Christ’s Mind (Philippians 2:1-11)

Paul explains why we continue to rejoice in the midst of trials and sufferings in Chapter 1. The Epistle to the Philippians is one of Apostle’s prison letters. He was in chains, waiting for his trial before the Emperor. Yet this epistle is not at all gloomy, depressing, dank, resentful, but competent, full of encouragement and rejoice. Why does he say again and again to the saints in Philippi and all over the world, “Rejoice, and again rejoice?” It is because to live is Christ even in all kinds of sufferings and tribulations. “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.” (Philippians 1:21) Even though he was imprisoned in a rented house the gospel of Christ couldn’t be locked up. Rather, it spread more powerfully even among the palace elite guards who were chained together with the apostle every six hours. Apostle Paul described what every Christian’s life would look like in the Letter to the Corinthians. “But thanks be to God, who always leads us as captives in Christ’s triumphal procession and uses us to spread the aroma of the knowledge of him everywhere.” (2 Corinthians 2:14) All Christians have been called and made as Christ’s captives to follow his triumphal procession and be used to spread the aroma of the knowledge of him everywhere. Christ is our life, so we are guaranteed to win this spiritual battle on earth for which we’ve been called to fight. How do we win this fierce battle against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms? Our Lord Jesus set the example how to win. He is our example to follow. He fought the battle with his utter humility and overcome the world. Jesus says to his disciples, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)

“Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.” (Philippians 2:1-4)

Here “therefore” means that we not only believe in Christ but also suffer for him. It’s not unusual or strange for being afflicted and persecuted by the world, the stronghold of the devil. So, Apostle Paul says to all believers in the first century and throughout the centuries, “For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only believe in him, but also to suffer for him, since you are going through the same struggle you saw I had, and now hear that I still have.” (Philippians 1:29-30) We’ve been made righteous and united with Christ in the grace and mercy, long patience and suffering. God so loved the world that he gave his begotten Son and whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. God is just and faithful and unfailing in love that he forgives all our sins and even purifies us from all unrighteous if we confess. God promised Abraham and his descendants to give the gift of the Spirit who has come on the Day of Pentecost with the blowing of a violent wind and tongues of fire (Galatians 3:14; Acts 2:1-3). God made humanity in his image and likeness and now restored to be like him in fullness of Christ through the reconciliation of the Son Jesus’ blood which has fully met and satisfied with God, the Creator of heavens and the earth. Since born again in Christ, there is not only a sense of joy within but a new discovery of being persecuted and alienated from the world. This is not a strange thing at all as Apostle Peter tells, saying “Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed.” (1 Peter 4:12-13)

Is there any reason for Christians to rejoice in sufferings? Yes, ample, powerful, and overflowing reasons and motivations to rejoice in the midst of trials and difficulties. It’s Jesus Christ our Lord. He is “I am what I am.” Apostle Paul says in the Epistle to the Colossians that he is God in fullness and the owner of all things created by him and for him and through him. “The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy.” (Colossians 1:15-18) He is in all respect, honor, majesty, glory, power, and might forever. He created all things through his word and for him. This mighty God did the most unexpected and striking thing that he himself became a human and did something unimaginable in man’s mind.

“In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:

Who, being in very nature God,

did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;

rather, he made himself nothing

by taking the very nature of a servant,

being made in human likeness.

And being found in appearance as a man,

he humbled himself

by becoming obedient to death—

even death on a cross!” (Philippians 2:5-8)

This is the mindset of Jesus Christ. Though he was being in very nature God, he did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, making himself nothing, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. It’s called God’s incarnation. He was conceived by the Spirit and born of a woman at the little town of Bethlehem in the first century. When the incarnate God was coming, no one in the world knew except the magi from the east and a handful shepherds out in the field to whom an angel of the Lord told the birth of the Messiah, the Lord. No one offered him a room to lie down, so he was born and laid in an animal’s manger. John the Baptist well said of the incarnation of Christ the Lord in one statement, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29) God has prepared a lamb that is the Son of God Jesus Christ to be offered as the sacrifice for the sin of man even before the creation of the universe. It’s been long anticipated and expected in heaven and on earth through generations and generations. The Law and the Prophets announced the coming of the Messiah over and over again. This is how a great company of the heavenly host reacted to the fulfillment of the law and prophecy of the Messiah.

“An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.’ Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.’” (Luke 2:9-14)

The incarnation of Christ is glory to God in the highest and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests. God emptied himself, made himself nothing, and took the form of a bond-servant, being made in the likeness of man. It is the way to glory to God and peace on earth. It is glory to God because the Son has come to fulfill the promise to redeem the elect whom his favor rests. Without God’s intervening redemptive work, man is bound to death and judgment. No man can escape from the Law of God. The Scripture tells, “The wags of sin is death.” (Romans 6:23a) And it tells, “Just as people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment.” (Hebrews 9:27) What is glory, God’s glory? Glory is what God is manifested and displayed as he is. He is loving and compassionate, just and faithful. He is the gracious and merciful God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness (Exodus 34:6). God is in glory all time and eternity. Elizabeth Barrett Browning writes a poem, describing so aptly omnipresence of the glory of God on earth.

“Earth's crammed with heaven,
And every common bush afire with God,
But only he who sees takes off his shoes;
The rest sit round and pluck blackberries.”

God broke time and space and sent his Son to bring peace on earth to those whom his favor rests. What is peace? The owner of peace is God. So, peace is the state of tranquility in the midst of tumult and violence. Our Lord Jesus Christ slept in the midst of violent winds and storms. God is peace and gives peace to those whom he wants to give. Christ is peace. But how he has brought peace among the peoples is truly mind blowing, beyond human’s understanding and wisdom. He not only emptied himself and became a human, but also he humbled himself in obedience to the Father, even death on a cross. In this way, he brought peace on earth by breaking up his body unto the world. He was punished and afflicted and ashamed and mocked, and shed his blood for the sin of the world. Through the atoning blood of Christ, God demonstrated his righteousness because he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished (Romans 3:25).

“For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.” (Ephesians 2:14-18)

What was impossible for the law could do has been done by the Son Christ Jesus the Lord, being the very ransom sacrifice offered in the heavenly temple and fully met the requirements of the law once for all. Christ Jesus is forever our high priest who is defending his children from all the accusations and slanders of the devil. Hebrews tells us this high priest has brought peace on earth by one sacrifice, making forever those who are being made holy. That’s right. By breaking his body and shedding his blood on that cross in Calvary, he set aside all the law requirements which were imposed upon the race who has never met otherwise. So now, the redeemed who have been washed and cleansed by the blood of Christ can freely come before the throne of grace, the holy of holies. “Day after day every priest stands and performs his religious duties; again and again he offers the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, and since that time he waits for his enemies to be made his footstool. For by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy. The Holy Spirit also testifies to us about this. First he says: ‘This is the covenant I will make with them after that time, says the Lord. I will put my laws in their hearts, and I will write them on their minds.’ Then he adds: ‘Their sins and lawless acts I will remember no more.’ And where these have been forgiven, sacrifice for sin is no longer necessary.” (Hebrews 10:11-18)

That’s the mind of Christ. Although he was God in his fullness, he gave up all his rights to be respected, honored, glorified at all and humbled himself, obeying the Father even to the point of death, the death on a cross. Apostle Peter has seen the Lord, touched him, listened to him, dined with him, accompanied with him, walked with him, looked at him during his earthly life and witnessed his arrest, condemnation, death, and resurrection. He bitterly wept when he denied the Lord three times. In his letter to the saints scattered around the world he exactly wrote what was the mind of the Lord Jesus Christ. “When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. ‘He himself bore our sins’ in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; ‘by his wounds you have been healed.’ For ‘you were like sheep going astray,’ but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.” (1 Peter 2:23-25) Although he is only Person who can righteously and justly punish the wicked and the unrighteous, he did not exercise his power and authority but instead died for them who may repent their wrongdoings and evils to have the eternal life in Christ Jesus the Lord. Then, the Father has exalted the Son to the highest place in heaven.

“Therefore God exalted him to the highest place

and gave him the name that is above every name,

that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,

in heaven and on earth and under the earth,

and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord,

to the glory of God the Father.” (Philippians 2:9-11)

The Father God in heaven was so pleased with the Son that he exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father. Jesus Christ was raised from the dead on the third day and seated at the right hand of God until his enemies to be made his footstool. This is how Jesus Christ overcome the world by giving his life, shining the glory of God into the world and bringing peace on earth. And this is exactly how we live on earth by doing what he has done for us. That is to forgive one another and love one another. Jesus Christ is our motivation, our confidence, and our strength to rejoice in the sufferings and persecutions. Jesus Christ is our confidence to stand before the holy of holies, the throne of grace from where we drink the living water, welling up to eternal life. Christ’s mind is our strength to obey him. We have the mind of Christ, so we no longer live our old life, but the new life in Christ Jesus.

“I can do all this through him who gives me strength.” (Philippians 4:13)

November 17, 2016.

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