dec 14-21-08 the mind and love of christ

The Mind of Christ

Around the world people set their Around the world people set their minds on Christmas. I’m sure minds on Christmas. I’m sure there are so many Christmas there are so many Christmas sermons today. I want to talk sermons today. I want to talk

about Jesus, The Christ, but not about Jesus, The Christ, but not about His birth.about His birth.

The Mind of Christ

The first church founded in the West was the church at Philippi

(Acts 16:6-15).

The Mind of Christ

Living at a highly favored Roman military colony and a major

crossroads on the Egnatian Way (one of the empire's "interstates"),

the Philippians were proud and affluent.

The Mind of Christ

It's interesting that Paul's first convert was a businesswoman

who sold purple, the most expensive of dyes, as valuable as

gold and used for tribute and international trade.

The Mind of Christ

Acts 16:14 NET A woman named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth from the city of

Thyatira, a God-fearing woman, listened to us. The Lord opened her heart to respond to what Paul was

saying.

The Mind of Christ

Yet in writing to the believers in this prosperous community, Paul

neither condemned the wealthy nor attacked profitable commerce. Rather, he emphasized Christ.

The Mind of Christ

Paul was well acquainted with position and power.

Philippians 3:3 NET For we are the circumcision, the ones who worship by the Spirit of God, exult in Christ Jesus, and do not rely on human credentials 4

— though mine too are significant.

The Mind of Christ

If someone thinks he has good reasons to put confidence in

human credentials, I have more: 5 I was circumcised on the eighth

day, from the people of Israel and the tribe of Benjamin,

The Mind of Christ

a Hebrew of Hebrews. I lived according to the law as a

Pharisee. 6 In my zeal for God I persecuted the church. According to the righteousness stipulated in

the law I was blameless.

The Mind of Christ

But he had surrendered everything to Christ.

Philippians 1:21 NET For to me, living is Christ and dying

is gain.

The Mind of Christ

That he was "a prisoner for Christ",Philippians 1:13 NET The whole imperial

guard and everyone else knows that I am in prison for the sake of

Christ,

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And that "I also count all things loss. . . that I may gain Christ."

Philippians 3:8 NET More than that, I now regard all things as liabilities compared to the far greater value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord,

The Mind of Christ

for whom I have suffered the loss of all things — indeed, I regard them as dung! — that I may gain Christ, Christ had laid hold of Paul (3:12) and Paul's sole passion was to

bring glory to Him (3:8-9).

The Mind of Christ

Philippians 3:12 NET Not that I have already attained this — that is, I have not already been perfected

— but I strive to lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus also laid hold

of me.

The Mind of Christ

Philippians 3:8 NET More than that, I now regard all things as liabilities compared

to the far greater value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have

suffered the loss of all things — indeed, I regard them as dung!

The Mind of Christ

— that I may gain Christ, 9 and be found in him, not because I have my own righteousness derived from the law,

but because I have the righteousness that comes by way of Christ's

faithfulness — a righteousness from God that is in fact based on Christ's

faithfulness.

The Mind of Christ

Paul longed for his friends in Philippi to have the same

experience of Christ. He prayed that they would abound in Christ's

love.

The Mind of Christ

Philippians 1:8 NET For God is my witness that I long for all of you

with the affection of Christ Jesus. 9 And I pray this, that your love

may abound even more and more in knowledge and every kind of

insight

The Mind of Christ

10 so that you can decide what is best, and thus be sincere and blameless for the day of Christ, 11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through

Jesus Christ to the glory and praise of God.

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That they would adopt Christ's mind.

Philippians 2:5 NET You should have the same attitude toward one another

that Christ Jesus had,

The Mind of Christ

6 who though he existed in the form of God did not regard equality with

God as something to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself by taking on the form of a slave, by looking like other men,

and by sharing in human nature.

The Mind of Christ

8 He humbled himself, by becoming obedient to the point of death —

even death on a cross! 9 As a result God exalted him and gave him the name that is above every

name,

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10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow — in heaven and on earth and under the earth — 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the

glory of God the Father.

The Mind of Christ

And that, like himself, they would follow in Christ's footsteps, experiencing His sufferings,

death, and resurrection.

The Mind of Christ

Philippians 3:10 NET My aim is to know him, to experience the power of his

resurrection, to share in his sufferings, and to be like him in his death, 11 and

so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.

The Mind of Christ

How could the Philippians translate their relationship with Christ into

daily life? Paul told them that they would have to become "like-

minded" with Christ and "set their minds on Christ."

The Mind of Christ

What would that look like? Paul painted a picture for them in 2:5-11. (Some scholars believe that this

passage was an early hymn of the church.

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Could it have been among the songs Paul sang with Silas while

in jail during his first visit to Philippi?)

The Mind of Christ

Acts 16:25 NET About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and

singing hymns to God, and the rest of the prisoners were listening

to them.

The Mind of Christ

For Christians in a prestigious city, Christ comes clothed in humility. Later, in Colossians, we see His power, glory, and lordship over

creation emphasized.

The Mind of Christ

But here, Christ is shown to be human, vulnerable, and

accessible. He lays down His rights and takes on a humble,

virtually powerless posture of a servant.

The Mind of Christ

Do you want honor and status, power and prestige? Our world

offers them through selfish ambition and empty conceit.

The Mind of Christ

Philippians 2:3 NET Instead of being motivated by selfish ambition or vanity, each of you should, in

humility, be moved to treat one another as more important than

yourself.

The Mind of Christ

An alternative is the "low liness of mind" that characterized Christ. In the short term, that may involve

sacrifice and even suffering.

The Mind of Christ

But in the long run it means praise from God and joy in His pleasure. The path to glory is humility. The way to gain is loss. The way up is

down.

LOVELOVE NEVER FAILSNEVER FAILS

Are you ever in doubt about what you should do in a given

situation? One rule of thumb that always applies is. Do unto others as you would have them do unto

you.


Matthew 7:12 NET In everything, treat others as you would want them to

treat you, for this fulfills the law and the prophets.


This "golden rule" is universally recognized. It summarizes the principle of love as an ethical

cornerstone for life.


In fact, Jesus taught that the greatest commandment was to love God with all of one's heart, soul, and mind, and the second

greatest was to love one's neighbor as oneself.


Matthew 22:36 NET "Teacher, which commandment in the law is the

greatest?" 37 Jesus said to him, " 'Love the Lord your God with all

your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.'


38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 The second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' 40 All the law and the prophets depend on these two

commandments."


Likewise, James called love the "royal law."

James 2:8 NET But if you fulfill the royal law as expressed in this scripture, "You

shall love your neighbor as yourself," you are doing well.


And Paul wrote that of faith, hope, and love, love was the greatest; it

never fails.1 Corinthians 13:8 NET Love never ends.


But if there are prophecies, they will be set aside; if there are tongues, they

will cease; if there is knowledge, it will be set aside.

1 Corinthians 13:13 NET And now these three remain: faith, hope, and love. But

the greatest of these is love.


We also see this in Hebrews. Having summarized the vast changes brought

about by the coming of Christ, the book's final chapter begins with a clear statement about one thing that has not

changed, love.


Love among believers must continue. Hebrews 13:1 NET Brotherly

love must continue. The writer goes on to list several ways in

which that can happen:


Hospitality toward strangers; in our day these might include immigrants, the homeless, and people of a different

race than we are. Hebrews 13:2 Do not neglect hospitality, because through it some have entertained angels without

knowing it.


Remembrance of prisoners; it would be just as easy to forget them, but the principle of love

says we ought to treat them as if chained with them.


Hebrews 13:3 Remember those in prison as though you were in

prison with them, and those ill-treated as though you too felt their

torment.


Faithfulness to our marriage; this goes beyond sexual fidelity to

active enrichment and development of our partner.


Hebrews 13:4 Marriage must be honored among all and the

marriage bed kept undefiled, for God will judge sexually immoral

people and adulterers.


Contentment regarding money and possessions; this is a severe challenge in modern culture.


Hebrews 13:5 Your conduct must be free from the love of money and you must be content with what

you have, for he has said, "I will never leave you and I will never

abandon you."


6 So we can say with confidence, "The Lord is my helper, and I

will not be afraid. What can man do to me?"


Christlike love is very practical. It seeks expression toward a wide

variety of people. Is that love "continuing" in your life?

(Word In Life Study Bible)

He Is Our Reason To Live

Jesus isn’t just the “Reason for the Jesus isn’t just the “Reason for the Season.” He is the Reason for Season.” He is the Reason for

EVERYTHING!!EVERYTHING!!Do our lives show He is Our Do our lives show He is Our

Reason to Live? Our Hope and Reason to Live? Our Hope and Salvation are found Only In HIM!Salvation are found Only In HIM!

dec 14-21-08 the mind and love of christ

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