Think and Be Like Christ!
Sermon for Sunday, September 28, 2008
1. Good Morning. Let’s pray. . . O Lord, may the words of my mouth and the meditations of our hearts be pleasing to You O Lord, our Rock and our Redeemer. Amen.
2. Opening Comments: We’re going to focus on the Second Reading for today those classic verses that fundamentally challenge us to have the same attitude or mindset as Jesus Christ. Simple fare don’t you think? Ha!
If you and I could really get this – really have the same mind as Christ we would be who we say we are – Christians – followers of Christ!
Let’s think about this shall we – Mmmmmmm . . . “Do you think of yourself as a Christian?” Presumably the answer is yes.
Now how about this question, “How good a Christian are you?” Say on a scale of 1 to 10 where 10 is just like Him and 1 is barely like Him. Where would you fit on this scale?
I need to ask one other question – would your wife or husband or closest friend agree with you score? Ha!
Does your legitimate score make your proud?
Probably not!
So this is what we’re to be about this morning enabling you and me to increase that score.
This is a calling up sermon! But hopefully you and I will not only want to increase our score but we will have found ways to do just that.
3. Focus on Philippians 2: So let’s turn to Philippians chapter 1 beginning at verse 1 shall we?
Phil. 2:1 If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, (If you’ve gotten anything at all out of following Christ) if any comfort from his love, (if his love has made any difference in your life) if any fellowship with the Spirit, (if being in a community of the Spirit means anything to you) if any tenderness and compassion, (if you have a heart, if you care) 2 then make my joy complete by being like-minded, (by agreeing with each other) having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. 3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, (Don’t push your way to the front; don’t sweet-talk your way to the top. Put yourself aside, and help others get ahead.) but in humility consider others better than yourselves. (help others get ahead) 4 Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. (Don’t be obsessed with getting your own way.)
Phil. 2:5 Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: (Let the same king of thinking dominate you as dominated Christ Jesus) 6 Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, (Jesus had equal status with God but didn’t think so much of himself that he had to cling to the advantages of that status no matter what) 7 but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. (e˚auto\n e˙ke÷nwsen he emptied himself, divested himself of his privileges) 8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death—even death on a cross!
9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should 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.
So what is St. Paul saying in these seminal verses in the little New Testament book of Philippians?
The key word in all of these verses is arguably the word “Kenosis” found in verse 7 – Jesus made Himself as nothing – taking the very nature of a servant!
In Christian theology, Kenosis is the concept of the 'self-emptying' of one's own will and becoming entirely receptive to God and his perfect will.
So fundamentally it’s about bring transformed into the icon or "likeness of Christ" and that’s what being a full blooded Christian is really all about isn’t it?
We’re going to come back to this soon but first we must look briefly at one other concept that will set us up to better wrestle with this idea of “self-emptying.”
Please look with me back at verse 5: Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: (Let the same kind of thinking dominate you as dominated Christ Jesus) This is an active and imperative command and the Greek is: Touvto fronei√te – it means “think this!” with an exclamation mark after it!!!!
Paul is telling us to “Let the same kind of thinking dominate us as dominated Christ Jesus.” And what was that “thinking” that so dominated the way Christ thought?
It was an attitude of love that compelled him to relinquish His divine privileges to rescue us by becoming just like us – one of us!
He fully identified with us! He became one of us!
Now what St. Paul is saying is that to the extent to which his readers have felt Christ’s encouragement, His love, His fellowship, His tenderness and compassion then they are to respond to all of this in like manner!
As they have felt encouragement so that are to encourage others.
As they have felt Christ’s love they are to love others.
As they have felt Christ’s fellowship so they too are to generously give themselves to their community.
As they have felt Christ’s tenderness and compassion so too they are to be generous with their tenderness and compassion!
All of these virtues that made up the way Christ responded to the world so too as we experience them from Him we are to give in like manner these virtues out to the world around us.
Think about that – to not do this is like someone experiencing constant expressions of inexpressible love but giving nothing back!
Now I must confess that this is a picture of me a lot of the time. I experience Christ’s love and forgiveness. When I reach out to Him I feel His closeness – His fellowship and tenderness and compassion . . . but how much do I give return of this to Him and to those about me?
Can you ask yourself that question please?
How much do I experience of the love of Christ? And how much of that do I then extend to Him and the rest of the world.
Now it’s conceivable to me that you may not have experienced or are currently be experiencing much of His love, His fellowship, His tenderness or compassion. If that’s true it’s not because He’s not extending it to you. After all, His name is “Immanuel” – God with us! He is with you! But you are not with Him – not present to Him. Not leaning towards Him.
In James 4:8 we read “Draw near to God and he will draw near to you.”
That’s a statement of fact! Can anyone in the Sanctuary attest to the validity of this bold statement?
Is it true? Have you ever tried to draw near to God and haven’t finally found Him!
Ah! You noticed that I said, “finally found Him.” Sometimes there is stuff in us that needs to be cleared away before we can see Him. Sins get in the way . . . blind us to Him!
Perhaps there’s someone in this sanctuary whose sense of Christ’s Presence is very faint – then I have to believe that Jesus is calling you closer to Him. Decide right now to draw near to Him.”
How do you do that? You simply sit still, close your eyes, and invite the resurrected Jesus to become present to you. Tell Him that you want - with all of your heart - to sense Him – to experience His Presence!
There is only one reason that He won’t respond positively to you and that’s because He has decided that you are not earnest enough. First He has decided to deepen your thirst for Him – it’s called the experience of the “Dark Night of the Soul” – St. John of the Cross.
4. Return to Verse 7: Now we’re ready to return to verse 7: but Jesus made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.
Now we return to the idea of “kenosis” – self-emptying.
This is what Jesus did and we’re being told to do the same – our attitude – our mindset – should be the same as that of Jesus!
Self-emptying! Yuck! This is not fun! I can try to think like Jesus. I can try to draw near to God! But “self-emptying” is when all of this seems to get “too” real for most of us!
But can you see that self-emptying is love’s action!
It’s love put into first gear isn’t it.
Can you imagine love acting in any other way than reaching out to another above and beyond ourselves!
Love reaches over our selves to the other. There is a self-forgetfulness in loving isn’t there?
Can anyone remember their first love?
Can anyone remember their first romantic love?
Can anyone remember loving their dog or cat or whatever so much that your heart burst?