What Would Jesus Do? - Part A

Paul gave the principal he said let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself, was the principal.

Now he gives us an example that the example he chooses is the ultimate exam example of Jesus Christ more examples as we keep reading this book will give an example using the guy by the name of a pampered guide us as an example of humility will also give us an example of Timothy as an example of humility. First, he gives us the example of Jesus Christ in the 90s there was a popular bracelet. That's what Jesus is reminder to think like Jesus today on connect with Skip Heitzig Skip tackles the question what his jeans was already done and follow Christ's example to control others. God's love through humility.

First was to share about another way you can hear these encouraging Bible messages. I want to invite you to follow my podcast so you can get even more inspiring teacher. Just search skip. I think that's HD ITCIG on spot. If I dabble podcast or anywhere you listen to your podcast and don't forget to follow the podcast so you know when a new teaching is available then Skip Philippians chapter 2 as we dive into her study with Skip Heitzig title of my message is what would Jesus do now.

That's not an original title.

Obviously you've all seen the bracelets and seen the little acronym WWJ D what would Jesus do that started 1896. That's when it started.

1896, a guy by the name of Charles Sheldon wrote a book called in his steps. The book was a story about a pastor in the Midwest who challenged his congregation for the next year before they made any decision entered into any transaction did any action to filter that through the notion of what would Jesus do in the book goes on to show how the whole church was transformed by that approach to life and in turn the whole community was changed, so that's where it began in 1896. The book was published, but in 1990, a youth leader in Michigan decided that her group of young believers, the youth group ought to have a little bracelet so they could wear it around and people get asked him about it and start a grassroots movement that spread around the world. What would Jesus do WWJ D was wonderful as that is.

I bet you have discovered that actually doing what Jesus would do is hard.

It's hard to put it into practice. One mom found that out. She had been trying to teach her two boys this lesson. What would Jesus do the oldest boy was Kevin he was five years old. Brian was three years old.

One day was Saturday morning.

She's cooking up breakfast making pancakes and the two boys started arguing about who want to have the first pancake I want to know, so she got is a perfect teaching moment. What would Jesus do so. She said boys if Jesus were here.

What would Jesus do before they could answer she said uptight. What Jesus would do, he would say I'm in a let my brother have the first pancake well Kevin, the oldest turned to Ryan the youngest and said hey Ryan you be Jesus the whole lot easier to say you be like Jesus rather than me and answer the question what would Jesus do you have to first ask the question what has Jesus done and Paul answers that question by giving us for characteristics of Jesus Christ. There outline for you in in your little bulletin the worship folder you have an outline there will look at verse five through 11 in just a moment because verse five through 11 form a paragraph of Lot.

It is an example of Paul's principal. If you remember last week Paul gave a principal. He said let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. I was the principal. Now he gives us an example of that. In the example he chooses is the ultimate example. The example of Jesus Christ is going to get more examples as we keep reading this book will give an example using guy by the name of a pampered guided us as an example of humility will also give us an example of Timothy as an example of humility, but first he gives us the example of Jesus Christ. I just have to say this the text we are about to read is one of the deepest most glorious tax in the entire New Testament. It is like the seminal text that talks about the condescension of the second person of the Trinity, Jesus Christ as God becoming man not keeping that in mind, let's look at verse five. Read through verse 11 but really only about talk about up to verse eight today… Regional 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 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 has also has highly exalted him and given him the name which is above every name, that the name of Jesus just saying.

A moment ago, every knee should bow, of those in heaven and those on the earth and those under the earth that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the father now working to split that paragraph into women think the first part this week. Second part next week to talk about his lowering today.

Next week were to look at his lifting today were gonna look at the cross.

Next time we go to consider more the crown. Today we look at him giving up his glory. Next time we'll look at gaining more glory now before we can ever appreciate what Jesus has done, we have to understand who Jesus Christ was, you will never appreciate this whole idea that Paul presents unless you begin, where Paul began, understanding who Jesus Christ was and is and over the years, I've always been interested in what people think about Jesus. I usually ask people about what you think about Jesus. Who is he to you some of the things that people believe. I've Artie known some of the things I discover. I'm baffled but I'm just amazed that people actually think these things I've known for example that many Hindus believe that Jesus is the reincarnation of Lord Krishna. I've understood that the Mormon church believes that Jesus was up for our product of a sexual union between the resurrected Adam God in the Virgin Mary or that the Jehovah witnesses believe that Jesus was the first created being, a.k.a., also known as Michael the Archangel, but then there are some even wilder ideas like Jesus was an illusionist who went around practicing magic or here's what I came across recently, Jesus is an alien who came from Venus and then there are those who espouse the factor the idea not affected all the erroneous idea that Jesus was the husband of Mary Magdalene and together they procreated a secret lineage to rule the world or the Bible says Jesus Christ is God, he is God who humbled himself to become a man, and I want to share with you four descriptions. The form the character of Christ. First of all, his divinity, his divinity. Verse five let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus will get to that in a moment to look at verse six who, being in the form of God, you see that little phrase form of God that is translated in English from the Greek more faith that Lou and more faith. They literally translated is form of God, but it's not the best translation because when you and I think of the word form. We think of an outward form. We think of size and we think of shape that is not the word that is used to uses the word more faith that Paul wanted to talk about outward form.

He would use the Greek word scheme more faith outward form of the word that he uses here the word more faith speaks about essence nature or character is who you are your core that's more for morphine never changes.

Scheme always changes. That's the outward form. Here's an example as a human being. We have both more faith and schema more faith we have the essence of who we are, from birth. That is, we are human, that is our morphing. You are a human being from your birth through every stage of your life all the way to death. That's the essence of your nature.

You are humanity, but your schema outward form changes throughout life. You begin as a zygote you know that is after zygote. He became an embryo then your form change to a fetus than your form. Change to a small baby being born and infant, then your form change to a toddler than he became an adolescent than he became an adult. That's the schema, it always changes the morphine never changes. So what Paul is saying by this is saying that Jesus Christ possess the unchangeable, essential nature and character of God, who, being in the form of God, and please notice the word in verse six being see that word who, being in the form of God, but the present active participle and cited on all known that an English class, I thought I got out of why that is important is this in using it this way he is saying that Jesus Christ always has been, and presently continues to be in very essence and nature God. This is why Jesus could say he who has seen me has seen the father you see me you have seen the father. So Jesus never became God at a certain point because he uses word Paul wants us to know he always was this way and continues to always be this way to being in the form of God, so the deity of Christ was prehuman.

It was pre-Bethlehem a while back I had a knock on my door, opened it up was Jehovah witness and I've been through a number of these encounters, I kinda know the song and dance and so I decided to not understand a cut to the chase. I said I believe Jesus Christ is God in the human body. Step back and you know I was had an apoplectic reaction to this, so he's got no is not what the Bible says is no it does, yet does not goes in the Bible.

And so I said John 11 in the beginning was the word the word was with God and the Word was God. That's a wrong translation. It literally is in the beginning was the word and the word is with God and the Word was God. I go to and said it does say that so I pulled out my Greek New Testament opened it up, turn to John 11 and read it out loud NRK and homologue us Chi homologue same trust on Fay on Kai Fay's and us is that it states very plainly that the God is the word and and then I said listen, if you're telling me Jesus was a God. Now you have bigger problems because you just are telling me there are two God's. And you know started to register little like, but you quickly, and it went south from there go well after that. But to say that Jesus never claimed to be God is a ludicrous statement. The only one who could ever make such a statement to somebody either who has never read the New Testament or be blatantly denies the plain text that is written in the New Testament. For example, in Luke five you know the story of the crippled man being led to the rooftop by his buddies. They lowered him down and he can't move Anisa paralytic and Jesus looks at him and he says man, your sins are forgiven. The other side of the room are the enemies, the scribes and the Pharisees who said he speaks blasphemy. Nobody can forgive sins but God only. That's the whole point of him saying your sins are forgiven because only God can forgive sins. In John chapter 8 Jesus said, before Abraham was, I am I am is as you know that Old Testament construction of absolute timelessness. When God said to Moses, I am that I am in John chapter 5 we are told the Pharisees, sought to kill Jesus because he said God was his father making himself equal with God, and then a John chapter 10 the Jews wanted a stone Jesus.

Jesus said many good works. I have done for my father.

Which of these good works. We you want to stone before and they said for a good work we do not stone you, but for blasphemy because you being a man, always make yourself out to be God.

They understood what Jesus was saying about himself. This is why when Jesus rose from the dead and stood before Thomas Jesus didn't argue with Thomas when Thomas said, my Lord and my wife.

God, my Lord and my God. So listen if if Jesus was not God and he deserves an Academy award because he sure acted like it and talk like it for three and half years in his ministry, so Paul is talking about his divinity being in very nature God, who, being in the form of God, meaning Jesus Christ is the God who created everything John 11 then John one to all things were made by him and without him nothing was made that has been made so we look at the Milky Way galaxy and remember there's 100 billion stars in that galaxy and think that they say there are hundred billion other galaxies beside that down to the 800,000 catalog insects that crawl on the earth, and that bother your garden.

Jesus made those that's what he could stand before the waves in the sea and tell them to shut up. Rebuke them basically say stop in this as the winds and the sea obeyed him he could do that because he had the authority to do that as creator God. So heat he begins with the divinity of Christ, followed by number two second characteristics. His humility being in the form of God. Verse six I watch this, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made himself of no reputation know what is at robbery is a word that means to cease or to carry off by force was a word used of a soldier who would plunder and steal. Why is Paul using that term to describe Jesus. He means to say and it often translated this way. He didn't think equality with God was something to be grabbed a hold of. That's how it is often translated in modern versions of the New Testament. So Paul's idea here is this Jesus didn't think that equality with God something to be taken and held onto and clutch and never let go of think for a moment Jesus as God didn't need anything. He had all the angels around him and have been giving him praise get all the glory of heaven being in heaven with the father and with the spirit. He reigned over all of creation. Now he could've stayed right there that's a pretty good gig. Why would anybody want to leave that and the answer is because he wasn't thinking of himself. He was thinking of others. His attitude was an attitude of unselfish concern. See, that's the principle that Paul begins with back in verse three and four.

So it's as if Jesus said I'm not good to keep my privileges for myself I'm gonna lay them aside and serve others know. Look again at verse seven, but he made himself of no reputation. At this point it's like Paul goes a clear let me take you backstage into the mysteries of the incarnation of Jesus Christ and let you know what is really going on is like he's given us direct insight into the miracle of all miracles and that is the incarnation, the incarnation of Jesus Christ is like the theological diamond that sparkles brighter than any other.

Did you know that many scholars believe that in verses five through eight, was originally a him that was sung by the early church when you love is here.

This put the music so they saying it and they sang it so they would remember and commemorate the incarnation.

It was that important of it was that important. Having said that, I also have to say I don't totally get it. And I'm not afraid to admit that when it comes to God becoming a human being. It's like boy do I believe that I'd even die believing that I die for that. But to really get my head all the way around. That is like the Trinity.

I'm accepting it by faith.

But it's it's well Paul put it this way. Great is the mystery of godliness that God was manifest in the flesh, for those great mysteries.

I sometimes feel like a little boy who was outside looking up stars and he said mom. Are you sure God's out there. She said, sweetheart. He's upper he's everyone you sure he's upper yeah I'm sure that Denny said when it be great if you just poke his head out from time to time so we could see him. Essentially, the incarnation was that God poking his head out. Moreover, taking on the human skin and living among us. That's the incarnation. Now the incarnation was a fulfillment of what Isaiah the prophet said would happen, the child would be born. He will call his name Emmanuelle which is translated what God with us. Jesus Christ is God with us. Now I want your eyes to see it for yourself. Look at what it says he made himself of no reputation.

All of those words are one single word in the original Greek language can know send a Kennison theologians talk about the coming gnosis, the emptying, because this word made himself of no reputation. Kennison means to empty of contents, or take something apart out. So if you were here Wednesday night my partner saw me pour water in the cup and poured out the contents.

It's is as if it saying Jesus being in very nature God poured him self. He emptied himself of content question it, and the controversy is what it Jesus empty himself of any part himself already and so can't say I remember opposable point is Jesus by very nature always was and continues to be an evermore will be God. He always is. That's his nature.

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It takes a close look at the humility of Christ and shares how you can lovingly serve others, just like Jesus and Satan had a subversive line. Jesus had a submissive lien holder process.

Let this mind be in you which is also in the castle may Skip Heitzigs presentation of connection communication to God's never changing truth ever-changing time