Jul 05, 2015
Philippians 2:1-11
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Outline:
There was once an old man who was very ill and lay dying in his bed. This man had four
sons who were unfortunately always fighting with each other. He was always worried about
them so he decided to finally teach them a lesson, and he asked his sons to come to him. When
they came, the old man gave them a bundle of sticks and said, “Can any of you boys break
these sticks?”
The first son tried to break the bundle but nothing happened. Then the second son tried
his luck, but couldn’t break them either. And again, the third son also failed at breaking the
sticks. Meanwhile, the youngest son, with a clever smirk on his face took the bundle of sticks
and pulled out one stick at a time, easily breaking all of them.The old father then smiled at his sons
and said, “Children, do you understand what just happened? It is always easy to break the sticks one
by one. But when they are bundled together, none of you could break them. In the same way, you
four brothers should always be together. No one will be able to break you either.”
Does anybody else find it mind-blowing that studies show there are around 41,000
Christian denominations around the world? Now granted, the study I quote from along with
many others that find these large numbers define the word “denomination” in a way that allows
for some possible overlapping of groups, yet still this number is alarming. Of the 79% of people
living in Georgia that claim to be a Christian, how many can actually agree with each other on
pressing issues? Of the 250 million plus estimated Christians in America, how many would
really consider you a brother or sister in Christ?
Now of course, not every Christian is going to share the same beliefs on certain biblical
topics, but that is no excuse for the lack of unity in Christianity. Why are we so divided
internally as Christians when there is an enemy lurking outside wanting to sink his teeth into us
and rip us apart? We have an enemy that cannot be ignored, so why are we letting ourselves
be susceptible to Satan’s attacks by our lack of unity in the body of Christ? Therefore we have
been given a call for unity. If we don’t fulfill this calling, we are weak prey to the predator. We
need to remain bundled, so we will not be easily broken by our enemy.
Paul gives this same calling to the church in Philippi. Paul wants them to have unity.
There was an issue rising up within the church that was beginning to threaten the bundle. So
before the issue began to pull out sticks one by one and break them, Paul gives them a calling
for unity, to remain bundled…
Philippians 2:1-2 - Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.
The chapter opens in verse one with Paul giving us a background for the subject matter
he is about to dive into… He poses a question, saying if you have experienced consolation in
Christ, the comfort of Jesus’ love, His deep affection and mercy, if you have spent time in
fellowship with the Spirit, then you have a responsibility to do what I’m about to tell you next.
I believe it is safe to say that the conditions that Paul lays out in verse one, are all
experiences that occur within a relationship with God. If you have a relationship with God, you
have experienced Christ’s consoling in times of trial, you have felt the comforting nature of His
love, you spend time in His Word led by the Holy Spirit, you experience his grace and mercies
new everyday…
Paul opens with a simple, yet strong statement: If you are a Christian, you have a
responsibility to do what follows in verse two… If you sitting here at Calvary316 this morning
are a Christian, then you and I have a duty to fulfill…
We have a responsibility to be like-minded with one another, having the same love,
being of one accord, of one mind. We are called to have unity with other followers of Christ.
As a church we are called to have unity… We are to be united as ONE… As if all of us were
individually combined to make one body. One body with the same one love, one goal, one
drive… All of us individual Christians, make up the body of Christ. Here’s a few sections of Scripture
from Paul on the body of Christ, just bear with me for they are a little lengthy…
Romans 12:4-5 For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another.
1 Corinthians 12:12-19 For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ. For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and have all been made to drink into one Spirit. For in fact the body is not one member but many. If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the body? And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the body? If the whole body were an eye, where would be the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where would be the smelling? But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased. And if they were all one member, where would the body be?
In order for our one body to function properly, it takes all of us individual members to
work together for the ultimate benefit of the entire body. How can we move forward with our
left foot, while our right foot tries to go backwards? How can we as a church function properly
without each of us doing our part to work in unison with one another for the one goal of the
body?
No matter what your place is in the body of Christ, your part in unity is needed for the
body to survive… You may feel like you are not needed here at Calvary316…
*Maybe you’re just an usher, and you feel like it wouldn’t matter if you weren’t here serving…
* Maybe you serve with the kids and you feel like you are making no impact on the kids you watch over…
*Or maybe you just attend and you feel like you show up week in and week out and you still don’t have an impact here…
You know, I’m just the guy who plays the box and teaches the youth… I am in the same
position as you… So maybe you’ve been feeling this way… As if you’re the nasty, ugly, big toe
to this body that really isn’t even needed… But I have a question for you, have you ever tried
to walk without your big toe? It’s not going to be pretty! It’s actually going to be really funny
to watch! I’m going to laugh at you!
But in all seriousness, for Calvary316 to function at its best, all of us need to work in unity,
no matter what position we are in! Even the big toes! Paul understood this too, he continues in 1st
Corinthians saying,
“The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you”; nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” No, much rather, those members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary. And those members of the body which we think to be less honorable, on these we bestow greater honor; and our un-presentable parts have greater modesty, but our presentable parts have no need. But God composed the body, having given greater honor to that part which lacks it, that there should be no schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another. And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.”
The necessity for unity can be seen in everyday life too… For instance…
*Have you ever worked on a group project at your job? Unity is necessary in order to get the most from each employee…* Or have you been in a band? If the musicians aren’t playing in sync, it’s going to painful to listen to… all I can hope is that it hasn’t been too painful up here in times past…*Have you ever did a group project at school?
*Have you ever played a team sport like soccer or basketball? IN order to win, you have to play as a team with unity! “One-man teams” don’t have much lasting power… Just look at the Cleveland Lebrons! Team basketball is always going to prevail!
So what makes all of us here a team? We all have something in common! We all as
individuals have a personal relationship with God! Your relationship with God and my
relationship with God brings us together! We don’t call each other brothers and sisters in
Christ for nothing! And as a family, we need to be unified or we are going to be weak against
our enemy!
The next question that remains is how… How can we attain unity in this church? How?
What do we each individually have to do as members of this one body? The answer… is
humility. Unity only comes through humility. As we continue into our text there are going to
be two points that ultimately lead to a third, describing how to live in biblical humility… If
you’re taking notes, I’m going to spill the first two now, but I have to save the best for last! So
Point #1: Humility requires a complete removal of self.
Point #2: Humility requires living for the purpose of others.
Let’s dive into verse 3 and unravel these points… verse 3…
Philippians 2:3-4 Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.
1) humility requires a complete removal of self. There is no letter “I” in this team! A selfish person,
focused only on themselves, does not promote unity. Here’s a few descriptors of what a selfish person
looks like…
*Kobe Bryant! That dude is definitely not a team player on the court.*Kanye West! This man cannot get his eyes off of himself for a moment!
*Or how about the dad, who comes home late from a long day at work and disregards his family…*Or the mom who makes her children feel unworthy of respect or love…
Selfish ambition within a man’s heart only leaves that man determined to craft a world
that revolves solely around himself.
When you look at a group picture of you and some friends Where do your eyes immediately
gravitate? To yourself! And if you’re having a bad hair day, if you are looking rough, it doesn’t matter if
everybody else in the picture looks perfect, the picture sucks! It’s a horrible picture only because of
you! I think we are much more self-centered than we think we are… And a selfish attitude like this is
almost always paired with conceit… Here’s a dictionary definition I like of conceit, “An excessively
favorable opinion of one's own ability, importance, and wit”… It’s essentially pride! And pride does
NOT help unity at all!
In America today, our society is turning more and more towards selfishness and pride.
Americans are more self-centered than ever before. We are taking credit for everything we
have in our lives rather than placing all credit where it is deserved, in the hands of God. By
doing this, by taking all the credit, we raise up a throne of pride from beneath ourselves, and
sit with a “I am greater than thou” attitude. And those who don’t work as hard as me, don’t
have as much money as me, don’t have a job like mine, just simply aren’t as important in the
society as I am… Doesn’t this sound like our nation? I’m sad to say that this is unfortunately
not a new trend in America either…
Here’s a quote from Abraham Lincoln speaking of America over 150 years ago, I quote, “We
have been the recipients of the choicest bounties of Heaven. We have been preserved, these
many years, in peace and prosperity. We have grown in numbers, wealth and power, as no
other nation has ever grown. But we have forgotten God. We have forgotten the gracious
hand which preserved us in peace, and multiplied and enriched and strengthened us; and we
have vainly imagined, in the deceitfulness of our hearts, that all these blessings were produced
by some superior wisdom and virtue of our own. Intoxicated with unbroken success, we have
become too self-sufficient to feel the necessity of redeeming and preserving grace, too proud
to pray to the God that made us!”
I hate to break it you, but we are all sinners. We are all mortals. We are all failures. What
gives you or I the right to think that we are better than each other? Jesus died and rose for all
of us the same…
And… Not to mention every ability, every opportunity, every talent that we each have, has
been GIVEN to us by God. What gives us the right to praise ourselves of these things? Who are
we to take the credit? God is in control of it all! Just as He graciously gave us all of these
blessings in our lives, He can strip us of them in the blink of an eye…
Instead of holding onto selfish ambition and pride what does Paul tell us to do? In lowliness
of mind esteem others better than myself.
2) Humility requires living for the purpose of others. Do you realize that when you put others before yourself, you
will naturally be concerned with their needs and worries over your own, and that is a beautiful thing…
David Guzik said it well, saying, “If I consider you above me, and you consider me above you,
then a marvelous thing happens: we have a community where everyone is looked up to, and
no one is looked down on.”
Guy’s that is true unity! So what kind of church do we all want to be apart of? We all come from
different churches, how do you want this one to be? Do we want that same type of attitude that Paul
and Guzik speak of to be the standard for our church? Where no one is looked down on and all
are looked up to BECAUSE
* No matter how many potlucks we have* No matter how many band of brothers events we have* No matter how many ladies events we have* No matter how many moms and kids events we have* No matter how many boxes of cereal we go through
No matter how many opportunities church leadership puts in place to promote unity
and fellowship, unity still depends on each of us as individuals first… all individual members
of this one body…
Is the job of unity only Zach’s? No… The role of leadership is to protect unity. You and I
have to make it happen! We could have 1,000 events every week, and it wouldn’t matter if
nobody showed up! If you consider yourself a part of Calvary316, then you have a role to fill…
a responsibility to make unity happen… To do that, you have to:
1) Take your eyes off yourself…2) Look to others…
You have to place yourself at the bottom…And this is something we all have to do… Unity takes an
effort from all of us… Just as the great Albus Dumbledore from J.K Rowling’s Harry Potter said, “We
are only as strong as we are united, as weak as we are divided.” None of us can do this alone.So, here is
what we have so far… POINT 1) Humility takes first a complete removal of self, and POINT 2) the end
result is a life focused on others… But how do we get from point one to point two? How do we get past
our prideful nature that is deeply built into each of us? The answer is found in our 3rd and final point
on humility, which is found in the only Man who lived with perfect humility. .
Philippians 2:5-11 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given
Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Paul turns our attention to Jesus, the ultimate example of humility. As followers of Jesus,
we are called to emulate Christ in all parts of our lives, so it is important to see the humility of
Jesus and hold it as the example we strive to reflect. For…
* If there was anybody that walked in lowliness of mind, it was Jesus.
* If there was anybody that put away selfish ambition, it was Jesus.
* If there was anybody that esteemed others better than Himself, it was Jesus.
Jesus was God, but humbly stripped Himself of the advantages of being God. He made Himself of no
reputation. The word translated "made" literally means "emptied." Jesus emptied Himself of His divine
advantages as God. He laid aside the privileges of being God. When Jesus became a man He didn't stop
being God though, for He was still fully God and fully man.
Yet, consider how humble this act is… Jesus went from being fully God in all of His glory
and power, to adding humanity to Himself… making Him just like us, open to influence from a
sinful world…
And Jesus didn’t come to rule as a King, but He came to serve! Jesus said of Himself in
Matthew 20, “the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve”
He came to teach, to lead… He came to wash the feet of the disciples…
Jesus came to die… To pay the price for our mistakes and failures… To give up His life for
us! To suffer painfully for us, in our place… where we should’ve paid the price for our sins. But
Jesus humbly gave His life for us so that we may have freedom and salvation… His death on
the cross is the peak of His humility.
In Jesus, this is what humility truly looks like… And because this is in Jesus it needs to
be found in us! We need to sacrifice self for the benefit of others as He did. Humility has
nothing to do with self, and everything to do with others! Jesus lived and died and rose for
OTHERS…
But how do I do it? How in the world can I take my selfish eyes off
me for even a moment? How can I have an others-centered heart like
Jesus?
The answer is actually found in the relationship between Jesus and God the Father
during His ministry. In the gospel of John, we are given great insight into this relationship. We
find that the humility of Jesus is built upon His total reliance upon God the Father. We finally
now have our 3rd and final point right here:
3) Humility requires a total dependence on God. . .
Here’s a few things Jesus said of His dependence on the Father all from the book of
John… now I’m not going to read them all, but they are all listed on c316.tv if you want the
references…
* John 5:19 - “The Son can do nothing by Himself”
* John 5:30 – “By Myself I can do nothing; I judge only as I hear, and My judgment is just, for I seek not to please Myself but Him who sent me”
* John 7:16 – “My teaching is not My own”* John 7:28 – “I am not here on My own”* John 8:28 – “I do nothing on My own”* John 8:42 – “I have not come on My own; but He sent Me”* John 8:50 – “I am not seeking glory for Myself”* John 14:10 – “The words I say to you are not just My own”* John 14:24 – These words you hear are not My own”
Does this not just blow you away?! Each of these statements from Jesus is delivered
with such a humble heart. In all nine statements given, there is either the word “not” or the
word “nothing”. As theologian Andrew Murray, simply yet eloquently said, “He was nothing
that God might be all. He resigned Himself to the Father’s will and power that the Father might
work through Him. Jesus said, I am nothing, and He is all. And because Christ humbled Himself
before God, He found it possible to humble Himself before men, too, and to be the Servant of
all.”
Do you know why we have such a hard time with humility? It’s because we are so quick
to overlook this one key point: Before your life can be others-centered, it needs
to first be Jesus-centered…
We need to follow in the example of Jesus and say, I am nothing, and He is all. Here is
the ultimate definition of humility… Humility is the simple consent of man to let God be all, it
is the surrender of man to His working alone. (Murray) It is emptying yourself so that you may
be completely filled only with Jesus… Humility requires a total dependence on God…
ONLY THEN, once you have let God be all in your life, as a result you will naturally take
your eyes off yourself, just as Jesus did. You will naturally be others-centered, just as Jesus
was. You will naturally be a servant, just as Jesus was. You will naturally sacrifice anything of
yours for others, just as Jesus did…
Now as we close, let’s turn back to the tale of the old man and the bundle of sticks.
Three of the four sons failed to break the bundle of sticks for it was too strong bound together.
Yet the youngest son was smart enough to pull out each stick from the bundle and break
them, one by one. Unbound, the sticks were weak.
In the same way, all of us are merely sticks. On our own, there is nothing stopping us
from being broken. We are weak on our own. There is an enemy who is out to get us, ready to
break us into pieces… Therefore in order to be made strong and to stand against the enemy,
we need to be bound together in unity. Yet unity is only possible in our bundle here, if we all
as individual sticks hold fast to humility. Humility rooted in Jesus. Humility in all of us, is the
string that ties this bundle together.
So maybe this morning you are on the fringe, you can’t say you have a bundle, a church
body to call home, I must warn you that are in danger of being broken. We have an enemy
that is real and you aren’t going to be able to fight alone for long. We don’t have a calling for
unity as Christians just so that we can build a strong church… Instead we have a calling for
unity in order to build strong Christians! Our unity as one body, makes us individually stronger
too! It’s a support system that promotes growth in each of our walks with God…
Or if you here this morning consider Calvary316 to be your bundle, your church body,
are you then going to fulfill your call to unity? Are you going to bring strength to our body
through humility, by letting go of yourself and preferring others? Or are you going to sickness
and weakness to our bundle by pride? The job is ours. We all have a responsibility that can’t
be taken lightly… How much longer are you going to remain a lone stick, bound to be broken?
Remember, the core of unity demands an effort from all of us. We each have a
responsibility, as Christians, to work in unity with one another, with the humility of Jesus as
our foundation…