Sermon Tone Analysis

Philippians 2:1-11

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stephen Caswell © 2003

Carey’s Concern

 

William Carey, served the Lord in India for many years.

He gradually became very concerned about the attitude of his son, Felix.

The young man had promised to become a missionary, but later reneged when he was appointed ambassador to Burma by the Queen of England.

Carey wrote to his friend, asking prayer for his son with these words: /Pray for Felix.

He has degenerated into an ambassador of the Queen of England when he should be serving the King of Kings.

Are you serving this world or the one to come?

The Kingdom of God or kingdom of men?/

In Philippians chapter 1 we saw that Paul had the */single mind/*.

Jesus Christ */was/* his life.

In Philippians chapter 2 Paul speaks of the */submissive mind.

/*Others have second place.*/

/*Paul was a servant of Jesus Christ.

Continuing on from chapter one Paul explains how to restore unity in the Philippian Church.

Paul didn't give them a list of rules to accomplish this.

Biblical unity comes from God's /power within/.

The Spirit uniting God’s people together in service.

When Churches are busy serving the Lord they don’t have time for conflict.

*/Today,/* */we will see 3 motivations for Christian service:/* */Christ’s Enablement, Christ’s Example & Christ’s Exaltation./*

*/ /*

1.   Christ’s Enablement

 

/a.

Christ's Assistance/

 

*Philippians 2:1-2:* /Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.

/

/ /

The word */if/* doesn't mean /maybe/, but rather it states a fact.

*/Since/* is a better translation.

/Since/, */we have consolation, comfort, fellowship and affection in Christ./*

It’s a certainty.

1.

*/Consolation/* in Christ - This refers to the encouragement we receive from union with Jesus Christ.

*/Consolation/* comes from the word paraklhte or */Holy Spirit.

/*He comes along side us.

2. */Comfort/* of Love - Believers receive comfort from God's love.

*Romans 5:5b* /because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

/

3. */Communion/* of the Spirit - Believers enjoy sweet fellowship in the Holy Spirit.

Remember that */fellowship/* koinwnia means */to have in common, to share, to participate, communion.

/*

4. */Compassion/* - One of the Spirit's ministries is to produce within each believer; a concern and love for other members of God's family.

The apostle is saying, in effect: */Since/*/ there is so much encouragement *in Christ*, *since* His *love* has such a tremendous persuasiveness, *since* *the* Holy *Spirit* brings us all together in such a wonderful *fellowship*, and *since* there is so much tender *affection and mercy* in Christianity, we should all be able to get along in harmony with one another./

/ /

/b.

Christian Attitudes/

* *

*2:2: */fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.

/

These resources have been provided by God to produce spiritual unity.

However we can reject the Spirit's working and thereby forfeit His joy and unity.

The Holy Spirit works within us so that we will */think and feel/* the same way about ministry as Christ did.

He leads us into Christian service.

Jesus said this at the start of His ministry.

*Luke 4:18-19: */The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, Because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed; to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.

/Believers who are yielded to the Spirit serve others.

Paul would rejoice in their unity of mind, heart and purpose.

Dangerous Mental Patients – Disunity

 

A visitor to a mental hospital was astonished to note that there were only three guards watching over a hundred dangerous inmates.

He asked his guide, Don’t you fear that these people will overpower the guards and escape?

/No, was the reply; lunatics never unite/.

/Let’s not be like that!/

 

/c.

Christian Actions/

 

*Philippians 2:3:* /Let nothing *be done* through selfish ambition or conceit, but *in lowliness of mind let* each esteem others better than himself.

/ /Let each of you *look out* not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others./

/Right belief must lead to right behavior/.

As believers rely on the Holy Spirit they put the concerns of others before themselves.

The key to joy is */Jesus First/* and */Others Second/*.

This results in believers being/ humble/ and /helpful/.

Paul */asks/* believers to */esteem/* others as being better than themselves.

The word esteem hjgeomai means */to consider, reckon or judge/*.

This requires a choice on our parts to be humble.

This inevitably leads to looking out for the other’s needs.

/Contrary to the TV advertisement, the most important person in the world is not you, it’s others./

*Romans 12:3: */For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith./

*/The key is drawing on Christ's resources made available through the Holy Spirit.

/*Seeing a need and meeting it if we can.

It is a natural thing for us to look after our own needs.

But God wants us to consider the needs of others and help them too; like the Good Samaritan.

Christian attitudes must lead to Christian actions.

Unfortunately some people only want to criticize others who are serving the wrong way, in their opinion.

D L Moody's Critic

 

A critic of D L Moody told him that he disapproved of his methods.

Moody graciously replied, I don't like them too much myself; /What method do you use? /Why I don't have one, said the critic./

/Moody tartly replied,*/ I think I like the way I do it better than the way you don't.

/**/A Christian is a mind through which Christ thinks; a heart through which Christ loves; a voice through which Christ speaks; a hand through which Christ helps.

/*

/d.

Command To Be Christ Minded/

 

*Philippians 2:5* /Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus,/

After asking the Philippians to have one mind, he *commands* them to have the mind of Christ.

The words to be minded *φρονέω* mean */to think, regard, view, hold an opinion or attitude./*

This *command* is in the present tense.

We must *continually* think like Jesus Christ.*

/What was Christ’s attitude to others?/

Mark 10:**45:* /For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many./

*/What is Paul commanding us?/*

He is telling us to have the humble, obedient heart of a bond servant.

A bond servant was one who obeyed their master for life, out of love.

Application

 

/Are you drawing on Christ’s resources?/

We have received the love of God, the Spirit of God and the comfort of God to unite us together.

/Are you drawing on these?

Are you serving others?

Are you working together with your brethren?

Does Christ control your attitudes and actions?/

 

*/Secondly/* */Paul shared:/*

 

2.

Christ’s Example