The Mind of Christ - 7

Philippians chapter 2 contains one of the great incarnation passages of the Bible yet. Interestingly, it was not written for the purpose of information, but rather for the purpose of imitation. Paul was not primarily trying to set down the wonders and details of the incarnation of Christ is much as to set before us the attitude the mind of Christ and how we are to imitate that in our own lives. Yet, in doing that he intends one of the greatest passages on the details of the incarnation that are to be found anywhere in all the word of God.

Philippians 25 the rate is often called the come gnosis passage from a Greek word that is found here, which means to empty. He emptied himself. That's what makes this passage so puzzling. Maybe one of the things it makes it so challenging is to understand exactly what that means, not only how did he emptied himself, but more importantly, of what did he emptied himself, and not a proper answer to that question hinges an awful lot of truth or error depending on what you conclude about that phrase he emptied himself, I am fully aware that today is sucked so Palm Sunday month Psalms on David Palm Sunday and that all across the world today many churches maybe most churches will be bringing a message on the triumphal entry of Christ. I weighed that possibility, but decided to go ahead with our Philippians series because there actually is a connection, we would need an obvious connection to do this, but there is a connection because you see the triumphal entry of Christ, we have one of those few times during the life of Christ when some measure of his honor and glory and majesty was publicly displayed very rare, but it was on that particular occasion as the crowd shouted, hosanna to the K blessed to see the comes in the name of the Lord. Other words of praise and accurate description and identification of him as the Messiah as the promised King to sit upon David's throne, but the truth of the matter is that throughout nearly all of his lifetime. There was no display of his Majesty and that is both puzzling and in the minds of some people very very obstructing of their ability to comprehend who Jesus is.

But our text this morning explains why that was so.

It explains why it was necessary and that explains both who Jesus is and also why it was difficult to understand who he was when he was upon the earth.

And so in today's text, we will find the explanation as to why Christ Majesty was so rarely displayed.

Here's what we have in verses five through eight, number one, the supreme example in verse five, number two, the exalted deity in verse six and number three the selfless humanity. In verses six through eight begins with the supreme example in verse five Paul writing by the Spirit of God says let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus why Paul said that needs word of explanation that causes us to dip into the background of that statement to see what was the Paul was saying prior to these words that we have already examined, but will quickly review because Paul saw in the Philippian church and need for spiritual growth. Chapter 1 verse 25 and being confident of this. I know that I shall remain and continue with you for your progress and joy of faith. Remember, Paul. There was way should I preferred to go immediately into the presence of the Lord as I will when I die or would it be better for me to remain on earth and he said I realize that for your sake better to remain on earth because you need some additional growth and I can help you with that God has used me to that end, and so you need to make more progress in your faith and so the need for spiritual growth is the background of our text as well as a need for united testimony in the Philippian church. Chapter 1 verse 27 only lecture conduct to be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of your affairs that you stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel chapter 2 verse two fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love and being of one accord in one mind. That takes some more unfolding of the epistle to come to the place in chapter 4 where Paul deals specifically with some of the divisions and tensions that existed in the church but he alludes to that here he says there needs to be greater unity, greater like mindedness in the church and so let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus is the that's the background of chapter 2 verse five as well as the need for increased humility and self-denial as well as greater love all of that in the verses that precede our text that begins in verse five reading again verses one through four. Therefore, if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the spirit of any affection and mercy fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love. Evidently there was a bit of of the lack of the love that they ought to have for one another in its fullness. And so there needs to be an increase in love as well as the need for humility and self-denial verse three 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 to his own interest, but also for the interest of others.

They needed spiritual growth that you need a united testimony. They need a greater love. They needed increased humility and self-denial that last one actually being the key to the first three if there was greater humility and self-denial. There would be greater spiritual growth.

If there was greater humility and self-denial. There would be a more united testimony before the world if there was greater humility and self-denial.

There would be greater love for one another. Therefore, for all of these things that need to take place to take place.

Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, so the background leads immediately into the example in verse five the mind of Christ. Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus. This mind which was also in Christ. Some translations translate that word mind as attitude.

Let this attitude be in you which was in Christ Jesus. It is the mind of Christ. It is the sentiment of Christ. It is the thought process of Christ how he thought about things is thought pattern toward people and toward the circumstances that came to him in this world that mind that Christ displayed so powerfully is to be emulated by us this mind of Christ should become my mind as well. Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus. I need to think like Jesus did.

I need to respond to people and the events in my life the way Jesus did. It is an exhortation actually a command. Let this mind be in you. What mind the mind. It was also in Christ Jesus which mind will now be more fully described for us in the following verse and so the supreme example we find in verse five the exalted deity we see in verse six, who, being in the form of God. Now that's challenging in itself before we get to the place where he and M himself because this tells us what Christ true nature wants crew that is Christ Jesus the mind of Christ Jesus should be in you, who, being in the form of God, the Greek word is more say form it may be translated essence who, being in the essence of God, it can be translated accurately as likeness, who, being in the likeness of God or it can be translated nature, who, being in the nature or being the nature of God. Furthermore, that word morphing is not the only important word but that word being is rather interesting, because you find a lot of the Bible. But there is a common Greek verb that is translated to be and this is not it.

This is an unusual one, and it's much stronger than the usual one.

It means something like to be really and truly to be characteristically to be, by nature, go being really and truly in characteristically the very essence of God.

In other words, who, existing in the form of God, because he was God.

That's the only appropriate conclusion you can draw from this phrase in the beginning of verse six. Were talking about Christ true nature.

Jesus Christ was God.

If you miss that you miss it all. If you miss that. Then the rest of what is said, though helpful and interesting to a point does not carry the same weight doesn't have the same impact as when you understand who this one is he is God and it's God who emptied himself, it's God who humbled himself, it's God who became a servant. It's incredible when we understand the gap between the greatness of his glory and the depth of his humiliation. Jesus Christ was God. He was God before the incarnation before the conception in the womb of a virgin Jesus Christ was God. Jesus Christ was God. After the incarnation after he was born of the Virgin Mary, he was still God, but the incarnation failed his glory, the taking upon him human nature. In addition to his divine nature obscured the manifestation of who he was, who, being in the form of God, that tells us that Jesus Christ is uncreated. Only God is uncreated. He had no beginning in the beginning was the word and the Word was with God and the Word was God the same was in the beginning with God all things were made by him without him nothing was made that was made. There's only one thing in this whole universe that is uncreated and that is God. Everything else is created made by God in Jesus Christ is God. That means Jesus Christ is uncreated, it means Jesus Christ is eternal. He had no beginning, our minds can't comprehend that we cannot conceive of anything that has no beginning, but God has no beginning.

He has always been. He is eternal. He had no beginning.

Jesus Christ had no beginning, not as God, he had a beginning is my end but not as God, he had no beginning at all. Jesus Christ is God. That means he is one with the father Jesus Christ is God.

That means he's equal to God the father in glory, power, wisdom and all the attributes of God. They are as much guests as they are the fathers, they belong as much to Jesus Christ the son, as they belong to God Almighty, our heavenly father.

Jesus Christ is God who would be being in the very form of God. The essence of God. He is very God of very God is one of the great historic creeds puts it, because it's hard to say what do know what else to say. How do you describe is how do you communicate it accurately. He is very God of very God. He is God. That of course takes us to the mystery of the triune Godhead we can understand it, we can only tiptoe around the edges of it. We can accept what the Bible says about it and believe with the Bible says about it without fully understanding it because nobody can fully understand. How can we understand this mysterious Godhead, one God in three persons, it's only one God. But there's father son and Holy Spirit are three distinct persons and yet they are all equally God, and in fact they are all wattage one God. How do you understand that how can you explain that I can't.

Can you I can't somebody said to endeavor to understand the Trinity will cause you to lose your mind, but to deny the Trinity will cause you to lose your soul because of you worshiping any other God in the triune God you're not worshiping the true God. If you believe in a Jesus Christ who is not God, then you don't believe in the Jesus Christ of the Bible and you have no Savior, because the only one who saves. Is this one who, being in the form of God, God is one and God is three and one of that's who Jesus was.

But what happened at the incarnation, he is God. He is good, but what happened at the incarnation and that's the whole question here.

Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, and here we go with it with a description of what happened in the incarnation did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant coming in the likeness of men being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. So we come number three to the selfless humanity, we see number one, the supreme example verse five, number two, the exalted deity verse six and now the selfless humanity versus six.

The rate which is a sixfold description of the selflessness of this one call Jesus Christ. This one that we trust and for salvation. This one that we worship as our Lord and Master. This one that we follow as our Redeemer. A sixfold description. What are these six descriptions of his selflessness. We see first of all, a selfless attitude who, being in the form of God did not consider it robbery to be equal with God.

That's another phrase in this passage that is very difficult to know how to translate. He did not consider his equality with God and holding onto it to be robbery.

He did not consider his equality with God. And this might be a little fuller translation.

He did not consider his equality with God a prize to be grasped and held onto at all costs. That's where the idea of robbery comes in there that there's something in this phrase that has the idea of the booty that a robber gaze by his robbery.

The price that he acquires by his robbery is that element in this phrase, and Jesus didn't consider the prize of equality with the father to be something to be held onto at all costs to be unwilling to relinquish to be unwilling to let go. He did not count his existence in a manner equal to God something to cling to.

That's why it's hard to see his deity in his humanity because he gave up the expression of his deity. The manifestation of his deity.

The obvious glory to glory of his deity. If you are allowed to come anywhere near God the father and you can't get very close to them without being consumed. He is a consuming fire and he dwells in unapproachable light. But if you are allowed to to see the Hydra part of his glory.

Like Moses did. What would you see, you would see majestic light and glory like you've never seen before Christ had that same manifestation of glory. But he failed so that was not seen was seen briefly was that on the Mount of Transfiguration where that glory of God began to shine through his skin and shine through his close and shined in such a way that the three apostles who were with him, saw that they were struck by the glory of his majesty, but except for that rare exception, all throughout his earthly ministry. That manifestation of his glory that evidence of who he was, was veiled in his humanity and he clearly did not consider the expression of his deity to be a prize to that must be held onto it all because he was really to relinquish it. He gave it up who, being in the form of God did not think his equality with God was a price to hold on to it all costs. A selfless attitude. Secondly, we see a selfless action as we move into the first part of verse seven, but made himself of no reputation, and there is that gnosis phrase made himself of no reputation eight emptied himself is the way some translations put it I think may be more helpfully he emptied himself, he did not consider his the manifestation of his existence with God to be something to hold onto it not let go, but rather he and which was a voluntary de-privatization of the exercise of his deity. We could say he laid aside his glory, his glory being the outward manifestation of who we was. He didn't change who he was but a change what people could sing about and could understand about who he was, be very old is glory in his humanity. He veiled his Majesty he veiled his manifestations of deity. He did not is Charles Wesley wrote in that wonderful him and can it be he did not empty himself of all but love the only emptied himself of the manifestations of his deity of his glory. Charles Wesley is usually right on target is amazing to me how how well trained how well versed he is in the truth of the Bible.

The doctrines of the Bible. That's why we sing a lot of his hands. He understands truth very deeply in debt expresses it very clearly and very helpfully, but when he came to this one. He stumbled will excuse him because thousands of others have stumbled at this point as well.

It's very very challenging, very difficult. But no.

He didn't empty himself of all the love that sentimental he gave up everything but love know he give up anything but the manifestation the expression the visible expressions of his deity somewhere ago. The words of that him in our hymnal is our editor helpfully polish that phrase to make it through the Bible. Our editor in this case being Joan Pinkston, whom we know and love verse three says he left his father's throne above, so free, so infinite is race and Charles Wesley Road and emptied himself of all but love but that's not what he did and so it becomes altered to humbled himself in matchless love and bled for Adams helpless race. 'tis mercy all immense and free for all my God, it found out me humbled himself in matchless love. That's what he did.

He emptied himself of the expressions of his deity was a selfless action not only a selfless attitude and selfless action, but a selfless position because verse seven goes on to say, taking the form of a bond servant, taking the form of a servant. He took this is a a selfless position. Not only came to earth and roped himself in human flesh, but he became a servant as I soaked in this passage over the last two weeks and had an extra week to do that because of the Bible conference and I needed that. As I soaked myself in this passage I came to understand something. I don't think I realized before.

But in actual fact taking upon him human nature was an act of becoming a servant explained that more in the moment, but he took the form of a servant, and hear the word form is the same as before. More say who, being in the form very essence of God, the morphing of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God, but made himself of no reputation or emptied himself and took upon him the morphing. The essence of the servant, the essential nature the likeness the visible manifestation of the servant, a selfless position. A servant. He divested himself of his self-interest is glory. His Majesty has deity's right to be worshiped is right to be recognized for who he was.

He divested himself of all of that and in its place. He made himself a lowly servant and he did that number four by selfless acquisition coming in the likeness of man, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men hear the word likeness is not morphing. It's a different word in that itself captures our attention. Why not the same word again here, but it's because in taking the likeness of man taking humanity upon himself. He became everything that we are except for two things. So it is the likeness.

It is similarity, but it is not total identical reality as it is when we compare him with God the father.

He is the exact nature of God, but here he is in the likeness of human men similar but with some differences. Genuine humanity.

Nothing at all about his humanity, that is anything less than full 100% humanity, but here is the difference number one gets humanity. Unlike ours is combined with deity combined in such a way that you can't really separate them fully.

He is not only 100% man with a nature like ours, but at the same time 100% God.

None of us have that combination so that's different in the second difference is his sinlessness that distinguishes him from any of us, he took upon himself the likeness of men. But he did not inherit Adams depravity that all of us have inherited from birth.

He was born but he was not born with that Adamic brevity. He was shielded from that. Nor did he sin any time throughout his lifetime he lived a sinless life, perfect life before God. And so he was in the likeness of sinful man but he was not sinful and he was in the likeness of men.

But he had this addition of deity which distinguishes him from any other human being genuine humanity combined with deity and sinlessness. He assumed human nature without ceasing to be God, he emptied himself of this is important by acquisition by additional, not subtraction. When the Bible tells us he emptied himself, we shouldn't spend too much time trying to figure out what did he emptied himself, what did he pour out what they get rid of it support helpful and more accurate to realize he emptied himself by acquiring something humanity that added to his deity. Veiled the manifestation of his deity. He didn't really relinquish anything, but he added something that changed everything and so he came in the likeness of men.

And he emptied himself by taking something additional to what he formally was he became a servant by becoming a man. He did not exchange deity for humanity, but he obtained humanity to add to his deity that was different in eternity past.

He was deity without humanity at the virgin conception, he became deity and humanity and for all eternity will continue to be deity and humanity. He will always be God man he acquired to himself a human nature that he did not have it all eternity past, and in that sense altered his his existence forever selfless acquisition.

Number five, we see a selfless submission. We read a verse eight and being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient, he humbled himself and became obedient, obedient, to whom obedient to the father.

This explains those puzzling passages in the Bible where Jesus seems to not be God. He seems to be submissive to God. He says things like, not my will but thine be done. How can that be true. If he if he is as much God as God the father.

This is how this explains a gave up the right to exercise his full deity, equal with the father and for the sake of redemption.

He made himself a servant, and became obedient to the father. The Old Testament is filled with references to the coming servant of Jehovah, a reference to the Messiah and one of the characteristics of the Messiah is that he will be a servant to God Almighty, and indeed he will say nevertheless not my will but thine be done. As he submits himself fully and completely to the father. He is obedient he who was and is equal to the father in every way has voluntarily submitted himself to the father to obey him and to do his will. In contrast to our first father Adam second Adam, who is Jesus is equal to the father but willingly submitted himself in obedience to the father.

Our first father Adam who was not aware equal to God nevertheless failed to submit himself to God as he should. This gets me around to what I was saying properly understood to be a human being is to be a servant of God. That's what we were created for Adam rejected. He said I don't want to be ruled by God. I don't want to submit my will to God's eye want to do what I want to do. I want to pursue my own interests.

I want to pursue my own desires. I want to go my own way I want to make decisions for myself as to what is right for me and run for me. I don't want God telling me these things and that's the very essence of sale and all of our sins can be traced back to that attitude in one way or another. That's what's wrong with humanity from the very beginning, Adam, who was not equal to God and should have seen himself as the obedient servant of God refused to do so and plunged himself in the whole human race into sin. Along came Jesus Christ the rescuer. The second Adam, and he who is equal to God the father and had no requirement to submit himself to the God to God the father, for he's equal to God the father. Nevertheless, he became obedient. He became a servant to Jehovah and finally number six we see a selfless suffering became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross, he became obedient to this extent to death. That's the fact of death. He acquired humanity so that he could die as a human being, but not just any death. The death of the cross. This describes the manner of death death. The fact the death of the cross.

The manner of death. The most hideous death, known to mankind. I've been told that there is no death that is more painful than the death on the cross and I doubt that statement has ever been successfully refuted.

It was designed with that in mind. Roman citizens were exempt from crucifixion.

Only the lowest of Roman society.

Only the criminals of Roman society. Only the dregs of Roman society would ever be crucified upon the cross, and experience that death and Jesus humbled himself all the way down to that point to death, even the death of the cross, painful death, shameful death, the curse of death. We read in Deuteronomy 2123 justice phrase for he who is kind is accursed of God to be to die by being hanged up in open view was a mark of God's curse upon one that was another one of those things that made it difficult for many Jewish people to accept Jesus as the Messiah.

How can he be the Messiah. He died accursed by God he died hanging on autocross and in that way showed that he was accursed of God, not blessed of God. Failing to understand that he did that vicariously. He did that as a substitute he did that. Not because he deserved it in any way he did that because we deserve it in every way he selfless suffering when commentator Jeffrey Wilson says first the pre-incarnate Christ emptied himself by taking the form of a servant.

Then, having become a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient. Up to the point of death, and he goes on to say that humiliation describes his entire life.

Everything about his life was a humbling experience for the create tour of the universe to enter into the body of those whom he created and to live in that existence is great humbling great humiliation he who is the judge of all the earth, placed himself under the law of God, that he might be judged according to he who is exempt from all of the pain and the suffering and sorrow of humanity willingly subjected himself to all of that. He was rightfully do nothing but honor and respect and love and devotion and worship willingly subjected himself to read askew will and scorn and shame and denial and rejection, he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

That's the mind of Christ. Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus. It is a self emptying it is a self humbling.

It is a self-denying attitude and that Paul says should be our attitude as well, and that would solve most of the problems that you find among Christians and in church two lessons. I will draw quickly from this passage. The first has to do with salvation of the second was spiritual growth. We need to understand that salvation involves the coming to Christ for salvation for coming to Christ and saving faith involves an attitude of surrender and attitude of submission, a willingness to obey people miss this because when you start talking this way, they say salvation is by grace through faith, not by works know it's you don't you don't acquire salvation.

You are justified by works, but the faith that saves as an attitude. Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus. It has an attitude of surrender and attitude of submission and attitude of obedience.

It is a reversal of what happened with Adam in the garden.

Adam, who was required to obey to submit to give himself in obedience to serve God failed to do so. That was his sin. If sin is going to be reversed in Austin that are entered must be reversed and we must come to Christ in humility and submission and with the desire to obey asking him to help us what we cannot do it of ourselves. But there's also a lesson here about spiritual growth to grow spiritually requires that we learn the mind and attitude of Christ. What is a need to grow in grace and knowledge were not quite sure what growing in grace means we think we have an idea, and we often imagine that the growing knowledge means to acquire more and more information about the Bible until we Bible scholars no extra step number one step number two is put all of that in the practice of your life and if you missed that part. You missed the most important part is not knowledge acquired its knowledge assimilated knowledge that is worked out in our lives day by day.

It is in short the mind of Christ self emptying self humbling self-denying. That's what it means to grow in grace and knowledge it means to become more Christlike to become more lowly, more humble, more submissive, more of a servant of the lot involved in that goes against everything we are and Adam are trying our desire for honor our desire to be served. Our desire not to deny ourselves and all of that is given to Christ, but it takes a lifetime to learn how to deal with these stubborn proud Adamic elements that war against this attitude of the mind of Christ. One thing for sure that were going to have to learn for going to make progress in this area is to quit being so concerned about what other people might think. I think that's the biggest downfall not only of young people. What will my friends think. But adults do. What will my friends think what your friends think is a very little consequence.

And if they think you love you so you have the mind of Christ matters is what God thinks of us.

What matters is whether we are reflecting the mind of Christ in our lives and actions, and so we must ask God to help us to empty ourselves of self to empty ourselves of pride to empty ourselves of whatever keeps us from being a willing servant to others. Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus.

May God help us, shall we pray the father we are convicted.

We are challenged we are review. We confess all of us that we are far short of the mind of Christ. The matter how much we have grown in grace, we are still far short of the mind of Christ and the Lord, we pray that you will help us help us to let that mind be in each of us which was also in Christ Jesus, that we might honor and please you and love you and serve you and serve others as Christ did for us.

We pray, amen