The Mind of Christ
Philippians 2: 5-11
Verse 5 – This is a choice “Let this mind be”
Verse 6 – It was not robbery because it IS His (HE IS the I AM)
Verse 7 – Jesus emptied Himself – So should we
Verse 8 – Jesus humbled Himself as a servant (John 13) and was obedient to
death – the most humiliating death of the time. We are rarely
obedient past dinner!
Verse 9 – When His Mission here was complete – Jesus emptied Himself of
the flesh and reclaimed His Holy position in Glory.
Verse 10 – Now “should” – later “Will” (Rev 20)
Verse 11 – Jesus is Lord
Jesus – Made Himself of no reputation, became a bondservant, came in the likeness of man, was humble and obedient. Jesus Glorified God with His life here on earth, so should we.
We – bow and confess
The Mind of Christ is:
1. The Selfless Mind
Ø Less of Self
Ø More of Others
Ø Great Commandment (Matt 22:37-40)
2. The Sacrificial Mind
Ø Empty Yourself
Ø Giving Beyond Your Abilities
Ø Living Sacrifice (Romans 12:1)
3. The Serving Mind
Ø Serve Others
Ø All Things To All Men
Ø Great Commission (Matt 28:18-20)
The Mind of Man is:
1. The Selfish Mind
Ø Greed
Ø Lust
Ø Pride
2. The Greedy Mind
Ø Gimme-Gimme
Ø The Jones’s
Ø I Owe, I Owe, It’s Off To Work I Go
3. The Self-Serving Mind
Ø I, Me, Mine
Ø If It’s OK For Me, Then It Is OK
Ø So What?, It Didn’t Effect Me!
Philippians 2:5-11 “Let this mind be in you which was also
in Christ Jesus, (What is this “Mind of Christ”?
Guy King described it as The Selfless Mind, The Sacrificial Mind and The
Serving Mind. As we read the text of
Chapter 2 we see several definitions:
giving, loving, caring, humble, concerned about others, servant hood,
obedient, sharing, full of life, genuinely caring for others, proven in Christ. The true mind of Christ is focused first on
God, secondly on others then on self.) who,
being in the form (shape, image) of God (Supreme Divinity) (Jesus
existed for all eternity as God, not that he simply resembled God, He IS God),
did not consider it robbery (seized plunder) to
be equal with God (Christ always was, and will
always be equal to God for the simple reason that He is God! He did not have to
use trickery, thievery or any other means to pretend to be God – He is God)
but made Himself of no reputation (to make empty), (Here is the tricky part. Jesus ‘emptied” Himself.
Scripture says it, we can’t argue with it, but what does it mean? Did Jesus discard His Deity? Absolutely not! Did He simply cast off all of His Godly attributes? (Omnipresent,
Omnipotent and Omniscient) Absolutely not!
Was He any less God? No
Way! What He did empty Himself of was
His positional equity with God and shielded the Glory of His Godhood in the
fleshly body of a man. This “veil” was lifted occasionally, like at the
Mount of Transfiguration. His Godly
Glory was there, simply hidden for the time He walked on earth in the shell of
man) taking the form of a bondservant (slave, subservient), and coming in the likeness (form, resemblance) of men.
(This is the “how” of His emptying. He
came as a servant. He temporarily
yielded His rightful place in Heaven to put on humanity.
He left His place of all perfection to come down into this pigpen of sin and depravity so that we (you and I) could one day enter into His place of perfection forever). And being found in appearance (“scheemati”/schematic =a figure, external condition) as a man (man faced, human being), He humbled (humiliate, depress) Himself (I am reminded of John 13 here. Where Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God, Creator, Master, Savior – laid aside His garments, bowed down took a towel and washed the feet of the disciples. What a perfect picture of humility. A great example of how we should be towards those around us today. We are to be the worlds servants. I think the big picture in this text is that if people are willing to become humble and serve others with a pure heart, to sacrifice everything they have for them, then they will not be quarrelsome. I guess the hillbilly phrase would be something like this: “You don’t fight with them that you help” ), and became obedient (submissive) to the point of death (this text illustrates the total devotion Jesus had to us and to His Mission here. He was willing to do whatever it took for God’s wayward children to have a pathway into everlasting life, even die. He was not taken in or deceived by satans tricks or bribes, He had a job to do, and only He could do it. The spotless lamb had to be sacrificed for the sins of the people.), even the death of the cross (This was a most humiliating death. Naked, bloody and exposed to the world; including His mother, His friends and His followers. The most humiliating death on earth was reserved for Heavens Holiest. God Almighty was beaten, stripped of clothing and flesh, spit upon, cursed, humiliated, nailed to a beam, speared and died. This God did because He loved you and desired that you be reconciled to Him forever. This is the obedience of a Humble Son. This is the dedication and boldness we should have today. Are you willing? Are you trying? Lost folk are dying around you daily – what are you willing to do about it? Jesus Christ suffered and died – all you have to do is tell others about Him. Are you willing? Are you trying?) Therefore God also has highly exalted (raised to the highest position) Him and given Him the name which is above (over, beyond) every name (Once Christ’s Mission was completed, once He had shed His Precious Healing Blood, He emptied himself again, this time of the humanity He had temporarily put on, and entered into His Eternal Position as God. His Deity no longer veiled, His Glory shining fully yet still working and interceding for us. ), that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven (above the sky) , and of those on earth (worldly – physically and morally), and of those under the earth (subterranean, infernal – belonging to the world of departed spirits), and that every tongue should confess (acknowledge, agree fully) that Jesus Christ is Lord (Supreme in Authority, controller), (The key to this text is in what it does not say. It does not say that every one will accept Him, or that everyone will be saved. They will bow to Him and confess that He is Lord. Even the demons in hades will bow, even old slewfoot will be crushed and humiliated in defeat and bow to Jesus Christ. You may not be willing to humble yourself before Jesus as savor and Lord now, but one day you will. The choice of WHERE you are when you bow is yours. Will you bow with all the Saints in Glory or with the damned in everlasting torment? The choice is yours! How do you choose? Victory in Jesus! We must understand that our battle has already been won! God has proclaimed that Jesus is Champion; and everyone who comes to Him in humble faith shares in His conquering Victory eternally) to the glory (honor, praise, worship, - very apparent) of God the Father (Father, Parent) (Just as all things Jesus did glorified God, so must all things we do., If we operate in the sacrificial, selfless and serving mind of Christ we will bring God Glory. The Great Command tells us how to accomplish this; Love God with everything He gave you and love others as you love yourself. I guess the “Golden Rule still applies to us and how we relate to those around us. “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you” I learned that as a little boy in my Grandpa’s church, maybe you heard it in Sunday School or scouts. Funny how most of us know the words but don’t apply the truth that is there for us. The one with the true Mind of Christ applies the love that Jesus demonstrated for us on the cross to those around him.). (NKJ)
Philippians 2:5-11
Let this mind be in you
which was also in Christ Jesus,
who, being in the form of God,
did not consider it robbery
to be equal with God,
but {HE}made Himself of no reputation,
taking the form of a bondservant,
and coming in the likeness of men.
And being found in appearance as a man,
He humbled Himself
and became obedient
to the point of death,
even the death of the cross.
Therefore
God also has highly exalted Him
and given Him the name which is above every name,
that at the name of Jesus
every knee should bow,
of those in heaven,
and of those on earth,
and of those under the earth,
and that
every tongue should confess
that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.
(NKJ)