Philippians 2:1-4 Cultivating a Christ-like Attitude

Philippians • Sermon • Submitted 2 months ago • Presented 2 months ago

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Intro

When a certain church in Dallas became divided, the rift was so bitter that each side instituted a lawsuit seeking to dispossess the other from the church’s property—this despite Scripture’s warnings about taking such matters before public courts

The story, of course, hit the Dallas newspapers and garnered considerable interest from the readers.

The judge wisely ruled that it was not the province of the court to decide such matters until the case had been heard before the denomination’s church court.

So the dispute was remanded to the ecclesiastical court where, eventually, the decision was made to award the real estate and properties to one side.

The losers withdrew and formed another church nearby.

Church growth the American way!

It was reported in the Dallas newspapers (no doubt with some delight) that the church court had traced the trouble to its source—the trouble began when, at a church dinner, an elder had been served a smaller slice of ham than a child seated next to him.

Church hostesses, make sure you always serve heaping elder portions to the elders and deacons or you might come before Judge Judy!

Read Philippians 2:1-4

Transition

Verses 1–4 of chapter 2 form a single sentence that is a passionate appeal for unity and mutual care within the church.

Paul knew what some church workers today do not know, that there is a difference between unity and uniformity.

True spiritual unity comes from within; it is a matter of the heart.

Uniformity is the result of pressure from without.

Paul wants the people in Philippi to have a Christ-like attitude

In chapter two he lays out what that entails and then gives Jesus as an example followed by Timothy and then Paul

Attitude can make or break a person’s faith

The key verse in this chapter is vs. 5

Philippians 2:5 NKJV

Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus,

Your attitude resides in your mind

It directs your thoughts and your emotions

Four Motivations vs. 1

Vs. 1 shows us four motivations for a Christ-like attitude

Paul began with a deliberately emotional appeal that was meant to move the Philippians to a fourfold remembrance of what happened to them when they came to Christ

Paul hoped these sweet recollections of the supernatural in their lives would move them to do what was necessary to ensure their unity and mutuality

Encouragement

His first recollection, “So if there is any encouragement in Christ,” summoned their experience of salvation when the Holy Spirit came alongside them and comforted and strengthened them

Another word for encouragement is consolation

Consolation: Comfort which eases grief and pain.

The Hebrew terms are closely related to the words for compassion

Job’s integrity with God’s instructions gave him consolation despite his grief and pain

Job 6:10 ESV

This would be my comfort; I would even exult in pain unsparing, for I have not denied the words of the Holy One.

Jesus was called the consolation of Isrrael

The word consolation in this passage is the ancient Greek word paraklesis.

The idea behind this word for consolation in the New Testament is always more than soothing sympathy.

It has the idea of strengthening, of helping, of making strong.

The idea behind this word is communicated by the Latin word for comfort (fortis), which also means “brave.”

The love of God in our life makes us strong and makes us brave.

Correction does much, but encouragement does more.

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Comfort from Love

Paul’s second recollection, “any comfort from love,” referenced their experience of Christ’s love. They realized that they were loved unconditionally by Christ who gave his life for them

Every Christian should know what it is to have Jesus give him the comfort of love.

2 Corinthians 1:3 ESV

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort,

When comfort is withdrawn, do not be cast down, but humbly and patiently await the visitation of God. He is able and powerful to give you more grace and more spiritual comfort than you first had.

Thomas à Kempis

Participation in the Spirit

The third recollection was “any participation in the Spirit.” This is the koinon word, the fellowship

This is Paul’s third rhetorical question in this context.

Paul knew and valued the fellowship of the Spirit, and every Christian should know what it is to have the fellowship of the Spirit.

Fellowship is the ancient Greek word kononia.

It means the sharing of things in common.

We share life with the Spirit of God that we never knew before.

The Holy Spirit fills and guides and moves in our lives in a powerful and precious way.

Affection & Sympathy

The fourth recollection—“any affection and sympathy”—is more exactly the divine compassion and mercy that came from Christ himself to us at salvation and now passes through us to others

Have the Same Mind vs. 2

vs. 2 shows us that to have a Christ-like attitude we need to walk in Unity

Complete my joy: This speaks of a personal request.

Part of the reason Paul wanted the Philippians to take heed to his word was because they should know that it would make the founding apostle of their church happy.

By being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind:

These together all speak of the same idea: a deep, abiding, internal unity among the Philippians.

This unity is the goal.

What follows in Philippians 2:3-4 are descriptions of how to achieve and practice the unity mentioned here in Philippians 2:2.

Exhibit Humility vs. 3-4

Vs. 3-4 shows us that to have a Christ-like attitude we need to exhibit humility

In the flesh, we are often motivated by selfish ambition or conceit.

Much of what we do is not done out of love for others, but out of our own desire for “advancement” or “promotion”

Paul found it important to say selfish ambition.

Not all ambition is selfish ambition, and there is a good ambition to glorify God and serve Him with everything we have.

Conceit is thinking too highly of one’s self, of having an excessive self-interest and self-preoccupation. It could be more literally translated “empty glory.”

Galatians 5:26 ESV

Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.

In lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself: This third step to the kind of unity described in Philippians 2:2 is completely contradictory to the attitude of the world, because lowliness of mind is about the least attractive thing to the thinking of this world.

The ancient Greeks considered lowliness of mind to be a fault, not a virtue.

For those who would learn God’s ways, humility is the first thing, humility is the second, humility is the third.

Augustine of Hippo

Romans 12:10 ESV

Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.

As we esteem others better, we will naturally have a concern for their needs and concerns. This sort of outward looking mentality naturally leads to a unity among the people of God.

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

Here the thought is completed. As we put away our selfish ambitions, our conceit, and our tendencies to be high-minded and self-absorbed, we will naturally have a greater concern for the interests and needs of others.

Romans 12:16 ESV

Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight.

Humility is to make a right estimate of oneself. It is no humility for a man to think less of himself than he ought.