An Unnatural Way to Live - Philippians 2:2-4

Home right to the Corinthians that he was the least of the apostles. Ephesians chapter 3 uses I am the least of all the same line up every believer and I'm not superior to any of the natural realization not eliminate all ungodly comparison with each other.

We viewed every other person in the body as superior or so comes out on top in your estimation.

Are there people in your life that you frankly think you're better than them. That may be the natural way to think, but it's not the biblical way to think one of the hardest things to do is set aside our own pride and desires for the sake of others being humble is unnatural, but it's how were called to live. This is wisdom for the heart stay with us as Stephen Devi takes us to Philippians 2 in a lesson he's calling and unnatural way on Philippians chapter 2, Paul has effectively begun this discussion in verse one, which we covered last words, a positive look of this is true this is true this is true this is true that this all happened whenever I can paraphrase it if there really is encouragement in Christ and there is if there is any consolation of love in Christ, implied, and there is if there is any fellowship in the spirit and there is if there is any affection or compassion implied in him, and there is make my joy complete by being of the same mind know why with the apostle Paul effectively tell the church in Philippi to remain unified. Why would he effectively send a warning to their they were an amazing church is because of this letter. Frankly, they brought joy to the apostle Paul whenever he prayed for them, they they brought up a great satisfaction and encouragement because they financially supported him. They understood the value of the gospel, but they were in danger. Most New Testament scholars believe this is sort of easing in what's going to become more apparent. A little later on in the letter that there is divisiveness taking place. Even in Philippi, one author writes in his commentary that although sound doctrine, moral purity and passionate commitment to the Lord and to his work are essential to churches effective ministry and unity they cannot guarantee protection from discord. Paul was pleading with them to be on guard the rights to this church make my joy complete this church planter make my joy top the charts by being of the same mind, that verb being of the same as the main verb in these verses, which sort of helps us as students to know that all the other actions are really secondary affect what Paul is going to do is tell us what it looks like be the same mind before we take a look at them. Let me tell you ahead of time. They are all unnatural. They all go against our nature.

They don't come naturally. Paul is going to call them and us to humility, which by the way, is not unnatural way to live will get up in the morning and and and naturally think of living a humble life brother first thoughts are of ourselves had to live supernaturally living by means of the power in the presence of the Holy Spirit in whom we have fellowship coined on the so what does that look. First of all Paul writes here in verse two.

It looks like this. Maintaining the same love is the first one will call this loving intentionally maintaining the same love, by the way, would you notice that Paul doesn't write loving the same thing. We took a survey from what we eat what we drive what we wear what we watch what we read we don't love the same thing to me what brings us together, you're thinking. I have no idea. Well, he explains that we don't love the same thing but we have been occupied by the same love, we are loved by God through Jesus Christ we we share a common life in him that supersedes all the differences that Paul uses the word agape here for a lot of it's the New Testament word of loving by volition it it it it refers to making up your mind to love just about husband-wife relationship God the father with us. The word is used. You fall in love as much as you choose to love isn't sourced out of feeling or emotion, but will affect were told were commanded to love, which is how he can command us to decision of the will would allow not with word or time, but in deed and truth. John writes in verse 318. He also writes that by this we know that we have passed from death of the life because we happen to have this kind of intentional love for the brethren.

Would you also notice that Paul is taking us beyond the loving only those who love us isn't telling us here to maintain a love for those who love you he is telling us here to maintain a love for those who are lovable, good news and that none of us are lovable all the time. Some of you more than others, so mentioning names, but I like what author said were all little white porcupines will have some good points but it's really, hard to get too close to each other now in the same family right to live together forever exciting. This kind of living. Paul wants the church to begin rehearsing now is natural. I love people who love me. I love people who love things I he says we are unified by means of having occupied the same loving God through Christ. He goes on at inverse two were also united in spirit not only to be loving intentionally. Secondly, we are to be living harmoniously. One Greek word swimsuit costs.

It means one sold S OU LED.

The only time it appears like this in the New Testament. Simpson cost means that live harmoniously.

Harmony cannot happen without humility. Somebody's got to give. Even today, when you leave Maria needs someone has to give right that the prefix assume in this word, some success begins our workforce assume that symphony To be a wonderful illustration to beautify church different talents different instruments harmony. We heard a little bit of an earlier wonderful. Imagine if the guy playing tuba says I want to play whenever I want to play on a play whatever imagine some member of the London Symphony plays the timpani kettle drum setting on the playlist you give me a solo every time we have a performance be one word for that unemployed kick him out of the symphony right. The church happens to be a symphony composed of different instrument different ages, different people, different backgrounds, different skill levels absolutely wonderful are learning how to play one instrument, probably not that good in any other instrument we all combined with our different contributions to the music, all while endeavoring to keep pace stay with the meter and keep an eye on the conductor Jesus Christ to shepherd the church see this as being of the same mind means where loving each other intentionally means we are living together harmoniously. Thirdly, we are to belonging cooperatively. Notice the next description last part of verse two intent on one purpose intention. Again, this is the idea of longing this one passion that we take from chapter 1 Paul's primary focus of challenging us to live lives worthy of the gospel from chapter 1 verse 27. This would tie then and with this cooperative longing this purpose. The idea of living in such a way that would glorify God by obeying Jesus Christ as relates to the gospel and what it Jesus Christ command this in relation to the gospel in a nutshell, keep it yourselves go around the world and make disciples baptize them teach them something called the great commission. He gave us in Matthew 28 repeated effectively in acts chapter 1 verse eight disease ascending. This is our primary purpose as a church and as believers to glorify God by obeying Christ and delivering to the world the gospel making disciples, baptizing them and teaching them changed. If there's one thing then the devil will delight in would be to distract the believer and to distract the church from this cooperative longing passion to just think about ourselves to just think about our little world are little address your own trial just told us whatever you do don't think about anything other than your immediate living condition that's natural think of some global commission that unnatural. Here's humility loving intentionally living harmoniously longing cooperatively. Now this is what humility looks like his unity of being insane mind that now you can go further tells what humility does not look like verse three do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit. Do nothing from selfishness that is do nothing that is motivated by self okay how unnatural is that the word Paul uses here is translated earlier in chapter 1 in verse 17 is selfish ambition gives you little bit about for now. What is the word airfare it. It originally referred to a day worker who is paid daily from cutting and binding. She later on. The word became a reference for people seeking personal wealth. In fact it was used of politicians seeking a personal platform by any means. Finally, by the time of Paul's letter. The word referred most often to somebody is jockeying for position in any arena. Someone who is motivated by his own ambition for power jockeying for position 11. That is absolutely natural, you do it on I 40 all the way to work snatcher you can understand why Paul would warn the church of this characteristic discordant division are inevitable when people jockeying for position in the church when people will not give when people focus on their own agenda of their own likes and dislikes. The body is divided into all of these little self serving constituencies. Philippi was struggling with this. I read several years ago.

Biography by Jonathan Edwards.

I'll take a little bit about about while while someone turned on the air conditioner. One of the leaders of the great awakening this open those doors in the front doors that ice on the front. The book is entitled. In fact, he gives a little insight into the marriage of Jonathan and Sarah Edwards, the title of his marriage to a difficult man with a title. Many women love that don't raise your hands.

Title my wife gave me the book I know I do. One particular chapter record of the conflict in the church. He pastored wonderful pastor, theologian, wonderful church struggled ultimately divided. Unfortunately, but what happened on this occasion was the balcony collapse. Unfortunately no one was hurt but they had to rearrange all the seating for the congregation. Unlike our churches today. Everyone back then sat in the same seat will back in the 1700s. You are actually assigned your seat back then they rented them to you, and until later, they were free by those who desire to open up the church and the seats were typically arranged by how important a person was perceived to be carryover from James. We talked about the rich guy come in and get the front seat.

Poor guy in the back lately and in his church, they gave the dimensions of the pew. They they seeded six people per pew on the floor, but in the balcony less desirable seeds. They packed nine people into the pew.

Listen to this.

The coveted seats were at the very front just like colonial houses. There was no balcony and would have to be rearranged the bag for records from Jonathan Edwards own journal how the deacons and church officials toiled for hours upon hours over the seating chart and finally worked out a plan that seemed to ruffle the least feathers.

How is that for distraction. How's that for forgetting the purpose we would do that when we notice he adds to this empty conceit to see that empty conceit to compound word literally means empty glory of the King James translation it'll same vein, glory it's pursuing glory, but really it's just empty like a vapor empty conceit self conceit, which is essentially empty.

It's an attempt to get glory. But in reality it's nothing more than exaggerated made up importance.

It is vain.

One of the favorite things. My grandson Nicholas enjoys is having us blow up a balloon and put it in his hands without tying it in all the air fizzles out of it. Or sometimes he left to go in and zigzagged all around. We love these cheap toys, great balloons all over the house occurs to me that self conceit is like that balloon it's fall, but at the same time. It's really empty and the larger it stretches on the outside. The bigger the emptiness on the ins is just really full of hot air. Paul's ideas empty conceit. People who are just full of hot air bag, an important but it's like a vapor you want an empty life, fill it with yourself. You want a full life, empty of self and that's going to be unnatural to take the power of the Holy Spirit. Paul goes on to describe two more unnatural aspects of humility that further establish unity. First will call this an unnatural realization. Verse three, with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves. That's an unnatural realize it should, that other people are more important than me can mean that the word translated by the way, regard disorder puts another nail down in this truth. It's a word that refers to a saddled conclusion. You're not patronizing you're not making it up.

You just sort of faking it because people are why did we really want to act like people are more important than you know you're coming to the settled conclusion that other people are more important than you are, how you get there.

Notice again. The first part of the phrase with humility of mind regard one another as more important, with humility of mind in the original and just one word you could translated lowly, a lowly mindset that same word is used of Jesus Christ. He was a lowly of heart wasn't that all about him is not a reference to some kind of poor me syndrome I'm gonna work on my lowly attitude about me you know I'm no good worms or whatever. I'm so inferior know the mindset Paul is referring to here is with humility of mind is a mindset that actually forgets about oneself entire don't think of themselves at all and think badly of themselves. In fact, when it comes to this immediate context of the church there people in the assembly who don't think about themselves, but others Keller called the art of self forgetfulness, natural has to be developed and when they do they consider everyone else in the body is more important than themselves. The word translated there more important to be helpful to understand it means to be superior in other words, what he saying here is a person who is humble doesn't view himself as superior to anybody else, okay.

He's not superior to anybody. This is this is why Paul would write to the Corinthians that he was the least of the apostles is as you line them up. I am not superior to any of them. They are superior to me, but he broadens that as he develops in his own Christian experience of the timing of Ephesians chapter 3's as I am the least of all the saints line up every believe her and I'm not superior to any of unnatural realization would not remove all competition from the body would not eliminate all ungodly comparison with each other.

When would not eliminate all the gossip we viewed every other person in the body as superior to ourselves. Favorite expression then of the church would be you first know after you you first try the part of the service was a natural thing will occur in the big shots in the body of Christ know that the wind points popularity some kind of platform we are just playing our part. According to the divine conductor of the illustration I came across a perfectly set this in context.

An older woman wrote an article about the wedding. Her grandson was going to be any Ian hee hee was the ring bearer. He was five years old and actively mean this is why we go to weddings and that the sea with the ring bearer and the flower girl. So she came up with this this idea and she said after the after the rehearsal. Listen, I think I'll give a prize tomorrow to the person who does the best job at the wedding, dubbing the most important person there in the winter prize. It was all lies. All ears. The next day she wrote. We were all holding our breath.

But when it was time the little ring bearer.

The little terror performed his role perfectly. During the reception. She said I told him in front of everybody that he had won the prize. He was excited and relieved.

He said this, I was pretty sure I had until she came and were not white dress and everybody stood up that I started thinking she might win the least consequential person in making this happen. Things he was the most important and how silly are we any less. We any less silly in our competition. In comparison, we need a mindset that comes to an unnatural realization about each other. Secondly, we need to make an unnatural resolution.

Givers for do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of other team unnatural realization comes to the conclusion that other people are more important than I and unnatural resolutions is other people's needs are more important than our are you serious absolutely natural thing is to look out for number one. The word translated to look out for comes from the verb scope pathos, which means to make this your aim to address thing that scope out forms are words telescope's Scope microscope so you pull out that metaphorical telescope. What you do might natural inclination as you look down the road of your life as far as you can see see certain things coming your way you're gonna plan already are going to make adjustments for you to do everything necessary because you scoped it out or you take the microscope and and you focus in on all the details of your daily life.

All the events, relationships, issues, needs, bills, whatever problems and we focus on them. We talked about that we pray about them. We worry about that. We fret over them see that kind of telescopic and microscopic activity is natural comes easy.

Paul is effectively saying here take that and train that telescope on the life of someone else and take a look at what they have coming toward them and then help focus on their immediate needs and concerns and do something about fact in the mind of the Spirit of God. The apostle Paul. This is to serve one another. This is not a combat division scored personal agenda.

Try this is going to be in a natural way to live a supernatural way to live, bringing glory to Christ in unity church and service to others in the gospel to the world. You want an empty life, fill it with yourself for life, empty of self and unnatural way to live but it is the only way to live life work living. Let's strive to live with the kind of humility. Stephen described for us today. This is wisdom for the heart with pastor and author Stephen Davey Stephen pastors Colonial Baptist Church in Cary, North Carolina is also the author of several books including a commentary on the book were studying Philippians. If you like information on how you can get a copy of Stephen's Philippians commentary give us a call today at 86 648 Bible is 866-482-4253. You also find it on our website which is wisdom online.org before we go I want to encourage you to install the wisdom for the heart Phone you can listen to any of Stephen's lessons free of charge. Download the app today and join us again tomorrow for more wisdom for the heart