, soul, and strength.” “Then show me by loving your neighbor as yourself.”

We must pause at this point to insert that other great truth about love. It may not exactly fit into our focus this morning, but it is important that we never talk about loving God without this. Why do we love God? There is only one reason, and it is found in I John 4:19. Let’s quote it together: “We love him, because he first loved us.” Again in I John 4:10, “Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.” Praise God that He first loved us!

Now come back to Phil. 2:2, “Having the same love.” What love? Love for God and love for neighbor. So was Paul talking about both love for God and love for neighbor? Or is does he have in mind one or the other? I don’t believe we have to choose between the two, because they can’t be separated. If you truly love God, you will love your neighbor. If you love your neighbor, it is the proof that you love God. The two are like Siamese twins, like two peas in a pod. Brothers and sisters, when we are likeminded, we will have this same love. We will be loving God and loving our neighbor as ourselves.

We could read large portions of scripture that emphasize the importance of this love. We have already read that God first loved us before we could love Him. We not only find that truth in I John, but we also find it in Ephesians. There was a time when we were all spiritually dead. We were not capable of this kind of love. Dead people don’t love. But God, who is rich in mercy, because of his great love with which he loved us, has made us alive with Christ (Eph. 2:4-5). It was out of His great love that He gave us life in the first place. We need to remember that. We were born in the cradle of His love. No wonder we then read in I John 4:11, “Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.”

Jesus further defines this love in John 15. You remember what He said to His disciples: “This is my commandment, that ye love one another, as I have loved you” (John 15:12). Not only are we to love one another, but we are to love one another even as He loved us. Probably next week we will begin to look at how Jesus loved us. As we do, remember that we are commanded to love one another in the same way.

Can you see how true unity has this common love as its foundation? Do you see why Paul begins with love? When we truly love one another with His love, thinking the same thing will not be difficult. Oh that God might fill us with His love. We already have this love, “because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.” May we long to let that love flow through us unhindered.

II. Thinking the One Thing

Phil. 2:2, “Fulfill my joy by thinking the same thing – having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.” Now we are dealing with the words, “being of one accord, of one mind.” Literally it reads: “one-minded (one-souled), thinking the one thing.” We might read it, “with one soul thinking the same thing.” This word I am translating “one-minded” is made up of two words: “together with” and “soul” (life). Paul is talking about soul mates who together set their minds on the one thing. You can see that this is very similar to the command, “Think the same thing,” but now it is “the one thing” rather than “the same thing.” When we are truly likeminded, we will together be thinking the one thing.

What is Paul trying to say? I gave it a lot of thought. Finally, I thought of what I call the “one thing” passages. If you have been around here very long, you have heard them. I refer to them quite a bit. I suppose it is because of my own life. I have a great tendency to be a divided person. I am the kind of person who can take up a hobby on a whim. Some of you know some of the time wasters I have taken up in my past history. David says in Ps. 86:11, “Unite my heart to fear thy name.” Too often I don’t have a united heart. I don’t think the one thing. Now if that can be a problem for an individual, how much more for a group of people?

Let me mention two of these “one thing” passages. The first is Ps. 27:4, "One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to inquire in his temple." The verses before this speak of war conditions. Nevertheless, David’s great prayer is not for safety, but rather that he might be in the presence of the Lord forever. Notice the first words – one thing. That was his focus. Above all else, he desired the presence of the Lord.

Then come to that familiar passage in Luke 10. Let’s read it again… (Lk. 10:38-42)
Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house. 39. And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus' feet, and heard his word. 40. But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me. 41. And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: 42. But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.

Martha was doing something very important, but she was also very troubled by the fact that her sister Mary wouldn’t help her. With regard to that troubled, anxious attitude, Jesus said to Martha, “One thing is needful.” Martha was serving. She was working hard to serve her Lord. Nevertheless, Jesus said that one thing was needful. And what was that one thing? To bring her attention to the one thing needed, Jesus pointed to the sister at which Martha was upset. Jesus said that Mary had chosen that good part, that one thing that was needful. And what was it that Mary was doing? The only thing we read about Mary is this: “Mary, who also sat at Jesus’ feet and heard his word.” That’s it. Though serving a meal for Jesus was very important, Mary chose the one thing that was of even greater importance. She sat and listened to Jesus. Mary wasn’t neglecting anything; she was riveted on the words of Jesus.

Think about Mary for just a moment. Some people might think she was lazy, but that was not the case. The New Testament knows no servant of the Lord more highly regarded than Mary. Mary is the one who took the expensive perfume and anointed Jesus, even though His apostles disapproved of her action. They thought it was a waste. That perfume could have been sold for a year’s wages and given to the poor. But Jesus commended Mary for what she did, for she had anointed his body for burial. How did Mary know to do such a thing? If even Jesus’ own apostles chastised her for it, how could she have the wisdom and the courage to anoint Jesus at this time? Surely it is no accident that she had sat at the feet of Jesus and listened to His Word. Her insistence upon remaining in Jesus’ presence prepared her to serve Him in a way that has been memorialized for ages to come.

What would happen if we all were captivated and dominated by that same attitude? What if each one of us just couldn’t get enough of God’s Word? What if each and every one of us let the Word of Christ dwell richly within (Col. 3:16)? Do you see how this is a key to unity, to thinking the same thing?

I once saw a video of a couple of cats that were in perfect sync. They were sitting there together. When one cat looked to the right, the other looked to the right. When one looked to the left, the other looked to the left. Sometimes one of them would suddenly move his head one way or the other, and the second cat would do exactly the same thing. It seemed that someone had gone to great length to train the two of them for an Olympic cat event called “synchronized movement of the neck and head.” It was incredible. But when they moved the camera back, the picture became clear. No one had trained the cats at all. They were watching two guys playing ping pong. The secret to the synchronization of the cats’ movements was the fact that they were watching the same ball. Because they had their entire focus on the same thing, they were in perfect sync. So it is when we focus on the one thing, when we set our minds on the one thing, upon the Lord Jesus and His Word for us.

III. Esteeming Others Better than Self

Now come to verse 3. Please allow me to read it very literally. “Nothing according to strife or vainglory, but in lowliness of mind regarding one another better than self.” So what does Paul mean, when he speaks of regarding others better than self? First of all, remember the context, which is the body of Christ. Paul is not talking about all people, but brothers and sisters in Christ. But even then, how can we esteem other Christians better than self?

I don’t know that I have the complete answer to that question, but perhaps it begins with how we view ourselves and others. Not one of us knows himself or herself perfectly. Ultimately, it is the Lord who tries the hearts and minds. “The Lord has searched me and known me” (Ps. 139:1). Although I don’t know myself perfectly, I know myself much better than I know you. I can see your outward actions and hear your words, but I can’t know your thoughts and motives. On the other hand, I do know something of my own thoughts and motives. Though the Lord has redeemed me and given me a new heart, I run across things in me that are not pleasing to the Lord. I discover impure motives and attitudes. Even though I tend to assume that you too have some of these impure motives and attitudes, I don’t know that. In me I see them in living color, but not in you. Therefore there is a sense in which I must regard you as better than myself.

I want to show you that such thinking is not just a piece of logic, but we find it in the scriptures. Consider the prophet Isaiah. In chapter 5 he pronounces woes on wicked people. Is. 5:8, "Woe unto them that join house to house, that lay field to field, till there be no place, that they may be placed alone in the midst of the earth!" 11, "Woe unto them that rise up early in the morning, that they may follow strong drink; that continue until night, till wine inflame them!" 18, "Woe unto them that draw iniquity with cords of vanity, and sin as it were with a cart rope:" 20-22, "Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight! Woe unto them that are mighty to drink wine, and men of strength to mingle strong drink:" But then come to chapter 6 and read 6:1-5…
In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple. 2. Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly. 3. And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory. 4. And the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke. 5. Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts.

Isaiah saw the faults in those around him, and rightly so. He prophesied against them in the name of the Lord. There was not a thing wrong with that; he was being obedient to God. He could have been tempted (and probably was) to think that he was better than they. But then when he himself came into the presence of God, everything changed. Now he sees the seraphim, angelic beings who had never sinned. And what are they doing? They cover their face before a holy God. He hears them cry out, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory.” It was then that Isaiah cried out in anguish, “Woe is me, for I am undone, because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips. For mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts.” Now there is no temptation to see himself as better than others. Surely he saw even those upon whom he had pronounced the woes as better than himself. Oh yes, he saw their wickedness, but now he has caught a glimpse of his own inner self.

Or consider the apostle Paul, the man who tells the Philippians to consider others better than self. I want to remind you of three statements from the apostle Paul, and I want to give them to you in chronological order. Notice the statement Paul makes about himself in 1 Cor. 15:9, "For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God." He acknowledges himself to be an apostle, but he makes it clear that he considers himself to be the least of the apostles. But maybe Paul was simply being falsely modest in his immaturity. Well, let’s go forward about six years or so and see what he says in Eph. 3:7-8, "Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power. 8. Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ." Now Paul does not only regard himself as the least of the apostles, but as the least of all saints. In short, he regards all other Christians as better than himself. And now let’s move forward in time another three or four years and listen to his statement in 1 Tim. 1:15, "This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief." Now the apostle Paul proclaims himself to be the chief of sinners. When it comes to sin, Paul claims to be in first place. The more mature he became, the more pronounced this attitude of seeing himself as least of all. Surely this had something to do with Paul seeing himself more intimately than he could see others. Like Isaiah, Paul no doubt saw himself in light of God’s glory.

You will notice that here in Phil. 2:3 that this concept of esteeming others better than self is supported by two clauses. The negative clause comes first – “nothing according to strife or vainglory.” Then the positive – “but in lowliness of mind.” So let’s consider the negative. The word translated “strife” was used in secular society to describe the man who was running for office, especially the man who courted favor by less than honorable means. It speaks of putting one’s self forward. Basically, it is selfishness, which leads to factions. The NAS translates it “selfishness,” while the NIV renders it “selfish ambition.” If you just hang on to the idea of selfishness, you won’t be far off. The word translated “vainglory” literally means “empty glory.” The NAS reads “vain conceit.” It is a rather strong word for pride and conceit. Someone has said that the great enemies of unity are selfishness and pride, and that is what we find here.

Most every translation renders this as a command to do nothing out of selfishness and conceit. I remind you not only that this is not a command, but also that there is no word for “do.” That is why when the King James says, “Let nothing be done,” all the words are in italics except the word “nothing.” They are not in the text, but they are supplied to help it make sense. Literally, it is simply, “Nothing according to selfishness or empty conceit.” Paul is not talking just about doing. This includes action, words, and even thoughts. When we are likeminded, thinking the same thing, not even our thoughts are rooted in selfishness and pride. While actions and words are vitally important, this reaches down to the attitude out of which actions and words come.
Now to the positive soil out of which we esteem others better than self – “but in lowliness of mind.” That is a very literal translation of the Greek word, which is a compound made up of “low” and “mind.” This is the word that is often translated “humility.” You will recognize immediately that this humility is the opposite of pride or vainglory. Rather than being selfish and conceited, we are to be lowly in mind.

Can you see how it is this attitude that enables us to esteem others better than self? As long as we are selfish and proud, we can never do that. Pride always exalts itself. It may not do so outwardly, but when pride rules, I am always lord and master on the inside. The proud person may demonstrate what looks to be humility, but on the inside he is full of dead men’s bones. On the other hand, when we are clothed with humility (I Pet. 5:5), we aren’t threatened by the idea that others are better than us.

Conclusion

That is where we are going to pause this morning. When we come back to this passage, I want us to take some time to look more in depth at humility. It doesn’t take a genius to figure out that humility is a close companion to unity. Pride, on the other hand, is a great enemy. I ask you to take some time to think that through. You would do well to spend some time in the Word, seeing what it says about humility.

As you look forward, thinking about humility, also look backward. Go back over verse 2. Think about “having the same love.” The truth is that you as an individual cannot make it happen. You are just one part of the body. On the other hand, it can’t happen unless you do your part. I must let the Lord search my heart, purifying me, that the love He has shed abroad in my heart might flow freely to those around me. As I do that, I am trusting the Lord to do the same in each of my brothers and sisters. Yes, as I pray for myself in this area, I am also praying for my brothers and sisters.

Nor can I make sure by my efforts that we are thinking the one thing, but I can ask the Lord to give me grace to think the one thing. I can ask Him to unite my heart to fear His name. And as I pray for myself concerning the thinking of the one thing, I can pray for you too. And you can pray for me and others.

You might say, “Well, this is a vicious circle. You are almost saying that we need unity to become unified. We need this sense of thinking and working together.” I can’t deny that. But brothers and sisters, don’t forget that we are one in Christ. Galatians 3:28 declares that we are all one in Christ Jesus. Paul doesn’t urge us to become united, but he urges us to guard the unity which the Spirit has already produced in us. We are studying, we are praying over, we are longing to demonstrate unity. The reason we have confidence is because the Lord Jesus died and rose to make us one, and we are one in Him.

Think the Same Thing -- 11/29/09

Sunday, November 29, 2009

THINK THE SAME THING
Phil. 2:2

Brothers and sisters, “If there be any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies, fulfill ye my joy, that ye be likeminded. Do it for the Christ who has come alongside to help and has spoken to you with gentle counsel. Do it for the Spirit, with whom you have fellowship, the Spirit who has blessed you with tender affection and compassion. And do it for us, your leaders who watch over your souls.” That is the message of Phil. 2:1-2 for us. Paul spoke those words to the Philippians, and now through Paul the Holy Spirit is speaking that same message to us.

Last week we looked at the motivation for being likeminded, but this morning we must look at the basic question: “So what does it mean to be likeminded?” Yes, it is possible. If not, the Lord wouldn’t tell us to be likeminded. But what does it mean?

Let me pause right there. I must confess to you that at the beginning of the week I was feeling a great deal of pressure. A dear brother told me last Sunday, “Ron, I’m praying for you, especially as you prepare to preach Sunday.” He was speaking of how important it is that we come to understand what is the nature of this likemindedness. The simple truth is that we have a lot of trouble getting hold of this concept. So like I say, I was feeling pressure. However, I did remember what I told my brother. I reminded him that this isn’t a matter of me preaching some earth-shattering sermon that is going to give us the answers. As the body of Christ, we are all in this together. We are praying together and seeking the Lord together in His Word. Surely He will answer.

Some time early in the week the Lord gave me grace to get out from under the pressure. Oh yes, I recognize responsibility, but not pressure. Such pressure comes from fear, and that fear isn’t from God. It is the fear that says, “Ron, what if you can’t provide the answers.” I might as well just be honest and admit it up front – I can’t provide the answers. But here is the good news – we serve a God who has all the answers. “He that spared not His own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him freely give us all things” (Rom. 8:32). "Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God" (I Cor. 2:12). The Lord will show us what He desires to show us. I was feeling this pressure to take us through this passage today with definitive answers. That pressure is gone. I am excited to lead us in studying the Word together, that we might learn what our loving heavenly Father has for us.

We may be in this passage for a while. Joe Myers has been a bit amazed that we have been moving right through Philippians at a pretty good pace. Well, the pace has just slowed. I don’t see us getting bogged down in Phil. 2:1-11, but I do see us being blessed with the weight of treasure we find in this passage. I want to give you an assignment. If you haven’t done so, I want to challenge you to memorize Phil. 2:1-11. I am challenging all of us to memorize it. You say, “Well, I’m not even a Christian.” Memorize this passage and meditate on it, and you will likely be a step closer. This is one of the most magnificent passages in the whole Bible. Let’s commit it to memory before the end of the year. I am not asking you to do this for any reason except the knowledge that you will be richly blessed by doing so.

This morning we are going to do three things. First of all, we are going to set this passage before us. We are going to read it. We might even read it more than once. I want everyone here to be familiar with this precious portion of scripture. Then I want to help you unravel the structure of verses 2-4. At first, it may seem a little bit difficult, but it is important that we give our best thought to the Word of God. And then we are going to spend some time with that little command, “Think the same thing.”

Setting the Passage Before Us

So let’s begin by setting the passage before us. Let’s stand and read together. Because we have different translations, we have to choose one, if we are going to read together. This morning we will read it out of the King James. Perhaps in the future we will read it out of a different translation. Read Phil. 2:1-11…
If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies, 2. Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. 3. Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. 4. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. 5. Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: 6. Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 7. But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: 8. And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. 9. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: 10. That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; 11. And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Pray

Unraveling the Structure of 2:2-4

“Fulfill my joy by being likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.” We read it, and it sounds like there are three or four commands. Besides the command to fulfill Paul’s joy by being likeminded, there is the command to let nothing be done through strife or vainglory and the command to look not every man on his own things. What I want to do is take verses 2-4 apart and show you that there is only one command in these three verses.

So what is the command? The command is this: “Fulfill my joy, that you be likeminded.” We talked about it some last week. Technically, the command is to fulfill Paul’s joy, but the fulfilling of his joy is accomplished when they are likeminded. So practically, the command is for them to be likeminded. We are going to reduce it to simply: “Be likeminded.” That is the command.

So what do we do with the rest of verses 2-4? There are four things that fall under that command. If you are into grammar, there are four participial phrases that modify that command. Maybe it will help if we see it…

Be likeminded….

… having the same love
… thinking the one thing (=being of one accord, of one mind)
… esteeming others better than themselves
… looking also on the things of others

Notice the words in bold italics. These are the participles, the –ing words, that carry the rest of the paragraph. None of them are commands. They all fall under the one command, “Be likeminded.” They tell us something about what it means to be likeminded. Or perhaps we could say they tell us something about how to be likeminded. But at this point, what we need to understand is the fact that there is only once command and the rest falls under that one command. We will be coming back to this structure again and again, as we look at this passage.

If you would like to begin to look at a very close parallel, take a look at Eph. 5:18-21. In that passage, we find one command and then four participles that modify that command. I will let you try to work through and see that. We will probably look at it later as well.

Now the Command: "Think the Same Thing"

Now that we have taken apart the structure of the passage, let’s come back to that command, “Be likeminded.” I want to give you the literal translation and repeat it again and again until you cannot forget it. I believe that will help us to understand its meaning. Think the same thing. You might translate it, “Have the same attitude,” but for now let’s stick with “Think the same thing.”

Please allow me to bore you for just a minute. If you were to look at it in the original language, it would look like this… to (the) auto (same) phroneo (think). Think the same. The “thing” is understood. Paul literally says to the Philippian believers, “Think the same thing.” Take that word “phroneo” (fronew). Thayer’s Greek lexicon gives the following definitions: to have understanding, be wise; to feel, to think; to direct one’s mind to a thing. It speaks of setting your mind on something. Paul longs for them to set their minds on the same thing. Think the same thing. Are you getting it?

One of the reasons I want you to get that literal translation down is because that word “phroneo” is used in other places in the New Testament. As a matter of fact, it is used 26 times in the New Testament. 23 of those 26 occur in Paul’s letters, and no less than 10 of them are in the letter to the Philippians. In some of these occurrences, the meaning is exactly like what we find here. We will find that idea of setting the mind on something.

Now we are going to leave Philippians for a while in order to look at some other places where this word is used. Don’t think we are wasting our time. I believe we will benefit greatly from looking at some other passages. Let’s begin with that familiar passage in Matthew 16. Jesus asked His apostles, “Whom do men say that I am?” After they gave him some opinions they had heard, He then asked, “But whom do you say that I am?” That’s when Peter said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Jesus then reminded him, “Blessed are you, Simon, son of John, for flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but my Father which is in heaven.” Then Jesus went on to speak about the rock upon which He would build His church and that the gates of hell would not prevail against it. Now let’s pick it up in verse 21 and read Matt. 16:21-23…
From that time forth began Jesus to show unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day. 22. Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee. 23. But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.

In Mark’s account, he notes that Jesus rebuked Peter. And it is no wonder. Peter had the audacity to listen to Jesus say what was going to happen and then tell Jesus He was dead wrong. He bluntly told Jesus that this would not happen.

Now let me ask you a question: How could Peter be so bold as to say such a thing? How could he have the nerve to contradict the Lord Jesus? What was wrong with Peter? What was he thinking? Let’s take time to ponder on it a bit. Peter had said, “You are the Christ, the Messiah, the Son of God.” What do you think Peter had in mind, when he said that? We must remember that the Jews were expecting a mighty, triumphant, conquering Messiah. They were looking for a Messiah who would turn the world upside down and make everything right, a Messiah who would punish the wicked and give justice to those who had been mistreated. And surely He would begin by overthrowing the Romans and giving the Jews their independence. Peter believed that Jesus filled the bill. After all, He had seen Jesus calm a vicious storm on the Sea of Galilee. He had watched Him heal the sick and even raise the dead (son of the widow of Nain). Peter had never heard a teacher like Jesus, for He taught with authority, not as the scribes and Pharisees. Surely this was the Messiah who would accomplish all that Peter and his fellow apostles had dreamed about.

Then Jesus says, “Guys, we are headed for Jerusalem. And when we get there, I am going to suffer many things at the hands of the elders and chief priests and scribes. Yes, I will be killed by them, but I will be raised on the third day.” Can you imagine how that struck Peter? He was not able to reconcile Jesus being the Messiah, the Son of God, with being killed. He could not put the two together. To Peter’s credit, he did not say, “Then Jesus, you cannot be the Messiah.” He was so sure that Jesus was the Messiah, he concluded that the other factor could not be true. Jesus could not die. Being the cautious man that he was, Peter just blurted out what he thought, “No, Lord, this cannot be. This will never happen to you.” When we look at it that way, maybe we won’t be quite so hard on Peter. By the way, Peter said it, but all of them were thinking it. Peter just beat them to it, as always.

The key question is this: “What was Peter thinking?” We just went over what he was thinking, but that isn’t the end of the story. Jesus interpreted what Peter was thinking. Jesus turned and rebuked Peter, saying to him, “Get behind me, Satan; you are an offense to me.” Those were very strong words. The man who had uttered what we sometimes call “the great confession” was now speaking on behalf of Satan and had become an offensive thing to Jesus. But the key is in those last words that Jesus said to Peter, “For you savor not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.” That word translated “savor” is our little word phroneo. More literally, it reads, “For you do not mind the things of God, but the things of men.”

We must think about that. Peter’s problem was that his mind was set on the things of men. In other words, he was thinking like men think. His thinking wasn’t like God’s thinking, but like man’s thinking. Thinking like a man, it was perfectly natural for him to conclude that since the Messiah must be a powerful ruler, then Jesus cannot die, must not die. He was bound to man’s thinking, and as a result He could not receive what Jesus said.

At this point someone might object and say, “But we can’t think like God. Doesn’t God say somewhere, ‘My thoughts are not your thoughts and your ways are not my ways?’” Does God say that? Indeed, He does. Let’s read it in Is. 55:8-9, "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. 9. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts." There it is in black and white – God’ thoughts are not our thoughts, for His thoughts are much higher than ours. Surely that means that we can’t think like God thinks. Then why did Jesus rebuke Peter for setting his mind on the things of men rather than the things of God?

Let’s look at the context of Is. 55:8-9. Let’s simply read verses 6 and 7 along with 8 and 9. Read Is. 55:6-9…
Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: 7. Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. 8. For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. 9. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

That gives us a whole different perspective, doesn’t it? Seek the Lord. Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts. Let such a man return unto the Lord. And when he does, the Lord will have mercy upon him. When he comes to God, he will find that God abundantly pardons him. But someone might argue with that. “God can’t pardon wicked sinners. Doesn’t the Bible say that every man will be rewarded according to his works. If a person is wicked, God will not pardon him.” But then the Lord Himself speaks and says, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. No, you wouldn’t pardon a wicked man. You would make sure he gets what he deserves. But my ways are higher than that. Don’t judge me by the way you think and act. I think differently. Don’t you remember the way my character is described in my Word? “The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy” (Ps. 103:8).

Brothers and sisters, aren’t you glad that His thoughts are higher than your thoughts and His ways higher than your ways? Aren’t you glad? If they weren’t, you would be doomed. If God acted like men, you would be the recipient of His vengeance and wrath. That brings us back to the objection that we can’t think like God, because His thoughts are so much higher than ours. Listen to me carefully. Have you ever exercised mercy? When you did, you thought and acted like God. Just because God tells us that His thoughts and ways are higher than ours, that doesn’t mean that we cannot attain to His thoughts and ways. It is impossible for man, but “if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature. Old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new” (II Cor. 5:17). Just study the life of Peter. On this occasion Jesus rebuked him for thinking like men, but the time would come when Peter would beautifully demonstrate that a man can set his mind on the things of God and act as God’s representative. Those of us who are new creations in Christ can and should set our mind on the things of God. We are to increasingly think the thoughts of God Himself.

Now come to that familiar passage in Colossians 3. We quote this passage again and again because it is so foundational for every believer. Read Col. 3:1-4…
If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. 2. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. 3. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. 4. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.

This is another one of those “if’s” that carries the idea of “since.” “Since you have been raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sits on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.” “Set your affection” is the translation of a single Greek word. Guess which word it is? That’s right – phroneo. Set your mind on things above. Think in a heavenly manner. And who is it that dominates Col. 3:1-4? It is Christ. We have been raised with Him. It is Christ who is sitting at the right hand of God. We died, and our life is hid with Christ in God. When we are told to seek those things which are above, that means we are to set our minds on Christ. Because He is our very life (vs. 4), we are to think like Him. Like Peter, we are to think the thoughts of God. And now we see that we are to think like our Lord Jesus Christ.

Now come to Romans 8. In order to get the flavor of this passage, let’s just begin in verse 1. Read Rom. 8:1-7…
There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. 2. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. 3. For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: 4. That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. 5. For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. 6. For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. 7. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.

In verse 4 Paul speaks of believers fulfilling the law. But how can that possibly be? Surely that is impossible. It is impossible for those who are after the flesh, because they set their mind on the things of the flesh. But those who are after the Spirit, set their mind on the things of the Spirit. The mind which is set on the flesh is not subject to God’s law and cannot be, but it is a different story for the one who sets his mind on the things of the Spirit. For that person there is life and peace. Brothers and sisters, we must not think like mere man thinks, but as the Spirit thinks. But can we do that? Everyone who is after the Spirit can think that way. In verse 9 we see that if the Spirit of God dwells in us, then we are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit. And if the Spirit does not dwell in us, then we do not belong to Christ.

In short, believers are told to think like God, like Christ, and like the Spirit. This is what makes all the difference in the world. Peter had walked with Jesus, seen the miracles of Jesus, and heard the teachings of Jesus, and yet he was still thinking like a man. But when the Holy Spirit invaded his life, so did a new way of thinking. He no longer set his mind on the things of man, but he began to set his mind on the things of God. As a result, instead of denying the Lord Jesus, He boldly stood before thousands and told them that they had crucified their Messiah and Lord. He didn’t stop there, but went on to tell them how they could receive God’s mercy and pardon.

Now come back with me to the words of Phil. 2:2, “Think the same thing.” That is not an isolated command. Let’s read 2 Cor. 13:11, "Finally, brethren, farewell. Be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace shall be with you." Paul tells them to be of one mind. Literally, it reads, “Think the same thing.” Look at Rom. 12:16, "Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits." Paul tells them to be of the same mind. Guess how it reads literally. “Think the same thing” (toward one another). Then come to Rom. 15:5, "Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus:" Now Paul prays that God will give them the grace to be likeminded. Literally, “to think the same thing” (toward one another). The God who commands us to think the same thing will give us the grace to think the same thing.

Conclusion

So how do we think the same thing? Think about it. A brief study of that little word phroneo gives us a powerful place from which to start. If we are going to think the same thing, we start by thinking like God thinks rather than the way man thinks. We set our minds on things above and not on things on the earth. We can come to the same building, sing the same songs, listen to the same sermons and still not think the same thing. Why is that? Because if we are thinking like man thinks, we will not be thinking the same thing. There is no likemindedness in such thinking. But when we are all thinking like God thinks, we will be likeminded. Let me put it this way: To the extent that we are truly setting our mind on things above, where Christ sits at the right hand of God, to that extent we will be likeminded.

Let me try to illustrate that truth. Let’s suppose we are all part of a huge family. Norman and Rita, why don’t you come stand right here with me. We are the children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren of this blessed union. We love them dearly and we want to help them celebrate their 75th wedding anniversary. (Use your imagination; they will be there in a while, if the Lord tarries). We want this to be a really big deal. Besides all the family, we have invited another 150 people. The day finally arrives and everyone is present. Our mom and dad, our grandparents, may be old, but they are still sharp. They are taking it all in with delight. You suddenly notice that Rachel has entered the back door with the punch bowl. It is that ugly thing you thought was thrown away years ago. She must have rescued it out of the trash and tucked it away somewhere… until now. How you wish she had left it tucked away! Your first reaction is to intercept it before it can be placed on the table. You think you could do it quickly and quietly, replacing it with something decent, after taking Rachel out with one blow or perhaps distracting her in some deceptive way. But then you look at them, the guests of honor. You realize that it is far more important to them that their family live with love toward one another than that the punch bowl be just right. You realize that they aren’t going to notice the punch bowl. And besides, in her heart, Rachel probably thought that ugly punch bowl was appropriate. So you ease over toward Rachel, put your arm around her and say, “Isn’t this a wonderful occasion, Rachel. Hasn’t God been good to us by giving us such loving parents!” Your taste and Rachel’s taste are totally the opposite, but both of you have your minds set on honoring your parents. That is more important than anything else. Tastes in punch bowls do not enter into that equation.

I realize that isn’t a perfect illustration, but do you get the point? You and Rachel were not thinking about yourselves; that is the way man thinks. You were thinking about your parents and what they would want. When we set our minds on the Lord and let Him train us to think like He thinks, we are on our way to likemindedness, to thinking the same thing.

You may not like the way I continue to talk about thinking the way God thinks and the way Christ thinks. You may think that language is too strong. Let me give you a little preview. Phil. 2:5, “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.” Guess what little word appears there? That’s right, phroneo. Let me read it to you as literally as I can: “Think this in you which also in Christ Jesus.” “Think this in you which also in Christ Jesus.” Brothers and sisters, Paul is telling us to think like Jesus thinks. Yes, you can translate it, “Have this attitude in you which was also in Christ Jesus.” Nevertheless, literally, he is telling us to think like Jesus thought. We will be exploring that more fully before too long.