05 Freedom From Selfishness & Pride — Zac Poonen

The Mind of Christ and the Unity of the Church

Let's turn today to Philippians chapter 2. Paul's burden here is that the church in Philippi should have the Philippians 2 to have the same mind, the same love, united in spirit intent on one purpose.

I am sure that we would all like to see every church like this. Imagine if a church is having the same mind, same love, united in spirit, having one purpose. But it's very difficult to find a church like this.

It's very difficult even to find a husband and wife like this. Is it God's will that a home should be like this and a church should be like this? Definitely. Why is it not taking place then? It's because of two problems that we have.

Selfishness and Pride as the Roots of Sin

All our sin arises from two roots. You know, just like when doctors diagnose a disease and they say, this disease has come from this root. So, if you want to cure the sore in your hand, you've got to hit the root inside your body.

So, many problems that we have in our life, many divisions that we see in homes, the quarrels that we find in many homes and the divisions we find in many churches, can all be traced to two roots. Two poisons that we have received from Adam.

One is selfishness and the other is pride. Everything comes from these two, all the evils. The Bible says the love of money is the root of all sorts of evil. But love of money comes out of the root of selfishness.

Out of self-centeredness. I think of myself. That's why I love money. And so it says, if you want to be of the same mind, same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose, then you have to take a decision in your life.

Verse 3, do nothing from selfishness and do nothing from pride. See, he says these are the two reasons. Now the question is this. Can I live a life where I do nothing from selfishness and nothing from pride?

And immediately the devil says, no, that is impossible. That is an old thing that the devil has said for 6 ,000 years. It is impossible to obey God's command. And there are millions of people who have believed the devil for 6 ,000 years.

God says do nothing from selfishness and nothing from pride. And the devil says, no, that is impossible. And even believers say, Satan, you are right. God is wrong. It is impossible to live a life where I do nothing from selfishness and nothing from pride.

So, as long as we believe the devil, we are not going to be united in spirit. You know, the Lord once told the Israelites, go and possess the land of Canaan. And the devil told them, no, no, no, you can't possess that land.

There are too many giants there. And they believed the devil. And that is written in the Bible that because they believed the devil, they wandered in the wilderness for 40 years. The whole Old Testament is full of examples of people who believed what the devil said rather than what God said.

So, we must take a lesson from that. When the Lord says, do nothing from selfishness and nothing from pride, I must say, Lord, I can't live like that. But since you say that that is how we have to live, I suppose it must be possible.

Faith in God's Commands

To have faith, you only have to believe that God is a loving Father. That He is better than all earthly fathers. Will you ask your child to carry some 500 tons on his head? No. Will you ask your son to jump over some 10 foot wall?

No. Will you ever ask your children to do something which you know is impossible? Even a simple thing like get 100 in every subject in school, even that you will not ask. And if we fathers don't make such demands on our children which we know are impossible, how will Almighty God ask us to do something which is impossible?

When He says, do nothing from selfishness and from pride, it is possible. When God said to the 600 ,000 Israelites, go and take Canaan, it was possible. But only two people said it is possible. All the others said not possible.

It doesn't matter if 600 ,000 people say it's not possible. Two people believed God and they experienced it. In the same way, you can have 600 ,000 believers who read this verse and say, no, it's not possible.

But there are two people who will say, yes, it's possible. And those two people will accomplish God's purpose. And the rest will spend all their earthly life wandering in the wilderness. Now let's see what it says further.

Humility and Considering Others More Important

Do nothing from selfishness and nothing from pride. But have humility of mind and regard other people as more important than yourself. That's dealing with the first problem of pride. With humility of mind, look at other people around you and treat them as more important than yourself.

No, you must not read it wrongly. I have met many believers who read it wrongly. They read it that treat everybody as more spiritual than yourself. How can I do that? When I know that somebody is a carnal Christian, how can I imagine that he is more spiritual than me?

How can I imagine that Judas Iscariot is more spiritual than I am? How can I imagine that Hitler and Saddam Hussein and all are more spiritual than I am? Even the Apostle Paul did not look at the Corinthians and say, oh, you fellows are more spiritual than me.

No. He said, I am spiritual, you are carnal. That's not what it says here. It says treat them as more important. That is what Jesus did. He did not treat the believers as, oh, you are all disciples are more spiritual than me.

But he said, you are more important than me. I am your servant, that's why I am washing your feet. You are all big people sitting at the table. You are more important, that is why I am washing your feet.

That is what it means to treat other people as more important. And you know the thing that amazes me the most about Jesus? We are trying to understand the mind of Christ here. He washed the feet of Judas Iscariot also.

You read in John 13. After he washed their feet, some verses later, it says Judas Iscariot went out. So he was there when Jesus, imagine Jesus sitting and washing the feet of this person who is going to betray him, who is going to stab him in the back in a few hours.

He didn't think Judas Iscariot was spiritual. But even a deceiver and a betrayer like you, I will treat you as more important and wash your feet. That is the example Jesus Christ our Lord has set for us.

And every believer who walks in the footsteps of Jesus and is willing to treat other people like that, he will live an overcoming life. The second thing it says is, verse 4, don't look out only for your interests.

But also for the interests of others. He is not saying don't look at your interests at all. But he says don't look only at your own interests. Think of the interests of others also. So these are the two things he says.

Consider others as more important. That deals with the pride problem. And think of the interests and needs of other people also. That deals with the selfishness problem. So we want to read this again very slowly.

Applying Selflessness and Humility in Marriage

If you want unity in your home, what shall I tell husband and wife? Because most of the Christian homes I have met, there is no unity between husband and wife. You think it is only in your family there is no unity between husband and wife?

Ninety percent of believers homes are like that. That doesn't mean it is right. It is hundred percent wrong. Supposing I told you that six hundred thousand believers homes are like that, you will find two believers homes where they are united.

That is like this, relax in the wilderness. Six hundred thousand people wandering in the wilderness, two people entering Canaan. So that is how it is. Among six hundred thousand homes of believers, you will find two believers whose husband and wife are united, where they never fight with each other, where they live in peace.

But that is God's will for all our homes. Why have you allowed the devil to come and destroy that unity in your home? But you can have a different this year onwards. Please believe that this life is possible for you.

Ask the Holy Spirit to help you. Do nothing from selfishness. Think of the interest of the others. Husband, think of the interest of your wife, not about yourself only. Think how she is struggling doing so many things.

See if you can help her. I have sometimes used this example. A house, a mother with small children. One crying, one baby in the cradle. Busy cooking in the kitchen. She didn't get much sleep at night because of the baby crying.

And what is the husband doing? He is reading the Bible. Oh God, speak to me. I want to understand this Hebrews chapter 7. What is the meaning of Melchizedek? And God says, you want to hear me? Shut your Bible and go and help your wife.

You don't need to know the meaning of Melchizedek. You need to help your wife. But do you think that husband will do that? Oh Lord, what is the meaning of this tabernacle? And the wife is struggling there in the kitchen.

How can you be a Christian? Don't think of your own personal interest. Think of the interest of others. And I can say to the wife also, maybe you had a difficult day during the day looking after the children and so many things.

And your husband comes at 6 or 7 o 'clock in the morning. And as soon as he opens the door, why are you so late? Already so many people shouted at him in the office. Now he comes to the home thinking there will be some peace here.

As soon as the door opens, there is like a volcano blast. You think you only had a difficult time in the day in your house? Your husband also probably had a very difficult day in the office to earn money to take care of your house rent and children's school fees.

Think of the other person's interest. It's a very simple law. Don't think only of your problems. Think of the other person's problems also. Think of this year onwards. Let us forget all the past. We have done so many wrong things.

Say, Lord let your blood cleanse and blot out all that. You know what is my desire? That every home here will have peace during this coming year. I wish you could have the peace I have in my heart, in my home, the peace I have with my wife and my children.

We are not perfect, but we have peace. I wish that for all of you. But there is a law. Don't think of your own interests alone. Yes, we had many problems today. But think of the other person. Maybe he also had many problems.

Think if a husband and wife can live like this. Your home will be like heaven. And the next thing is, don't consider the other person as more important. Don't say that you should make the wife the head of the house.

No, Jesus was the head of his disciples. He said, you call me master and lord and that is what I am. But even though I am your lord, I washed your feet. Can you as a husband, head of the house, wash the wife's feet?

Consider each other as more important than yourself. Be willing to do any dirty job for each other. Any lowly job. Only two things. Deal with your pride, deal with your selfishness. And then he says, verse 5, this is the mind of Christ.

Christ's Self-Emptying and Servant-Hearted Mind

This is the mind of Christ, verse 5. Have the same mind that was in Christ Jesus. So now we understand what the mind of Christ was like. It was a mind that was completely free from selfishness, completely free from pride.

And he says, I will give you an example. He says, Jesus Christ, although he was God, from all eternity he was God, he did not hold on to that position and stay there. If he had stayed there, we would not have been saved.

While he was sitting there, in heaven, he did not think of his own interests. He did not say, oh life is so wonderful here in heaven. All the angels are worshipping me. Oh it's so wonderful here. He did not think like that.

He looked down on the earth and saw us wretched sinners living a miserable life on their way to hell. And he thought, Jesus thought, I can't leave those people like that. I am enjoying so much here. I want them to enjoy what I have.

Brothers and sisters, this is the spirit of Christ. Don't think you have the spirit of Christ if you don't have this spirit. What is that? When you see other people who don't have what you have, particularly spiritually, I want them to have what I have.

My life is so happy in God. Look at these people, miserable, defeated. I want them to have this. The spirit of Christ is that which makes you want that other people should have what you have. If you say, oh God has given me all this.

This is all for me to enjoy. Those fellows, they are all unfaithful, that's why they didn't get anything. I was faithful, therefore God has given me all this money and all these things. Jesus could have said that.

He could have said in heaven, I have been faithful, so I have got heaven. Those poor fellows on the earth, they have lived in sin, they are all unfaithful, that is why they are suffering. He could have said that, but he didn't say that.

He said, I must go and help them. Jesus came to earth, that proves that he did not think of himself. Everybody says, I want to be like Christ. But this is what it means, that you don't think about your own needs alone.

God is not asking you to meet the needs of the whole world. That is impossible for any one human being. But God says, the people around you, first start with your wife, start with your husband. Think that they may be having problems.

Encourage them. Don't just think of yourself. How many of you husbands can say, when did you last encourage your wife? When was the last time you said a good word of encouragement to your wife? You had to scratch your head and think, maybe five years ago.

When was the last time, you sisters, you encouraged your husbands? You see, I remember ten years ago, I said something to him. You know what the bible says? Let me give you a command in scripture. Especially to those who think they are very holy believers, who are obeying God's word.

It is what the bible says in Hebrews chapter 3 verse 13. Encourage one another, not once in ten years. The correct translation is, encourage one another. It's not a very good translation in Tamil. NASB is the correct translation.

Encourage one another, every day. Every day. Because if you don't do that, they can get hardened. Why did your wife get hard hearted? You are to blame, you never encouraged her. You say, my husband is so hard hearted.

Sister, have you encouraged him many times? That's why he is hard hearted. That's what it says here. If you don't encourage one another, they will be hardened in their heart. See as Indian people, we don't have much habit of encouraging one another.

That is the great tragedy. We don't encourage one another. We only think in terms of telling people you are wrong. Why did you do it like this? Why did you cook the food like that? I told you so many times not to do this.

That is how we are. That we are ready to say every day. Encourage. Oh, that was very good what you did. I appreciated that. You try saying that to your children. Your children will do much better when you learn to encourage them.

I have done it. I have four boys and I used to encourage them. Yeah, that was good. I even do small things. They are playing cricket and they put a good shot. I say, yeah, that's good. Then they know that daddy is interested in me.

That is how I became friends with my children. Why is it your children are so distant from you? Because you never encourage them. From this year onwards, shall we make a decision? All of you, this is not for my good.

I am saying it for your good. Don't think of yourself. Think of the other person. Say, how can I encourage my wife? How can I encourage my husband? How can I encourage my children? And some of you may have old parents.

Have you ever encouraged your old parents who did so much for you when you were a child? Have you gone and spoken a word to your old parents? We say we are Christians. What is the difference between us and all the heathen?

The Golden Rule and the Ministry of Encouragement

Don't think of yourselves only. You know Jesus gave us a wonderful rule in Matthew 7 and verse 12. This is the mind of Christ. What did we read in Philippians 2? Let the same mind be in you which was in Christ.

When he was enjoying everything in heaven, he thought of miserable sinners on the earth. How can I go and encourage them? How can I lift them up? How can I help them? Jesus said in Matthew 7 verse 12, whatever you want other people to treat you in the same way you treat them.

Whatever you want other people to do for you, do it for them. For this is the message of the whole Bible. Law and prophets is another way of saying the Bible. The message of the whole Bible. Do to others what you do encourages you and appreciates what you did?

Would you like it if your boss one day comes to you and says, very good, I really appreciated what you did. Don't you feel happy? Why don't you go home and put your hand on your wife and say, that was really good what you did?

We never say that. We want other people to do that to us. The Lord says, if you are a Christian, do the same to other people. So I want to say to all of you, dear husbands and wives sitting here, encourage one another.

Say to one another what you want them to say to you. None of us like hard words that people speak to us. Even when we have done something wrong, we want people to correct us gently. Supposing you did something wrong in your office.

Won't you feel so happy if your boss comes and tells you, see that was wrong. But never mind, we can set it right. You are so happy that he put it like that. Instead of shouting at you and saying, why did you do that stupid thing.

We did something wrong. But we are so happy that he came and corrected us so gently. Correct your children like that. Correct your wife like that. I am not saying don't correct them. But correct them like that.

Correct your husband like that. By the end of this year, your home will become like a heaven. We ourselves are making our homes like a hell. So what shall I say? Let this mind be in you in Christ, which was in Christ Jesus.

Jesus' Appreciation of the Roman Centurion

See these days we are trying to think about the mind of Christ. And this is the mind of Christ. He always thought, how can I say something good about that person. I see a beautiful example in Matthew chapter 8.

There was this Roman soldier. He was a military man. He had not read the Bible or anything. He was not a Jew, he was a Roman. But he had some respect for Jesus Christ. And he had a servant who was paralyzed at home.

Can you imagine a military officer being concerned about his servant who is paralyzed? It's not his son, it's his servant. And he says, I will go to Jesus. I heard that Jesus can heal the sick. So he travels many miles to Jesus.

And he comes to Jesus and says, Lord, will you please heal my servant who is paralyzed at home? Matthew 8 verse 6. And Jesus says, sure, I will come there to your house. I will walk all these kilometers to your house and heal him.

It's amazing how Jesus is willing to walk so many kilometers to help people. We are so lazy even to go 200 meters to help somebody. But Jesus said, I will come. And the centurion is such a humble man.

He says, Lord, I am not worthy that you should come to my house. Stand here. Speak the word. And five kilometers away, my servant will be healed. How do I know that? Because he says, Lord, when I look at your life, when I look at you, I am a military man.

And military men can usually recognize other military men. He says, Lord, I sense in you that you are like a military man. Because the way I see you moving around reminds me of a military man who is living under somebody's authority.

I don't know the Bible. I don't know about your Jewish religion. But you seem to be a man under somebody's authority. I am also under one general who is my ruler. When he tells me go, I go. He tells me come, I come.

And therefore, I have got all these junior soldiers under me. I tell them go. They go. I tell them come. They come. I tell them left turn. They left turn. Lord, you can do that. Tell that sickness go.

I know it will go. Because you are a man under authority. And Jesus heard this. He didn't just say, okay, I'll do that. Before that, he wanted to appreciate this man. He looked around at all the crowd there.

You fellows who read the Bible every day, look at this Roman soldier who has never read the Bible. Look at his faith. I've never seen such faith in the whole land of Israel. Verse 10. See how Jesus encouraged that man.

He must have been so encouraged. I believe with all my heart that he was converted. I believe I'll see him in heaven. Not because Jesus preached a half an hour sermon to him. But Jesus just appreciated him.

We can bless so many people just by appreciating something good in them. But just like we are misers with money, we are very big misers with appreciating people also. It doesn't cost us anything to speak a word of appreciation.

Money, at least we lose something. But to appreciate somebody, what do you lose? What do you lose by appreciating your wife? What do you lose by appreciating your husband? What do you lose by appreciating your children when they do something good?

What do you lose by appreciating your brother and saying, brother, that was wonderful what you did? Why don't you go to your elder brothers in your church and say, brother, I really appreciate what you do for the church?

Have you ever once in your life gone to your elder brother and appreciated all that he has done for your church? Why not? We are misers. We don't give money. We don't give even words of appreciation. But we say we are Christians.

We clap our hands and say hallelujah. It's no use. The Lord looks at our heart. We need the mind of Christ. We must pray, Lord, give me the mind of Christ. It's a very simple thing. It does not cost any money.

We don't lose anything. Just to appreciate people, encourage people. Let us develop that habit. Lord, I know how much I get encouraged when somebody appreciates me. I want to do that for other people.

That is the mind of Christ that I don't think about myself. I think about others. You know, a person who lives like that will be a very happy person. You know why you have so many discouragements and depressions in your life?

And even so many sicknesses? Because you are always thinking of yourself. Think about others and you will be saved. I remember hearing a very beautiful story of Sadhu Sundar Singh. If you have not read the story of Sadhu Sundar Singh, you must read it.

His biography. He was the greatest saint that India has seen. Converted when he was fourteen years old as a Sikh. Imagine, by the time he was fourteen itself, he had torn up Bible and hated Christians.

And he sees a vision of Jesus in his room. And he gives up his Sikh religion immediately. And he becomes a Christian. And for the next twenty-nine years, he kept on following Jesus. He used to go to Tibet to preach the gospel.

Losing One's Life by Serving Others

And there is a story about him, a true story, which he himself said. He himself said it. He was walking through the Himalayan mountains and trying to reach some village in that mountainous area quickly before sunset.

Because he said, if I don't reach there by sunset, the wind will become so cold, he will shiver and die. So he was walking along with some monk of some other religion. And they were going like that, rushing up to reach that village before sunset.

Because they knew they will definitely die, if cold, if they don't reach there. So, as they were walking, they saw one man lying on the ground, fainted from the cold. And they thought he is dead. So Sadhu Senthil Singh tried to listen to his heart.

His heart was still beating. So he told the other priest, this man is alive. We must carry him, otherwise he will die here. And the other priest said, no, no, no. If we carry him, we will also slow down.

We have to run. We can't carry this man. All three of us will die. Leave him here, he will die. Let us save our life. Sadhu Senthil Singh said, I cannot leave a man who is alive to die here. If you want, you go.

I am going to carry him. And he took that man on his shoulder and walked slowly. And the other monk, he was going fast. Sadhu Senthil Singh is walking slowly, the wind was getting cold. Sun had set. And after some time, he sees the monk's body lying on the ground.

He listens in his heart. Dead. Of the cold. And then Sadhu Senthil Singh began to think. The same cold wind was hitting him and hitting me. How did he die and I not die? Then he understood. Because he was carrying this man and all his weight.

All that strain was producing heat in his body. You know, just like when you do some hard work, you begin to perspire with heat. So that hard work that Sadhu Senthil Singh was doing produced heat in his body.

And that protected him from the cold. And that heat got transmitted to this man whom he was carrying also. And both of them lived and they reached the village. Sadhu Senthil Singh himself told this story.

He said, what Jesus said is absolutely true. If you seek to save your life, you will lose it. But if you are willing to lose your life to serve God and serve other people, you will keep it. Many of us think, oh, I have to somehow save my life.

Think about others. That is how Jesus was. He came to earth thinking of us. And the Bible says, let the same mind be in you. This is the mark of a true disciple of Jesus. He does not think of himself.

He thinks how he can help others. How he can bless others. Especially those who are more needy than yourself. And it must begin in your home. Jesus said, first in Jerusalem, then Judea, then Samaria, then the outermost parts of the earth.

It's no use giving money for some missionary in North India if you are not helping your wife at home. Don't go to the outermost parts of the earth first. Start in Jerusalem. That is your own home first.

Christ as the Servant of Humanity

The second thing is pride. It says, consider the other person as more important than yourself. And again, have the mind that was in Christ Jesus. What did he do? Philippians 2. Verse 5. Have the same mind which Jesus had.

When he came to this earth, he came as a servant. He didn't come as a king. He could have been the king. He was king of kings and lord of lords. But when he came to earth, it's a beautiful verse here.

I don't think you all understood this. He took the form of a servant because he was made in the likeness of men. You need to understand this. Because he became a man, he became a servant. And he humbled himself.

You need to see the connection there. Why did he live on earth as a servant? Because he says, God has now made me a man. And men have been created to serve one another. Not to rule one another. They must rule the earth.

God didn't tell Adam to rule Eve. God told Adam, rule the earth. God has not created us to rule one another. To serve one another. We must rule over our lusts. That is what we must rule. I must rule over my anger.

I must rule over the lust of my eyes. I must control my tongue. I must rule over my pride. And selfishness and jealousy. That I must rule over. But others, I have to serve them. Jesus knew that. If I am a man, I am a servant.

We read in John chapter 6. When he fed the 5000. Everybody said, this is the prophet that is supposed to come to the world. They all came together and said, we will make him our king. Do you know what Jesus did?

He ran off into some mountain where they would not find him. He said, I will never be a king. If I am a man, I am to be a servant. You and I are human beings. Have you understood the spirit of Christ?

That if you are a human being, you are called to be a servant of other human beings. We are not angels. We are not God. We are human beings. And if I am a man or a woman, I have to serve other people.

That is the meaning of this. Being made in the likeness of men, he became a bond servant. Being in the likeness of men, when he comes as a man, he has to be a servant. Being a servant means you treat other people as more important than yourself.

How does your servant treat you at home? Do they treat you as unimportant or important? Some of you have servants in your home. How do they treat you? That is how Jesus lived on this earth. Treat other people as more important.

A true Christian has the attitude of a servant to everybody. He is not insulted if somebody tells him something bad. When Jesus was called the prince of devils, he said that is alright. I am an ordinary man.

You are forgiven. How insulted we feel if somebody gives us a bad name. That shows we don't have the spirit of a servant. Then we don't have the mind of Christ. I will tell you in the church, the biggest criminals are the preachers, the pastors, the bishops.

They don't behave like servants. They behave like kings. It is so difficult to meet them. You cannot go and meet them. It is easier to meet an MP or cabinet minister than some preachers. Because they have taken such an attitude.

Unless you are a big influential man, ordinary people cannot meet big preachers. These famous preachers who come on television, it is very difficult to meet them. They are not servants. They don't mingle with ordinary people.

They don't visit the homes of poor people. They will visit the homes of all the very rich businessmen and all that. You think they are representatives of Christ? Do you think if Jesus was here, he would only visit the homes of the rich businessmen?

I think he would visit the homes of the poor. There is so little of the spirit of Christ in the church. And there is nobody to point it out. That is why Christianity has got such a bad testimony in India.

You and I must change that, brothers and sisters. We have to change the image of Christianity. Don't blame others. You change. I change. I am not worried about the others. I say, Lord, I want to change.

I want to get rid of all pride from my life. I want to get rid of all selfishness from my life. I want to have the attitude of a servant towards every human being on the earth. I don't want to think of myself as more important than even a little child.

I want to treat even a little child with respect. I want to speak with respect to little children. With the same respect that I will speak to some big rich man. Because I believe that is the spirit of Christ.

How many of you will do that in this year, 2010? Lord, I want to be like Jesus. I want to have the mind of Christ. Towards the poor, and the weak, and the little children. The mind of Christ. Towards those who are despised by society.

And of humility. And of not thinking of myself but of them. And to think of their needs and not my own alone. So there are only two things I spoke of today. Because those are the two things mentioned in this passage of being the mind of Christ.

That Jesus did not seek his own interests. And he was a servant of everybody else. Have this mind in you which was in Christ. I want to say one more thing. Many of us want to be filled with the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit and the Servant Life

The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Christ. If I ask God to fill me with the Spirit of Christ, He will do it. But first of all ask yourself, do you want it? The Spirit of Christ will make you a servant of everybody.

Do you want that? Or do you only want to speak in tongues? I speak in tongues. I am not against it. I have spoken in tongues for 35 years. But that is not the main thing for me. When the Holy Spirit filled me, He made me a servant of other people.

And he made me stop thinking of my own interests only. If I were thinking of my own interests, I wouldn't come here to Thoothukudi. I would sit comfortably in my house in Bangalore. I don't come here for money.

I have come here and preached for 27 years. For 27 years, I have been preaching in Thoothukudi every year. I have never taken a rupee from anybody here. I have not even taken my train fare. Because I got filled with the Holy Spirit.