Let this mind be among us

The Lord Has Come – Born to Obey and to Die

(Philippians 2:5-8, Preaching: Pastor Stephen Magee, November 3, 2019)

[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.

How can we tell if a church is made up of Christ-followers? It cannot simply be a matter of what we say we believe. We need to show evidence among us of “this mind” of Christ. What is this mind? What does it teach us about our bodies, our service, and our ultimate act of worship?

“Have this mind among yourselves.”

There is a mind which Jesus had when he came

Which we can have now among us

That mind is ours – and it is reflected in our life together as a family

This mind is ours in Christ Jesus

A gift that we are called to receive

The incarnation of Jesus was an expression of “this mind”.

Though he was in the form of God

He did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped (grabbed from the real gods)

But emptied himself

A true body and a reasonable soul

The service of Jesus was an expression of “this mind”.

By taking the form of a servant – John 13

What was the fullest expression of “this mind”?

Being found in human form, he went further according to “this mind”

He humbled himself by becoming obedient

To the point of death

Even death on a cross

Cross as bride price – the ancient vows

“Then, as the groom places the ring on the bride's finger, he says the following: 'With this Ring I thee wed, with my body I thee worship, and with all my worldly goods I thee endow: In the name of the Father, and of Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.'”

Cross as worship – “With my body, I thee worship.” This is what Jesus did for his bride.

Those words need to mean something...

THE POINT: The Lord has come. He came to obey and to die. That has to mean something to his followers.

Applying these verses:

1. Our bodies are not inherently bad. The Son of God was found in one, and he did not despise it or throw it away.

We have so much that needs doing. Sympathy is helpful, and prayers are marvelous, but at some point there must be that marvelous human connection between mind and body, where someone knows what must be done, and combines strength and will to actually do it.

Yet even if a person has limitations that prevent the accomplishment of one project or another, what a wonder it is to be a human being! Deb Kneisley's former student is an MD and a mom. She is carrying a baby who has Trisomy-18. Not every doctor understands her feelings about her baby. Let this mind be among us...

2. We don't have to be in charge of everything in order to have a meaningful life. Being a servant is an excellent expression of godly obedience.

Chet & Deb DuPont just want to serve in Rwanda. I remember when they first came to a clearer faith in Christ. The message was about receiving a Christmas gift, and the title was, “Have you received my gift?” Jesus is the gift. They have received him. Now they want to share that gift in Rwanda. Who would have thought where that would lead? Female goats and clean water in two villages. Let this mind be among us...

3. Precious in the Lord's sight is the death of his Son... and the death of his saints. If it were not so, he never would have commanded the cross of Christ and appointed that we should live and die. Clearly there is more to this story than life under the sun. Every worldview that neglects this central fact of theology, will be a lie and a dead end.

Death cannot be passed over as if it were a nothing. Cain: “Am I my brother's keeper?” Christ's death cannot be ignored. Neither is the death of any person something to be ignored and lost as nothing. We show respect for life and for acts of service when we are able to agree with the Lord about the sacred reality of life and death. And we look beyond this life because of the cross of Jesus. Let this mind be among us...

4. The church is not truly Christian if we refuse to have “this mind” of incarnation, obedience, and the death of the cross in us.

It is our privilege to stand with others who share the faith that we possess. Yesterday I was able to give testimony to that fact for my friend Jim Blair and our friends over many years at the Exeter United Methodist Church. Their church signed on to be in partnership with the New Hampshire Alliance. To do so they had to affirm basic Christian doctrines about God and Christ, an ethical oneness with those who hold to historic understandings of the Ten Commandments, particularly regarding murder and adultery. It was great to stand with them as they face the potential of criticism for their fidelity to Christ the Word made flesh and to the Word of the 66 books of the Old and New Testaments. Let this mind be among us...

This is how we celebrate Jesus. We understand that we are united to this Christ in his birth, his service, and his death. All this makes a difference. Let this mind be among us now and forever.

Old Testament Reading—Psalm 119:113-120 – One Heart

New Testament Reading—Romans 8:1-17 – Provided we suffer with him