PHILIPPIANS FOR TIMES LIKE THESE #10 – Adjusting My Attitude Philippians 2:5-11

THOSE FEELINGS OF SELF-INTEREST  Last week discussed putting the needs of others ahead of our own.  This will cause us to face an identity crisis.  Natural tendency is self- interest and self-preservation.  What’s best for ME?

THE ATTITUDE OF CHRIST  Philippians 2:5 – Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus….  What kind of attitude did Jesus have?  What elements should be emulate?

EMPTYING OURSELVES OF CONCEIT  Philippians 2:6 -- …who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped….”  NOT ROBBERY – didn’t consider equality with God something He had to maintain.

JESUS EXISTED IN THE FORM OF GOD  John 1:1 – “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”  Hebrews 1:3 – “…And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature….”

SHARED IN THE FULL GLORY OF GOD  John 17:5 -- Now, Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was.  Isaiah 42:8 -- “I am the Lord, that is My name; I will not give My glory to another, Nor My praise to graven images.”

JESUS SURRENDERED HIS EQUALITY  Did not consider it imperative to hold on to His rights (equality with God)  Station was not nearly as important as mission – surrender of self for the sake of others.

FREEDOM FROM ARROGANCE  2 Corinthians 12:20 -- For I am afraid that perhaps when I come I may find you to be not what I wish and may be found by you to be not what you wish; that perhaps there will be strife, jealousy, angry tempers, disputes, slanders, gossip, arrogance, disturbances….

THE HUMILITY OF A SLAVE  Philippians 2:7 – but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond- servant, and being made in the likeness of men.  “Made Himself of no reputation”

JESUS BECAME A BOND SERVANT  Greek: MORPHEN DOULOU  God the Son “morphed” into a common bonded slave.  Can you imagine the depth of change?

MADE IN THE LIKENESS OF MAN  Hebrews 2:14, Therefore, since the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise also partook of the same, that through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is, the devil…. Therefore, He had to be made like His brethren in all things, so that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For since He Himself was tempted in that which He has suffered, He is able to come to the aid of those who are tempted.

JOHN 1:14  “And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.”  Jesus became flesh so that He could save us. It was not because becoming flesh was fashionable.

JESUS WAS DOING GOD’S WILL  John 6:38 --For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.

HUMBLED EVEN TO DEATH  Philippians 2:8 – “Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.”  Hebrews 5:8 – “Although He was a Son, He learned obedience from the things which He suffered.”

WHICH HE DID FOR US  Romans 15:1-3 – “Now we who are strong ought to bear the weaknesses of those without strength and not just please ourselves. Each of us is to please his neighbor for his good, to his edification. For even Christ did not please Himself; but as it is written, ‘The reproaches of those who reproached You fell on Me.’”

ISAIAH 53:4-6  Surely our griefs He Himself bore, And our sorrows He carried; Yet we ourselves esteemed Him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; The chastening for our well-being fell upon Him, And by His scourging we are healed. All of us like sheep have gone astray, Each of us has turned to his own way; but the Lord has caused the iniquity of us all to fall on Him.

SO HE WAS EXALTED BY GOD!  Philippians 2:9 – “For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed upon Him the name which is above every name….”

JESUS GIVEN THE HIGHEST NAME  Hebrews 1:4-5, 8 – “…having become as much better than the angels, as He has inherited a more excellent name than they. For to which of the angels did He ever say, ‘You are My Son, Today I have begotten You…?...But of the Son He says, “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever, and the righteous scepter is the scepter of His kingdom.’”

THE RESULT OF JESUS’ HUMILITY  At the name of Jesus every knee will bow.  Every tongue will confess Jesus as Lord.  To the glory of God the Father.

ROMANS 8:16-18  The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him. For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us.  God will likewise exalt us.

2 THESSALONIANS 1:10-12  “…when He comes to be glorified in His saints on that day, and to be marveled at among all who have believed – for our testimony to you was believed. To this end also we pray for you always, that our God will count you worthy of your calling…so that the name of our Lord Jesus will be glorified in You, and you in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.”

DO WE HAVE THE MIND OF CHRIST?  Are we free from arrogance?  Are we emptied of our own selves?  Are we willing to suffer our rights to be trampled to benefit others?  Do we love so much that we will gladly surrender our freedom to be slaves used by God?  Will we treat others as better than ourselves?