Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus:Have this in your mind, which was also in Christ Jesus,Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:Have this mind in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:
6 sermons cite this verse
… that alignment look like? And here's the part that's so powerful. Listen, who though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God something to be grasped. Rather, he emptied himself, taking the form of a slave. There's an earthquake in those words. There's a turning upside down of the world. Here's the first thing, everybody. This text, they think, is Paul's adaptation of an ancient hymn. So he's writing this around the early years of the 50s of the first century, let's say 20 years after the death and resurrection. But if this is a hymn that was being used in Christian liturgies, and if it took, as indeed it did, a while for things to get around the ancient world, this hymn probably goes back certainly to the 40s of the first century, perhaps even the late 30s. In other words, it's probably one of the oldest texts we have, certainly the oldest liturgical texts we have in Christianity. And what's affirmed at the very heart of it, the divinity of Jesus, though he was in the form of God, he didn't deem equality with God a thing to be grasped, but rather emptied himself. …
… And where Paul closes this whole thing, his central treatise right in the middle of this amazing book is in Philippians chapter two, verses five through 11. and he says this he says in your relationships with one another have the same mindset as Christ Jesus you see the battle in the mind the mind of the flesh the mind of the spirit and he says to you if you want to see it differently have a different mind have the mind of Jesus because when you have the mind of Jesus you will see it differently and he says this is of our Savior who being in very nature God did not consider equality with God something to be used for his own advantage. You see, he's throwing shade on the first Adam. Adam thought he would be like God and he trusted his own wisdom and he looked at something and said, oh, it's pleasing and he ate it and he didn't see that it would kill him. …
… Hello? Philippians says, let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God. Hebrews 13, Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. because God is the same. He cannot change. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above and comes down from the Father of lights with whom there is what? No variation or shadow of turning. And every single day, Christians are falling into that deception that God has changed his mind. That God of the New Testament is not the God of the Old Testament. That it's not the same. That we have a new thing. And it's a new thing. Guys, this is not a different God. It's the same God. Psalm 102, but you are the same. And your years will have no end. And it's not just who He is. His promises are also final. You see, thank God His promises are final. …
… others and not just in it to make sure you're taking care of yourself and then tom rainer goes on and adds he says we must adopt the mindset of christ like in philippians chapter 2 verse 5 through 11 that says let this mind be in you that was also in christ jesus we quote this we know this i've preached this and we still miss this let the mind of christ be in you well what did christ do in philippians chapter 2 verse 5 through 7 is what they call the christ hymn it's the christ hymn what did he do a couple things he did he did not consider equality with god as something to be used as his own advantage i'm about to walk back through this he emptied himself kenosis emptying himself by assuming the form of a slave he humbled himself he became obedient to the point of death he told the lord whatever you want me to do i'm going to do that so let's walk back through this although christ was equal with god had power prestige platform privilege he didn't let it go to his head he did not use it for his own advantage but instead he used his platform his privilege his his his uh his prestige to help somebody else that's why god can't elevate some of you because god knows if he gives you power and puts you over somebody else you will lose your whole mind you don't even have a position and you arrogant you don't even have a title and nobody …
… That's the reason he's going to say in a moment, let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus. So, what does it take for us to be together? Number one, harmony. Not all singing the same parts, but all in the same key singing the same song. Harmony. Number two, it takes humility. Look, if you will, now in verse 3. Let nothing be done through strife or vain glory, but in lowliness of mind. Let each esteem other better than themselves. Now, he talks about two things in this verse. He talks about strife, first of all. You know what strife is? Strife is a party spirit where we strive with others. You know, in national politics, we have the Democratic Party, and we have the Republican Party, and the Independents or whatever. There's no room for a party spirit in a church. There's no room for a little clique or a little group, my group. You see, because if you have a group, the very nature of that group is divisive. …
… have this mind in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus who although he existed in the form of God did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped but emptied of himself taken the form of a bondservant and being made in the likeness of men and being found in appearance as a man he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death even the death of the cross now here's what he was saying Paul said, I'm learning how to be a servant. In whatever circumstance I find myself even obedient in servitude, even if I know it means my death. You see, Paul had made a commitment in his life. Listen, the commitment he made had something to do with being able to live in a small circle, totally surrounded by frustrating circumstances, but unmoved and unruffled by those circumstances. Because, you see, his focus was upon the positive. His focus was upon God. And his focus was not upon his circumstances. Now, look in chapter 4 again, if you will, just for a moment. …