Bulletins - Heartland Christian Church -3

Come Now is the Time to Worship
Here I Am To Worship
Glorious Day (Living He Loved Me)
- - Matthew 6:13NKJV
- - James 4NKJV
No Longer Slaves
Text: Philippians 2:5–11 Occasion: 12th Sunday after Pentecost
INTRODUCTION
In tonight’s reading
frm Paul’s letter
to the Philippians,
Paul writes
frm prison.
He’s writing
to a congregation
that is under pressure
& suffering.
Just bfr our passage,
he tells them plainly
that they are not
outside of God’s will.
In Philippians 1:29-30…
Paul writes:
Philippians 1:29–30 NIV
29 …it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for him, 30 since you are going through the same struggle you saw I had, and now hear that I still have.
The word Paul uses
for "struggle"
is the word for a contest —
Like a
It’s the same word
Paul uses
in Hebrews 12:1-2
Hebrews 12:1–2 NIV
1 …let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
The church in Philippi,
is in the same contest
Paul’s is in,
& the same contest
Christ Himself
already ran.
And a church under
that kind of pressure
has an obvious temptation:
to turn on itself,
to compete for standing,
to stop looking out for
one another
& start looking out
only for self.
& that’s the problem
Paul’s writes
to them to solve.
Paul’s way of solving
there problem
is to point them
to Christ.
In Philippians 2:5,
Paul commands them:
Philippians 2:5 NIV
5 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus…
This is what Paul teaches us
in this section
of his letter.
He shows teaches us
at least three truths
about the mindset
of Christ.
& command us
to have the same mind.
PRAYER
Let's pray.
[Transition:
The first truth
Paul teaches us
abt the mind of Christ is…]
1. The mind of Christ is SELF-GIVING. (vv. 5–6)
In Philippians 2:6,
Paul writes this
about Christ.
He says Christ…
Philippians 2:6 NIV
6 Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God…
Here Paul describe
Christ’s condition
bfr the Incarnation.
The Greek verb
behind the word
“being”—
points to something
that is
continuous & unchanging,
something that had
no beginning.
Christ has
always existed
in the form of God—
Together w/
His Father.
As John tells us
in the opening words
of his gospel
in John 1:1
John 1:1 EOB: NT
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was {what} God {was}.
Before Bethlehem,
before Nazareth,
before the cross,
the Son already existed
in the form of God.
& His equality
w/ the Father
is the premise
Paul begins w/.
It's what the Church
confesses
every time we say
the Nicene Creed together:
The Son of God is…
“Light from Light
True God from true God,
of one essence
with the Father."
Nicaea did not
invent this,
as some confidently,
but incorrectly teach.
Nicaea
was the Church's way
of more fully defining
what Paul & John
were already confessing
in the Scriptures.
Christ has always
existed in the form of God
& is equal
with the Father
in divinity.
& notice
what Paul tells us
Christ does not do
w/ that equality.
At the end
of Philippians 2:6,
Paul says Christ…
Philippians 2:6 NIV
6 …did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage…
The NIV
brings out Paul’s meaning
exceptionally well
in this verse.
Paul’s saying
that although
Christ has always been
equal in divinity
w/ the Father,
He did not use
His equality selfishly.
Instead,
as we’ll see
Christ revealed
the character of God
by pouring Himself out
for others.
He’s showing us
what God
is like.
God’s greatness
is not
selfish power.
God’s greatness
is self-giving love.
This is exactly
what Paul
has just commanded
the Philippians to do
in Philippians 2:3-4,
when he says:
Philippians 2:3–4 NIV
3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4 not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.
To have the mindset of Christ
Is to make
the deliberate choice:
to use any advantage
we might have
To serve our brothers
& sisters in Christ,
To serve
our neighbors,
To serve
even our enemies,
& to place
the needs of others
ahead of
our own needs.
Christ is
the perfect example
of this attitude.
It's an attitude
that seeks the good
of others
no matter what
it costs us personally.
This is the mindset
that Christ had.
The mindset of Christ
is self-giving.
[Transition:
& no only
is the mindset of Christ
self-giving…
Paul goes on
to show us
a second truth
abt the mindset of Christ...]
2. The mindset of Christ is SELF-EMPTYING. (vv. 7–8)
In Philippians 2:7,
Paul tells us
Philippians 2:7–8 NIV
7 …he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross!
What does Paul mean
when he says Christ
made Himself nothing
or emptied Himself?
Paul tells us
in these verses.
Not by ceasing to be God.
Not by surrendering
His divine nature.
He emptied Himself
by taking the form of a slave,
by becoming truly human,
and by placing His human life
entirely at
the Father’s disposal.
He took the very nature
of a servant.
The One who possessed
equality w/ God
accepted the position
of one without status,
privilege,
or honor.
The Son remained
fully divine
while also taking our humanity
for our sake.
Nothing of His deity
was subtracted.
Humanity was added.
And that humanity was real.
It's not a costume
He wore to only
to appear human.
The words Paul chooses —
"human likeness,"
and
"found in appearance as a man,”
Do not mean
Christ only resembled a man,
or only appeared
to be one.
They mean
that Christ shared
the same complete human nature
as the rest of humanity.
Thru His birth
frm the Mother of God,
Christ became,
in every sense that matters,
one of us.
He was truly incarnate.
He became truly human.
And once Christ
humbled himself
by taking on
that real humanity,
he kept
humbling Himself.
Christ chose
the lowly position
of a slave,
submitted Himself
to the Father's will,
& remained obedient
even when that obedience
led to death.
& it was not
just any death.
It was the most
degrading,
the most shameful,
the most agonizing death
of the cross.
This was the punishment Rome reserved for what they deemed the worst of the worst.
So, Christ went
frm the highest
possible place,
To the lowest
possible place.
Paul’s teaching us
the same truth
about the Lord Jesus
as Jesus taught
His disciples in
Matthew 20:26-28,
where He says
Matthew 20:26–28 MEV
26 “Whoever would be great among you, let him serve you, 27 and whoever would be first among you, let him be your slave, 28 even as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve and to give His life as a ransom for many.”
He is not merely teaching that principle in this passage. He is living it, in the first person, all the way down. That is the shape
of the mind Paul’s
commanding all Christ to have.
We must humble ourselves
take the form of a slave
& stay there,
Trusting the Father
even to the point
of a painful death
if that’s where
He leads us.
[Transition:
We come now
to the final truth
Paul teaches us about
the mind of Christ
in the passage.]
3. The mind of Christ leads to EXALTATION. (vv. 9–11)
In Philippians 2:9-11,
Paul shows us the reward
Christ gained
for His humility.
He says
Philippians 2:9–11 NIV
9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place…
Notice the word “Therefore.”
When we see that word
we shld ask
“What is it there for?”
In this passage
“Therefore” shows us
the result of everything
Paul has
just talked about.
Christ emptied Himself
by taking the very nature
of a servant;
by being made
in human likeness;
being found
in appearance as a man;
by humbling himself
to be obedient
to the point of death
on the cross.
Because of all that…
Therefore,
God exalted Him
to the highest place.
In other words,
Exaltation & glory
are the result of
Christ’s self-giving
& self-emptying
humility.
The same Jesus
who took
the slave’s place.
The same Jesus
who obeyed
to the point of death
on a cross.
The eternal Son Himself
entered our suffering,
died in the humanity
He had made His own,
and was raised
& exalted
by the Father.
& in this exaltation
Christ is vindicated
by the Father.
Thru Christ’s
resurrection & exaltation
the Father publicly declares
that the crucified Christ—
not the powerful,
self-seeking rulers
of this age—
is the One
who has been
exalted.
& Paul goes on
to tell us what that means
in Philippians 2:9-11.
He says
Philippians 2:9–11 NIV
9 …God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue [confess] that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Look at the all-inclusive
nature of Christ’s
Exaltation.
He’s exalted
to the highest place.
He has the name
above every name.
At His name
Every knee will bow.
Every knee in heaven
on earth,
and under the earth —
angels,
principalities,
powers,
& all authorities,
the living,
the dead,
everything that exists —
will bow
at His name.
Every tongue
will confess openly—
It’s not a private
confession we keep
to ourselves,
it’s a confessing out —
spoken where others
can hear it.
Every tongue
will confess
the name
that is above
all names.
What is that name?
It’s not simply Jesus.
It’s Jesus Christ
is Lord.
This is such
and epic truth!
I said
a few weeks back
that The Greek
Old Testament
uses the title Lord
in place of
the divine name:
Y-H-W-H.
& Paul is drawing directly
from Isaiah 45:23,
where the LORD declares
Isaiah 45:23 SAAS
23 …to Me every knee shall bow, and every tongue shall confess to God…
Now Paul says
every knee will bow
and every tongue will confess
that Jesus Christ
is Lord.
The crucified
Carpenter of Nazareth
shares the divine name,
the divine honor,
and the universal reign
of the God
of Israel.
The One who
took a slave's form
& suffered a criminal's death,
& was buried in a tomb,
is the LORD God
of Israel!
The One
Who has now
defeated death
by His death.
The One
Who rose frm the grave
& took our humanity
to the highest place
at the Father’s
right hand.
Every knee
Every where
will bow to Him!
& every tongue
every where
will confess
that Jesus Christ
is Lord!
Now,
notice how Paul
ends Philippians 2:11,
He says all of this
will be…
Philippians 2:9–11 MEV
…to the glory of God the Father.
God is glorified
in His self-giving
& self-sacrificing Son.
& God is glorified
in His self-giving
& self-sacrificing ppl
in the Church.
& Christ's reward
for his humility
gives hope to all
who follow Him
in obedience.
This is the third and final movement of the mind Paul is asking us to have: not only the willingness to descend, but the trust that descent, taken in obedience, is met — as Christ's was — with glory. Not instead of the cross. Because of it.
CONCLUSION AND SUMMONS
As we close.
In the two verses
after tonight’s passage,
in Philippians 2:12-13,
Paul gives us
another “therefore.”
He tells us
what we shld do
with the teaching
He’s just given us
abt the mindset of Christ.
He says:
Philippians 2:12–13 NIV
12 Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, 13 for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.
“Fear and trembling”
does not mean
we walk around nervous
all the time—
as if God
is waiting for us
to step out of line
so He can
strike us dwn.
That’s not
the God
revealed to us
in Christ Jesus.
“Fear and trembling”
means reverent awe
& sober seriousness
bfr God.
It means
we do not treat
His will casually.
We do not treat
our salvation casually.
& we do not treat
the unity
of His Church casually.
We recognize
that we cannot
produce the mind of Christ
by our own strength.
We cannot
make ourselves humble
by simply trying harder.
We cannot
crucify selfish ambition
thru human
determination alone.
We cannot
heal broken relationships
w/o the grace
of God.
But listen again
to Paul’s words:
“It is God
who works in you
to will
& to act.”
God gives us
the desire.
God supplies
the power.
God works in us
through His Spirit
to form the mind
of His Son
within His people.
But His working
calls for a response
frm us.
So Paul says:
Obey.
The way Christ obeyed.
Give yourself
to the Father’s will
the way Christ
gave Himself
to the Father’s will.
Stop grasping.
Stop insisting
that everything
must go your way.
Stop demanding
the recognition
you believe
you deserve.
Stop protecting
your pride
at the expense
of another person.
Let God work
the self-giving
self-emptying life
of Christ
into you.
Paul commands us
to have the mindset
of Christ
in our relationships.
Then Paul tells us
what that looks like
in practice.
in Philippians 2:14-16,
Paul commands
Philippians 2:14–16 NIV
14 Do everything without grumbling or arguing, 15 so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.” Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky 16 as you hold firmly to the word of life.
Do everything
without grumbling
or arguing.
That’s where
the mind of Christ
must become visible.
Not only here
while we worship.
Not only in the words
we confess
abt Jesus.
But in the
relationships
we have inside
& outside
of this Church.
The mind of Christ
becomes visible
when you cld complain…
but choose
to give
thanks to Lord instead.
When you could argue
until you win…
but choose peace
instead.
When you cld
use your privilege
to serve your self
but choose
to serve others instead.
When you cld wait
for the other person
to apologize,
but you go first.
When you forgive
the person
who owes you
an apology.
When you serve
w/o needed
to be noticed.
When you carry
someone else’s burden
without making sure
everyone knows
what it cost you.
When you take
the lower place
before anyone
asks you to.
Let’s allow
God’s Word
to examine us tonight.
Where are
we self-serving?
What rights
are we refusing
to release?
Whose needs
have we refused
to see
bcs we’ve been focused
only on our own?
Is there someone
you need
to forgive?
Is there someone
you need
to approach?
Is there an argument
you’re still trying
to win
when Christ
is calling you
to pursue reconciliation?
Is there grumbling
in your heart
that’s poisoning
your love
for the Body
of Christ?
Let’s not
hear this Word
& immediately think
abt what someone else
needs to change.
Let it search you.
Let it search me.
Let it search
all of us.
Paul says
that when a church
stops serving self,
when a church
stops grumbling,
when a church
stops fighting
over recognition
& position,
that church
shines like
the stars in the sky
in warped
& crooked generation
just like ours.
This generation
already knows
what it looks like
to be self-serving.
This generation
already knows
how to promote self.
This generation
already knows
how to hold grudges,
demand its rights,
& divide over pride.
What the world
needs now
is to see a ppl
who forgive,
as God forgives.
A people
who serve,
as Christ served.
A people
who carry
one another’s burdens;
A people
who take the lower place
bcs they belong
to the crucified
& risen Lord—
A ppl
who have
the light of Christ
shining thru them.
That’s how
we hold out
the Word of life
to this generation.
They’re tired
of our talk.
They need to see
through our mindset,
& through our actions
in a life we share together
that bears the shape
of Jesus Christ.
Christ not only
taught us humility;
He lived it.
From the form of God,
to the form
of a slave,
to obedience,
to the death
of the cross.
He showed us
what the Father
is like:
Self-serving
Self-emptying.
& the Father
highly exalted Him.
So let’s have
the mindset
of Christ.
Let’s work out
what God
is working
within us.
Let’s work it out
in our marriages.
Let’s work it out
in how we raise
our families.
Let’s work it out
in every disagreement.
Let’s work it out
in our wounded
relationships.
Let’s work it out
in the hidden place
where no one
will applaud us.
Do nothing
out of selfish ambition
or vain conceit.
Value others
abv yourselves.
Don’t look out
for your
own interests.
Look to the interests
of others.
Have the mindset
of Christ.
Forgive.
Reconcile.
Serve.
Release your claim
to recognition.
Take the lower place.
& trust the God
& Father
of our Lord Jesus
who is already
at work in you—
will give you
both the desire
& the power
to do His will.
In everything:
Have the Same mindset
As Christ Jesus.
Amen.
- - Philippians 1:29–30NKJV
- - Hebrews 12:1–2NKJV
- - Philippians 2:5NKJV
- - Philippians 2:6NKJV
- - John 1:1NKJV
- - Philippians 2:6NKJV
- - Philippians 2:3–4NKJV
- - Philippians 2:7–8NKJV
- - Matthew 20:26–28NKJV
- - Philippians 2:9–11NKJV
- - Philippians 2:9–11NKJV
- - Philippians 2:9–11NKJV
- - Philippians 2:12–13NKJV
- - Philippians 2:14–16NKJV

Matthew 6:13NKJV

James 4NKJV

CONCLUSION AND SUMMONS

Philippians 1:29–30NKJV

Hebrews 12:1–2NKJV

Philippians 2:5NKJV

Philippians 2:6NKJV

John 1:1NKJV

Philippians 2:6NKJV

Philippians 2:3–4NKJV

Philippians 2:7–8NKJV

Matthew 20:26–28NKJV

Philippians 2:9–11NKJV

Philippians 2:9–11NKJV

Philippians 2:9–11NKJV

Philippians 2:12–13NKJV

Philippians 2:14–16NKJV