Attaining on Mind, Spirit and Purpose

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Short Summary
The discourse centers on the theme of attaining unity in mind, spirit, and purpose by following the example of Jesus Christ’s humility and obedience, as outlined in Philippians 2:8-10. It emphasizes Christ’s selfless submission to God’s will, his sacrificial death, exaltation by God, and the call for believers to emulate his humility and serve others selflessly. The message encourages cultivating a servant-hearted attitude, fostering unity within the church, and living a life of holiness and obedience to reflect Christ’s character.

Long Summary
Detailed Summary of the Discourse: “Attaining One Mind, Spirit and Purpose” (Philippians 2:10)

Theme Introduction:
– The discourse is centered on the theme “Attaining One Mind, Spirit and Purpose,” based primarily on Philippians 2:10 (RSV):
*“that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth.”*
– The speaker reads a passage from Philippians 2:1-5 emphasizing unity, love, humility, and having the same mind as Christ.

Context of the Epistle to the Philippians:
– Written by Apostle Paul from house arrest in Rome, known as the “Epistle of Joy.”
– Paul commends the Philippian brethren for their faithfulness and encourages them to maintain unity and humility without selfishness or conceit.
– The letter urges believers to emulate Christ’s humility and obedience.

Key Scriptural Passages Explored:
Philippians 2:4-10:
– Verse 4: Look not only to your own interests but also to the interests of others.
– Verse 5: Have the same mind as Christ Jesus.
– Verses 6-8: Christ, though divine, humbled Himself by taking the form of a servant and becoming obedient unto death on a cross.
– Verses 9-10: God highly exalted Him and gave Him the name above every name, so every knee shall bow to Jesus.
Isaiah 14:12-14:
– Contrasted with Christ’s humility, Satan sought to usurp God’s authority, showing pride and rebellion.
Luke 22:42:
– Jesus’ prayer exemplifies submission: “Not my will, but thine be done.”
John 6:38 and John 14:28:
– Jesus came to do the Father’s will and acknowledged the Father’s superiority.
Hebrews 7:26:
– Jesus was holy, harmless, undefiled, and separate from sinners.
Luke 2:49:
– Jesus, even as a child, understood His Father’s business.
1 Peter 5:6:
– Encouragement to humble oneself under God’s mighty hand to be exalted in due time.
Luke 3:21-22:
– Jesus’ baptism marked by the Holy Spirit’s begetting and divine approval.
Psalm 45:7:
– God anointed Jesus with the oil of gladness, highlighting His love for righteousness and hatred of iniquity.
Revelation 5:12:
– The heavenly proclamation: “Worthy is the Lamb that was slain…”
2 Peter 2:10 and Jude 10:
– Warning of destruction for those refusing salvation.
1 Peter 1:16:
– “Be holy, for I am holy,” emphasizing the call to holiness.
Ephesians 3:11-12 and 1:3-6:
– The breaking down of the wall between Jews and Gentiles; all are offered spiritual blessings and adoption as God’s children.

Lessons on Humility and Service:
– Christ’s example is the ultimate model of humility: He relinquished divine privileges to serve humanity, even to death.
– True greatness in God’s kingdom comes through humility and service, not worldly power.
– Believers are called to emulate Christ’s humility by:
– Putting others’ interests above their own.
– Serving others with love and compassion.
– Setting aside pride, selfish ambition, and personal preferences.
– Christian liberty is not a license for self-will but must align with scriptural principles and the Spirit of sacrifice.
– Unity in the body of Christ requires agreement on foundational gospel principles: redemption, justification by faith, sanctification, and service.
– Disagreements in the early church (e.g., between Euodias and Syntyche in Philippians 4:2-3) are addressed by mutual reconciliation and the pursuit of one mind in Christ.

Practical Applications:
– Humility is demonstrated in daily interactions and decision-making by consciously choosing service over self-interest.
– Christians should seek opportunities to help others, listen empathetically, and offer encouragement.
– Cultivating a servant-hearted attitude reflects the love of Christ and furthers the mission of salvation.
– Humbling oneself under God’s mighty hand leads to exaltation in due time (1 Peter 5:6).

Summary of Christ’s Life and Mission:
– Jesus accepted the Father’s will willingly, exemplified by His obedience and sacrifice.
– His death and resurrection fulfilled God’s plan for redemption and exalted Him to the highest place of honor.
– All creation will ultimately acknowledge His lordship.
– The promise of exaltation applies not only to Christ but also to those who follow His example faithfully.

Closing Exhortation:
– The discourse concludes with a reading of Philippians 2:8-10:
*“And being found in human form, he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth.”*
– Encouragement for believers to embrace humility, obedience, and unity, following Christ’s example to attain one mind, spirit, and purpose.

—

Key Bible Verses Quoted or Referenced:
– Philippians 2:1-5, 8-10
– Isaiah 14:12-14
– Luke 22:42
– John 6:38; John 14:28
– Hebrews 7:26
– Luke 2:49
– 1 Peter 5:6; 1 Peter 1:16
– Luke 3:21-22
– Psalm 45:7
– Revelation 5:12
– 2 Peter 2:10; Jude 10
– Ephesians 3:11-12; Ephesians 1:3-6
– Philippians 4:2-3

This discourse deeply emphasizes the Christian call to humility, unity, and selfless service, modeled perfectly by Jesus Christ, with the assurance of God’s exaltation for those who faithfully follow His example.

Transcript

Our theme discourse, and we entitled it, Attaining One Mind, spirit and purpose. One mind, spirit and purpose, and the theme text comes from Philippians, chapter 2, verse 10, and what we’re going to do is we’re going to read Philippians, those passages from the rsv. This is how it goes.

So if there’s any encouragement in Christ, any incentive of 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. Do nothing from selfishness or conceit. Oh, I gotta stop. I got to stop. You see, the memory fades.

So I told Sister Esther that was going to talk about her today. So I have to go back to Grand Rapids, so. Grand Rapids. I’ve been to Grand Rapids many, many times. Stayed in various homes in Grand Rapids.

Won’t list them all, but it was back in 1995 when they had a fall convention that I learned at that convention that I was going to become a father in law in about three months. In about three months. So we arranged to have a quick preparation for a wedding to find a hall to find, have brethren come, blah, blah, blah, and by his grace, it was done. So I want you know, those of you from Grand Rapids that you know, I remember you very, very well, because it was at that convention that I think that I learned about what was to happen in the future.

I. If I’m wrong, then you’ll have to correct me.

Oh, okay. So that’s reaffirmation. Thank you so much. So let me pick up from verse four. I’m not sure where I left off, but it says that each of you look only to his own interests.

Not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. 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, you know, in this sixth verse, incidentally, Jesus’s course is contrasted that with that of Satan, who did attempt to usurp Christ’s position.

And hence, you’re all familiar with Isaiah 14:12-14, Isaiah 12:14. What he did, he said, in his heart I will ascend, etc. So this is clearly shown by the context preceding and following. That nothing be done in vain. Glory.

That Christ was very humble, and that we also should be humble, and thus walk in his footsteps. Verse 7. But after himself, taking the form of a certain, of a servant, being born in the likeness of men, and being found in human form, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the Deaths on a cross.

9 Therefore God hath highly exalted him, and bestowed on him this the name which is above every name. 10 that’s our theme scripture that at the name of Jesus every me should bow in heaven and on earth and under earth. You know we are reminded this letter was sent by Paul, who while under house arrest in Rome, wrote the church at Philippi, and has been styled an Epistle of Joy. Since so richly did the apostle’s heart seem to respond to the faithfulness of the brethren there he would have them to know that he appreciated their love, which should abound in their midst, and towards all his joy would be full in proportion as he could realize that the brethren had the proper mind and heart with regard to Christ.

Nothing should be done by them through strife or brain glory. But we want to elaborate briefly another portion of this epistle to Philippians and comes from chapter four, verses two and three, chapters four, two and three because it seems that there might have been some disagreement between sisters Euodias and Syntyche within the congregation, and Paul was entreating Brother Yoke Fellow to speak to them both, to help them to overcome their difficulties, and this is an important concept to understand throughout all seven stages of the church, because while the truth was pure during the apostolic age before the 12 fell asleep, we know that the Spirit of Antichrist began to work even then. According to First Corinthians, chapter 12, verses 25 to 27 First Corinthians 12:25 to 27 there can be no schism in the body of Christ if we don’t all cross our t’s and dot the I’s in an identical fashion. You know, volume six in Studies in the Scriptures puts it this way regarding scriptural unity, and this is what it says.

The idea of unity is upon the foundation principles of the gospel 1. Our redemption through the precious blood, and our justification by demonstrating faith therein 2 our sanctification being set apart to the Lord the truth, and their service, including the service of the brethren and three aside from these essentials upon which unity must be demanded, there can be no scriptural fellowship upon which unity must be demanded, says but on every other point the fullest liberty is to be accorded with, however, a desire to see and to help others to see the divine plan in its every feature and detail, and so each member who striving to part of the body of Christ while maintaining his own her own personal liberty, should be so thoroughly devoted to the head and to all the members that it will be pleasure to lay down life itself on their behalf, and as consecrate footstep followers of the Lord. He is our pattern for emulation.

And if we are seriously striving to imitate his example, we do have the hope of becoming part of the Bride and to bring healing to a world that is desperately in need of salvation, redemption, because of what happened when Adam disobeyed back in Eden. So this lowliness of mind was fully exemplified by Jesus Christ. You know, in his free human existence as a spirit being. He was humble and did not meditate usurpation of divine authority to exalt himself, to seek a name higher than his own, as did Satan. He had no thought of robbing the divine glory and honor by putting himself upon equality with his heavenly Father.

On the contrary, he had the same spirit that he had afterwards when he declared Luke 22:42 Luke 22:42 not my will, but thine be done. Also in John 6:38, John 6:38 I came not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me, and again in John 14:28, John 14:28 My father is greater than I, and so the Master always had this disposition of reverence for God and a full confidence in the divine attributes of wisdom, justice, love and power, and so when the time came that the Father purposed to send a savior into the world, first to redeem it, and then to become its king and deliverer, the only begotten of the Father, the Lord was promptly accepted.

He said, I delight to do thy will, O my God. That was his response, and of course this involved great humiliation, leaving the dignity of the spirit plane to become a human, the man Christ Jesus, Hebrews 7:26, Hebrews 7:26 reminds us, not a sinful man, but one who was holy, harmless, undefiled, and separate from sinners, and after his change of nature, Jesus found himself a man amongst many. He maintained that same loyalty to his heavenly Father.

You know, he was only a child when we heard him say in Luke 2:49, Luke 2:49, as Mary and Joseph were looking for him, was she not that it must be about my Father’s business? You see, he had learned that he could not commence his earthly ministry until he reached the appropriate age stipulated in the law, and so he remained quietly at home until nearly 30. But then, promptly at the appropriate age, he went forth to John the Baptist at Jordan, and by a public immersion he testified his full obedience to the Father’s will.

The full consecration of his life, even unto death. You know, this matter of subjugating our personal wills to that of the Heavenly Father is extraordinary accomplishment because, you know, according to the flesh, each one of us has our own ideas, our own ways of wanting to do certain things which are not necessarily supported by Scripture.

But our Master, our head, could always say about himself, it is written, he went to those Scriptures. That was his guidepost, and so part of God’s will for us is to learn that attitude of submission so that we may have that crystallization of character. 1st Peter 5:6 1st Peter 5:6 reminds us, humble yourself therefore, under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time. So I asked the question, did you ever have a difficult experience and think, you know, I don’t have to take this?

So I asked another question. Since we are to put on the mind of Christ, do you think the Master ever manifested the resentment to those who attacked his righteous character? You see, if we are getting it, so to speak, if we are submitting to the Lord’s permissible will, then we need to realize that as long as we breathe, we have not yet resisted unto death.

And there came upon the Master a begetting of the Holy Spirit, as manifested and testified by John, and at that point there came a special mental illumination, as we reference Luke 3:21 22 Luke 3:21 22. The heavens, that is, the higher things, were opened unto him.

Yet the divine plan was made plain, which involved his own death, as the antitype of that serpent that was raised up on the pole by Moses, as the antitype of the bullock of the sin offering slain by Aaron, as the antitype of the Passover lamb slain by the Israelites in Eden to strengthen them as they prepared to depart from Egypt, delivering the people of God from Satan’s yoke. In these experiences we find that the Master was faithful to God, loyal to his covenant as well as the principles of righteousness. Psalms 45:7. Psalms 45:7 puts it this way, Thou hast loved righteousness and hated iniquity. Therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above all thy fellows.

And this oil of gladness represented the holy joy of our Lord, the holy prospects which sustained him during this period, when he made himself of no reputation and became poor indeed, finally laying down life itself in obedience to the Heavenly Father’s will and the program marked out in the Bible.

His final cry on Calvary was, it is finished. His baptism into death was complete, and so at that point, it was the Father’s turn to act. Would he leave his faithful one in death? Oh, no.

Faithful is he who promised, who performed his good promises to his faithful Son. We had a lesson about resurrection earlier. Yesterday he was received into glory and all the angels worshiped him, whom the Father had exalted to his right own right hand, giving him additionally to what he had resigned glory and immortality. The divine nature.

You know, we can perhaps understand the acclaim of the heavenly ones. Revelation 5:12. Revelation 5:12 reads, worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, riches, wisdom, strength, honor, glory and blessing.

But there’s more to come in terms of glory to the great Redeemer. Yeah, those who crucified him all the world of mankind, for he whom he tasted death, they’re going to be made aware of what he did, and yes, he is to be the world’s King of glory, to reign for that thousand years, and any who are unwilling to take this opportunity for salvation, they will be destroyed as natural brute beasts. 2nd Peter 2:12, Jude 102 Peter 2:12, 10.

So we want to talk again about an important aspect and we cite 1st Peter 1:16, 1st Peter 1:16, which tells us, be holy, for I am holy. You know, since we are sinners by nature, it’s sometimes difficult to see how that could be a requirement for us.

And yet, because God judges us not by actual performance according to the flesh, but by the heart intentions of a new creature, yes, he does make allowances for our weaknesses. As long as we are seriously striving to keep the flesh under and to do those things which be pleasing to him.

One of the considerations or reflection upon relates to attaining holiness and purity heart and also have Christian liberty. That does not mean that Christian liberty allows me to make a set of rules for you, or for you to make a set of rules for me.

Neither does it mean I am free to do as I please without divine repercussions.

So it’s essential that each one of us use scriptural guidelines for every act that we commit to help us determine the degree to which it comports with the Spirit of sacrifice, the Spirit of consecrated living, the Spirit of holiness. You know, we recall there are many Gentiles in the Church at Ephesus. Ephesians 3:11 and 12. Ephesians 3:11, 12 reads, wherefore remember that ye, being at time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called uncircumcision by that which is called the circumcision in the flesh, made by hands, that at that time Ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world, and so the special hope of the high calling, which was once reserved for natural Israel exclusively was opened up.

After that, 70 weeks of special favor ended and that middle wall of partition broke down, and we remember how Peter received a vision from above that Gentiles should no longer be called unclean, and that subsequently all of us could participate in this great, great undertaking. In fact, the Apostle Paul had a very active ministry in Gentile lands, and he was forceful in repudiating Judaizing Christians who taught that Gentiles coming into Christ had to observe certain Jewish practices, such as circumcision, dietary regulations, certain holy days, to be really, really Christians, and so throughout the Gospel age, those who have been careful students of his word and following Christ have had the privilege of receiving that special invitation that is recorded in Ephesians 13 6, Ephesians 13 6, which reads, Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places. In Christ bless according as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love, having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, to the friends of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.

You know, Jesus, who humbled himself and took on the form of a servant, obediently fulfilling the will of his heavenly Father even to the death of a cross is now in glory.

Satan is filled with a sense of triumph and victory, as the Lord is exalted above all names, receiving the highest honor and praise. The heavenly beings are singing praises to the Lamb who was slain, acknowledging his sacrifice and the redemption he has brought to humanity. So we would say that Philippians 2, 8, 10 paints a powerful picture of humility, obedience, and divine exaltation.

You know, the promise of exaltation and universal acknowledgment of Jesus as Lord reinforces the belief that our faithfulness and obedience will ultimately read or lead to recognition and honor from God. Yes, every knee shall bow before Jesus, acknowledging his sovereignty and lordship, and so let us meditate on this verse, knowing that God will exalt those who follow in Jesus footsteps, inspiring us to emulate his humility and obedience in our own lives. Since God has exalted him to the highest place, bestowing him a name above every name. It signifies not only our Lord’s triumph over death, but also his elevation to a position of supreme honor and authority.

And we were reminded of this principle that true greatness in God’s kingdom is achieved through humility and service rather than through worldly power or privilege. You know, Practical applications of these principles involves daily interactions and decision making where believers can consciously choose humility and service over self interest and pride. By following the Master’s example in both small and significant ways, we can embody the essence of of this humility and obedience in our relationships.

God’s promise of exaltation is for those who humble themselves and we can be assured that our acts of obedience and selflessness are not in vain.

As we move towards closure, we might inquire how can we humble ourselves and serve others?

So we can do this by following the example of Jesus Christ who willingly took on the form of a servant and humbled himself to the point of death on the cross. We can also serve others with that same lowliest of mind, putting their needs above our own, just as our Lord served others with love and compassion. We can demonstrate humility in emulating Christ sacrificial love and selflessness, and we can prioritize the well being of others and show them compassion and kindness as we interact with others, and this may involve acting actively, seeking opportunities to help those in need, listening empathetically to their concerns and offering support and encouragement wherever it’s possible.

We can reflect the love of Christ and make a positive impact in the lives of others around us by approaching service with that mindset of humility and sincere desire to serve others, and so humbling ourselves involves setting aside pride, personal ambition and preference. In order to uplift and benefit others, we need to cultivate a servant hearted attitude and become willing to sacrificially serve those around us. We honor God and fulfill his call, his call to love our neighbors and ourselves as ourselves. Let us fully embrace the lessons of humility and obedience from Jesus example as we read our theme portion once again beginning in Philippians chapter 2 verses 8 through 10.

Philippians 2, verses 8 through 10 and being found in human form, he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even death, and across Therefore God hath highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow in heaven and on earth and under the earth. Amen.

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