Philippians 2:1-11

So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort in love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind.

When Paul says “so”, he is referring back to his previous statements. Let’s take a look at what was said. He said that they, the people of Philippi, and by extension, you and I, should let their lives be worthy of the gospel of Christ. In other words, live a life that reflects the values and examples that Christ lived. Love one another, sacrifice for one another, serve each other. Be one in mind and Spirit. In one mind strive for the faith of the gospel.

So… if you then have these things that Paul is talking about, the encouragement in Christ, the comfort of love from one another and from God, the participation in the Spirit… what is meant here is fellowship with one another in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, if you have these things, and we all should if we are walking in Christ, work together in one mind, in full accord with each other. No backbiting, no gossip, no whisper campaign against any one. The ones who, in the first chapter, were talking Christ so that Paul would suffer were particularly being encouraged to make amends, to turn from their harmful ways. He says to make his joy complete by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. You can’t do that if you are working at odds with other people. Work with each other, not against each other.

If you were to take two magnets and hold them close to each other, you will notice one of two things. They will either quite vigorously join together or they will push against each other, trying to create a space between them. This is because they have opposite poles, a positive and a negative. When the magnets are placed in a way that the poles are similar, they join together. If you try to put the magnets in such a way that the poles are contrary to each other, they will not join together. They will repel each other. It is the same way with us. We either work together as a church, or we end up repelling each other and our efforts are wasted.

Ephesians 4 says “I, therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” That is what we must be about, striving for unity in the Spirit. We have enough on our plates to have to fight each other. Let us love, instead, as Christ demands.

Do nothing out of rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significantly than yourselves. Paul is talking to all of us, but he is mainly speaking to those who were working for Christ, but against Paul. He says in Philippians 1 “The former (those working to do Paul harm) proclaim Christ out of rivalry, not sincerely but thinking to afflict me in my imprisonment.” Again, this is not unity of the Spirit if you are harming a brother. Look to your attitude toward each other. Do you feel you are superior in some way? Are you more blessed? More honored, more lovable? Are you wiser or more learned than your fellow church members? Do you look down on others because they do not measure up? Do you neglect to tell others about Christ because maybe you feel they are not worthy, not important, not your style? If that is your attitude you need to step back and reassess yourself in Christ. What is keeping you from witnessing to others? Is it your own attitude? Fear? Laziness? What is it? Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Ephesians 5 says to be imitators of Christ, as beloved children. To walk in love as Christ loved us. Can you honestly say you are doing that if you think of yourself as superior to others? Christ didn’t look to his own interest, he instead looked to our interest. He humbled himself, he made himself nothing. Humble yourself, as Christ did.

Verse 5 says “Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, talking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of man.” Jesus humbled himself. He was superior, but made himself a servant. He was Lord, but made himself a sacrifice.

I looked at the phrase “…a thing to be grasped,” for a long time. I could not get out of my mind those old silent movies with Harold Lloyd and Charlie Chaplin, where they would be on a precipice, or dangling from a ladder on a speeding truck, or even holding onto the hands on a clock tower clock, holding on for dear life. Clinging with a death grip, afraid to let go. Grasping with all their might, fearing that they would fall to their death. The other thought was about going around on a merry-go-round, trying to get the brass ring, stretching and reaching as hard as you can as you go around the circle, trying to grasp that which was out of your reach.

But that isn’t what the text is saying, not at all. Jesus wasn’t holding on to his Godhood for dear life, trying to hold on, afraid to fall, afraid to lose that which he already had, nor was he grasping at something he could not reach, something unattainable. No, he let go of his position, he gave up his grip on that which he already had, to become a servant to man. He who was everything made himself nothing.

Jesus humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Have we humbled ourselves enough to sacrifice for others? Jesus sacrificed for those who hated him. He was obedient to God the Father, as God the Son. Jesus is the example we must follow.


God has exalted Jesus and has placed him on high. Because of his obedience, Jesus has been bestowed the name above every name so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God. READ REV.5 The Lion of Judah, sacrificed as a Lamb, seated at the right hand of God the Father. At the name of Jesus, every knee will bow.

Therefore… this is like the word “so” that we began this evening with, in other words, because of what has preceded this, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. This does not mean, as most Arminians would say, to work toward your own salvation. You have salvation, bought by Jesus when he died on the cross, given to you by the grace of God. No, this phrase means that you should not neglect the gift given to you, that you work, with awe and respect, those things that God has given you to do. Because of what Christ has done, live in love with each other, respect each other, live in unity with each other. Sacrifice yourselves for each other. Seek the will of God. Imitate Christ, for it is God who works in you, both to will and work for his good pleasure.

Is it God’s good pleasure that you, obedient servant that you are, grumble about what you have to do? “Great, another session meeting, where are the toothpicks so I can keep my eyes open?” “Oh no! Here comes Hortense, she is probably going to tell me about her upcoming lumbago surgery again. Maybe I can hide in the crowd so she will talk to someone else.” Or, “why do they always ask me to wash the windows, I hate washing windows.” “Talk to my neighbors? Are you sure you want them here?” Please note all these examples are fictitious, except maybe the session one.

Do all things without grumbling or questioning, that you may be found blameless and innocent, children of God, without blemish, in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation. Are we in a twisted generation? Gay rights, gay marriage, divorce rates skyrocketing, prayer taken out of school, Happy Holidays instead of Merry Christmas, disobedient kids, disrespected parents, the list goes on.

It was the same in Paul’s era. Look at Romans chapter 1 starting with verse 22. Are we, as a society giving approval for these kind of things? Are we approving of gay marriage, disrespect of parents and the like? Are we raising disobedient kids? Yes. I was reading an article the other day about how much the role of fathers in TV and the movies has changed in the last few decades. Remember Leave it to Beaver? Father Knows Best? In those shows and many others of that generation, the father was kind, wise, loving and encouraging. He was the person you went to when you needed to talk, when you needed comfort or a word of wisdom. What do they have today as a father figure? Fathers who are unable to put two thoughts together without grunting, fathers who are bunglers, bumblers, or who are not even there for their children. What kind of role model is that for a child to grow up with? What are we to do?

We need to be different. In this twisted generation we are to shine as a light to this world, holding fast to the word of life. Show respect, love, and honor to those who lead you, be it a father, step-father, a pastor, a mother, a teacher, whoever has a measure of control over you. Respect them for what they have to do. Be obedient to the word of life, the Bible. In this generation, the Bible is not politically correct, not hallowed or revered. It is instead merely a guide for many, a rule book to some, and completely ignored by most people who claim to be Christian. Hold fast to the word of life.

Earlier, I told of Jesus not grasping as if he had a death grip, but here it is different. Hold on for dear life to the word of God. Grasp it in your mind by studying its purity, memorizing and meditating on it, grasp it in your body, as you are obedient to its commands, not sinning but overcoming sin, and grasp it in your soul, believing the word of God and trusting what it says. Be obedient to what the word has to say.