THE MIND OF CHRIST

Text:    Philippians 2:5-8

Intro:  

-Apostle Paul instructs the believer in v5, that he is to have the same mind as Christ did when he walked this earth.

-V6. – Paul tells us by the way, Christ Jesus is God.

-They are equal.

-They one and the same.

-1 Tim. 3:16 – Jesus was “God manifest in the flesh”

-V7. – Begins with “But”

-Paul is saying in v7, “Despite Christ Jesus being God, he did not forget why he came to this earth to take upon himself a form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of man.

-Paul is telling us that Christ had a mind of a servant as evidenced by the two words in v. 8, “humbled” and “obedient”.

-As Christians my dear friends we are to have a servant’s mind like Christ did.

-Jesus is our example to follow.

-Two important characteristics of a servant is “humility” and “obedience”.

-Jesus displayed them throughout his entire ministry.

-Culminating with his obedience to the Father by His death on the  cross.

-This morning we want to look at three aspects of the servant, Jesus Christ.

I.          THE EXCLAMATION OF A SERVANT

            A. Words of Humility

            -Mark 10:43-44 – On how to achieve greatness.

            *James & John wanted sit on right & left of Christ in glory.

            -Mark 10:45 – “give his life a ransom”

            *Jesus came to give not get!!!

            -Luke 22:27 – Greater to serve

            B.  Words of Obedience

            -John 5:30, 6:38 – Jesus came to earth fulfill the will of

             the Father.

            -Luke 22:42 – “Remove this cup, your will not my will be

             done. – The Father’s will always put first.

            *Cup, Jesus talking about no his death but the Father’s

             wrath poured out on sin.

            *See 2 Cor. 5:21

            *Earth grew dark for 3 hours.

            *Jesus cried, “My God, my God why hast thou forsaken me”

            *At this point God, the Father turned his back on His as

             Jesus was being made sin for us and God’s wrath was being

             poured  out on him.

            *God the Father turned His back on the Son because God is

             Holy cannot look upon sin.

II.         THE EXAMPLE OF A SERVANT

            A.  Humility

            -Footwashing – Jn. 13:3-5; 12-17.

            B.        Obedience

            -Jn 19:17-18 – “bearing his cross”

            -Phil. 2:8 – “…became obedient unto death, even the death

                         of the cross.”

            -Heb. 12:2 – Concerning Jesus, “…endured the cross,

                                            despising the shame.”

III.        THE EXALTATION OF A SERVANT

            A.  Position

            -Mark 16:19 – He went up to sit down on the right of the

             Father.

            B.  Person

            -Phil 2:9-11

            C.        Power

            -Rev. 5:11-13

-One day those who have been God’s servants down here will be exalted and glorified up there.

*1 Peter 5:6

*Rev. 3:21

*Col. 3:4

CONCLUSION

-We have examined the Mind of Christ which we saw is the mind of a servant.

-The mind of a servant is characterized by humility & obedience.

-We heard and saw in Christ:

*The exclamation of a servant

*The example of a servant

*The exaltation of a servant

-My question to you  is Do you possess the mind of Christ, the Servant’s Mind?

-It’s a humble mind.

-It’s an obedient mind.

-Would you rather be ministered unto or would you rather minister  to others?

-Would you rather be served or would you rather serve others?

-Are you denying self, taking up your cross and following Christ or are you satisfying the flesh, leaving your cross, and following the world, the flesh and the devil.