THE ATTITUDE OF CHRIST
THE ATTITUDE OF CHRIST “Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus” (Phil. 2:5)
Paul had a close relationship with the church in Philippi. From the “first day until now” they had been partners with him in the gospel (Phil. 1:3-5). That’s why he was concerned about their attitude. He further explained: “Moreover, as you Philippians know, in the early days of your acquaintance with the gospel, when I set out from Macedonia, not one church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving, except you only; for even when I was in Thessalonica, you sent me aid again and again when I was in need” (Phil. 4:15-16). The fact that Paul was only in Thessalonica for three Sabbath days shows their special concern for his welfare (Acts 17:2). They obviously loved Paul, and he obviously returned their love!
Now that Paul was a prisoner in Rome they demonstrated again their love for him by sending Epaphroditus to care for his needs (Phil. 2:25). Paul wrote: “I have received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent. They are a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God.” (Phil. 4:18).
Epaphroditus apparently also gave Paul the sad news that people in the church were arguing with one another. Two women in particular were involved in a disagreement. So Paul wrote: “I plead with Euodia and I plead with Syntyche to agree with each other in the Lord” (Phil. 4:2). “Pleading” with these women shows how serious the problem was and how eager Paul was to have it solved! How sad that the only time these women are mentioned in the Bible it is because they were involved in a disagreement with one another!
Paul gave the Philippians several reasons to stop arguing. They are listed in Philippians chapter 2. Five reasons are listed in the first two verses.
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The encouragement they received from being united with Christ. •
The comfort of His love.
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The fellowship with His Spirit.
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The tenderness and compassion of Christ.
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To make Paul’s joy complete!
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So Paul continued:“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain deceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interest of others. Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus” (Phil. 2:3-5).
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Being humble and having the attitude of Christ is the focus of this brief study!
God hates pride, but humility is a godly virtue. Peter wrote: “Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand that he may lift you up in due time” (I Pet. 5:6). This is precisely what Jesus did! Jesus humbled himself, and God lifted him up. Note that Jesus: “Who being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped” (Phil. 2:6). Then, in his humility, Jesus took 7 steps downward. These 7 steps are listed in the text (verses 7 – 8).
1 - “But made himself nothing”
2 - “taking the very nature of a servant” 3 - “being made in human likeness”
4 - “and being found in appearance as a man” 5 - “he humbled himself”
6 - “and became obedient unto death”
7 - “even death on a cross”
Since Jesus took 7 steps downward to humble himself, God took 7 steps upward to exalt him (verses 9 – 11).
1 - “Therefore God exalted him to the highest place”
2 - “and gave him a name that is above every name”
3 - “that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow”
4 - “in heaven”
5 - “on earth”
6 - “and under the earth”
7 - “and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father”.
Paul continued: “Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed – not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence – continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose” (Phil. 2:12-13).
Please note that God works in believers both to “will” and to “act”. First God gives us the “desire”, to do His will, and then He gives us the “ability” to do His will!
Then Paul continued with this inspired advice to all believers: “Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the word of life – in order that I may boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor for nothing.” (Phil. 2:14-16).
THE APOSTLES NEEDED THE ATTITUDE OF CHRIST
The apostles of Jesus had been with him for three years. He had taught them over and over to be humble so that God could exalt them. For example: “They came to Capernaum. When he was in the house, he asked them, ‘What were you arguing about on the road?’ But they kept quiet because on the way they had argued about who was the greatest. Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, ‘Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all.’ He took a little child whom he placed among them. Taking the child in his arms, he said to them, ‘Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me.’” (Mk. 9:33-37).
Or consider this: “When someone invites you to a wedding feast, do not take the place of honor, for a person more distinguished than you may have been invited. If so, the host who invited both of you will come and say to you, ‘Give this person your seat.’ Then, humiliated, you will have to take the least important place. But when you are invited, take the lowest place, so that when your host comes, he will say to you, ‘Friend, move up to a better place.’ Then you will
be honored in the presence of all the other guests. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” (Lk. 14:8-11).
Or this: “The greatest among you will be your servant. For whosoever exalts himself will be humbled, but whoever humbles himself will be exalted” (Matt. 23:11-12).
Or the parable of the pharisee and the publican which illustrates again that “everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will exalted” (Lk 18:9-14).
Yet, on the very day before Jesus was crucified they were still arguing about which of them was the greatest. Note: “A dispute also arose among them as to which of them was considered to be greatest. Jesus said to them, ‘The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who exercise authority over them call themselves Benefactors. But you are not to be like that. Instead, the greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who rules like the one who serves. For who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who is at the table? But I am among you as one who serves.’” (Lk. 22:24-27).
Please remember that “pride goes before destruction” (Prov. 16:18). Please also remember that pride is the cause of every dispute: “Pride only breeds quarrels, but wisdom is found in those who take advice” (Prov. 13:10). The fact that these disciples were in a dispute reveals that they were having a problem with pride! This, as you know, is a serious problem!
John records a dramatic example of what Jesus did on that evening to demonstrate humility to his disciples: “The evening meal was in progress, and the devil had already prompted Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus. Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.” (John 13:2-5).
People who are insecure don’t dare to be humble. They are careful not to do anything that will mar their image. Remember! The disciples of Jesus were arguing about which of them was the greatest so they all wanted to appear important! They all knew their feet had not been washed. They all saw the basin and the towel. They were not about to wash feet, however, for this was too demeaning. They were too proud to wash feet! That was the job of a servant! Washing feet was beneath their dignity. So before Jesus washed their feet John explained:
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“Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power”
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“and that he had come from God”
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“and was returning to God”
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Jesus had already explained “I am among you as one who serves” (Lk. 22:27).
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Now, because Jesus was absolutely secure in his true identity, he demonstrated his humility by engaging in the humble act of washing the feet of his disciples! Jesus knew that God would exalt him for being humble!
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“When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. ‘Do you understand what I have done for you?’ he asked them” (Jn. 13:12).
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THIS IS ALSO A GOOD QUESTION FOR US! DO WE UNDERSTAND WHAT JESUS DID?
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JUST AS THE APOSTLES NEEDED THE ATTITUDE OF JESUS, SO DO WE!
THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT!
We must emphasize again the importance of the Holy Spirit! Even after three years of teaching from the greatest teacher in history the disciples were still not humble, nor were they ready to evangelize the world! So Jesus commanded them: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised” (Acts 1:4). He further explained: “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8).
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Before the Holy Spirit came they were hiding behind a locked door for fear of the Jews (Jn. 20:19). After the Holy Spirit came Peter and John boldly defied the most powerful Jews on earth and said: “Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God’s sight to obey you rather than God. For we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard” (Acts 4:19- 20).
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Before the Holy Spirit came all of the apostles forsook Jesus and fled (Mk. 14:50-51). After the Holy Spirit came the apostles refused to run even in the face of persecution (Acts 8:1). •
Before the Holy Spirit came they were arguing about which of them was the greatest (Lk. 22:24). After the Holy Spirit came “no one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had. With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and much grace was upon them all” (Acts 4:32-33). •
The Greek word translated as “power” in Acts 1:8 is “dunamis”. It is found 120 times in the New Testament Scriptures and is the basis of our word “dynamo”.
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The largest hydro electric dynamo in the world is on the Yangtze River in China at the Three Gorges Dam. It has the capacity to generate 22,500 megawatts of power. The river runs 365 days a year and 24 hours a day and never gets tired.
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This is precisely like the power of the Holy Spirit for the Holy Spirit doesn’t get tired either! Jesus said: “He that believeth on me, as the Scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. (But this he spake of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified) (Jn. 7:38-39).
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THE HOLY SPIRIT IS LIKE A RIVER THAT NEVER LOOSES IT’S POWER!
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THE HOLY SPIRIT CAN STILL HELP BELIEVERS TO HAVE THE ATTITUDE OF JESUS!
YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THIS POWER
Please consider Paul’s inspired advice to the Ephesians: “I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms.” (Eph. 1:17-20)
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God did extraordinary miracles in Ephesus (Acts 19:10-12).
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Apparently some at Ephesus didn’t remember this so Paul kept asking God to open the eyes of their heart to understand the promises of God.
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There were three things, in particular, that Paul wanted them to know.
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The hope to which they were called.
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The riches of his glorious inheritance.
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His incomparably great power for us who believe.
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For the purpose of this lesson let us focus on “His incomparably great power”.
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Remember! The Son of God as to his human nature, “Through the Spirit of holiness was declared with power to be the Son of God by his resurrection from the dead” (Rom. 1:4).
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Paul himself prayed: “I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection” (Phil. 3:10).
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According to Paul, this is precisely the same power that is available to us: “That power is the same as the mighty strength he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms.” (Eph. 1:20)
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This power operating within us is “Able to do immeasurably more than all we can ask or imagine” (Eph. 3:20).
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CERTAINLY YOU CAN HAVE THE SAME ATTITUDE THAT CHRIST HAD AND YOU CAN RECEIVE IT THE SAME WAY PAUL DID! HE WROTE: “I HAVE BEEN CRUCIFIED WITH CHRIST AND I NO LONGER LIVGE, BUT CHRIST LIVES IN ME. THE LIFE I NOW LIVE IN THE BODY, I LIVE BY FAITH IN THE SON OF GOD WHO LOVED ME AND GAVE HIMSELF FOR ME” (GAL. 2:20).
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BECAUSE WE ARE A NEW CREATION WE DON’T SEE ANYONE FROM A WORLDLY POINT OF VIEW, BUT INSTEAD SEE EVERYONE THROUGH THE EYES OF JESUS! (2 COR. 5:16-17)
REMEMBER
“Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus”