1 follow the pattern of christ philippians 2:1-11 message 3 in our 7-part series on philippians....

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Follow the Pattern of ChristPhilippians 2:1-11

Message 3 in our 7-part series onPhilippians.

Sunday, March 25, 2012

Speaker: Doug Virgint

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Follow the pattern of ChristOutline

A) Paul’s appeal (1-4)

B) Christ’s example (5-11)

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Follow the pattern of ChristOutline

A) Paul’s appeal (1-4)

B) Christ’s example (5-11)

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Follow the pattern of Christ

A) Paul’s appeal (1-4)

1) The basis of his appeal (1)

2) The burden of his appeal (2)

3) The means of his appeal (3-4)

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Follow the pattern of Christ

A) Paul’s appeal (1-4)

1) The basis of his appeal (1)

- verse 1 starts with “therefore” (original)- looks backward to 1:27

“… conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ … I will know that you stand firm in the one Spirit, striving together as one for the faith of the gospel”

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Follow the pattern of Christ

A) Paul’s appeal (1-4)

1) The basis of his appeal (1)

-four times the word “if”- “ei” - first class conditional phrase- “if this is so (and it is!)”- “because” “since” “so”

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Follow the pattern of Christ

1) The basis of his appeal (1)

- encouragement in Christ (parakletos)

- comfort from his love (speak close,

solace)

- fellowship in the Spirit (koinonia)

- tenderness and compassion (affection,

mercies)

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Follow the pattern of Christ

2) The burden of his appeal (2)

“then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love”

The news that his quarrelling friends had settled their differences would fill his cup of joy to overflowing.

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Follow the pattern of Christ

3) The means of his appeal (3-4)

- like-minded (to think the same thing)

to actively seek to achieve common understanding and genuine agreement

- having the same love (to be devoted to one another in brotherly love, giving preference to one another in honor)

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Follow the pattern of Christ

3) The means of his appeal (3-4)

- being one spirit (one-souled – live in selfless harmony with other believers)

- of one mind (full circle – mind, love, spirit,

mind)

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Follow the pattern of Christ

3) The means of his appeal (3-4)

- no selfish ambition (person who persistently seeks personal advantage)

- no vain conceit (empty glory, highly exaggerated self-view)

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Follow the pattern of Christ

3) The means of his appeal (3-4)

- in humility value others above ourselves (opposite of proud – used of slaves, not a sought-after quality in Roman culture)

- not looking to our own interests (paying close attention, giving special consideration)

- looking to other’s interests

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Follow the pattern of Christ

B) Christ’s example

1) The starting point

2) The eight downward steps

3) The ascent

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Follow the pattern of Christ

B) Christ’s example

1) The starting point

2) The eight downward steps

3) The ascent

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Follow the pattern of Christ

B) Christ’s example

1) The starting point

“he was in the form of God” “equality with God ”

- “was” “huarcho” = under + beginning

“That part of a person, which, in any circumstances, remains the same.”

(William

Barclay)

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Follow the pattern of Christ

1) The starting point

“he was in the form of God”

form “morphé ”

-the essential form, which never alters.

- “Schema” is the outward form which changes from time to time.”Baby, child, adult = “schema”; human = “morphe” (William Barclay)

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Follow the pattern of Christ

1) The starting point

“equality with God ”

- equality “isa - isos ” (plural)

isosceles triangle isomers

Our Lord is identical to God – a repetition for emphasis

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Follow the pattern of Christ

B) Christ’s example

1) The starting point

2) The eight downward steps

3) The ascent

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Follow the pattern of Christ

B) Christ’s example

2) The eight downward steps

a) did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped

b) but emptied himself

c) by taking the form of a servant

d) being born in the likeness of men

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Follow the pattern of Christ

B) Christ’s example

2) The eight downward steps

e) and being found in human form

f) he humbled himself

g) by becoming obedient to the point of death

h) even death on a cross

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Follow the pattern of Christ

Eight steps :

a) did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped

- grasped = cling to.

- selfless giving of oneself and one’s possessions, power and privileges.

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Follow the pattern of Christ

Eight steps :

b) but emptied himself (but not of Deity)

“emptied” “kenoo ” – nullified Rom 4:14

– made void 1 Cor 1:17

• temporarily divested himself of divine glory

• independent divine authority• voluntary exercise some of divine

attributes• eternal riches• intimate face to face relationship with

Father

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Follow the pattern of Christ

Eight steps :

c) by taking the form of a servant (slave)

- the same word “morphe ”

- the very essence of slave hood

- a slave in the fullest sense

- owned nothing - jewels, business, gold

- a borrowed house, boat, house, donkey, tomb

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Follow the pattern of Christ

Eight steps :d) being born in the likeness of men

- likeness, « homooima »

- made to be something else, not just in appearance, but in reality

- Christ became a man, the second “Adam”, not in the sense of being like a “pre-fall” human, but with all the frailness, limitations and sufferings of fallen man.

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Follow the pattern of Christ

Eight steps :

e) and being found in human form

- “form” here is “schema”

- his appearance, the way people perceived him

- he suffered the added humiliation of being considered a mere man

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Follow the pattern of Christ

Eight steps :

e) and being found in human form

“his appearance was so marred, beyond human semblance, and his form beyond that of the children of mankind ”

“he was despised and rejected by men;a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not.”

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Follow the pattern of Christ

Eight steps :

f) he humbled himself (“tapeinoo” = lying low)

This is the one, who, apart from His self-emptying, could far more easily make a solar system or a galaxy.

“He humbled himself !” cries Paul. Don’t forget this, when the slightest impulse arises to become self-assertive and self-seeking, and to break the bond of your fellowship with one another.

(Paul Rees)

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Follow the pattern of Christ

Eight steps :

g) by becoming obedient … point of death

-Why did he not, short of that ultimate sacrifice, say “enough !”

“Death” – the ultimate difference between men and angels (and Tolkien’s elves!)

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Follow the pattern of Christ

Eight steps :

g) by becoming obedient … point of death

“In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to him who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence. Although he was a son, he learned obedience through what he suffered.”

Eight steps :

g) by becoming obedient … point of death

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Follow the pattern of Christ

Eight steps :h) even death on a cross

- many ways he could have died: beheading, stoning, poison, hanging- the death reserved for slaves, the lowest of criminals, enemies of the state.- invented by the Persians, perfected by the Romans, the cruellest, most excruciating painful execution possible.

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Follow the pattern of Christ

Eight steps :h) even death on a cross

- it was an accursed death - in this way Christ bore the curse that weighed over us- on the cross God treated him as if He had committed every sin of every human being who would ever be saved- the Son of God died as our sacrifice

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Follow the pattern of Christ

B) Christ’s example

1) The starting point

2) The eight downward steps

3) The ascent

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Follow the pattern of Christ

B) Christ’s example

2) The four steps of the ascent

a) His resurrection

b) His ascension

c) His coronation

d) His intercession

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Follow the pattern of Christ

B) Christ’s example

2) The four steps of the ascent

“Therefore ” – for this reason

“Therefore God exalted him to the highest place ”

“exalted ” - « lift up over »

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Follow the pattern of Christ

B) Christ’s example

a) The ascent - his resurrection

“through the Spirit of holiness was appointed the Son of God in power by his resurrection from the dead ”

The greatest demonstration of God’s power in the history of the universe!

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Follow the pattern of Christ

B) Christ’s example

b) The ascent - his ascension

“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, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come.”

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Follow the pattern of Christ

B) Christ’s example

c) The ascent his coronation

“ All power is given unto me ”

“ at the right hand of God ”

“ God exalted him to his right hand as a Prince and Saviour ”

“ The Son of Man standing at the right hand of God ”

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Follow the pattern of Christ

B) Christ’s example

d) The ascent - his intercession

“Christ Jesus who died … who was raised to life — is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.”

“he always lives to intercede for them … such a high priest truly meets our need one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens.”

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Follow the pattern of Christ

B) Christ’s example

d) The ascent

His new name

The name above every name

Not « Jesus » or « Christ »

But “Lord” – “kurios ” the equivalent of “Yahweh ” in the Old Testament (LXX)

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Follow the pattern of Christ

Conclusion

- Have I made Christ Lord of my life?

- Am I really living my life to Christ’s glory?

- Am I allowing pride to motivate me to act divisively in our local Church?