OUR GREAT EXAMPLE

Phil 2:5-8

I. Introduction

A. I love mankind said a famous comic strip character, it's people I can't stand.

1. When Epaphroditus brought a generous gift from the church at Philippi, he also brought the bad news of a division in the church family.

2. Apparently there was a double threat to the unity of the church.

3. There was the danger of false teachers coming from without (3:1-3)

4. Then there was the problem of a divided membership from within (4:1-3)

B. What Buodia (fragrance) and Syntyche (fortunate) were arguing about Paul does not state.

1. Since these were believers in Christ, this fact, ought to encourage them to work toward unity and love, not division and rivalry.

2. Division in a church is never solved by threats or rules; it's solved when we see our position in Christ and what our attitude should be in the light of that fact.

3. Paul wanted them to see that their basic problem was selfishness and the cause of selfishness is pride.

II. The Secret of Unity is Humility (2:3,8)

A. It's important that we understand what the Bible means by humility.

1. The humble person is not one who thinks ill of himself, he simply does not think of himself at all.

2. Humility is the grace that when you know you have it, you have lost it.

3. The humble person yields himself to Christ and uses what he is and has for the glory of the Lord and the good of others.

B. Others is the key to this whole chapter (2:3-4) the believers eyes are turned away from himself and focused on the needs of others.

C. Paul gives us four examples of the submissive mind

1. Jesus Christ Himself (2:6-8)

2. Paul himself (2:16-18)

3. Timothy (19-23)

4. Epaphroditus (25-30)

III. The Mind of Christ (2:5-6)

A The mind of Christ is literally the attitude that the Lord Jesus exhibited..

1. Attitude is all important for outlook determines outcome

2. If the outlook is selfish, the actions will be divisive and destructive.

3. James says the same thing in James 4:1-10

B. Jesus' attitude was one of self surrender (2~6)

1. He did not consider His equality with God as "something to be jealously held onto"

2. He did not think of Himself, his only concern was others.

3. That has always been the mind of Christ.

C. It would be worthwhile to contrast Christ's attitude with that of Lucifers (Is 14:12-15)

1. Lucifer said I will - Jesus said Thy will.

2. Lucifer was not satisfied to be a creature he wanted to be a creator.

3. Jesus was the Creator but willingly become a creature.

4. Christ's humility is ever a stark contrast to Lucifer's pride.

D. We expect unsaved people to be selfish and grasping but we do not expect this of Christians.

1. More than twenty times in the N.T. God instructs us how to live with one another

a. We are to prefer one another (Ron 12:10)

b. We are to edify one another (I Thess 5:11)

c. We are to bear one another's burden. (Gal 6:2)

d. We are to admonish one another (Ron 15:14)

2. Others is the key word in the vocabulary of the Christian who is submissive to the Lord.

IV. A Servant's Heart (2:7)

A. Thinking of others in the abstract is insufficient, we must get down to the nitty gritty of true service.

I. A great philosopher wrote glowing words about educating children but abandoned his own.

2. It was easy for him to love children in the abstract but when it came to practice that love, that was another story.

3. Jesus thought of others and became a servant.

B. Paul traces the steps in the humiliation of Christ. .

1. He emptied Himself of His privileges as God.

2. He became a human being in a sinless physical body.

3. He used that body to serve others.

4. He took that body to the cross and willingly died for others.

5. Jesus, others and you what a wonderful way to spell joy.

C. What Grace - From heaven to earth, from glory to shame, from Master to servant, from life to death.

1. As you read the gospels have you noticed that it is Jesus who serves others, not others who serve Jesus (Matt 20:28)

2. In the Upper Room when his disciples refused to minister Jesus arose, took a towel and washed their feet (John 13:4-5)

3. Jesus took the place of a menial slave.

V. A Sacrificial Attitude (2:8)

A. Many people are willing to serve others if it does not cost them anything.

1. Dr. J. H. Jowett said; Ministry that costs nothing accomplishes nothing.

2. If there is to be any blessing, there must be some bleeding.

3. At a religious festival, a missionary was going from booth to booth examining the wares.

4. He saw a sign on one that said, "Cheap Crosses" He thought to himself "That's what many Christians are looking for these days - cheap crosses."

5. The Lord's cross was not cheap it was costly. What should mine be.

B. Sacrifice and service go together if service is to be true Christian ministry.

1. In his book Dedication and Leadership, Douglas Hyde explains how the Communists succeed in their program. A member of the Communist Party himself for 20 years, Hyde understands their philosophy. He points out that the Communists never ask a man to do a "mean, little job,"

2. They always ask him boldly to undertake something that will cost him. They make big demands, and they get a ready response. Mr. Hyde calls "the willingness to sacrifice" one of the most important factors in the success of the Communist program.

3. One pastor complained that his men were changing the words of the hymn "Take My Life and Let it be to "Take my wife and let me be"

4. My friend dedication and sacrifice are not for a few but for all who name themselves Christians.

C. The question we must all ask ourselves is it costing you anything to be a Christian?