THE GOSPEL OF
CHRIST
SPREADING THE SOUL-SAVING MESSAGE OF JESUs
(Chapter 2)
Introduction by narrator accompanied by a cappella singing:
THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST. Spreading the soul-saving message of Jesus. And now, Timothy Sparks and Ben Bailey.
Ben Bailey:
“Let each of you look out not only for his own interest, but also for the interest of others” (Phil. 2:4). I’m Ben Bailey.
Timothy Sparks:
And I’m Timothy Sparks. Welcome to our study of the Book
of Philippians. This message is brought to you by loving, caring members of the
churches of Christ. We invite you to attend the
In Philippians 2, we learn about “the mind of Christ,” and about what it means to have the mind that Christ possessed.
Ben Bailey:
If we possess “the mind of Christ,” it means that we have a submissive mind. It means that we are willing to humble ourselves and do away with pride and self-worth, and think about how we can be used in God’s service. Paul said in Philippians 2:5, “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.” The Bible tells us that Christ even died a death upon the cross for each one of us. Thus, “having the mind of Christ” means that we have a submissive, humble attitude. I think it’s important to understand the context in which Paul said this. In Philippians 2:1-4, Paul was offering some strong encouragement to help the Christians be unified and be able to work together “with one mind.” Paul didn’t want them to be doing what they were doing from selfish ambition. He didn’t want them look out for only their interests, but instead to look out for the interests of others. There might have been some people who didn’t get along, or people who didn’t like each other. Maybe some of them were interested only in self-promotion. Thus Paul, in trying to bring them back to “conduct worthy of the Gospel,” tells them, “you’ve got to be like Christ.”
Timothy Sparks:
Paul instructs them to esteem others better than themselves.
So many times, the world around us wants to influence us, wants to squeeze us
into its mold, and wants us to have a “dog-eat-dog” attitude. In chapter 1,
Paul had dealt with those who were acting from impure motives. Now, Paul tells
the Christians at
Ben Bailey:
Indeed it does. We frequently see in our modern world that
people have a question printed on their t-shirt, or they wear wristbands that
ask, “What would Jesus do?” That’s a good question. But sometimes it becomes
more of a fad than it does a fact of life. We need to realize that we have to put
the fact of Jesus in our lives. Whatever I do in life, I must possess
the mind of Christ (the attitude of Christ). Before I do anything, I ought to
ask the question, “What would Jesus do if He were in my situation?” If Jesus
were about to face the trial I’m about to face, or if Jesus were about to be
tempted in the way I’m about to be tempted, what would my Lord and Savior do?
How would He respond to this temptation,
trial, or difficulty I’m enduring? We must follow His example, because He
provides the perfect example. He never sinned or committed guile (1 Pet. 2:22).
Peter says that because this is true, we, therefore, should “follow His steps.”
We must follow in Christ’s footsteps and strive to be like Him. A grand scene
is seen in Revelation 14. The redeemed are standing on
Timothy Sparks:
In Philippians 2:9-11, Paul says, “Therefore God has highly exalted Him, and given Him a name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those in Heaven and those on Earth, and those under the Earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Everyone has a responsibility to believe in, and confess, Christ as God’s Son. We are amenable to the Law of Christ. God is not going to force us against our will. Come the Day of Judgment, there are not going to be any atheists. There may be atheists in this life, but when it’s all said and done, every knee will bow, and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord—to the glory of God the Father. We have a great privilege in this life to not only come to know that Jesus is Lord, but also to have Him as the Lord of our lives. When we talk about the humility and the exaltation of Christ, I’m reminded of 2 Corinthians 8:9, “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became a beggar, that you through his poverty might become rich.” Jesus left Heaven and became poor so that we, though we’re paupers and beggars, can become rich by having the hope of living where He is—in Heaven. I’m also reminded of two great Gospel songs that Christians often sing—“Out of the ivory palaces, into a world of woe, only His great eternal love made my Savior go,” and “In loving kindness Jesus came, my soul and mercy to reclaim, and from the depths of sin and shame, through grace He lifted me.” This is what Jesus has done for us. Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 9:15, “Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift.” Thanks, indeed!
Ben Bailey:
Since we are to have the mind of Christ, and since we are
all one day going to confess Christ as Lord, Paul’s point is, “Get it right—now, while you have a chance.” In verse
12, he says exactly this thing. “Therefore, as you have always obeyed my voice…work
out your own salvation with fear and trembling.” Remember that Paul is writing
to Christians who’ve already been saved. They are in the church, and they are
part of God’s family. He says to these Christians, “just as you’ve always
obeyed…,work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.” It’s a very
important verse for us to understand. It implies that we can lose our salvation, and that we must be ever persistent in making
sure we stay in the right path. It’s evident that a Christian can fall away. In Galatians 5:4, Paul wrote
to Christians who had already fallen from grace. Paul doesn’t want the
Christians in
Timothy Sparks:
Paul says in Philippians 2:14 that we are to “do all
things without complaining and disputing.” We might ask, “Are you humbly grateful,
or are you grumbly hateful?” We’re to do all things without complaining or
disputing. And Paul is going to stress throughout the Book of Philippians (as well as other letters he writes) that in everything, we
are to give thanks. Paul is telling the Christians at
Ben Bailey:
It all comes back to evangelism. We do the things we do because we are interested in the souls of others. Why did Jesus empty Himself? Why did He die on the cross? Luke 19:10 tells us Jesus came “to seek and save that which is lost.” We therefore try to do what we can for the cause of Christ—without grumbling or complaining (Phil. 2:14-15). We are to live as a good example so that others can see Christ in us. Acts 4 is a perfect example of this. Peter and John were told not to speak in the name of Jesus, and then they were asked, “By what authority do you do these things?” Peter responded by saying, in regard to Christ, “Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). Acts 4:13 tells us that when the Jewish leaders realized that these untrained and uneducated men had been with Jesus, then they understood! Can people see that in our lives? Can they realize that “we’ve been with the Savior”? Can they see that we are trying to follow His example, that we’re really living the way that He wants us to live? This is why Paul encourages us, to walk “worthy of the Gospel” (Phil. 1:27) by living like Christ and by having the attitude of Christ—which is an humble, submissive, and even a sacrificial attitude. Are we willing to give up things for the Gospel of Christ? Do we really sacrifice on behalf of Christ and His kingdom? Too many times, life is all about us. We learn from 1 Corinthians 6 that our life has been given to Christ. We are no longer ours; rather, we have been “bought with a price” (1 Cor. 6:20). Thus, Paul says, “Glorify God in your body and your spirit, which are God’s.” We belong to Christ. We ought to sacrifice whatever it takes so we can gain Heaven. All of this again is working ultimately toward our salvation. So ask yourself: If you died right now, is your salvation such that you would go to Heaven? Have you “worked out your own salvation”? Do you know with certainty that you would go to Heaven?
Timothy Sparks:
As we look at Philippians 2:14-15, we see that Paul says, “Do all things without complaining or disputing, that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world.” Paul is saying: You are the children of God. You are the ones who live holy, dedicated lives. And although you are in a wicked world in which there’s darkness, you nevertheless must penetrate that darkness and exert a great influence. You must dispel that darkness, because you shine as lights in this world. This might remind us of what Jesus said in Matthew 5:16, “Let your light so shine before people that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father in Heaven.” In Philippians 2:16, Paul urges Christians to “hold forth the word of life.” Christians are to do this because only the Word of God can bring life. Jesus said, “I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly” (Jn. 10:10). Paul himself spoke about “the hope of eternal life, which God, Who cannot lie, promised before time began” (Tit. 1:2). Christians must “hold forth the word of life,” because it is what leads to a home in Heaven.
Ben Bailey:
In John 6, Jesus made some difficult statements. He told His disciples that they would have to consume His whole being into their life. They would have eat His flesh and drink His blood. He wasn’t speaking literally, of course, but figuratively. His disciples would have to “consume His very being,” and then exhibit it in their own lives. These comments by the Lord represented some difficult concepts. John 6:62-66 tells us that some of the disciples “walked with the Lord no more.” Some of them gave up, because they felt it was just too hard. Then, Jesus immediately turned to the rest of the disciples and said, “Will you also go away now?” Peter responded by saying, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of life (vs.68). We today must realize that Jesus alone has “the words of life.” Jesus said in John 14:6, “I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the father except by Me.” If you want to have eternal life, there is only one source to Whom you can go—Jesus Christ. There aren’t a thousand different ways to salvation. It is not the case that you can figure out one way, while someone else can do it another way. Jesus is the only way to salvation. The writer of the Book of Hebrews tells us, “He is the author of salvation to all who obey Him” (Heb. 5:8-9). He is the Author of our salvation. He is the One Who originated it, and He alone has the right to tell us what we must do. As we think about this idea of “having the mind of Christ,” we see Paul saying, in essence, “I want to tell you about looking out, not just for your own interests, but also for the interests of others.” In Philippians 2:19, Paul gives us an example of someone who did exactly that.
Timothy Sparks:
In Philippians 2:17, Paul tells the Christians, “If I am being poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I am glad and will rejoice with you all.” Then he tells us about Timothy. The name Timothy means “dear to God” or “an honor to God.” Paul tells the Christians that he had no one else like Timothy who would sincerely care for them. Paul tells the Christians about what a faithful companion and faithful servant of the Lord young Timothy had been. When Paul wrote the Books of 1 and 2 Timothy, this is the Timothy whom Paul was addressing. Notice what a great statement the apostle makes concerning Timothy when he says, “I have no one likeminded, who will sincerely care for your state” (vs. 20). We need more Christians like Timothy—Christians who have that same loving care and concern, and who are willing to work as Paul and Timothy did on behalf of the Lord’s church.
Ben Bailey:
Paul says of Timothy, “For all seek their own, not the
things which are of Christ Jesus. But you know his proven character, that as a
son with his father he served
with me in the gospel” (vs. 21). Paul’s point was that Timothy was not like a
lot of people who are out to seek only their own gain. Timothy had proven
himself to be a faithful servant—to Paul and to Christ. Timothy is a perfect
example of someone who “had the mind of Christ.” He wasn’t out for personal
gain. He simply wanted to serve Christ by serving others through the
presentation of the Gospel of Christ. Timothy accompanied Paul on several of
his journeys, and likely was even imprisoned. Timothy is a classic example of a
faithful servant of God. We need to ask ourselves: Are we like Timothy? Ask yourself right now: What are you really seeking in life? Are you out for
personal gain, or is it your goal to promote the cause of Christ? Jesus said in
Matthew 6:33, “Seek first the
Timothy Sparks:
In Philippians 2:25, Paul tells us about Epaphroditus,
whom he calls “my brother.” Christians are brothers and sisters in Christ. This
is a very close bond, which once again should remind us of one of Paul’s themes
in the Book of Philippians—unity. Paul calls Epaphroditus,
“my brother.” This carries with it the concept that they were united as family,
without any division among them. However, Paul says that Epaphroditus is not
only my brother, but also my fellow worker. Paul, also refers to Epaphroditus as
“a fellow soldier.” Paul used such imagery—which brings to mind a soldier’s
trials—when he said toward the end of his life, “I have fought a good fight, I
have finished the course, I have kept the faith. Therefore, there is laid up
for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord the Righteous Judge will give
to me on that day, and not to me only, but also to all those who love His
appearing” (2 Tim. 4:6-8). Peter (whom Paul had publicly rebuked for hypocrisy)
referred to Paul as “our beloved brother” (2 Pet. 3:15-16). This is an
endearing term. We need to be in Christ, and when are, then we are fellow
brothers and sisters, fellow workers, and fellow soldiers. Paul also reminded
the Christians at
Ben Bailey:
We today cannot have “the mind of Christ” without obeying the will of Christ. Today, if you’re not a Christian, Philippians 2 appeals to you—to humble yourself and submit to God’s will. Believe in Jesus as the Son of God. Believe so much that you are willing to change your life from sin and turn to Christ, confess Him as the Savior of your life, and be baptized for the forgiveness of you sins.
As always, today’s lesson is
brought to you by loving, caring members of the
Narrator accompanied by a cappella singing:
THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST is brought to you by loving, caring members of the church of Christ. The McLish Avenue church of Christ in Ardmore, Oklahoma, oversees this evangelistic effort. For a free CD or DVD of today’s broadcast, please write to:
THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST
You may call 580-223-3289. Please visit us on the
web at www.thegospelofchrist.com.
We encourage you to attend the
1. Explain the meaning of Paul’s statement in Philippians 2:5, “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.”
2. In Psalm 45:8,17, the writer speaks of someone who left “the ivory palaces,” and of whom it was said, “I will make Your name to be remembered in all generations; Therefore the people shall praise You forever and ever.” To whom is this referring?
3. What is the message of Philippians 2:7 (“but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men”).
4. How does Philippians 2:7 apply to us today?
5. Paul wrote in 1 Timothy 2:5, “There is one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus.” What is the meaning of his phrase “the Man Christ Jesus”?
6. Philippians 2:8 tells us that Christ was obedient in a certain way. What was it?
7. According to 1 Peter 2:22, Jesus possessed a unique trait. What was that trait?
8. In Matthew 5:17-18, Jesus’ relationship to the Old Law is discussed. What was that relationship?
9. Explain the meaning of Philippians 2:9-11.
10. Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 8:9 that “you, through His poverty, might become rich.” Explain how this applies to Christians today.
11. What is the meaning of Paul’s statement in Philippians 2:12, “Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling”?
12. To whom was Paul writing in Galatians 5:4? What is the message of that passage for Christians today?
13. According to 1 Peter 1:9, what is the “goal” of the Christian’s faith?
14. Explain Paul’s statement in Ephesians 2:10 “(“For we are His workmanship created in Christ for good works”).
15. What is the connection between 1 Corinthians 6:20 and Philippians 1:27?
16. Explain the relationship between Paul’s comments in Philippians 2:14-15 and Christ’s statement in Matthew 5:16.
17. Who, according to Philippians 2:19, did Paul consider a good example of someone who possessed “the mind of Christ”?
THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST,