Book of Philippians - Ch. 2, Vs. 1-13 (07/29/2001)

Park Meadows Church

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We're in the second Philippians, no

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Philippians the second chapter if there be

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Therefore any consoler consolation in Christ Or any comfort of love of any fellowship of the

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Spirit if any bowels of mercy Fulfill ye my joy that you be like minded having the same love being of one accord of one mind

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If therefore Dennis, what what does the word therefore imply? All right, it means he's going to expand upon what he's already said in one spirit

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With one soul or one mind There's four

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Motives in this verse if there be with you any consolation in Christ That is any consolation of which

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Christ is the source Leading you to wish to console me in my afflictions and They are born for the sake of Christ You owe it to me to grant my request

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That you be like -minded number two If there be any comfort that is

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Flowing up from love if there is if there if any fellowship of communion together as Christians flowing from joint participation in the spirit

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If any bowels or tender mercies mercies of compassion

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The fellowship of spirit Fulfill ye my joy fulfilled that is

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Make full I have joy and you completed by that which is still wanting namely unity

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Like -minded literally That ye be of the same mind more generally for the following of one mind that you be one mind having the same love

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Equality disposed to love and be loved being of one accord

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Literally with united souls is what that means This pairs with the following clause thus with united souls being of one mind as the former to also

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Pair together that ye be like -minded having the same love now.

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What do we find in these and this first two verses? If there be therefore any consolation

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Fulfill that is make full my joy in you Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory

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But in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves Do you think of others as Better than yourself or closer to God than than you

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If you will take this attitude that everybody else knows more than you you'll never go wrong

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The minute you decide that you know more than someone else you get in trouble Let nothing be done through strife

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But in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than himself

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Let nothing be done. The italicized words are not in the Greek I Thinking nothing in the way of strife or Fictitious intrigue

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Self -seeking Lowliness of mind now, what could that mean?

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The direct relationship of this grace is to God alone So the lowliness of mind automatically comes but thinking of God Don't think of each other but think of God in the sense of dependency upon the creature on the

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Creator as such The man lowly of mind

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As to his spiritual life is independent of men the man lowly of mind is independent of men spiritually free from all slavish feelings

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While sensible of his continual dependence on God how many depend upon God How many here depend upon God?

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All right You depend upon God because you know that it is of God that all exists

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It infects your affects your behavior Greg Still indirectly affects his behavior toward his fellow man

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Let each esteem esteem each other superior to yourself

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Instead of fixing your eyes on those points in which you excel Fix them on those in which your neighbor excels.

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This is true humility if we Get up of a morning

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Let me say that you're better than so -and -so or you fix on his faults or his good points

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You've got it all wrong You look to God for guidance

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God for the example everything Look, not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others

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Not looking each of you Plural Greek on his own things that is not having regard as slow solely to them

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Also compare also Paul's example. I Put your finger there

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I have something that I want you to Burge come get these

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Pass them out We have in the

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Old Testament In numbers,

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I think it is a record of a cross

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What I want you to do Now I know some of you discussed this so don't divulge it to anybody else

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I want you to find that reference to the cross Now the arms of the cross

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Are in a ratio of one To five

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That's the ratio. The center is one Five would be the short arm

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Seven would be the arms on each side. Now. This is not drawn to scale. Don't miss Interpreted One to eight point three is the long arm this week

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I Want you to find that cross Now That's very limited in the information, but it's in the first chapter of numbers first and second chapter

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Next week come with your answer any questions on your assignment

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David you got it Any questions?

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No Read the entire chapter

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From that information plus the second Get the information for the cross.

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I Think it will surprise you Next week if you don't figure it out in the meantime

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Now laying that aside Let's come back to Philippians fifth first and second five

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Let this mind being in you which was also in Christ now

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Greg what mind was in Christ? All right

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David what mind was in Christ? All right

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What? All right Do you see that the mind and Christ refers to us

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Christ's mind is far beyond that Have the mind

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In you have this mind in you He does not put forward himself as an example

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Paul doesn't But Christ The one preeminently who sought not his own

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Now I want you we're going to think about Christ's earthly stay for a moment But humbled himself first and taking on him our nature

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Secondly and humbling himself further in that nature Who being in the form of God that thought it not robbery to be equal with God Now Bill Christ was in the form of God Jesus Christ.

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What does that mean? All right.

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Very good Who subsisting or existing namely originally

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To be in the form of God the divine essence is not meant but the external self manifestation manifesting of the characteristics of God The former shining from forth from his glorious glorious essence in divine nature

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Had infinite beauty. Can you see in his divine nature? Can you see him as beautiful?

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Now, I know everything's compared to what we consider beautiful But with that he was

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Even without any creature contemplation that beauty that beauty was the form of God as the form of a servant

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Which is contrasted opposite to it take for granted the existence of his human nature

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So the form of God takes for granted his divine nature I want you to work very slowly through this we have

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Jesus Christ in the form of man we have him in the form of Divinity or divine and we have

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God Who is the image of the invisible

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God He was the image of the invisible

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God, but in a role as a servant What does image mean

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Greg? but All right

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Who is the image of the invisible God at a time before every creature?

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Esteemed his being on an equality with God No act of robbery

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Do you see that Jesus before he became man Considered an equal of God claiming

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The thing to be grasped at he arguments His argument is that he that the contrary requires it he used his equality with God as an opportunity not for self exaltation but for self abasement he used the divine qualities in Contrast to his servant.

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He has emptied himself, but he didn't empty himself But he did as a servant

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His Godhead or his being on an equality with God, but between his being in the form

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That is the outward glory glorious self -manifestation of God and is taking on him the form of a servant whereby he is in great measure he emptied himself of the preceding the form

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Or our self -manifestation of glory as God he

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He emptied himself as far as we were concerned of God But he didn't empty himself for he was

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God Not looking on his own things.

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How do we know that? Did Jesus have a will?

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How do we know that? All right, not my will meaning he had a will

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He may have done the same thing. He may not have but he said nevertheless not my will but your will

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Being on a equality with God is not identical with subsisting in the form of God the latter expresses the external characteristics majesty and beauty of the deity which he emptied himself of To assume the form of a servant

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The former his being or nature is already existing state of equality

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With God both the father and son having the same essence David how can how could

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Jesus Christ have the same essence as God? All right.

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He was God He already

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Is Already existing state of equality with God both the father and the son having the same essence a glimpse of him in the form of God Previous to his incarnation was given to Moses Moses and Aaron and so forth

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Seven but made himself no reputation and Look took upon him the form of a servant and was made in the likeness of men

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Made himself no reputation. What's that mean? All right

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He emptied himself taken upon him a form of a servant Being made in the likeness of men

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The two latter causes there being no conjunction and in the Greek expresses in what

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Christ emptying himself really meant He emptied himself, but he didn't empty himself bill gave me an explanation

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That I think was very very very good Explain the game of soccer bill

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Think of Jesus as he goes through this But it's like You Want It's like playing soccer they voluntarily do not use their hands

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Jesus had them but he didn't use them When he made himself

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Yes That's right, that's right

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He took the form of a servant And in order to explain how he took the form of a servant there is added by being made in the likeness of man

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He took the form of a servant so He was

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God, but he became man His subjection to the law and to his parents

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His lowest state as a carpenter carpenters carpenters son Reputed son

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His betrayal and price of a bondservant and slave like death is revealed

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Relieved us from the slavery of sin and death Finally and chiefly his servant like Dependence was man on God while his divine

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Was not outwardly manifested Or all marks of his form as a servant

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Do you see how Jesus took on himself the form of a servant without losing his?

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Dignity That's right

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It's an awesome thought that here is

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God he condescended to come and takes on the role He actually took on himself the role of a bondservant

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Yes, he was sold for the price of a bondservant This proves he was in fact a bondservant

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In the form of a servant As soon as he was made man Do you see that as soon as he became man?

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He was a servant He was in the form of God Before he was in the form of a servant

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He was God himself He did not really subsist in the divine nature as in the form of a servant or in the nature of man for he was as much in the form of God as in the form of a servant and Was so in the form of God as to be on an equality with God Do you see

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I was not robbery for him to be equals with God? I Must confess.

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I don't fully see it. I know it was true But to to really really understand that He therefore could have been none other than God He could not be anybody but God in the role of a servant

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Or saith God to whom will you liken me and make my equal His empty in himself presupposes his previous

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Position in the Godhead he remained full of this Yet he bore himself as though he was empty

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If you can imagine somebody playing soccer That has all of the hands and everything

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Everybody else does not have so he limits himself to playing like everybody else any questions so far and Being found in fashion as a man.

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He humbled himself and became obedient unto death even the death of a cross

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Being found in the fashion as a man Being already by his empty in himself in the form of a servant

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Or likeness of man. He humbled himself still further By becoming obedient unto death

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Not as the English versions. He emptied himself His divine self viewed in respect to what he had hither before been himself

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He emptied himself not empty in himself He has not only emptied himself of his previous form of God But submitted to positive humiliation

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He became obedient Namely to God as his servant Therefore God is said to exalt him

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A name greater than any name in the world is Jesus and The one that bears that name

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Even as it was God to whom he became voluntarily obedient You know, we often wonder maybe not wonder but we

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Conjure up the fact that he could have called legions of angels to protect him at any time he could have

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Smited the ones that was berating him. He could have done all of this.

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Why didn't he verge? That's right because he voluntarily humbled himself to be a servant and He was the perfect servant

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Even unto death expresses the climax of his obedience Wherefore God also

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Highly exalted him and given him a name which is above every name

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That if we would hereafter be exalted we too must after his example now humble ourselves

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Christ emptied Christ God exalted Christ as man to Equality with God that's hard for me to understand

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Christ emptied himself Christ emptied Christ Jesus separated himself from himself as he hung on the cross

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Highly exalted means super eminently exalted which

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Translated namely that which is above every name the name Jesus Which is even now in glory

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His name of honor above not only men but angels

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All of this seems like the fairy story to me But it isn't it's real

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He did walk on this earth. God himself walked on this earth as a servant

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He is now at the right hand of God that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow of things in heaven things on earth and Things under the earth every knee shall bow

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Jesse. What's that mean? That's right.

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Every knee that means everybody Everybody good and bad alike at the name means in the name

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Bow rather bend in token of worship Whosoever shall call upon the name of the

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Lord That is whosoever shall call on the Lord in his revealed character shall be saved

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Not just calling on his name All that call upon the name of Jesus Christ our

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Lord of things in heaven angels They worshiped him not only as God but as the ascended

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God man Christ in earth men among whom he tabernacled for a while Under the earth.

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What's that mean? Greg who's under the earth

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Those that have died Among whom he was numbered once The demons and the lost may be included indirectly as even they give homage

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Though one of fear not love The demons believe and they tremble why

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Because they know who he is because of fear That every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is

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Lord to the glory of the Father Now why what is this every tongue all languages not one left out every tongue

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Everyone means individually Wherefore my beloved as you have always obeyed

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Not as in my presence only but all now Much more in my absence work out your own salvation with fear and trembling

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Wherefore seeing that we have in Christ such a Special specimen of glory resulting from obedience and humiliation

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See that you also become obedient and so your salvation shall follow your own obedience

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You have means obeyed Even as you have been obedient Namely to God as Jesus was obedient to God not as if It were a matter to be done in my presence only but now as Things are much more

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With that that work within you in this case adopted as rule different from the former but resting on the same principle of lowliness of mind

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Look each on his own thing instead of disputing with others You look at your own work your own self instead of finding fault or criticizing other people

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That would eliminate lots of heartache to preachers to elders to everybody

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Salvation which is Jesus as his name meaning God's Savior implies with fear and trembling

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The very feeling enjoyed on servants as to what ought to accompany their obedience so also here

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Seeing that as servants to God after example of Christ You be so with the fear of trembling which becomes servants

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Not Slavish fear But Trembling anxiety not to fall short of the goal

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Let us fear lest a promise being left us of entering into his rest

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And he should come short of it resulting from a sense of our human insufficiency and from the consciousness

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That all depends on the power of God who worketh both to will and to do

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For It is God we'll stop with this verse, but first I want to discuss it

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For it is God Which worketh in you both to will and to do his good pleasure

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Clarence what does that mean? All right

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All right For an encouragement to work for it is God who worketh in you is always present with you

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Though I be absent Absent it is not said work out your own salvation

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Though it is God, but because it is God For it is

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God that worketh in you both to will and to do his good pleasure

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Can you do anything that is not pleasureful to God can you it can you actually

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Can you do anything outside of God no Yes, as you think it is

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What you say Diane Even that is to the pleasure of God Now you have to be very careful in explaining this

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It's not sin with God God meant it for good But you yourself

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Interpreted it as sin All right

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Right Yeah No, I didn't mean sin was good because you generated sin

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That's The old nature that's true and we run back to it every day But everything is by the decree of God everything

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So originally everything is good Now that one the dividing of the way is between what

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I think and what I do What I do is regulated by God Although I think

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I'm regulating it So to God what I do Is righteous, but I didn't know that I didn't benefit from that.

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I did not do it With the right mindset Therefore it's sin

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That's right But No, no

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Where is the sin? All right, it's in the mind.

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It's in us. Yes So who will and who wills it?

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Of his good pleasure, because he has a bad good pleasure And he thinks that what he's working now he does for us who wills it

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That's right, that's right So he's doing it all He does it all, but we're held responsible for what we do

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It's a paradox It's not beneficial But brother, this isn't the fact that we do sin

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In the way that God has In showing us In teaching us

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That we should not do it And that's very important I find it

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To prevent That His Ailing person

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That's right His aim is to mold and shape us

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To be like Christ We're doing that every day We Please him sometimes

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From my viewpoint now Or I don't please him from my viewpoint When I don't please

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God it's sin And I must repent of that But from God's viewpoint

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Even the sin that we committed Is good Very, very hard to differentiate

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Or to divide between the two God knows everything He knows the end

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It's all good I'm nervous saying sin is good

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I'm not nervous saying that he uses sin for good

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But to say sin is good makes me nervous But to say that he uses sin for our good

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I think it's uncomfortable Because I see He gives us the inclination of heart

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To be repentant From that repentance from sin We draw closer to our

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Lord And that is a way Whether it's sin or whether it's sickness

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Or whatever it is He calls us to repentance To draw nearer to the Lord And draw closer to him

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Therefore that it's good To draw closer to him Sin itself A lot of us say sin is good

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But the Who resolves How to use it

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I think what Brother Oates is saying Is that we realize that Sin is not good, but it works through the thought

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And that's what Brother Oates is saying Oh, okay

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Well, what I'm saying is That sin Is not in God's vocabulary

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He gives us good We use it for sin We think it's sin

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We use it for sin We must confess that sin But originally coming from God It was good

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Bill Perfect There is

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In God's His will For us In our movement

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His will And that part is God's part And that's the part that's going to be done

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God has a will for us And God has Action for us to do

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And we're going to do both of those Well, what comes into play Where sin comes into play

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I think is When our will Matches God's will

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Then we are in God's will And we are not in sin So when our will doesn't match

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God's What we're going to do Is put an end But now it's going to be a sin If I come to church

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And I say It is my duty To make a contribution

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To the church And I got a check

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And I put it in But I didn't have a feeling of obligation

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When I thought Somebody might see That I didn't draw a check In the offering room

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There was something about that I have seen It wasn't the act of offering money

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It was the reason For my doing it It was in glory Amongst the rest of the congregation

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So it was a sinful act Which the Sinfulness of the act wasn't

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The sinfulness of the act Was in the reason for my doing it If my will

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Had been more thoughtful Then it would have been The same act would not have been a sin

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And so I think That's where the Problem is Because the sin occurs

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When we're outside of God's will And that's the only sin The murder is not the sin

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The hiding is not the sin The drunkenness is not the sin

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What the sin is That we are out of God's will In our mind Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes That's right

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That's right Clarence are you any More confused And I was going to be aching every time it happened.

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I see no good in recognizing where you're being. The only good thing is recognizing where you shouldn't be.

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And Christ, in his effort of emptying himself, he was in the form of a man at that time, which is what it requires of us, the emptying of ourselves, is our self -will.

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And if we're in our own will, we sin. So, the purpose for that there is to keep you on track to recognize the will of God.

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That's the only good I could see of that, is to show you what God's will is.

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If it wasn't there, everything's his will. I also sin. I think when we sin, though, we get separation between us and God.

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We come back and repent. The fellowship, the sweetness is there, and it ain't harm.