Choose Joy Part Four

City Harbor Church – Hampden, Baltimore, MD

Philippians 2:1-11 “Christ’s Example of Humility So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, 2 complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. 3 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. 4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. 5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 so 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.” – Philippians 2:1-11 ESV

Mind – “mindset” meaning the field of reason, insight, cleverness, thoughts of theological and ethical significance, to employ one’s faculty for thoughtful planning, with emphasis upon the underlying disposition or attitude, “to have an attitude, to think in a particular manner,” or “the attitude you should have is the one that Jesus had,” or “you should think the way that Jesus Christ did,” or “how Jesus thought about things is the way that you should think about them,”

Koine Greek word found in their world of ancient Hellenistic culture, from Homer to the Classical Period and the Philosophical Tradition broadly used by their contemporary Hebrew rabbis and the first century Christian church, – Lou-Nida Greek Lexicon

What do we learn about who Jesus Christ is and how he has lived?

1. Jesus Christ has always existed. – Philippians 2:6, John 1:1-18

2. Jesus Christ served by taking human form. – Philippians 2:7-8

3. Jesus Christ obeyed the redemptive purpose of Father God. – Philippians 2:8

4. Jesus Christ suffered and died for the sake of our redemption. – Philippians 2:8

5. Jesus Christ was raised to life and given victorious spiritual authority. – Philippians 2:9-11

What do we believe about Jesus Christ?

· We believe in the Eternal Godhead who has revealed Himself as One God existing in Three Persons, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, distinguishable but indivisible. (Matthew 23:19; 2 Corinthians 13:14)

· We believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, the Savior of humanity, conceived of the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, very God and very Man. (Luke 1:26-35; John 1:14-18; Isaiah 714; 9:6)

· Jesus is God clothed in humanity so that we could know him.

· We believe Christ died for our sins, was buried and rose again the third day, and personally appeared to His disciples. (1 Corinthians 15:1-4; Romans 4:25)

· We believe in the bodily ascension of Jesus to heaven, His exaltation, and personal, literal and bodily coming again the second time for His Church. (John 14:2, 3; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18)

· We believe in the salvation of sinners by grace, through repentance and faith in the perfect and sufficient work of the cross of Calvary by which we obtain remission of sins. (Ephesians 2:8,9; Hebrews 9:12,22; Romans 5:11)

What do we learn?

1. Inspired by the Holy Spirit, Paul writes an invitation to those who believe in and follow Jesus as Savior and Lord.

2. This invitation includes encouragement to imitate Jesus with a mindset of agape love and gracious humility.

3. Agape love includes wholehearted devotion to God and selfless love for others.

4. Gracious humility includes passionate priority on God’s purpose.

What should we do?

1. Read Philippians 2:1-11 this week and think about what Jesus Christ is like?

2. Prayerfully consider how Jesus Christ has lived throughout his journey.

3. Write our personal definitions of the agape love and gracious humility that Jesus modeled.

4. Write our personal thoughts on what agape love and gracious humility look like in practical terms.

5. Fill in the blanks: We Believe __. We Care __. We Act __.

6. Choose one action this week based on our growing values of agape love and gracious humility.

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart…love your neighbor as yourself,” – Matthew 22:37-40