04 Philippians: Becoming Like Christ (Phil 2:1-11)

In this series, we consider the themes of contemplation, humility, presence, gratitude, and union with Christ in Paul's letter to the Philippians. Today's we focus on the hymn at the heart of this letter and consider what it means that we might have the "mind of Christ".

Transcript

Hello friends, This is Mark Gladman, Also known as Brother Frederick James, Your friendly neighborhood monk in dogs. Welcome back as we continue our journey through Paul's letter to the Philippians. Over the past couple of days we've discovered that Christian formation begins with grace. And that our circumstances never have the final word because God remains present within them. And today we arrive at what many scholars consider to be the very center of this letter. And some would even say that we stand at the summit. The next 11 verses have shaped Christian worship, Theology and spirituality for nearly 2, 000 years. But before we begin, I'd like to suggest that you don't just listen to this passage. As though you're attending a lecture. Listen as though you're entering a chapel. Because these words were also probably first sung. Before they were ever studied, Their poetry, Their worship. They invite wonder. So let's be still, Take a nice deep breath. Centre ourselves in this moment. As we become aware that Christ, Who humbled himself for the life of the world, Is present with us now. And together we listen to Philippians chapter 2 verses 1 to 11. If then there is any encouragement in Christ, Any consolation from love, Any sharing in the Spirit, Any compassion and sympathy. Make my joy complete. Be of the same mind, Having the same love, Being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, But in humility, Regard others as better than yourselves. Leisureview look not only to your own interests, But to the interests of others. Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, Who, Though he was in the form of God, Did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited. But emptied himself, Taking the form of a slave, Being born in human likeness. And being found in human form, He humbled himself. And become obedient to the point of death, Even death on a cross. Therefore, God also highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name. So that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend in heaven and on earth and under the earth and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God. Now Paul begins with a series of questions, If there's any encouragement in Christ, Any comfort from love, Any sharing of the Spirit, Any tenderness and compassion. And the word if. In English can sound like he's uncertain, But this isn't Paul expressing doubt. This is Paul, Assuming these things are true. Since you've known Christ, Since you've experienced His love, Since the Spirit dwells among you, Then live different. And so notice where Paul is beginning here. He's beginning with gifts. Everything that follows grows out of what God has already given. Faith in God always begins with grace. We don't earn the love of God by becoming humble, We become humble because we've already encountered. The love of God. And then Paul writes, Make my joy complete by being like-minded, Having the same love, Being one in spirit and of one mind. This again can sound a bit different in our modern thinking. It sounds as if Paul wants everyone to think exactly the same, But that's not what he means here. Christianity has always contained different personalities, Perspectives and gifts. Unity is not uniformity. Paul's speaking about something much deeper. He's talking about a shared disposition, A common heart. A community whose members are all learning to love in the same way that Christ loves. So the question isn't, Are we thinking identically? The question is, Are we becoming like Jesus together? And then comes a sentence that really hits home. Do nothing from selfish ambition or vain conceit. But rather in humility value others above yourselves, Not looking to your own interests, But each of you to the interests of others. Now these are words. That challenge every generation. They certainly challenge the people at Philippi. Remember, This was a Roman colony. Honour meant everything. Moving ahead mattered. Public recognition mattered. The world rewarded those who went higher. But Paul's describing another way, A downward way. And again, This isn't because we're despising ourselves or anything like that. It's because love always makes room for another. Humility is often completely misunderstood. Some people think it's about thinking badly of ourselves or imagining that it means denying our gifts. Neither of those is true. Humility is being so centred in God that you no longer need to make yourself the centre of every conversation, Every relationship or every room. Humility creates space. It allows others to flourish. It allows others to succeed. It listens before speaking and serves without the need for applause. And this is the fertile soil in which Paul is saying the Christian community needs to grow. And then Paul says, In your relationship with one another, Have the same mindset as Christ Jesus. And everything that follows now is meant to answer one question, What is the mind of Christ? And by that, We're not just talking about what Jesus was thinking, But what shaped his whole way of being. How did he move through the world? How did he love? Paul Anses. With what, As we've said, Many believe was an early Christian hymn, Who, Being in the very nature of God, Did not consider equality with God something to be exploited. Some of the older translations use the word grasped, Did not consider it something to be grasped. And it's got a beautiful meaning. Jesus doesn't cling. To privilege. He doesn't use any status that he may have for his own advantage. Instead, He gives himself away. And this really is should make a stop and take notice. If anyone had reason to claim honor, It was Christ, And yet he chose another path. The self-giving path. Paul uses the words he emptied himself. The Greek word that Paul used here is kenosis. It simply means to empty. And for centuries, Christians have reflected on these words. Sometimes people have imagined Jesus emptying himself of his divinity. And that's not necessarily what Paul's saying here. Christ never stops carrying the presence of God, But rather reveals what God has always been like. Self-giving love. If you want to know what God's like, Look at Jesus washing feet. Look at Jesus touching lepers. Look at Jesus forgiving enemies. Look at Jesus welcoming children. Look at Jesus stretching out his arms on the cross. This is the claim of Christianity. Humility isn't something that God ignores and isn't something that God does occasionally. Humility is who God eternally is. If your God doesn't look like Jesus, Then you've got to ask the question, Is it really God at all? And that changes everything. A lot of ancient religions imagine God seeking power. Heck, Many modern Christians imagine that it's about God seeking power. But the God revealed in Christ seeks communion. This God stoops. This God serves. And Paul goes on, He humbled himself by becoming obedient to death, Even death on a cross. And that little phrase at the end is important in the context where Paul's writing. Because in the modern world, We think the cross is the nice shiny gold thing you might wear around your neck. It's become a symbol of the Christian faith. But to the first hearers, Crucifixion was Rome's most humiliating execution. It was reserved for slaves, Rebels and criminals. And no one would have associated the cross with any sort of glory or recognition. But Paul insists that this is precisely where God's glory shines most clearly. Love that gives itself completely even to death, Love that refuses to retaliate even when it's being treated in that way, Love that remains faithful even in suffering. Then The hymn takes a slight turn. Therefore, Paul writes, God highly exalted Christ and gave him the name that is above every name. So notice there's a pattern here. Dissent. Then some sort of exaltation, Self-denying or self-emptying. And then being made full and being recognised. The kingdom of God continually reverses the assumptions that we carry. Jesus doesn't exalt himself. God exalts Jesus. And maybe this is one of the most important spiritual lessons that we don't need to spend our lives promoting ourselves. We're free simply to be faithful and the rest, Whatever it happens to look like. Belongs to God. And the hymn finishes then. With a really interesting statement that we really need to understand the context of in order to understand. It says that the name of Jesus, Every knee should bow and every tongue confess that Christ is Lord. Now, This has often been taken as a slogan that we have to declare everywhere we go, But that's not what Paul's saying here. In Philippi, The Roman colony, People had to declare that Caesar was dead. Was Lord. And when you said Caesar is Lord, You were saying Caesar's way of doing things, Caesar's economy, Caesar's laws, Caesar's religions, Whatever it was that Caesar Held. As part of what the empire was about. When you said Caesar is Lord, You were saying the other things. That we're holding up, That we're pledging our allegiance to. But Paul is, And very courageously, Claiming another allegiance. Jesus as Lord. Not Caesar, And if it's not Caesar, Then it's also not power, Not wealth, Not violence, Not success. But Jesus. And of Jesus as Lord. Then his way of doing and his way of being becomes our way of doing and being. He's humility. Needs to become our humility. His compassion becomes our compassion. His life and way of living becomes our life. And way of living. So I wonder, What might this hymn be asking of us today? Maybe it asks us to consider how we hold whatever power we might happen to possess. Whether as parents or teachers or leaders or friends or as members of a community. And note that it's not the power itself that's the problem. The question is how are you going to use it? Will you cling to it? Will you grasp onto it? Or will you let go and give? Are you going to seek recognition for yourself or are you going to seek love? Will you protect yourself at every single turn or will you become the type of person who can seek to create life for others no matter what it looks like to everybody else? This is the mind of Christ. This is the journey of transformation. Becoming impressive? That's not the goal. The goal is to become loving. So today I invite you to carry a little sentence into your day. When you think of it. Perhaps just repeat quietly to yourself. God, Form your mind within me. Maybe as you go into a meeting, You're about to answer that email. You're sitting in traffic, Standing in a line, Or maybe just sitting somewhere, Just pray, God, Form your mind within me. Notice the focus isn't just on thoughts. It's about the heart of God, The way of seeing, The way of thinking, The way of loving, And the way of being. Let's pray. In this hymn, Jesus didn't cling to privilege but emptied himself in love. Teach us, God, The freedom of humility. Free us from the need to prove ourselves. Deliver us from the fear of being overlooked. Form within us your own mind. That we might love as Christ loved, Serve as Christ served, And bring peace wherever we go. May our lives quietly bear witness that you alone are Lord. To your glory. And may grace, Peace and love go with us and remain with us today and always. Amen. Thanks so much for being with us today. Tomorrow we're going to discover that this great vision of Christ doesn't just stay in the hymn. Paul immediately asks, What does this look like? In everyday life. And so we'll explore what it means to work on our salvation, To live without grumbling, And to shine like stars in the world. And so until then, May the mind of Christ dwell richly within you, Shaping every thought, Every word, And every act in love. Bye for now.

Reviews

Very grateful to begin the day studying the scriptures with you and valuing your insight. God bless. 🙏🩵

This is a helpful teaching for the specific relational conflicts I am facing. 🙏🙏🙏

🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏

Thank you for your prayers🙏🏻
May we seek to last-not first-as we humble ourselves like Christ

May the mind of God dwell in us all day by day. Many thanks and many blessings 🕊️🌸