Jesus Christ Our Great Example: Part 1

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Jesus Christ, Our Great Example: Part 2

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By a quote from Bishop J .C. Rowe, no doubt one of my favorite ministers in the past, he said this, speaking of humility, let us watch against pride in every shape.
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Pride of intellect, pride of wealth, pride of our own goodness. Nothing is so likely to keep a person out of heaven and prevent them from seeing
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Christ as pride. So long as we think we're something, we shall never be saved.
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Brother Keith mentioned that this morning, how somebody could be a know -it -all. J .C.
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Rowe continues, let us pray for and cultivate humility. Let us seek to know ourselves correctly and to find out our place in the sight of a holy
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God. Let us daily strive to copy our
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Savior's humility. Pride is the oldest and most common of sins.
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Humility is the rarest and most beautiful of graces. Humility, like this, is one of the strongest evidence of the indwelling of the
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Holy Spirit of God. We know nothing of humility by nature, for we are all born proud to convince us of sin, to show us our own vileness and corruption, to put us in our right place, to make us lowly and self -abased.
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These are among the principal works which the Holy Spirit works in the soul of man. Few of our
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Lord's sayings are so often repeated as the one which closes the parable of the
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Pharisee and the tax collector. And he quotes the word of Jesus, and you can see this for yourself.
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Throughout the gospels, Jesus repeated this probably more than anything else outside of, about repentance in the kingdom of God.
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But he says this, Everyone that exalts himself shall be abased. And he that humbles himself shall be exalted.
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Luke 18, 14. J .C. Rowe continues, to have great gifts and do great works for God is not given to all believers, but all believers ought to strive to be clothed with humility, end quote.
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How true that is, beloved. That strikes right at my heart, to examine myself and to search, and ask
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God to search my own heart, where I'm blind to areas in my life, pride in my life, that God would deal with me.
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So we need to look at the humble living, and how we can live humble in the light of the greatest example of all.
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The life of Jesus Christ, the humility of our Lord Jesus Christ.
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So in this regard, to our study of the word of God of humility, I cannot think of a greater chapter to look at, and to study within this month, of the example of our
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Lord's humility, is to set before us in beauty, because it is a beauty. It's a beauty that we should desire, and it's found in the epistle of joy.
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The epistle of joy, and the apostle Paul writes this in the dungeon, a prison cell.
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And it became one of his greatest short epistles, the epistle of Philippians.
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So if you don't mind, please turn with me to chapter 2. Chapter 2, and we're going to look at verse 1 through 11.
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We're not going to get through all this, but I'm going to read verse 1 through 11 each and every week. So as you are turning there, and once you get there, please stand in honor of God's word as we turn.
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As you're turning to this great chapter of Philippians chapter 2, and as you're turning there, let me say that this letter to the
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Philippian believers is one of the greatest passages in all of the writings of the apostle Paul. And may
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I add, it's one of the greatest passages of Holy Writ.
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This is a great chapter, beloved, and it serves us well to look and dig into this wonderful chapter.
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It has great depth of the riches and both of the wisdom of knowledge of God. So we say with the apostle
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Paul as we study this, how unsearchable are your judgments in his ways past finding out.
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We should do it with a heart of worship, just not with the mind. Yes, with the mind we do love the
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Lord, and we want to know more of him. But we must have a heart of worship to love what is in the hearing of our ears, so it goes into our hearts.
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So hear the word of the living God, Philippians chapter 2, beginning with verse 1 to 11, verse 1 to 11,
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God's word. Therefore, if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, any fellowship of the
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Spirit, if any affection and mercy, fulfill my joy and be like -minded, having the same love, being of one accord and of one mind.
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Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit. But in lowliness of mind, let each esteem others better than himself.
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Let each of you look not out not only for his own interest, but also for the interest of others.
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Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus, who being in the form of God, did not consider robbery to be equal with God, but made himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bond servant, and coming in the likeness of men, and being found in appearance as a man.
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He humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.
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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, those on earth, and those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is
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Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Let us bow our hearts and pray and ask our
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Lord to help us within this hour of worship. Our Father, O our
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Father and our God, this is your holy word, it is eternal, it's inerrant, but it's all sufficient.
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And it's profitable, it's profitable for us, eternally profitable, to correct us, to instruct us, to rebuke us, to teach us in all righteousness.
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It's all powerful. Lord, may we tremble before it. May we humble ourselves before your word.
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Lord, we would ask that you would come and sanctify us, O God, by this truth.
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For that word is truth, and it changes us, and it transforms us.
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Lord, we would pray within this hour and every hour of our life, but especially,
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Lord, when we open up thy holy word, O God, may our eyes be opened to behold the
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Lamb of God, your Lamb, the Lord Jesus Christ.
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Lord, that's our prayer. Change us, transform us, and we ask this in the name of Jesus, the name that is above all names, amen and amen.
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Thank you. You can be seated. There are four important points that I would like to set before you in this study of Philippians chapter 2 this morning.
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We're not going to get through all these points all today, but we're going to look at these within the next four,
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Lord's Day, three after this one. Let me give credits to Pastor John McArthur.
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This outline is not original with me. I thought it was so good, I said, I cannot improve on this. So, when
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I find really a gem of an outline, I give it to you. I just pass it on. And most of the time, none of us is original.
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So, I'm sure he probably got it somewhere from a Puritan or somebody, but I give credits to John McArthur on this outline because I could not find a better one.
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Today, like I said, we'll briefly look at these first two. We might be able to get to three, but I believe it's two of them we're going to look at.
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And then, we're going to revisit these again the next
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Lord's Day. And the last we'll be looking at, we'll cover the major part of the chapter on our study of the humility of Jesus Christ in the
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Incarnation Himself, how Christ humbled Himself and how God the
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Father exalted Him through verse 5 through 11. We're going to try to cover verse 1 to 4 this morning.
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But here's the outline and here's the four points I'd like to give to you, and I think they're very good. Here, He deals with unity through humility.
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That's what the Apostle Paul is aiming at here, he's driving at, unity through humility.
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And the points are as follows. The first point is this, and these are M's, so to help you remember.
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The motives for spiritual unity, found in verse 1 and 2. The motives for spiritual unity, verse 1 and 2.
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Our second point is the marks of spiritual unity, verse 2.
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The third point will be the means of spiritual unity, verse 3 and 4.
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And fourth and final is the model of spiritual unity.
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The model of spiritual unity, which is found in verse 5 through 11. So first of all, we have the motives of unity, that answers the question, why?
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Then you have the marks of spiritual unity, that answers the question, what? Then you have the means of spiritual unity, that answers the question, how?
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And last, we have the model of spiritual unity, and it answers the question, who?
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I thought that's really good for a format to preach on. So I'm going to preach it to you and encourage you, and comfort your soul, and encourage your soul by the word of God.
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The why should seek, we seek unity, what is unity, and how do we experience unity?
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And very simple, very direct, it's very practical.
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That's what I love about the Apostle Paul and his writings, because he brings to us a very practical, down -to -earth
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Christianity. I believe it's absolutely vital for the church, for the invisible church anywhere, for the church of Jesus Christ, and particularly our church as well.
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These are practical truths, this is basic Christian living, folks.
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This is what I'd like to call Practical Christianity 101.
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It meets us right down to earth. It's heaven coming to us, to touch earth, to touch this feet of clay.
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So let us begin and look at the truth that is set in the text. We begin with the motives of spiritual unity, the motives of spiritual unity, and it's given to us in verse 1 and 2.
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Let me read it again. Therefore, if there's any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the
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Spirit, if any affection and mercy, fulfilled by joy and by being like -minded, having the same love, being of one accord and one mind.
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Now beloved, the very heart of this passage is in the phrase, it's right there found, by being like -minded.
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That's the heart of what Paul is saying within that text there.
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That's the emphasis, that's the main thrust of the text. Paul is saying basically,
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I desire you to be like -minded. It's the same thing he says in chapter 1, verse 27.
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Only let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or I'm absent, that I may hear of your affairs, and that you stand fast in one spirit.
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There it is. And then he says what? With one mind, striving together for the faith of the gospel.
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That's the thrust. And he tells them why he wants them to be of one mind.
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And what he means by one mind, and how they can be of one mind, is important.
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And again, this is very, very practical. He begins with the motives.
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Now I think that's not by accident. It's the spirit of the living
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God, because it's our motives that really matters. Motives tells us why we do this.
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Why is it important for us to maintain the unity of the faith within the church? Why is it important for us to have one spirit?
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Why is it important for us to be of one mind and one accord? Why is it important to be like -minded?
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Why is it important to be striving together for the faith of the gospel? Why, why, why, why?
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To eliminate any conflict here. And that's what he's talking about.
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Could it be discord? Could it be possible that this church was having some discord among the brethren?
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There was times, he wrote to the church at Galatia, that they were biting and devouring one another.
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The church of Corinth was very carnal. And Paul at times had to come with a rod, and he had to correct them.
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And he always did it out of love, and out of deep, tender affection. The one that loves you the most warns you.
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That's why it's so important. It's extremely important here. And the four motives that are given in verse 1, in addition, in verse 2, notice with me.
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If therefore there is any consolation. That means encouragement. Depends on your translation.
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Consolation and encouragement is the same thing. Encouragement in Christ.
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That's important. And notice what he says. If any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the
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Spirit, if any affection and mercy. Now stop for a minute and think.
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The Philippian believers' biggest battle, I believe, was not with their external circumstances necessarily.
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Amen, brother Keith. It was within. And isn't that the biggest battle? It is internally.
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And what he's dealing with is the internal attitudes that literally divide the unity and tear a church apart that causes divisions.
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Paul had demonstrated to the church of his own refusal to let external circumstances to control his attitude.
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Right? How do we know this? Well, if you look in chapter 1, look it with me in verse 12 through 18.
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Notice what he says. He's talking about preaching Christ. He said, but I want you to know, brethren, that the things which happen to me have actually turned out for the furtherance of the gospel.
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Now, Paul had some conflict, folks.
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But he said this, so that it had become evident to the whole palace guard and to all the rest that my chains are in Christ.
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He had chains. And he knew that everything was by the providence and sovereignty of God for the good.
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In verse 14, most of the brethren in the Lord, notice he speaks of the church, most of the brethren in the
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Lord having become confident by my chains, they knew that God was in control. And much more bold to speak the word without fear.
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This man was bold in God even though he came with fear and trembling at times and weakness, but he came bold in God.
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He was not ashamed of the gospel. And then he says this in verse 15, some indeed preach
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Christ even from envy and strife, some also from goodwill, and the former preached
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Christ from selfish ambition, not sincerely supposing to add affliction to my chains.
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It's amazing how this man suffered for Christ and gladly accepted Him. But the latter out of love, knowing that I'm appointed for the defense of the gospel.
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Paul was all about the gospel. And then he says verse 18, What then?
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Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is preached. And in this
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I rejoice, yes I will rejoice. And actually, that's what he speaks of throughout this epistle, is about joy and rejoicing in the
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Lord. Even in the worst of circumstances folks, this is not a nice jail he's in, this is not a nice dungeon he's in.
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It's dark, it's cold. He's got chains on him. This man hardly never gets fed.
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He's thrown there, chains is on him. It would make most men cry.
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But this man gladly accepted that for the gospel's sake. Gladly rejoicing.
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So, external circumstances did not control Paul and his attitudes.
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Back to chapter 2. Notice the therefore. Now that's an important word. And you've had,
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I've mentioned this several times, and you'll hear me say it again and again. Anytime you have a therefore in scripture, it's there for a reason.
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It's there for, because always the therefore ties together his conflict and their conflict.
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And that's basically what he's talking about, if you notice in verse, let me pick up verse 28.
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And not in any way terrified by your adversaries, which is to them a proof of perdition, but to you of salvation and that from God.
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And in verse 29. For to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in Him, notice what he says, but also to suffer for His sake.
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Having the same conflict, notice that, the same conflict which you saw in me and now here is in me.
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So that verse, verse 29, and you know this as well as I do, back in that time period they didn't,
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I'm all about chapter and verses. And rightly so. But back in that time period, when they wrote the word of God, it was one flow.
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It was not broken up in chapters and verses. And that verse 30, having the same conflict which you saw in me and now here is in me.
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And then he says, therefore, therefore if there's any consolation in Christ.
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Now he's just talked about suffering. And now he's saying, if there's any consolation in Christ.
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That therefore draws back to what Paul has built on in the previous chapter. Telling the
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Philippian believers how to stand strong in the Lord against those external conflicts.
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Yes. But now he tells them how to act against internal conflicts within the body of Christ.
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So you know that there was internal conflicts going on. So, that little word, therefore, is important.
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But notice another little word that's very important. Notice the two words, if, if.
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These are conditional clauses that come. If, if, if. If these clauses, these clauses indicate, they indicate certainties.
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Certainties. Not maybes. But certainties. Each if here expresses the idea of sense.
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And each following clause may be considered to be true. Now, what is he saying?
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If there's any consolation in Christ, he is not speaking of doctrinal abstractions.
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He is speaking of the present practical spiritual experiences. It comes right down to how we live.
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We could read the verse then this way. Since, or because, there is consolation in Christ.
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Encouragement in Christ. Because, because there is consolation in Christ. Because there is fellowship of the
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Spirit. Because there is affection and compassion. And then he says, make my joy complete by being of the same mind.
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Because, because. That's what that if means. It's because. Very important word.
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Of all these things, these are the driving motives that the
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Apostle Paul is speaking of in truth that should be, that should compel us. That should compel us.
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Now this is what should motivate us. Compel. Paul said that in other places.
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He says, it's the love of Christ that compels me. Now what is it that motivates?
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It's found right there. The consolation in Christ. Because, consolation in Christ.
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There is comfort in Christ. There is encouragement in Christ. You take away
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Christ. You've taken away every bit of my hope. You've taken away every bit of my heaven.
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You've taken away every bit of my joy. You have taken away every bit of everything that we are to live for.
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That's why he says, it's all in Christ. All the consolation is in Christ.
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Now how do we know this by the word of God? Turn with me to Luke chapter 2. I'm going to show you where this, I believe, started.
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This term. This word. It's not original with Paul, by the way.
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Paul's commenting on it. The gospel. There's your bedrock. Notice chapter 2,
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Luke. The gospel of Luke. This is the story of Simeon. It's an elderly man.
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He sees the God's salvation before he dies.
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Oh, beloved. This is a wonderful text. Notice in verse 25 what he says.
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What the word of God, what Luke is saying. And behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was
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Simeon. This man was just and devout. What is he waiting for?
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Oh, he was waiting for the consolation of Israel. The consolation of Israel?
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Okay. And the Holy Spirit was upon him. There's a reason the
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Holy Spirit was upon him. The Holy Spirit always magnifies and glorifies
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Jesus Christ. And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit revealed it to him.
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Listen, that's what the text says. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the
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Lord's Christ. So he came by the Spirit into the temple.
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And when the parents brought the child Jesus to do for him according to the custom of the law, he took him up in his arms and blessed
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God. Beloved, this is a worship scene. And he said, Lord, now you're letting your servant depart in peace according to your word.
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Beloved, you're not ready to die until you see Jesus. This man saw
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Jesus. He saw him with his eyes. And for my eyes have seen your salvation.
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See, salvation's in Christ. In which you have prepared before the face of all peoples.
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How did this man know this? The Spirit of God. Listen to what he says in verse 32. A light to bring revelation to the
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Gentiles and the glory of your people Israel. Hallelujah. What a wonderful text.
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It speaks of the consolation of Israel. The consolation of Israel.
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The anointed one. The Messiah. The Lord Jesus Christ. Who is our consolation.
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Who is Paul's consolation. Our encouragement. And Israel's consolation as well.
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Apostle Paul also can say according to 2 Corinthians 1 .5 For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also abounds through Christ.
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Think of that. No matter what this man went through. And I'm telling you, this man went through some sufferings.
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He was stoned three times. He was shipwrecked. Cold. Beaten. Rejected. Off scourings of the earth.
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Fools for Christ as the apostles are here for.
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What they were called to. But yet they suffered for Christ.
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And he said that is our consolation that abounds through Christ. 2 Thessalonians 2 .16
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Paul says that God has loved us and given us an everlasting consolation. An everlasting consolation.
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It just doesn't end here. It's forever. And he says it's a good hope by grace.
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You know that's our consolation. Is in Jesus Christ. Now I had this written down earlier in the week.
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And when Brother Keith texted me what Spurgeon said about how the Holy Spirit consoles.
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C .H. Spurgeon said that I read that earlier this week Brother Keith. And it's amazing how the Spirit of God, and he texted me that I wanted to shout.
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He even said this. He said this will make you shout. Amen. It made me shout. As Spurgeon said this, the
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Holy Spirit consoles. But Christ is the consolation. Spurgeon goes on to say, if I may use the figure of the
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Holy Spirit by the physician. But Christ is the medicine. Amen.
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You got that same quote twice. Praise God. I believe the Lord wants us to know that. If there's any comfort of love.
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That's his next statement. This is the second question in which basically in the passage affirming the great comfort of love.
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There's comfort in love. Now what kind of love is he talking about? He's talking about agape. He's talking about the love of God.
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Every child of the living God should know what it is to have Jesus that will give him the comfort of love.
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The love of God is strong, rich, and pure. There's nothing that is greater than the love of God.
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How do we know this? Well, if you go to Romans chapter 8, the Apostle Paul gives us a little commentary on that.
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Romans chapter 8, the word of the living God says this. In the latter part, it's just a glorious way of worship.
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Look at verse 31. It speaks of God's everlasting love. What then shall we say to these things?
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If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own son but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?
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Who shall bring a charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies.
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Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died. Furthermore is also risen who is even at the right hand of God who makes intercession for us.
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Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or peril or sword?
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As it is written, for your sake we are killed all the day long. We're accounted as sheep for the slaughter.
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Yet in all these things we're more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am persuaded,
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Paul said, that neither death nor life nor angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other created thing shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our
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Lord. Nothing can separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our
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Lord. Oh, if you read that and study that, beloved, in your devotional time,
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I promise you, you'll soar to the third heavens. Praise God. That's the comfort of love.
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It's an everlasting love. It's a love. God said this through the prophet Jeremiah, I've loved you with an everlasting love.
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Well, that's the second question. The comfort of love. Every child of God should know what it is to have in Jesus is the comfort of love.
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But Scripture also speaks in 2 Corinthians 1, 3. It says that God is the
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God of all comfort. There's no way, there's no way that He cannot comfort us in no circumstance beyond His comfort.
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But this is just more than just comfort, beloved. I want to tell you what it is. This is the comfort of love.
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That's the difference. You know the word comfort. Let's look at this word for a second. The Holy Spirit is our comforter.
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God comforts us through the Holy Spirit, through the comforter. But the actually
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Greek passage here in the ancient Greek word is perikletos.
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Brother Keith mentioned this this morning. Perikletos is comfort. The idea behind this word for comfort in the
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New Testament is always more than soothing sympathy. It's more than that. It goes deeper than just soothing someone sympathetically.
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It was the idea, and this is the meaning of it. Don't forget this. It is the idea of strengthening.
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There's a strength behind it. God wants to strengthen you in your walk with Him.
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He wants to help you. He wants to make us strong in Him. To give us the faith.
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See the idea behind this word is communicated by the Latin word for comfort. Fortitus.
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I believe it means fortify. To strengthen. To fortify.
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That's the original language. Which also means, also it can mean brave. To make you brave.
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To make you bold in God. To give you courage in God.
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See the love of God is our life, beloved. Everything goes back to God's love.
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Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed upon us that we would be called the children of God.
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Isn't that wonderful? The love of God. How rich, how strong, how pure. How measureless, how strong.
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And that's what He's talking about. It makes you brave. It's the comfort of agape. Agape love.
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Well, I could preach till the next day. Right there, beloved.
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But we've got to go on. Paul's third question is if there's any fellowship of the
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Spirit. If the fellowship of the Spirit. Paul knew the great value of fellowship of the
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Spirit, beloved. This is important. To the early church it was. Commentator Trapp says this, and I love what he says as I was studying this.
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The Lord doeth usually and graciously water the holy fellowship of His people with the dues of many sweet and glorious refreshments so that they have a very heaven upon earth.
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End quote. You know, as we go through this old world of woe and we battle up against the world, the flesh and the devil and the enemies of God and we have conflict on the left and conflict on the right and we have internal conflict.
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The Lord God Almighty is with us through the Holy Spirit to give us comfort of love, but He's also to give us the value and the fellowship of the
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Spirit, beloved. And this is important. We are to have that fellowship with the
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Lord Jesus Christ. As Brother Keith mentioned to us about Jesus, I can't help but think about the church at Laodicea that a lot of people use as evangelistic scripture.
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Behold, I stand at the door and knock. And it doesn't speak there anywhere about the heart's door, but it could speak of that.
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And He does want to come in and have fellowship at the heart's door. But if you notice in the church at Laodicea that was indifferent and lukewarm,
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Christ is outside of the church wanting in to sup with them and to have fellowship with them.
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You know, be careful of indifference and lukewarmness. Why? Because lukewarmness will cause you to drift further away, further away from God and His fellowship and the warmth of love that He wants to have with us.
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Jesus desires to have fellowship with us and communion with us and sup with us.
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The best part. Well, there's also another that the third and final
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He speaks of is an affection and mercy.
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Affection and mercy. This is warm, isn't it? This question assumes that every believer in Jesus Christ knows something of the affection of God and the mercy of God.
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I can't believe that people debated about this the impassibility of God, that God doesn't have affections, passions.
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Well, my Bible says He does. The affection of God and the mercy of God, that God has compassion.
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So Paul mentioned these things in a manner that suggests to us that should be obvious parts of the believers with our walk with God.
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These are gifts of God, right? Consolation in Christ, comfort of love, fellowship with the
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Spirit, affection and mercy. These gifts are all communicated to us both in the direct and spiritual way from Jesus Christ and Jesus through His people.
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In His people and through His people. That's why it says to love the
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Lord thy God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength and second, that is to love thy neighbor as thyself.
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And on this great command, this first and great command, Jesus said, you can hang the law and the prophets because everything is summed up in that.
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And how often do we do that? Only Jesus did that perfectly.
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Every time I read that verse, I get convicted. Now, that's the basic exhortation that the apostle
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Paul gives to the Christians at Philippi. Now we read from verse 2 and 4, 2 through 4,
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I'm sorry. Paul gives specifics in this exhortation regarding love and humility among believers.
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Notice verse 2. Let me turn back to my page here.
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Philippians. Notice the text. Fulfill my joy.
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Fulfill my joy by being like -minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.
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There's unity. One. Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind.
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Let each esteem others better than himself and let each of you look not only for his own interest, but also for the interest of others.
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Being a bond slave, a servant of Jesus Christ. This leads to the second mark, the marks of spiritual unity.
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First we looked at the motives. Now we go to the marks. What are the marks? Well notice again.
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Fulfill my joy being like -minded, having the same love, being of one accord, one mind.
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Beloved, in the book of Acts, chapter 4. Please turn with me to chapter 4.
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I want you to see this. In verse 32. I know you're familiar with this.
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But here are the marks. This great mark of spiritual unity, by the way, is never ever compromised for the sake of truth.
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Truth is always first and foremost. Because it's unity in truth. You think, well, what kind of unity is he speaking of?
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He's speaking about unity in truth. And it's with humility. But notice in verse 32.
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Notice what it says. Now the multitude of those who believed were of...
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Notice the words one. Of one heart and one soul. One heart and one soul.
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One, not two. Neither did anyone say that any of these things he possessed was his own.
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But they had all things in common. And notice what the text says. And with great power, the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the
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Lord Jesus. And great grace. Notice, great power and great grace was upon them all.
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And nor was there anyone among them who lacked. For all who were possessors of the lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of the things which were sold and laid them at the apostles' feet and they distributed to each one as anyone had need.
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And you know what happens in the next chapter that someone by the name of Ananias and Sapphira lied about their possession.
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They lied to God, the Holy Spirit. God struck them down dead. That's when great fear hit.
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So there's great power, great grace, and great fear came. Because there was humility.
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They had great power. They had great grace. Because there was true humility.
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Power and blessing are related to unity. Jesus our Lord, the head of the church, made it a priority because of the unity of the church.
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How do we know this? Well, go with me to John chapter 17. Let's look at this. I want you to see in the
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Scriptures where this is so, so critical and important. The great high priestly prayer of Jesus.
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If you want to study the Holy of Holies in the Gospel, here it is. Jesus is praying in the upper room.
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That great high priestly prayer. It's broken. This wonderful prayer can be broken up in three parts.
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Jesus prays for Himself, verse 1 through 5. Then verse 6 through 19,
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Jesus prays for His disciples. And then in verse 20 through 26, He prays for the believers.
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All believers that will believe in Him in the future. Now, that's what
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I want you to notice. Look at verse 20. Notice how many times He speaks about that they may be one.
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That they may be one. I do not pray for these alone. Now, He's speaking about the disciples that He just prayed for.
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But also for those who will believe in Me through their work. Through the words of the apostles,
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He's talking about. It will be handed down. Now, who's He praying for? He's praying for all believers.
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That's you and me. That's all the believers. That's after the apostles. That they all may be one as you,
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Father, are in Me. And I in you. That they also may be one in Us.
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That the world may believe that You sent Me. And that the glory which
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You have gave Me, I have given them. That they may be one just as We are one.
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I in them and You in Me. That they may be made perfect in one. Notice that.
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And that the world may know that You have sent Me. And I have loved them as You have loved
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Me. That's a great love. That's beyond us. And then
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He ends it. Father, I desire that they also whom You gave Me may be with Me where I am.
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Listen to that desire. Listen to that prayer. That we may be with Him.
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That they may behold My glory which You have given Me. For You loved Me before the foundation of the world.
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Oh, righteous Father. The world has not known You. But I have known
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You. And these have known You that You sent Me. And I have declared to them
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Your name. And I will declare it. That the love with which You love
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Me may be in them and I in them. The oneness. That's the focal point there.
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And can I tell you this? That every prayer that Jesus has prayed to the
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Father has been answered. And will be answered. The Father will answer every single petition that the
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Lord Jesus prays to the Father. And He's going to answer this one.
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That the church all together, the body of believers that will be gathered together, the
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Father's love gift, His love gift to the Son, will all be there in heaven to worship
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Him and love Him in unity. But it's only for those that are humble.
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It's only for those that have been poor in spirit and come to the Lord Jesus Christ. Paul believes in the unity of the church, beloved.
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Jesus believed in it. The apostles believed in it. But again, let me emphasize, it's always in truth.
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Never outside of truth. It's always in truth. Never apart from it. And it is a great concern to the apostle
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Paul's heart. And it was a great concern to the Lord Jesus' heart. Paul gives to us this letter to the
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Philippians in great warmth and love. For these verses 1 -4 give to us the most concise and practical understanding of true unity in the
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New Testament. In other words, the apostle Paul is telling them how a Christian should live and how they should walk and how they should act and how they should behave before God and man.
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That's what he's saying. In these words, the apostle sets forth a four -fold appeal.
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An appeal that expresses one major idea and that is basically unity in humility.
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And what did Paul say? Fulfill my joy. You fulfill my joy. In other words, what
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Paul was saying, make my joy complete. And he gives the marks of Christian unity.
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And how is that? By being of the same mind, same mind, same love, being in one accord, not two, one mind.
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And what is that mind? The mind of Christ. We are to be focused on the Lord Jesus Christ.
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I want to get into this more next Lord's Day, but let me just give it to you briefly and we'll break it down a little bit more next
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Lord's Day, Lord willing. The first mark he gives is the same mind, the same mind.
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We are to think alike. We are to think biblical. We are to think as the body of Christ would think.
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And if you go with me to Philippians, you're at Philippians 2, right? Go two chapters over.
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He tells us how to think in chapter 4.
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You notice the direction of the Holy Spirit is perfect. It's always in a perfect order because it's the eternal word of God.
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God knows exactly what He is saying. Verse 6, chapter 4, be anxious for nothing.
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He tells us, don't be anxious. But in everything, by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.
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And the peace of God which surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
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Now, He mentions minds for a reason, doesn't He? Well, notice,
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He tells us what to meditate on. Verse 8, Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are noble, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things have good report, if there's any virtue, and if there's anything praiseworthy, meditate on these things.
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The things which you've learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.
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You notice that? This is what we are to think. To guard your heart, minds.
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You want it guarded? He tells us what to meditate on. The things that are noble, the things that appear.
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That basically describes that which is honorable, character, speaking of noble purity, speaks of, was associated with the things that are sacred and holy.
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To meditate on these things commands the Philippians, this is how he ends the book, to deliberately, to evaluate, to compute, in other words, over and over, and think on it, and chew on it, and dwell on it, and don't get your mind off it, set it right and concrete to think on these things.
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What is good, what is pure, what is lovely, what is good report.
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If there's any virtue, if there's anything praiseworthy, meditate on these things. And we can renew our mind, day by day, so that we may not be conformed to the world, but be transformed.
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Praise God. Well, that's one thing. That's one of the marks. Let me point one more thing out from Romans chapter 12.
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Notice what he says here in chapter 12. You know, Romans chapter 1 all the way through chapter 11.
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In chapter 11, it kind of transists in a crescendo of worship and praise, but he has covered nothing but doctrine all the way from chapter 1 to chapter 11, and then chapter 12 is a transition.
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Therefore, and I beseech you, therefore, in other words, brethren, by the mercies of God.
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He's beseeching them, and then he tells them how to live your life sacrificially, holy, acceptable
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God, which is your spiritual form of worship, which is your reasonable form of service. Do not be conformed to this world, but be you transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable perfect will of God, what
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God desires. And then in verse 3, notice what he says. For I say through the grace given to me to everyone who is among you, not to what?
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Think. There's the word. Not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think how?
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Soberly. Well, to think soberly, in other words, you've got to be awake, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.
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And he goes on. For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function.
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There should be no competition among God's people. Each has an own gift.
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And that gift is important. Every one is important. It doesn't mean because a pastor is speaking doesn't mean he's more important.
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We are all one body. And it doesn't mean that the person over here, you may not think he may not have a gift, but buddy, he may be the greatest broom sweeper there is in the world.
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And if he does that to the glory of God in heaven, he's going to get a reward just as much as a pastor will.
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Even though the pastor will give more of an account to God because he speaks the words of God, he's got a greater responsibility.
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But, in the eyes of God, God looks at that servant doing things before him just as equal as the pastor does.
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Just because a person is... I like what Ravenhill says. You know, really, the greatest,
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I think the greatest ministry is the ministry of intercessor prayer. That's what Ravenhill said. Because that ministry goes on throughout eternity.
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A preacher's calling will end. That will cease. Evangelism will cease.
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But the ministry of prayer goes on throughout eternity. Ravenhill mentioned about anybody, any pastor can get behind the pulpit and make it a shop window to show off his talents.
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But he said, let me see a praying man. Let me hear a man that prays. Let me hear a man that intercedes, that desires the heart of God.
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Chapter Romans 15, 5. Notice what he says.
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Now may the God of patience, this is a benediction, but notice what he says in the benediction. Now may the
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God of patience and comfort grant you to be like -minded. There it is.
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Like -minded toward who? One another. One another.
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The church is about one another. Love one another. Serve one another. Be like -minded toward one another.
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According to Christ Jesus, that you may be with one mind and one mouth.
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Do what? Glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It's all about the glory of God.
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It's all about God's glory. Man's chief end. To glorify God. Well, I could count there, but we need to move on.
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We need to be like -minded. And Paul's concern for true humility and unity was togetherness of soul.
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Now, the means of unity is found in verse 3 and 4. I'm not going to have time to go into this.
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And again, we'll have next Lord's Day to look into it. And now we come to the question, how? But I've got to touch on this because I think this is a good conclusion for us.
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How? Isn't that what we need to know? How? How? Well, He tells us.
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How do we get this unity? How does it practically come about? How does it work?
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Now, we're not talking about pragmatism here. We're talking about fellowship of the
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Spirit and our walk with God due to fallen humanity's innate depravity, namely being self -centered in which we're born self -centered.
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Every one of us has been there. Every baby that's been born demands and cries for food and milk and comfort, namely self -centered.
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The world does not highly regard humility, does it? No, it doesn't.
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What does the world highly regard? A prideful person. Self -made pride.
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A person that's important. You see this everywhere, don't you?
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The person that is lifted up and if he's making millions and billions and lots of money and wealthy, he's important.
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A self -made man, as Keith said. Well, God doesn't look too highly at him.
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Matter of fact, God will bring that person down. God's...
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The world may exalt a person like that, but God will abase him. The Word of God places utmost importance on the virtue of humility, doesn't it?
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Opposite of the world. Opposite of the world. Humility. What did
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Jesus say? Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of God.
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That's where he starts. You gotta be poor in spirit. You know what that word poor means? Contract.
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It means broken. Jesus said you gotta be broken. And if a person won't be broken,
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God will break him. If he lays his hand on him. Well, this is important.
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We must be poor in spirit. What's the text saying? Back to Philippians.
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You don't need to miss this. Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in what?
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Lowliness of mind. See, as a man thinks, so is he. Let each esteem others better than himself.
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Let each of you look not only for his own interest, but also for the interest of others. I'm telling you, beloved, if we can get a hold of that verse and practice it, and love, and self -sacrifice, the church will grow
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God's way. What does it mean? Look at this real quickly.
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Paul is attempting to correct any misunderstanding that may arise from what he said earlier. That's what he's talking about.
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So he's concerned that someone might think he was condoning self -ambition. No, he isn't.
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So long as the gospel was being preached, there's a word conceit here.
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Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit. That's a
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Greek term that means empty pride. It means groundless self -esteem.
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And beloved, pride should not even be a Christian's motivation, period. Instead, everything should be done in the power of the
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Holy Spirit. And then he speaks of lowliness of mind. This is the way
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Jesus lived, beloved. Matter of fact, Jesus says, I am meek and what?
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Lowly in heart. You come to me. That's what Jesus says.
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You come to me. He invites you to come to me. I am meek and I am lowly. The Greek word here suggests a deep sense of humility.
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That's what it suggests in the Greek. Commentator here says,
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Although the pagan writers used the word negatively in effect to mean objectiveness or groveling,
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Paul did not. And what Paul was calling for was an honest evaluation of one's own nature.
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Such an evaluation should always lead to a glorification of Christ. After all,
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Jesus said it in John 15, 5, For without me you can do nothing.
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Let us remember that. Jesus said that nothing, you can't do nothing without me.
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We must have that personal relationship abiding with Him. And then he says, Let each esteem others better than himself.
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That a preach. Better. The honest self -examination that Paul was calling for leads to true humility.
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Always, always. More is said about that, Lord willing, next week. I've got to come to a close on this.
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So means of unity is found in verses 3 and 4. And this is the how.
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Much could be said about humility. We will look into that more. But I know this, God opposes the proud and He gives grace to the humble.
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Paul is saying, If any of these things are true in response to a right way by unifying together,
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You have been encouraged in Jesus Christ. You have been encouraged. You have been comforted by His love.
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You have received the Holy Spirit, the fellowship of the Holy Spirit. You are all the recipients of God's grace.
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This is what he is saying. You have received the grace of God. You have been blessed beyond measure of what
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God has given through Jesus Christ. So don't be divided. You serve one another.
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You love one another in humility and unity. And then he said, Make my joy complete by being unified.
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Here is the question. What kind of things make you joyful? What kind of things bring you joy?
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True joy is only found in loving God and loving others. Ephesians 4 verse 3 says,
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Be diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit and the bond of peace. As J .C.
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Rowell says, The crowning virtue of the Christian life is humility. Lord willing, next week we will look a little bit more into this text about how we can be more humble.
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We will look at more verses in Scripture about the word of God. But when I think of humility, I always go to the person of Jesus Christ.
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Because He is the one that was the highest and most exalted.
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And by the way, He left His throne of heaven. He did not become less
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God. He was God in flesh. And He came to earth and He condescended right into the dark depths of the earth.
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And was born in a manger. Oh, beloved. When we think about that, does not that humble you to the dirt?
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To look to Jesus Christ as our perfect example of humility in His incarnation, in His life, in His death upon the cross.
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And that is where Paul goes. And then he says, Let this mind be in you which was also in who? Christ Jesus.
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In Jesus. In Jesus. May God help us and grace us to be more
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Christ like and to be more humble. Loving Him. And loving others.
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And serving one another. For the glory of God. Let's pray. Our Father, we do thank
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You for this time of worship. We praise You. And thank You for Your Word.
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Lord, we've just scratched the surface on these wonderful verses that You've given unto us in Philippians 2.
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Thank You, Father, for Your eternal and holy Word. The Word of truth that sanctifies us.
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It sanctifies us and it purifies us. Lord, You said in Your Word, You resist the proud and You oppose the proud, but You give grace to the humble.
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The meek You will guide in judgment. Father, You desire us to be broken and contrite at heart.
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The sacrifices of God is a broken and a contrite spirit. You dwell with Him that is of a contrite heart.
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Father, we need to humble ourselves before Your mighty hand that You may exalt us in Your due time. So, Lord, help us and grace us,
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I pray, that we would be more humble and more lowly of mind in thinking of others and not thinking of self.
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God, save us from ourselves. Lord, break us, mold us, make us, but in the end use us for Your glory.
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And we would ask this of the One who is the One that is meek and lowly, the