Let this mind be in you
Introduction
- Starting a mini-series
- Looking at v5-8 tonight
- A common theme:
- v1-4 – be lowly and humble
- v5-8 – the model of humility (the Lord Jesus Christ)
- Explanation
- Looking at v6-7a - a selfless God
A Selfless God
- Before Jesus existed in the incarnation Jesus pre-existed in the diving form of God
- He possessed all the attributes of God
- He is the image of the invisible God
- He is the exact representation of His being
- 'In the beginning was the Word and He dwelt with God and He was God'
- Satan who was once an angel tried to stage a coup and grasp equality with God
- He was cast out with a third of the angels
- Jesus did not seek equality - He is equal
- Jesus is God
- Jesus could forgive sin
- Jesus received worship
- Paul is establishing that Jesus is rightly God (v6)
- He is a selfless God
- Although He had all the rights of deity - He emptied Himself (not of deity)
- He laid aside His reputation and honour
- He was willing to be spurned by men
- He was used to the glory of angels
- Isa 50:5-6
- He laid aside His glory
- This veiled glory was sometimes glimpsed
- He gave up all His riches
- "He who was rich for our sakes became poor"
- Example of Prince William
- Example of the Lord Jesus Christ
- He remained God - these are great mysteries
- He laid aside His omniscience
- 'No-one knows the hour but God the Father'
- He laid aside of His omnipotence
- John 5:30, 8:28, 14:10
- He did everything in the name and authority of His Father
- He laid aside the independent use of His will
- He came to do the Father's will
- Pray for God's will 'on earth as it is in heaven'
A Sacrificial Servant
- He came in the likeness of man
- Fully man but without sin
- He was a real man - examples
- He took the form of a bondservant - a slave of God
- What humility - He was God and yet became as a slave to His Father
- He was obedient to God in every point
- He learned obedience by the things He suffered - Hebrews
- When rejected
- When let down
- When suffering pain
- He gave and He gave and He gave
- Example of Billy Graham
- Jesus became weaker humanly speaking - but the power of God was manifested in all of its glory
- Quote from F. B. Meyer
- Not emptied of His deity but divested of everything human
- God raised Jesus to His eternal throne
- My God, My God, why have you forsaken Me? - the fellowship was broken (though the Godhead was not)
- We called to emulate Jesus
- Illustration of the mountain goats
- Jesus laid down His life for us
Closing Remarks
- What should our response be?
- Should it not be love and adoration
- Think of the Communion table
- Pray that God would renew our love and our minds