Our Attitude
Our Mission • Sermon • Submitted
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· 7 viewsThis series will encourage us to live in concert with our purpose as a body of believers called to Christ's mission.
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
CISeries: As a body of believers, we have been called to Christ’s mission. Let us live in concert with his mission. If we do not, we are sabotaging the very purpose of our existence as a worshiping body.
CIT: Subject: How can the Philippians complete Paul’s joy? Object: They should model the humble attitude of Christ.
CIS: A fulfilled life only comes by living for others. But when you are all about yourself, you will always be empty and at war with someone else.
SO: Explain - Christian selfishness leads to an conflict and prevents believers from accomplishing God’s task for us.
I was away at SOS the last month and half and had a great time learning many lessons that will hopefully be useful to me throughout my career.
The first section was on leadership. Like all course on leadership we learned about the significance on knowing your purpose, values, and mission.
We also learned that to lead others effectively, we will need to lead ourselves.
Generally speaking, these statements are true with regard to our Christian faith.
We need to understand who we are, what we belong to, what our values, purpose, and mission are.
But if I were to be honest, I am not sure I knew what my purpose was as a Christian beyond just being saved at first.
The Scripture clues us into what our mission is a believers.
Together believer form the body of Christ and we have been commissioned with a great mission.
This means that we have a specific purpose to play. And my friends, its more than just being saved until we die so that we can got to heaven.
So over the next few weeks we will be in a short series that I am entitling Our Mission.
Together I want to rediscover what the Scripture calls us to be working toward with our Christian faith.
We will cover our mandate, its foundation, and what happens if we fail over the next few weeks.
Today we will start with that attitude we need in order to accomplish our Goal.
Will come along with us as we journey through the word to determine our mission and pray with me?
Pray
Our Attitude (Phil 2:1-11)
Our Attitude (Phil 2:1-11)
Context
Written by Paul
The scripture indicates that is was written in captivity (Options: Roman, Cesarean, Ephesian)
To the Philippians whom he met in Acts 16
Primarily Gentile
Meeting Lydia
The exorcism of the Fortuneteller girl and the shakeup
The conversion of the jailer and his family
Likely written early 60’s after many of his early books (e.g. Thes), at about the the writing of the gospels and some of the other Bible books (e.g. Peter and Hebrews)
Rapid expansion of the Christian faith
A growth of heretical teachings, along with some of the heretical writings (e.g. Thomas) were being produced.
To encourage a church he loves to continue faithfully in the faith they had received.
Complete My Joy (v. 1-4)
Complete My Joy (v. 1-4)
So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.
Explanation
Paul appeals here to their common salvation in the Christian faith (v.1).
Specifically mentions the “encouragement of Christ.”
“Participation of the Spirit”
With God as a given, this is a tacit reminder of their essential Christian (Nicene) faith. We learned how this theology was formalized in the last sermon series.
The command here is to model the reasonable attitude required for believers because of their salvation. (v.2)
They were to be united together
They were not to squabble over things.
Is there any caveats or carve outs?
The reason why the command is given because of their selfishness (v. 3-4)
These believers tended to have an over-inflated view of themselves.
These believers tended to count their own interests above others.
But Paul wants them to instead have an orientation towards others instead of themselves.
Illustration
The Tower of Babel
This Bible story is one of the stories I remember reading as a child
Do you remember?
Gen 11 tells the story.
Noah and his family have survived the flood that came to purify the world of its constant evil.
The Babel story explains the fate of the descendants of Noah.
The people of the world have again broken faith with God and wish to move outside of what God’s purpose was for them.
They decide that they will build themselves a city with the top in the heavens, so that they may make a name for themselves.
Then they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city and a tower with its top in the heavens, and let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be dispersed over the face of the whole earth.”
They end with different different languages, confused, and (rightfully) unable to accomplish what they set out to do.
Application
Think about the last bit of conflict that you had. Was there any selfishness involved? Was there any of your own selfishness involved?
When you are all about yourself, you will always be empty and at war with someone else?
Believers what can you do to be more selfless this week?
Take time to ask what the other person thinks
Really listen to what the other person says. Can you repeat back how the other person feels in a way that they would agree with?
Have this Mind
Have this Mind
5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 so 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.
Explanation
The ESV obscures the fact that original language shows signs that this portion of the text that we read was a poem.
Anyone reading out of a different translation?
This portion was probably like a familiar illustration that the people had been aware of since their earliest introduction to the faith.
AJ’s song during the initial Covid church and how when we read our nighttime Bible stories, I’ll sometimes repeat the song he knows to remind him of the truth that’s applicable to the what we are reading.
In Christ, there is a reasonable “mind” or attitude to maintain. (v.5)
This attitude is different from what Paul has been explaining they should continue doing.
Jesus’ example is one of humility (v.6-8).
Some take the word “form” here and twist it to mean something it does not.
Paul’s Letter to the Philippians 1. As God He Emptied Himself (2:5–7)
it denotes “form” or “shape” not in terms of the external features by which something is recognized, but of those characteristics and qualities that are essential to it. Hence it means that which truly characterizes a given reality.
Jesus’ actual greatness did not prevent him from obedience. (v.6)
Is there anyone at Jesus-level goodness?
He emptied himself and took the form a human slave. (v.7)
“likeness” is the same word as “form” in Greek - morphe
He followed the direction he had recieved, even when it cost him his life. (v.8).
The result of Jesus’ humility was that world would worship him. (v.9-11)
Counter intuitive right?
We are not humble so that we can become worship.
We are humble so that God can be worshiped, as the world sees our God’s character shining through us.
Because of Jesus’ great humble sacrifice, even those who refuse now to worship him, will before their end.
Paul uses this illustration to reinforce his command to complete his joy by having the same mind, in the first four verses.
Illustration
Encyclopedia of 7700 Illustrations 2313 Doing Good without Knowing
Doing Good Without Knowing
There is a legend of a man so much beloved of the angels for his saintliness that they asked God to bestow upon him some new power. They were permitted to ask him to make the choice of a gift. He said he was content and wanted nothing. But on being urged to make some request, he asked for the power to do a great deal of good in the world without knowing it.
And so, ever afterward his shadow, when it fell behind him where he could not see it, had wondrous healing power; but when it was cast before him where he could see it, it had no such power.
—J. H. Bomberger
Application
A fulfilled Christian life comes when we live with an orientation to others, just as our Christ humbly came to serve us.
When we choose to live selfishly we will not be able to accomplish the mission he has for us.
When we choose to live selfishly we will be in conflict with others.
Conclusion
Conclusion