Encouraging Unity by Growing in Humility

We are continuing our series in the book of Philippians as we discuss Growing in Gospel Gratitude.

Philippians is a letter written by the Apostle Paul. It is filled with joy even though when Paul wrote the letter, he was in prison for preaching about Jesus boldly.

To provide a little bit of review of chapter one,

• Paul greeted the church thanking them, thinking of them, and praying for them.

• Paul is under Praetorian Guard in prison in Rome and he is rejoicing in how the good news about Jesus is advancing even through his sufferings.

• Even though some were speaking ill about Paul, he was still rejoicing over the fact that the Gospel was still being preached.

• Paul was torn over the idea of going to heaven to be with Christ or continuing to live on earth to continue to spread the Gospel for the Philippians joy and progress in the faith.

• Last week Pastor Stefan reminded us of what Paul was saying for most excellent and important. To live worthy of the gospel…this conduct worthy of the gospel is going to be unpacked further in our passage today.

Turn in your bibles to page 154 in the back of the bible, NT.

Read Phil 1:27-2:11

Today we will consider how to Encourage Unity by Growing in Humility. And with the time remaining we will look for 3 Ways to Develop Gospel Unity as we follow the example of Jesus Christ.

I. Grow in Unity by Understanding the Work of the Gospel in your Life (1-2)

Philippians 2:1 –Therefore if there is any encouragement in Christ, if there is any consolation of love, if there is any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and compassion,

Verse 1, we see THEREFORE, whenever you see a therefore you need to look to see what it is there for! Meaning this is connected to what Paul was talking about earlier. So, let’s look back at chapter 1 verse 27 and consider some important themes that Paul is going to unpack.

Philippians 1:27–30 - Only conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or remain absent, I will hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel; in no way alarmed by your opponents—which is a sign of destruction for them, but of salvation for you, and that too, from God. For to you it has been granted for Christ’s sake, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake, experiencing the same conflict which you saw in me, and now hear to be in me.

There are some key points we should look for in our verses today.

• Live worthy of the gospel (The good news of Jesus changes my conduct in some specific ways… we will see this unpacked more.

• Stand firm in one spirit (Unity – what will this look like in the church?)

• With one mind striving together for the faith of the Gospel (Unity)

• Suffering for Christ’s sake (suffering for Christ is a privilege).

Paul wants to explain conduct worthy of the gospel and wants Christians to be unified, but he starts first reminding what we possess in Christ that makes the conduct possible. So Paul presses the pause button for us to consider the…

The Motivators for Gospel Unity (v. 1)

There are four questions that Paul asks us to reflect on that will encourage us to unity. Four questions that will lead to four results.

When there is conflict and challenges, we must pause and ponder the good news about Jesus and what we possess “in Christ”

1. Is there any encouragement in Christ?

Encouragement is when you give boldness/courage to another in their belief or course of action. It also has a sense of comfort. So, God wants us to pause and ponder our salvation in Christ. He should give us encouragement and comfort that we need to pursue unity with others.

When we are concerned about a problem with another person and there is tension in our relationship. So, we might avoid that person. Fearful they will snap back. We don’t how the person is going to respond so we might be dread the thought of being pushed away again or turned against or just ignored.

In those moments we need courage to go and be reconciled.

Paul is saying your salvation in Christ gives courage and this courage strengthens us to move toward that person to bring unity.

Remember, part of our salvation is God the Father and Christ provided “another helper”

John 14:16 - “I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever;

So, your salvation makes it possible that you are never entering that conversation and conflict alone. There is an all-powerful person, the Holy Spirit going with me. All his spiritual resources that he blesses believers with are mine. His power pushes us toward one another because as believers we share the same Holy Spirit.

In other words, believers all have the same Helper, the same the same encourager so we can find unity to stand firm in “one Spirit like Phil 1:27 commands us.

1. Is there any consolation from love?

Consolation of love is very similar to encouragement in Christ.

We experience the comforting love of Christ. His love is more comforting than being wrapped in warm blanket with a warm drink by a warm on a freezing day. No, Christ love is so much better than that…

Jesus’s love assures us when we have sinned and we are exposed for all our failings and inadequacies…and we wonder will anyone care about me, does anyone desire to draw near to me even in my sin…He assures us with ultimate act of love. Christ consoles us with an affirmative yes! Only Christ loves sinners like us.

Romans 5:6–8 - For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will hardly die for a righteous man; though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

Jesus’s love comforts us and grounds us. His comforting love enables us to draw near to other sinners and pursue other imperfect people because we don’t have to look for the comforting love from other people. So, even when my family members don’t love and appreciate me in the ways I hope. I don’t need their love to love them because I am united with Jesus and he has loved me even as the Father has loved Jesus. For singles, as we seek to build relationships with new people we can be hurt they don’t respond as we would hope. I remember seeing as others who were once single enter relationships feeling, I am alone, our relationship is not going to be the same. Again, whose love is going to motivate you to continue to love and build relationships with others in that moment?

“O Love that will not let me go,
I rest my weary soul in thee”

“O the deep, deep love of Jesus!
Vast, unmeasured, boundless, free,
rolling as a mighty ocean
in its fullness over me.
Underneath me, all around me,
is the current of thy love;”

how he loveth, ever loveth,
changeth never, nevermore;
how he watches o'er his loved ones,
died to call them all his own;
how for them he intercedeth,
watcheth o'er them from the throne.”

.Some of you as I talk about the consoling love of Christ, you have not experienced this…you don’t know the love of God in Christ because you are in not in Christ.

• You need a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.

• Your problem is that you do not love God.

• Like all of us, we love ourselves far too much and God too little.

• The good news is that even though we did not love God, God loved us and sent the Son of God, Jesus Christ, into this world to demonstrate his love so that might have eternal life with God. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the sacrifice on the cross to cover and forgive our sins so that we could be in a right relationship with God and reconciled to him, having our relationship restored.

• You must return to Jesus and trust him. This salvation and consoling love of Jesus can be yours today.

• Without Christ you will continue to not be a lover of others, but a lover of self and not experience the joy of an abundant life that God created you for in loving others.

Fellowship has the idea of a partnership…mutual participation. So we have been joined so closely in a way that only the Holy Spirit provides.

• By one Spirit believers are all baptized into one body. The Holy Spirit unites us together in Christ. So closely that we can have fellowship with God and fellowship with one another.

• Are you mutually participating in a local church? I often hear concerns about loneliness or not feeling connected by Christians in every church. How committed are you to the partnership? What specific actions can you point to where you initiated to participate in the lives of other Christians?

1. Is there any affection and compassion?

In Christ God has also given us tender mercy and compassion. Jesus’s mercy is demonstrated in specific physical and concrete ways…Jesus showed us affection and compassion and this foundation of Christ’s specific concrete acts must serve as the platform on which I am going to imitate Christ in my relationships with others.

So, we have seen the 4 realities of the Gospel and our relationship with Christ that we possess these should produce 4 specific results…Like a car, if gratitude for the gospel is turned on in your life because of Christ…and Christ is what is revving your engine every day motivating your life there are four indicator lights in the Christian life that will be turned on in your relationships with others.

The Indicators of Gospel Unity (v. 2)

Look at verse 2….

Philippians 2:2 - make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose.

Now remember, Paul is currently sitting in prison.

• He does not say, make my joy complete by…

• bailing me out of prison.

• making sure I don’t suffer

• making my life easier

Paul cares about Christ and their spiritual growth in Christ more than comfort. So, another reason for unity to encourage the Philippians he is giving is making Paul’s joy in prison to fill it to the top…

As you consider your life…how would you fill in the sentence as you consider this past week

• What were you looking for to make your joy complete?

• What were you thinking would fill your life to the top?

• If only I had….then I would be brimming with joy.

For Paul, it was unity in the gospel. So, if want to make our joy complete…unity with other brothers and sisters in Christ is so central to experiencing joy.

So, let’s look at these 4 indicators.

1. Being of the same mind.

As believers we are called to have the same values for life.

Philippians 4:8 - Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.

Romans 8:4–5 - so that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.

Colossians 3:2 - Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth.

One of the greatest causes for a lack of unity and joy among believers is a lack of focus on the things of the Lord. We must focus on things of God to maintain unity. What are you setting your mind regularly? You are always thinking about something…God wants us to think on the most excellent things about God.

1. Maintaining the same love.

There ought to be a love that comes because of the Gospels’ work in our lives. Romans 12:10 Be devoted to one another in brotherly love

1. United in Spirit

This does not mean that we always agree on every issue. There are also sorts of ways we can differ on matters of Christian liberty and freedom. These do not cause a lack of being united in spirit.

For example, with our Strategic Ministry Planning process, we are going to have lots of options that as a church family that we are going to have decide. Options that we have been praying to God regarding, asking one another, and asking the Lord. We are each considering how best to love God and others, and whatever we decide as Church family we don’t allow those things to separate us when it comes to serving the Lord together for the same goal of loving God and loving others, even if my preference or initiative is not prioritized in the way I want it to be.

1. Intent on one purpose.

As you can see all 4 of these indicators overlap with each other, but you could summarize unity as

• One mind

• One love

• One spirit

• One purpose

So first we needed to understand the work of the gospel in our life because only in Christ is it possible then to….

II. Grow in Humility to Strengthen Our Unity (v. 3-4)

God does not sugar coat the path to unity…The path involves a lot less of me and my interests…and a lot more of God’s interests and others interests.

In other words, deny yourself instead of exalting yourself!

Philippians 2:3–4 - Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.

Notice did you see the huge movement that has to take place in your life to unity.

There is a shift from "you/yourself/your" to "another/others.”

If you don’t know the gospel. That shift will never make sense. Put others first event it does not benefit me in the way I want…

Humility is not a natural response in life, but it is a very important part to our unity as a church and an area that Christ can help us grow.

Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit (v. 3)

Jesus wants to give you and I a reality check. He says our selfishness and self-importance in life its empty. It’s a vain pride…a cheap pride…

In other words, there is no way we can justify our importance. God is commanding us not to be proud of when you have no reason to be proud.

If you have been watching the Winter Olympics, I want you imagine one of the athletes who did all the work getting that gold, and me one of the spectators running out there to stand in their place as if I accomplished and did it…and tell the world about my skill and my abilities and my power. It would be a baseless pride, a false pride. EMPTY CONCEIT.

This provides an opportunity for all humanity to have an important check to our empty pride. Who do I honestly believe should be on the podium getting the glory as I live my life?

When you understand the glory of the good news of Jesus it knocks you to your knees. It pushes you off the podium and places Christ on the podium.

So negatively, God exhorts us to avoid doing things from selfishness and empty conceit and instead positively….

With Humility of Mind Regard Others as More Important than Yourself.

We must regard others as more important, instead of our importance.

Recognize the importance of an other’s first approach to life.

“Care for another person is at the heart of a right relationship to God, and all rebellion against God is inevitably linked to a corresponding disregard for others.” – James Montgomery Boice^[1]

Let us consider as a local church how we are doing in this area in our workplace with those we serve alongside.

Application to Boss – Am I viewing my boss and the company with a view toward their interests and concerns. Am I proactively looking for ways to serve my boss an employer to flourish them in their work. I am willing to volunteer to take things off their plate that I can do that might inconvenience me to free them up to better serve the interests of others.

Application to Employee Coworkers – Toward those I work with or who might work for me. Am I proactive to listening to their concerns and pursuing ways to address their interests with the resources and training that they need to do their job well. Am I thoughtfully considering how to sacrifice my time to serve others well to put them in the best position to be successful and efficient in their work.

• Childcare concern. Hospital visit. Etc.

Application: Consider inviting your boss or coworker to lunch and asking them ways that you can better serve them and if there are specific concerns or interests that you can help them address?

So to encourage unity, we have to:

1) understand the gospel in our life that

2) this motivates us to grow in humility to strengthen our unity

Then we have the mindset and attitude of Jesus as the Ultimate example of humility.

III. Follow the Example of Christ (v. 5-11)

We must adopt the Attitude of Christ.

This passage is just incredible. It’s one of the richest passages about our Lord and Savior, Jesus in such a few verses that reminds us of how we came to be in Christ.

You must regularly meditate on your Messiah’s mindset. He is the Most Majestic model for us that encourages to Christlikeness.

Paul just starts thinking about Christ Jesus, and worship just flows all over. Verses 6-11 are an early Christian hymn honoring Jesus…I just imagine Paul starting to think about Jesus Christ and the Spirit guiding and moving Paul to rejoice in worship as he perfectly pens these words of worship that form a creed, a confession about who Jesus is that encourages our conformity to Christ.

Philippians 2:5–11 - Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Versus 6-8 cause us to focus on Jesus’s humiliation.

A. Christ the Humble Servant (v. 6-8)

1. He existed in the form of God.

Other translations can be helpful so that we don’t misunderstand this phrase such as “Being in very nature God.” Jesus is the preexisting Christ who share’s God’s glory.

John 1:1–2, 14 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God… And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.

John 17:5 - Now, Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was.

Christ is fully divine. He possesses all God’s perfections and therefore possesses the glorious splendor and majesty of God being co-equal and co-eternal with the God the Father.

So, the picture is of Christ the King, who is Lord God, clothed with all the glory, splendor, brilliance, and majesty with all the radiance of the King of the Universe.

Hebrews 1:3 – “And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power.”

Psalm 96:6 - Splendor and majesty are before Him, Strength and beauty are in His sanctuary.

When we consider Christ’s nature and glory it provides a backdrop for us to marvel Jesus’s willing choice for humiliation.

1. He did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped.

Jesus is equal with God. This is what he possesses. He is rightfully in the position of Lord.

Jesus uses his position for giving, not grasping. Giving Not Getting. He does not use his position for his own benefit and advantage.

As one Commentator, Peter O’Brien mentioned “Divine equality meant sacrificial self-giving^”

In other words, because Jesus the Lord he is unlike you and me, he chooses to give even to his own temporary humiliation that’s why he’s so glorious!

Application to your attitude about how you view yourself in life:

• Do you use your position for your own advantage?

• Am I focused on grasping for my advantage…thinking that’s what is really glorious or giving to others advantage?"

• May God help us have the attitude of our Savior.

• Application to positions of leadership

• public officials

• husbands

• parents

Then, God explains further Christ’s attitude and how he showed he was not seeking his own advantage…but considering our interests and advantage…

1. He Emptied Himself.

What a powerful way to describe Jesus’ humiliation from the position of glory to now revealing his glory by emptying himself. There are a couple of defining descriptions of Jesus as He emptied Himself that are quite important for us to understand what this means. “He emptied himself”

• He voluntarily chose humiliation. He emptied himself by taking the form of a bond-servant.

• Jesus did not just appear to be in appearance a human bond-servant. He was disguising or pretending to be like a man... but not really a man. That is the heresy of Docetism. Christ voluntarily took on a human nature and he is a fully human man and his life was characteristic of a bond-servant. A bond servant owned nothing. They were completely dependent on the one they served. This is the human nature and position that Christ voluntarily took up to reveal his glory as the only God.

Then there is another phrase that explains again the way that Jesus emptied himself.

• He emptied himself by being made in the likeness of men.

• Notice, Christ, the Son of God, has always existed as God, yet there is a point in time he revealed his glory by being made…coming into existence as man. This is about the incarnation. There was a time that the Son of God, was not incarnated, but when the fullness of time had come the Son of God, took on flesh, he was born of the virgin Mary. Jesus is fully human in every respect like you and I are human and also fully God.

• He felt hunger, tiredness, sorrow, and pain like we do.

• Jesus as the representative head of mankind, had to be fully human to help us and save us from our sin

Hebrews 2:17-18 (NIV) - For this reason he had to be made like them, fully human in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people.

Christ becomes the ultimate example for us as He lives His life not for what He can gain but for whom He can serve to show God’s glory. The importance of servanthood throughout his ministry cannot be overstated here when you consider the attitude of Jesus. For example,

Matthew 20:28 - just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”

John 13:14–17 - If I then, the Lord and the Teacher, washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I gave you an example that you also should do as I did to you. Truly, truly, I say to you, a slave is not greater than his master, nor is one who is sent greater than the one who sent him. If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them.

• So, the question for the Christian as we consider our Master is never should I serve? But rather how am I going to serve? Not serving is never an option for the follower of Christ, it is a characteristic mark of the Christian life.

• As you look at your schedule its not about being too busy to serve but considering the different ways I get the privilege to serve as a follower of Christ, Father, Husband, Pastor, friend etc.

• The attitude of Jesus is not dwelling on how others can better serve you and need to serve you, have the attitude of Christ that determines to serve them in sacrificially generous ways to their advantage.

• Personal Applications if time allows.

Paul continues to explain the extent of Christ’s humiliation and where his attitude directed the course of his life…

1. He Became Obedient to the Point of Death, even death on a cross.

Christ humbled himself to utmost extent…being obedient as a bond-servant in service to God to the point of death in the shameful and severe death of crucifixion in our place, the righteous one, dying for us unrighteous sinners to bring us to God.

John 15:13 “Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends.

Christ is the promised obedient suffering Servant of Isaiah 53.

Where can there be boasting for us as Christian’s except in Christ crucified?

Our Savior’s sacrifice should humble us…to put off baseless pride and entitlement.

When we are humbled by the Gospel, as Christians then we will well up with gratitude for the joyful privilege it is to be included in Christ, to be counted co-heirs with Christ, to be forgiven and made holy people who are now called to follow in such glorious footsteps of our Savior, submitting our interests to God’s interests and serving others as we become more like our Savior.

Finally, the hymn ends reminding us of Christ’s rightful position and the glory due him.

B. Christ the Exalted Lord (v. 9-11)

• God the Father took action to exalt his Son. From the depths of the lowliest humiliation the Father exalts the Son to the height of greatest glory.

• There is justice and vindication for our suffering Savior because of Jesus’s self-humiliating life, suffering, and death to save his people.

• We did not esteem Christ, but God the Father was well pleased with Christ, the Son of God and approves of his work to be sufficient to save us from our sins against God.

• The Father exalted Jesus over all Creation. Jesus is raised from the dead and ascends to Heaven to his rightful place.

• Nothing is higher than Christ!

Then notice the honor that is bestowed Jesus. He is given the highest glory and gift. The very personal name of God, the LORD, belongs to him.

Isaiah 42:8 – “I am the LORD, that is My name; I will not give My glory to another, Nor My praise to graven images.

• No other name is greater! Jesus is given the gift of his own name that rightfully belongs to him as LORD, the very name of God.

• Jesus is seated at the right hand of God the Father.

• The universal authority and exaltation of Christ results in universal praise, homage, and submission to the King of the Universe.

All bow before Him. Confessing, Christ is LORD!

1. Grow in unity by understanding the work of the Gospel in your life.

2. Grow in humility to strengthen our humility.

3. Follow the example of Christ. Let’s pray.

^[1] James Montgomery Boice, Philippians: An Expositional Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2000), 103.