WEBVTT 00:00:00.160 --> 00:00:02.319 Welcome to the Awakening Church podcast. 00:00:02.479 --> 00:00:07.040 We pray this message encourages you and provides the hope and light of Jesus Christ. 00:00:07.200 --> 00:00:08.640 Thanks for tuning in. 00:00:19.280 --> 00:00:21.039 It is great to be at Awakening. 00:00:21.120 --> 00:00:28.079 We're going to start a two-part series called The Theology of Jesus, who He Is, and Why It Matter. 00:00:28.320 --> 00:00:32.240 And if you think theology, you know, various backgrounds. 00:00:32.320 --> 00:00:33.280 I didn't grow up in the church. 00:00:33.359 --> 00:00:34.880 I'd never opened the Bible. 00:00:35.200 --> 00:00:38.799 Think of lots of other words like geology, right? 00:00:39.119 --> 00:00:42.240 Ology study earth or sociology. 00:00:42.560 --> 00:00:45.520 Theology is the study of God. 00:00:46.159 --> 00:00:53.280 And we spent this year at Awakening examining the life and the teachings of Jesus. 00:00:53.520 --> 00:01:00.079 And so what I wanted to do this week and next week was to do a theology, the study of God. 00:01:00.240 --> 00:01:02.640 In fact, we might even be more specific. 00:01:02.719 --> 00:01:05.920 It'd be called Christology, a study of Jesus. 00:01:06.319 --> 00:01:10.719 Who is he, according to his greatest disciple? 00:01:10.879 --> 00:01:12.640 And that's the Apostle Paul. 00:01:12.879 --> 00:01:22.879 And the Apostle Paul happened to be, he wrote 13 of the New Testament books, had this radical conversion, but prior to that was a Jew among Jews. 00:01:23.760 --> 00:01:36.000 Secular historian Will Durant, probably the biggest picture, he wrote the whole history, he says the Apostle Paul was the greatest intellect and the greatest mind of the first century. 00:01:36.239 --> 00:01:46.799 And so you have this person steeped in Judaism, you have this great intellect, and then you have him being the one to take the gospel to the Gentiles or non-Jews. 00:01:47.040 --> 00:02:01.840 And sometimes when you study theology, the basic way, if you've been to Bible school or seminary, is they take these very key passages about Christ and you study each one of them, and then you make principles of them, and it's a really good study. 00:02:02.239 --> 00:02:04.079 But we're not going to do it that way. 00:02:04.799 --> 00:02:16.400 What I've learned is each time the scripture teaches us about who God is, and specifically Jesus, it's in a context. 00:02:16.719 --> 00:02:20.400 In other words, there were some problems, there were some struggles. 00:02:21.199 --> 00:02:23.599 People were getting persecuted by the government. 00:02:23.840 --> 00:02:25.120 Life was changing. 00:02:25.439 --> 00:02:28.800 They had a lot of conflict within. 00:02:34.479 --> 00:02:37.759 Jews hated Gentiles, Gentiles hated Jews. 00:02:37.919 --> 00:02:46.240 The ethnic issues, I mean, it was on steroids the kind of problems inside the church and externally. 00:02:46.479 --> 00:02:57.919 And yet it was that group of people that when they understood who Jesus was and what he did, and as they each began to follow him, their world changed because they changed. 00:02:58.159 --> 00:03:00.479 And so we're going to look at the Philippians chapter 2. 00:03:00.560 --> 00:03:02.400 You want to go ahead and open your Bibles. 00:03:02.639 --> 00:03:06.479 And Paul finds himself historically in a real dilemma. 00:03:06.800 --> 00:03:09.759 There's some notes, I really encourage you to pull those out. 00:03:09.840 --> 00:03:10.879 I'll use them. 00:03:11.599 --> 00:03:14.000 And he's in prison for what? 00:03:14.240 --> 00:03:15.439 Talking about Jesus. 00:03:15.680 --> 00:03:17.120 It's 62 A.D. 00:03:17.759 --> 00:03:23.120 Nero will take over very shortly, if it's not a persecution like never before. 00:03:23.360 --> 00:03:29.520 About 49 A.D., there was another emperor who literally persecuted and dispersed all the Jews. 00:03:29.680 --> 00:03:37.520 And so Paul ends up on a missionary journey and he goes down by a I don't know where the river was, and there was a lady named Lydia. 00:03:37.759 --> 00:03:43.680 And he shares that Jesus is the hope of the world, and Lydia comes to know Jesus and invites Paul into her home. 00:03:43.840 --> 00:03:47.840 And as he does that, the kind of the whole, this is a Roman colony. 00:03:47.919 --> 00:03:50.960 I mean, this is like they've got geographical arrogance. 00:03:51.280 --> 00:03:55.599 We're a colony, we're Roman citizens, we have the same rights, all this stuff. 00:03:55.759 --> 00:04:04.159 And so when Paul starts to talk about Jesus being this other Lord, at that point Caesar was being demanded to be called Lord or God. 00:04:04.800 --> 00:04:06.319 So things are getting bad. 00:04:06.400 --> 00:04:08.400 He ends up in prison with Silas. 00:04:08.639 --> 00:04:19.120 They start to pray, they start to sing, the earth shakes, there's an earthquake, the bar doors come open, and this little church in Philippi starts to grow and make a difference. 00:04:19.360 --> 00:04:21.279 And so Paul's writing a letter to thank him. 00:04:21.360 --> 00:04:25.680 They gave him a financial gift through one of their church members Epaphroditus. 00:04:26.160 --> 00:04:30.319 And he finds himself in prison, and there's two things going on. 00:04:30.639 --> 00:04:37.040 And we're going to look at the passage that is most central, the big word incarnation, in the flesh. 00:04:37.360 --> 00:04:40.000 God in the flesh, who is Jesus? 00:04:40.160 --> 00:04:44.720 The clearest New Testament passage, Philippians 2, verses 5 through 11. 00:04:44.959 --> 00:04:53.839 But it comes out of a context where here he is in prison, and what he knows is they get extreme pressure from the government and persecution. 00:04:54.000 --> 00:04:57.839 And he happens to know they got some conflict inside the church. 00:04:57.920 --> 00:04:59.759 Some people are not getting along. 00:05:00.000 --> 00:05:01.360 A lot of disunity. 00:05:01.519 --> 00:05:07.920 And so he shares with them that his circumstances, even though they think it's really bad, you know, God's going to use it for good. 00:05:08.000 --> 00:05:09.519 And he has this dilemma. 00:05:09.759 --> 00:05:16.959 And his dilemma, chained to this guard, is okay, there's a good chance I'm going to die. 00:05:17.120 --> 00:05:20.480 They're going to kill me for following Jesus and preaching. 00:05:20.879 --> 00:05:23.759 But maybe not, and maybe I'll live a little bit longer. 00:05:23.920 --> 00:05:25.040 And so follow along. 00:05:25.199 --> 00:05:37.360 I want you to get the context because what we're going to study is not just about academically understanding Jesus is fully God, fully man, without confusion. 00:05:38.560 --> 00:05:41.040 It's changed the course of history. 00:05:41.439 --> 00:05:47.199 That truth comes out of a time where people are trying to figure out how do you do life. 00:05:47.439 --> 00:05:48.720 Here's his dilemma. 00:05:48.879 --> 00:06:06.800 He says, I know that it'll turn out for my deliverance through your prayers and the provision of the Spirit of Christ, according to my earnest expectation and hope, that I shall not be put to shame in anything, but that with all boldness Christ even now is always shall be exalted in my body, whether by life or death. 00:06:06.959 --> 00:06:07.839 Now listen to this. 00:06:08.079 --> 00:06:11.600 For me to live is Christ and to die is gain. 00:06:12.720 --> 00:06:14.079 Now think of that. 00:06:14.319 --> 00:06:16.879 If I get killed, great, gain. 00:06:17.120 --> 00:06:21.120 If I keep on living, actually, that'll be good too. 00:06:21.360 --> 00:06:22.000 Well, why? 00:06:22.240 --> 00:06:28.959 He says, I'm hard pressed from both directions, having the desire to part and be with Christ, for that is very much better. 00:06:29.120 --> 00:06:32.399 Yet to remain on in the flesh is more necessary for your sake. 00:06:32.639 --> 00:06:43.600 Convinced of this, I know that I'll remain on, continue with you for your progress and joy in the faith, so that your proud confidence in me may abound in Christ Jesus through my coming to you again. 00:06:43.839 --> 00:06:48.240 So basically what he says is, you know, I've been torn inside, I've been praying about it. 00:06:48.319 --> 00:06:48.959 Am I gonna die? 00:06:49.040 --> 00:06:49.759 Am I gonna live? 00:06:49.920 --> 00:06:54.560 If I die, how many Christians have you met who said, it'd be better to die sooner? 00:06:55.680 --> 00:06:59.600 That's how clear he was on who Jesus was, the reality of heaven. 00:06:59.759 --> 00:07:02.319 And to live, there's only one purpose. 00:07:02.480 --> 00:07:05.040 I live for him, he lives his life through me. 00:07:05.199 --> 00:07:10.399 And then he gives him this command only conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. 00:07:10.560 --> 00:07:10.959 Why? 00:07:11.199 --> 00:07:27.680 So that whether I come see you or remain absent, I can hear that you're 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. 00:07:27.920 --> 00:07:31.199 Notice these early on pounding about unity. 00:07:31.360 --> 00:07:37.360 And then here's a couple verses that a lot of Christians, we, you know, this is a little different from American Christianity. 00:07:37.600 --> 00:07:39.120 For to you it has been granted. 00:07:39.199 --> 00:07:40.959 This word granted means grace. 00:07:41.199 --> 00:07:42.720 Like God has given a gift. 00:07:42.959 --> 00:07:54.560 Not only for Christ's sake, to believe in him, but also to suffer for his sake, experiencing the same conflict which you saw in me, and now here to be in me. 00:07:54.800 --> 00:08:03.199 So he says, you have this gift in a this little time thing called time for all eternity, not just to believe, but you get to suffer for him. 00:08:05.439 --> 00:08:07.680 I don't the where's where's the raw? 00:08:07.759 --> 00:08:08.959 Where's the yeah? 00:08:09.120 --> 00:08:11.920 Hey! See, we don't think that way. 00:08:12.240 --> 00:08:22.160 It reminds me of a dilemma that uh a young man, you know, everyone's starting to look like a young man to me, but he's 32-ish, maybe 33. 00:08:22.480 --> 00:08:23.519 I'm in Germany. 00:08:23.600 --> 00:08:25.519 This is uh 10 days ago. 00:08:25.680 --> 00:08:36.080 Uh we partner with a group called Steiger, then in a hundred major cities around the world, and they reach the global youth that is literally far, far from God, would never walk into a church. 00:08:36.240 --> 00:08:53.279 They do outdoor drama, they go to gay pride parades, they um uh where there's riots, they go, they have a heavy metal band that does concerts and and talks about the angst that's in life, they share Jesus, they pray for people, and God does miraculous things through them. 00:08:53.440 --> 00:09:02.320 And we partner with them, and I went to, they bring their staff from all around the world, and I spent a week doing some teaching all morning and uh getting to know them. 00:09:02.399 --> 00:09:09.600 Then we would meet with all their international teams from all the different countries and just kind of talk about strategy and how we can work together. 00:09:09.919 --> 00:09:16.000 So we're there all week, and uh it's an amazing group of people, all very, very, very young. 00:09:16.240 --> 00:09:22.559 All, if you saw any of them on the streets, you would probably not pick them out as followers of Jesus. 00:09:22.720 --> 00:09:27.919 They came out from the streets, so they look like people have been on the streets. 00:09:28.320 --> 00:09:34.320 And um, a young man, I'll call him Uri in case this would ever get into Russia or Belarus. 00:09:34.480 --> 00:09:52.720 Uh, Uri had the number one band in Russia uh a number of years ago, and um had had a contract to do a world tour here in America, and he was a believer, and uh, you know, much like a couple popular bands, at the end of his uh big concerts, fill stadiums, everything, he would share his relationship with Jesus. 00:09:52.799 --> 00:09:56.960 He met Steiger, went to their mission school for about three or four months. 00:09:57.120 --> 00:10:06.399 God did something in his heart, and since then he has been full board with how do I reach the global youth in Russia and all Russian-speaking countries. 00:10:06.720 --> 00:10:12.480 And um, they just passed a law in because of the war with Ukraine in Belarus now. 00:10:12.639 --> 00:10:18.960 If two people are caught reading the Bible outside of a church building mandatory, three years in prison. 00:10:19.200 --> 00:10:23.279 Uh, he happens to be a leader, so his would be much more years. 00:10:23.519 --> 00:10:33.360 And three of his team, just I mean, sounded like eight or nine weeks ago, three of his team were caught outdoor sharing their faith, three years in prison, they're in prison now. 00:10:33.519 --> 00:10:45.360 And I had taught kind of all morning, and you know, sometimes when you teach the Bible and you know you're older, he thought I had a lot more wisdom than I obviously do. 00:10:45.600 --> 00:10:48.480 And he said, Chip, I know you have the answer to this. 00:10:48.559 --> 00:10:49.519 Can I ask you a question? 00:10:49.679 --> 00:10:50.720 I said, Sure, Yuri. 00:10:51.200 --> 00:10:59.200 He said, I have three small kids, and um I lead the ministry in Belarus but all of Russia, and he gave us some specifics. 00:10:59.440 --> 00:11:02.559 And he said, Um, I just don't know where to draw the line. 00:11:02.720 --> 00:11:03.840 I said, What do you mean? 00:11:04.080 --> 00:11:15.759 He said, Well, if I keep doing what I'm doing, especially how we're doing it, I'll get arrested and I'll get a minimum of three to ten years, and my my children won't have a father, and the ministry won't have a leader. 00:11:16.240 --> 00:11:23.120 But I'm commanded and I long and I want to share the gospel, and so what should I do? 00:11:24.320 --> 00:11:40.480 Should I do that and trust that God will be a good father to my children and lead the ministry through someone else somewhere, or should I figure out a different way and I'm gonna teach the passage rather than tell you what I told him? 00:11:41.840 --> 00:11:52.960 And what I'd like you to think about is not just what you would tell him, but what do you see how that reframes your faith? 00:11:53.919 --> 00:11:55.759 I was supposed to go there to help them. 00:11:55.919 --> 00:12:02.320 I came away with whoa, gosh, Jesus isn't just a little part of your life. 00:12:02.399 --> 00:12:06.480 It's not just like, you know, I hope he'll really help me, etc., etc. 00:12:06.960 --> 00:12:15.679 And so what I want you to get, if you got your Bible with you, let's let's look at Paul's plea first for missional unity. 00:12:15.840 --> 00:12:39.120 He picks it up, and in verse uh one and two, he's gonna say to them, in light of the external problems and especially the internal ones, he says, if therefore there's any encouragement of Christ, of course there is, any consolation of love, any fellowship of the Spirit, or any affection and compassion, make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintain the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose. 00:12:39.200 --> 00:12:39.840 Do you hear that? 00:12:40.000 --> 00:12:41.679 Same, same, united, one. 00:12:41.840 --> 00:12:45.519 In other words, there's problems in the church, and he's trying to, hey, you know what? 00:12:45.600 --> 00:12:49.039 We're gonna learn chapter four, there's a couple ladies that are at each other. 00:12:49.759 --> 00:12:54.320 And this is what happens in families, in networks, and at work, and at churches. 00:12:54.480 --> 00:13:02.000 When two people with strong personalities and are leaders, here's what happens: one of the leaders goes over here and talks to her friends or his friends. 00:13:02.159 --> 00:13:03.759 You know, can you believe what they're doing here? 00:13:03.919 --> 00:13:06.000 Can you, you know, my supervisor, is he a jerk? 00:13:06.080 --> 00:13:06.639 I mean, right? 00:13:06.720 --> 00:13:10.960 And you get a bunch of people, or you know, my husband, you know, like you go have coffee with some friends. 00:13:11.200 --> 00:13:13.440 Just, I mean, what a jerk, and he's doing this. 00:13:13.519 --> 00:13:20.399 And then over here she's talking about, you know, my wife, or you know, you know, you know, at church, you know, I'm in the small group and so and so. 00:13:20.559 --> 00:13:33.600 And so we get a bunch of people that'll agree with us to attack them, and they get a bunch of people to agree with them, and it happens at work, it happens in churches, it happens in groups, and it's toxic. 00:13:35.120 --> 00:13:38.960 And Paul understands there's a lot on the line. 00:13:41.360 --> 00:13:43.919 He's wondering whether he's gonna live or die. 00:13:44.399 --> 00:13:50.399 He's met the risen Christ, he understands God's agenda, and he understands this can't happen. 00:13:51.120 --> 00:13:53.679 And so his first appeal is positive. 00:13:54.000 --> 00:13:56.320 Think about how much love you've experienced. 00:13:56.480 --> 00:13:58.000 Think of what God's done in your life. 00:13:58.240 --> 00:14:01.200 Think of the fellowship and the connection you've had with people. 00:14:02.240 --> 00:14:08.960 And then the command is hey, people, other-centered relationships. 00:14:09.200 --> 00:14:11.360 You gotta focus on other people. 00:14:11.600 --> 00:14:15.279 You gotta not think about yourself, don't go down this path. 00:14:15.600 --> 00:14:20.000 And then he gives the command in verse three and four about how. 00:14:20.159 --> 00:14:30.559 He states it negatively in verse three do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind, let each of you regard one another as more important than himself. 00:14:30.639 --> 00:14:34.240 Literally, it's stop being selfish. 00:14:35.039 --> 00:14:39.840 See, at the heart of relational problems is selfishness. 00:14:40.080 --> 00:14:46.080 I'm selfish, you're selfish, in this church, they're selfish, at work, people are selfish. 00:14:46.240 --> 00:14:51.759 And I mean, we cover it like, you know, I want my way on my terms, on my timing. 00:14:52.000 --> 00:14:54.480 I think my perspective is the perspective. 00:14:54.639 --> 00:14:55.759 Any of you like that? 00:14:56.080 --> 00:14:58.639 There's a problem, you think this is what he ought to do. 00:14:58.879 --> 00:15:03.200 This is what's right, this is what's wrong, and all of a sudden you're the expert. 00:15:04.159 --> 00:15:13.440 And so we we think people are less than, less intellectual, you know, less wisdom, less loving. 00:15:13.840 --> 00:15:18.240 And so he says to them, stop being selfish. 00:15:18.480 --> 00:15:20.320 Do nothing from selfishness. 00:15:20.559 --> 00:15:22.879 And then the next word is empty conceit. 00:15:23.600 --> 00:15:28.480 You know, sometimes you read that old King James Bible and you think, man, I'm alive, who can understand that? 00:15:28.720 --> 00:15:35.120 The translation in that old Bible is do nothing from selfishness or from vain glory. 00:15:35.279 --> 00:15:36.799 It's a very good translation. 00:15:37.200 --> 00:15:39.279 You know what vain glory is? 00:15:40.559 --> 00:15:41.440 Look at me. 00:15:42.000 --> 00:15:43.039 Look at me. 00:15:43.279 --> 00:15:44.480 Aren't I wonderful? 00:15:44.639 --> 00:15:46.080 Look at how many likes I have. 00:15:46.320 --> 00:15:47.519 Did you notice how I dressed? 00:15:47.600 --> 00:15:49.200 Do you know how nice I am? 00:15:49.519 --> 00:15:52.159 Me, me, me, me, me, me, me. 00:15:52.480 --> 00:15:53.519 I'm a consumer. 00:15:53.679 --> 00:15:55.519 What did Jesus do for me regularly? 00:15:55.679 --> 00:15:57.440 I want to be the star of my small group. 00:15:57.600 --> 00:15:59.200 I want people to know what I've done. 00:15:59.279 --> 00:16:02.159 I'm gonna post all the pictures of how wonderful my life is. 00:16:02.320 --> 00:16:04.399 I'm gonna, I'm gonna, I'm gonna, I'm gonna. 00:16:04.559 --> 00:16:07.200 And you live in a world that is filled with vainglory. 00:16:07.600 --> 00:16:09.840 You know what celebrities are? 00:16:12.799 --> 00:16:16.320 Celebrities are people that we glorify. 00:16:16.559 --> 00:16:19.360 They call it, they don't call it American humility. 00:16:20.320 --> 00:16:22.399 It's American idol, right? 00:16:24.879 --> 00:16:32.799 And and have you ever thought about what in the world is the appeal of reality televisions? 00:16:33.679 --> 00:16:39.039 People will do things that aren't most of us looking, think, what a fool. 00:16:39.840 --> 00:16:41.200 I mean, seriously. 00:16:41.519 --> 00:16:48.080 12 good-looking guys who are gonna act like idiots for one girl that says you're out, you're in, you're at, you get a rose, you're good, you know? 00:16:48.240 --> 00:16:49.120 I mean, really? 00:16:49.440 --> 00:16:56.399 Or you got 12 or 15 really good-looking women that ought to have some level of self-worth who go, I'm just a fool. 00:16:59.840 --> 00:17:03.600 You know, like this artificial world, like this is real relationship. 00:17:03.759 --> 00:17:05.440 You think this is gonna work? 00:17:06.240 --> 00:17:08.640 But anybody will do anything to what? 00:17:08.960 --> 00:17:10.319 I'm on TV. 00:17:11.759 --> 00:17:13.279 It's called vainglory. 00:17:13.759 --> 00:17:18.640 And it's in the water system, and it's in your soul, and it's in my soul. 00:17:18.799 --> 00:17:28.400 And we just learn to say it in different ways and in sophisticated ways, and we reframe it, and it is toxic and lethal for relationships. 00:17:29.519 --> 00:17:31.519 And so he says, that's that's the negative. 00:17:31.599 --> 00:17:33.359 So let me let me put it positively. 00:17:33.519 --> 00:17:35.039 Look at verse four. 00:17:35.519 --> 00:17:45.039 He says, Don't do anything from selfishness or empty conceit, but leech let each of you regard one another as more important than himself. 00:17:45.279 --> 00:17:49.839 Don't merely look on your own personal interest, but also the interests of others. 00:17:50.000 --> 00:17:55.359 In other words, what Paul is saying is, look, I've been at the pinnacle, right? 00:17:55.519 --> 00:18:01.759 I'm the intellect of my day, I was the most religious person, I had fame, I'm a Roman citizen. 00:18:01.920 --> 00:18:08.480 You know, he wouldn't say it, but I'm smarter than all of you, I have more education than all of you, he came from a wealthy family. 00:18:08.640 --> 00:18:19.519 If all of that, and he says, all of that I consider as dung, or literally the word is poop, compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ. 00:18:19.599 --> 00:18:20.960 That's chapter three. 00:18:21.359 --> 00:18:26.319 And what he's gonna say is what I've learned is there's an upside-down kingdom. 00:18:26.559 --> 00:18:35.599 And if you want love and if you want connection, and if you want joy, and if you want a life of meaning and purpose, the way up is down. 00:18:36.319 --> 00:18:38.480 You descend into greatness. 00:18:38.640 --> 00:18:50.880 It's considering others as more important in your group, in your family, in your marriage, at work, especially the ones you don't like, especially the ones that you think you're smarter than and better than. 00:18:51.839 --> 00:18:58.880 You actively say their interest you put ahead of your own, and you say to yourself, that's nuts. 00:18:59.119 --> 00:19:03.839 That's anti-American, that's anti-what makes the world go round. 00:19:03.920 --> 00:19:05.359 You gotta look out for you. 00:19:05.440 --> 00:19:07.119 This is about me, right? 00:19:08.799 --> 00:19:22.000 The Apostle Paul is gonna say, this upside down, the way that God makes life work and love work and relationships work and meaning work and anything of value is the very opposite. 00:19:22.079 --> 00:19:39.039 And then what he does, rather than appealing to guilt or get with the program or look at me, he takes the greatest picture in the universe of the Lord Jesus Christ, of what he did that reveals who he is. 00:19:39.839 --> 00:19:47.200 Notice verse five have this attitude in yourselves, which was also in Christ Jesus. 00:19:47.839 --> 00:19:56.400 And then verses six through eleven are gonna say, what attitude did he have? 00:19:56.559 --> 00:20:17.920 Who, although he existed in the form of God, put a box around that phrase, form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, underlying equality with God, but emptied himself, put a box around, emptied himself, taking the form of a bond servant, put a box around form of a bond servant. 00:20:18.160 --> 00:20:29.519 And being found in appearance, put a circle around appearance as a man, he humbled himself, becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 00:20:29.759 --> 00:20:31.440 And you're saying, What's all this? 00:20:31.599 --> 00:20:35.279 Boxes around here and lines under here and circles around that. 00:20:36.240 --> 00:20:43.759 You're holding in your hands the greatest piece of theology about the person of Christ written in the New Testament. 00:20:44.000 --> 00:20:45.599 But here's what I want you to remember. 00:20:45.839 --> 00:20:46.480 Why? 00:20:47.200 --> 00:20:50.640 This isn't just theology, this isn't just a study. 00:20:50.960 --> 00:20:58.480 This is the answer to the dilemma of what do you do when you're torn between God's way and your way? 00:20:58.799 --> 00:21:03.359 What do you do when there's internal conflict in relationships that really matter? 00:21:03.519 --> 00:21:08.960 Like you happen to be married to them, or they're one of your kids, or they're your parents, or it's someone at work. 00:21:09.200 --> 00:21:21.680 This has to do with what do you do when you're getting flack from the exterior that they're saying to you and treating you in ways that you can't be a follower of Christ unless you keep your mouth shut or you'll get canceled. 00:21:21.920 --> 00:21:26.319 And down deep in your heart, you're more afraid of what people think than what God thinks. 00:21:26.480 --> 00:21:29.359 And you might be a Christian, but boy, you hide it well. 00:21:30.240 --> 00:21:34.640 Because at the end of the day, what really matters is does your life work for you? 00:21:35.599 --> 00:21:47.039 So, how do you how do you help ordinary people like us live the kind of life like my friends in Russia and the Ukraine and Christians all around the world? 00:21:47.440 --> 00:21:50.640 And he says, you know what, it's not guilding people to things. 00:21:50.799 --> 00:21:52.559 Have this attitude in yourself. 00:21:52.720 --> 00:21:59.680 And he says, This is the pinnacle of all examples, who, although he exists in form, the word is morphe. 00:22:00.559 --> 00:22:04.400 And when we hear the word form, we think of it some exterior. 00:22:04.640 --> 00:22:14.000 I used to do a little construction, and they would the form would be you put the wood like this and you pour concrete, or you create a form and it would be the outer part. 00:22:14.240 --> 00:22:19.200 This word form means the very essence and nature of that which is described. 00:22:19.440 --> 00:22:25.920 In the form of God, it means Jesus was fully, completely equal and God. 00:22:26.480 --> 00:22:35.359 Although he had pre-incarnate glory, the Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit, co-equal, he is a part of the Godhead. 00:22:35.519 --> 00:22:40.480 Although he's in the form of God, he did not regard equality a thing to be grasped. 00:22:40.559 --> 00:23:00.880 The word literally means he didn't think it robbery for him to step down from receiving that glory and to take on human flesh so that he could come and reveal to us how much we're loved and what God the Father is really like. 00:23:02.880 --> 00:23:09.279 It says, notice not only did he think equality of God, but he emptied himself. 00:23:09.440 --> 00:23:15.119 If you Bible students, if you've been to seminary, this is the big theological, the word is kenosis. 00:23:15.359 --> 00:23:18.480 The word literally means to empty or to veil. 00:23:18.960 --> 00:23:24.960 And what it means here is that Jesus in his pre-incarnate glory was worshiped. 00:23:25.200 --> 00:23:33.920 And so he covered his glory so that when people saw him, they wouldn't just fall down and worship. 00:23:34.240 --> 00:23:46.640 You might remember the passage in the Gospels where Jesus was talking to the disciples and he said to them, You know, none, some of you will not die without seeing the kingdom of God. 00:23:47.279 --> 00:23:48.960 Jesus as king. 00:23:49.440 --> 00:23:52.240 And it says, six days later he went up onto a mountain. 00:23:52.319 --> 00:23:54.720 It's often called the mountain of transfiguration. 00:23:55.119 --> 00:24:01.519 And his face is shining, as bright as the sun, his garments are wider than anything that could have been bleached. 00:24:01.759 --> 00:24:10.559 Isaiah or uh Elijah shows up, Moses shows up, Peter is blown away, like, what's going on here? 00:24:10.799 --> 00:24:16.160 A cloud comes down, they hear the Father's voice, this is my beloved son, listen to him. 00:24:16.559 --> 00:24:23.839 And for years I thought, like, wow, like, I mean, maybe like this huge light came down from heaven on Jesus. 00:24:24.160 --> 00:24:27.759 But the text says he was metamorphosized. 00:24:28.319 --> 00:24:30.720 The word is in English, transformed. 00:24:31.200 --> 00:24:33.759 Metamorphosis is the inside out. 00:24:33.920 --> 00:24:38.799 The Apostle Paul uses it when he talks about don't be conformed to this world, be transformed. 00:24:39.039 --> 00:24:40.240 Same exact word. 00:24:40.400 --> 00:24:57.440 What happened is with these three who would all die for him and who would lead the church and would be the key leaders of the disciples and the apostles, basically that he went up on that mountain and he unveiled his glory, and it was the light coming out of him. 00:24:58.880 --> 00:25:00.960 And that's what he veiled. 00:25:01.599 --> 00:25:15.200 And that position of rightfully being worshipped and praised and honored, he stepped back and didn't think it robbery or any quality for a season to humble himself. 00:25:15.359 --> 00:25:17.359 And notice how did he humble self? 00:25:17.599 --> 00:25:21.359 Taking the form of the very essence of a bondservant. 00:25:21.519 --> 00:25:28.319 Not just pretending, not posing, but doing what bondservants do, the very lowliest of all the jobs. 00:25:28.480 --> 00:25:32.160 And a bondservant, when you come in, he has no rights, no privileges. 00:25:32.240 --> 00:25:34.720 You do whatever the master says. 00:25:34.960 --> 00:25:38.880 He says he's obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 00:25:39.119 --> 00:25:44.079 And to the Romans, those, the dregs of society is who we killed on crosses. 00:25:44.319 --> 00:25:46.720 The most painful way to kill people ever invented. 00:25:46.880 --> 00:25:52.319 And to a Jew, a cross was someone, anyone hanging on a cross was cursed by God. 00:25:52.480 --> 00:25:56.480 So he goes as low as you can go, even in the human world. 00:25:56.720 --> 00:25:59.359 But he's come from as high as you can be. 00:25:59.839 --> 00:26:00.480 Creator. 00:26:01.039 --> 00:26:17.519 We'll learn next week that all things came into being through him, visible or invisible, thrones, dominions, rulers, powers, all things that have been created, how they were created, for him, by him, King of kings and Lord of Lords. 00:26:17.680 --> 00:26:26.160 And what he did is he, Paul's gonna take this picture and say, here's the most dramatic picture of humility. 00:26:27.599 --> 00:26:42.480 Have that attitude in yourself if you want a marriage that has intimacy, if you want to have a life that has purpose, if you really believe that you want to be loving, then this is what love looks like. 00:26:42.799 --> 00:26:52.160 Love isn't a feeling, love isn't an emotion, contrary to Hallmark, romance novels, and most of all popular culture. 00:26:52.640 --> 00:26:55.200 The goal of life isn't finding the right person. 00:26:55.759 --> 00:27:01.519 The goal of life is becoming the right person who will attract the kind of person you really want in the future. 00:27:03.119 --> 00:27:04.400 It's true. 00:27:05.680 --> 00:27:07.200 I didn't pay him to say that. 00:27:07.359 --> 00:27:10.319 I think that was a spontaneous moment of the Spirit of God. 00:27:12.319 --> 00:27:15.759 See, what Jesus described is this is what love looks like. 00:27:18.000 --> 00:27:24.960 And he descended, and then notice, notice, he takes all the initiative in this. 00:27:25.599 --> 00:27:28.799 Then notice the text takes a dramatic turn. 00:27:31.279 --> 00:27:34.400 Verse 9, put a parentheses around it. 00:27:34.480 --> 00:27:35.759 It's called a purpose clause. 00:27:35.920 --> 00:27:37.200 For this reason. 00:27:37.599 --> 00:27:38.720 For what reason? 00:27:39.039 --> 00:27:49.839 Jesus leaves heaven, takes on a human body, and notice in the likeness of men, some of you architects, you schematic drawings, we get a that's the word in Greek. 00:27:50.240 --> 00:27:51.119 The schema. 00:27:51.359 --> 00:27:53.519 In other words, he appeared as a man. 00:27:53.599 --> 00:27:54.880 And here's the only difference. 00:27:55.119 --> 00:27:58.079 He was fully, fully human, yet without sin. 00:27:59.279 --> 00:28:04.480 And so he has this, the theologians call it a hypostatic union. 00:28:05.519 --> 00:28:14.880 Perfect humanity, undiminished deity, in the person of Jesus Christ, in one body forever. 00:28:18.079 --> 00:28:25.200 And at this moment, he is at the right hand of God the Father, seated, making intercession for you. 00:28:25.279 --> 00:28:27.440 And this wasn't sort of a little moment. 00:28:28.000 --> 00:28:45.279 When you meet him, if you're a follower of Jesus, you will meet him in a resurrected body, and you will be able to see the holes and you will see the hands on his side because his perfect humanity and his undiminished deity is a forever moment. 00:28:46.079 --> 00:28:50.400 And he did that for you and for me and whosoever would believe in him. 00:28:50.799 --> 00:28:54.000 Therefore, God highly exalted him. 00:28:54.799 --> 00:29:09.119 When God sees proud, selfish people, he crosses his arms and steps back and says, You want to do your life, your way, about you, high control, go for it and see where it gets you. 00:29:09.279 --> 00:29:28.880 And when he finds humble people who are willing to put the needs of others and willfully choose to do what often we don't feel like it at all, God highly exalts him and bestowed on him the name which is above every name, result, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow. 00:29:29.440 --> 00:29:31.680 Those in heaven, angels. 00:29:32.400 --> 00:29:34.880 Those on earth, all people of all time. 00:29:35.279 --> 00:29:43.119 Those under the earth, demonic spirits and powers, and every tongue will confess Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God. 00:29:43.680 --> 00:29:53.200 See, when the apostle Paul is looking at what's at stake to this little Philippian church who had a lot of esteem because of their city, it's kind of like we're in the Silicon Valley. 00:29:53.359 --> 00:29:55.279 It's the richest place on the world. 00:29:55.440 --> 00:30:01.039 We're the innovators, we are cool, we write code, we change the world. 00:30:02.000 --> 00:30:04.640 You think we have any geographical arrogance? 00:30:04.880 --> 00:30:07.200 The smartest people in the world come here. 00:30:07.839 --> 00:30:09.200 We be cool. 00:30:09.759 --> 00:30:11.680 And I'm one of them. 00:30:13.839 --> 00:30:15.759 And people don't know it, but I got an idea. 00:30:15.839 --> 00:30:17.599 I'm gonna go public someday. 00:30:19.759 --> 00:30:22.400 I know only one out of ten startups make it, but bo. 00:30:23.359 --> 00:30:24.960 Down deep I know. 00:30:27.119 --> 00:30:28.799 And I love Jesus. 00:30:29.039 --> 00:30:35.680 I want Jesus to make me happy, I want Jesus to help me find the right person, I want Jesus to give me a happy marriage, I want Jesus to give us some kids. 00:30:35.759 --> 00:30:38.960 I'm hoping Jesus will give us a second house too, and of course I'll be generous with all that. 00:30:39.200 --> 00:30:48.559 I want Jesus to really, really, really, you know, when I'm a big star and I have zillions of followers, I don't want millions, I don't want billions, I want zillions of followers. 00:30:48.640 --> 00:30:51.039 I'm gonna say, it's all about Jesus. 00:30:51.680 --> 00:30:54.240 Liar, liar, pants on fire. 00:30:55.359 --> 00:30:57.200 We are so deluded. 00:31:00.400 --> 00:31:24.960 God says to those Philippians, there's a lot of pressures, and it's easy to shut up and be silent and kind of have a private Jesus relationship, but we've been commanded by that one who came and gave his life for us and rose from the dead to make sure every single person that breathes on this planet both sees and hears the gospel of Jesus Christ. 00:31:25.119 --> 00:31:26.960 It is the power of God to salvation. 00:31:27.119 --> 00:31:28.640 And there is no plan B. 00:31:28.720 --> 00:31:30.000 It is us, my church. 00:31:30.160 --> 00:31:35.440 And the word church means us believers, not buildings, not organizations, it's us. 00:31:35.680 --> 00:31:48.240 And secondly, the only way they will ever understand the reality is not by what we say or our buildings or all the cool stuff that we can do on the internet and videos and podcasts. 00:31:48.400 --> 00:31:50.079 They got to see us love each other. 00:31:50.240 --> 00:31:58.559 They got to see us love each other in ways that are radical and sacrificial and costly, in ways that we lay down our lives for one another. 00:31:58.720 --> 00:32:02.960 That's what I got to see in Germany and the Ukraine. 00:32:03.119 --> 00:32:05.599 The young lady who led the ministry in Ukraine. 00:32:05.920 --> 00:32:07.519 Her parents are here. 00:32:07.759 --> 00:32:14.319 Her husband, because of another issue, was needed to get out of the country, all of her children but one. 00:32:14.799 --> 00:32:18.880 And we met with her team, she goes, I can't go. 00:32:19.279 --> 00:32:20.160 So what do you mean? 00:32:20.400 --> 00:32:22.799 I mean, this is your family, your parents, and you could get out. 00:32:22.960 --> 00:32:24.240 Of course. 00:32:25.440 --> 00:32:27.119 The gospel has to go forth. 00:32:27.200 --> 00:32:28.240 We're at war. 00:32:28.799 --> 00:32:30.240 We're in bomb shelters. 00:32:30.400 --> 00:32:31.680 We've got community groups. 00:32:31.839 --> 00:32:37.839 We're seeing young people who are in despair and have no purpose and no hope all across the country. 00:32:38.000 --> 00:32:41.759 They're coming to know Jesus and we're loving them and their lives are changing. 00:32:42.000 --> 00:32:43.680 Of course I want to be with my husband. 00:32:43.839 --> 00:32:45.440 Of course I would like to be in America. 00:32:45.599 --> 00:32:47.119 Of course, of course, of course. 00:32:47.359 --> 00:32:48.799 How can I go? 00:32:49.920 --> 00:32:53.759 Because to me, to live as Christ and to die is gain. 00:32:54.400 --> 00:32:57.920 That's not the American Jesus make my life work out. 00:32:59.440 --> 00:33:03.039 That's not, oh gosh, I feel really persecuted. 00:33:03.200 --> 00:33:13.119 I I I said I I believed in an absolute truth, or I said something, and everyone said, oh, shame, shame, shame, politically correctness, shame on you. 00:33:13.440 --> 00:33:14.960 And we cower. 00:33:15.359 --> 00:33:23.039 Instead of kindly, lovingly, not angrily, you have beliefs, I have beliefs, we all do. 00:33:23.359 --> 00:33:26.640 Um I believe in one who changed the course of the world. 00:33:26.799 --> 00:33:31.599 Uh he was the most loving person in all the world and has become one of the most hated. 00:33:31.839 --> 00:33:33.680 He changed world history. 00:33:34.000 --> 00:33:37.359 What he teaches is what I follow imperfectly. 00:33:37.680 --> 00:33:40.480 But we lay down our lives for one another. 00:33:41.440 --> 00:33:45.680 You give your time away, you give your money away, you give your life away. 00:33:45.920 --> 00:33:47.839 Your life isn't about you. 00:33:48.559 --> 00:33:53.519 See, that that verse three, do nothing from selfish or empty conceit. 00:33:53.599 --> 00:33:54.400 That's just the me. 00:33:54.640 --> 00:33:56.400 That's the consumer culture. 00:33:57.359 --> 00:33:59.599 And the thing is, it doesn't deliver. 00:34:00.960 --> 00:34:05.599 God's grace, this isn't like the feud, the proud, the marine Christians, get with the program. 00:34:06.000 --> 00:34:19.920 This is, if I could picture, I don't mean to be irreverent, but if Jesus is sitting on the in the throne room of the Father, he is leaning forward and looking at you and saying, My way's best. 00:34:20.639 --> 00:34:22.239 Do you want real life? 00:34:22.719 --> 00:34:26.000 Do you want this faky stuff, this crap that you're following? 00:34:26.320 --> 00:34:34.719 Do you want to just keep doing the same things, seeking for yourself, you know, playing the same games, telling, telling me that you're too busy. 00:34:35.280 --> 00:34:43.119 I have relationships and meaning and purpose, but but here's what I tried to show you. 00:34:44.559 --> 00:34:51.440 In the divine economy, Jesus goes down so the Father could exalt him. 00:34:52.079 --> 00:34:54.960 And he says, That's how it works for you. 00:34:55.599 --> 00:34:59.199 What we want is we want God just to make us go up. 00:34:59.519 --> 00:35:04.159 And he goes, Well, here's how it works you must descend into greatness. 00:35:04.880 --> 00:35:07.840 You need to consider others as more important than yourself. 00:35:08.320 --> 00:35:12.719 You need to think not just you think on your interest, but also on the interest of others. 00:35:13.039 --> 00:35:25.440 You need to look at your time and your gifts and your money and this little thing called time inside eternity and say, What do you want me to do? 00:35:27.039 --> 00:35:30.800 The worst thing in the world is not that my three kids would not have a father for 10 years. 00:35:32.480 --> 00:35:34.639 The worst thing in the world is not to get arrested. 00:35:35.360 --> 00:35:44.239 The worst thing in the world, he just looked at me, and I mean, uh what was scary was he, you know, because I'd been there for a while and I know it's shocking. 00:35:44.320 --> 00:35:46.559 I look older than 40, but I really am. 00:35:46.960 --> 00:35:52.480 Uh you know, he just thought I was this kind of wise person who's been around. 00:35:52.800 --> 00:35:55.599 Well, the been around is the accurate part. 00:35:56.000 --> 00:36:00.400 But he he asked me this question, like, should I have strawberry ice cream or chocolate ice cream? 00:36:00.480 --> 00:36:02.719 And whatever I told him, it'd be okay. 00:36:03.199 --> 00:36:04.159 Should I die? 00:36:05.119 --> 00:36:11.039 And it was such a matter of fact, I came home thinking, Lord, I don't know what the big agenda was. 00:36:11.119 --> 00:36:14.000 And I I'm I'm glad that we were able to help them some. 00:36:14.159 --> 00:36:20.480 But as I rubbed up next to those believers, it was just like a purification of my own faith. 00:36:20.880 --> 00:36:24.880 It was like a get, you know, because I'm like you, right? 00:36:26.000 --> 00:36:31.840 You know, I want to love Jesus with all my heart and be comfortable and be healthy and be upwardly mobile. 00:36:32.000 --> 00:36:33.679 And I've, you know, I got four grown kids. 00:36:33.760 --> 00:36:34.960 I want them all to be happy. 00:36:35.039 --> 00:36:37.920 And I've got 12 grandkids, I want them all to be safe. 00:36:38.239 --> 00:36:40.559 Comfort, safety, me. 00:36:42.639 --> 00:36:44.719 That's the exalt, exalt, exalt. 00:36:44.800 --> 00:36:47.760 Now, God's a kind and loving God. 00:36:50.079 --> 00:37:04.320 But the idols of comfort and safety and me and self-focus are a recipe for superficial Christians who nod their head about the things of Jesus and whose lives have little to no impact. 00:37:05.039 --> 00:37:20.800 Because the followers of Jesus that changed the world are the followers who don't consider themselves more important than others and who ask with honest hearts what would you have me do? 00:37:21.519 --> 00:37:30.000 Regardless of the price or regardless of the consequences, I want I want to give my life away. 00:37:30.960 --> 00:37:37.360 And so in a church like this, you know, I'm I don't some of you are in the process of doing that, and right? 00:37:37.440 --> 00:37:39.360 It's baby steps, it's incremental. 00:37:39.440 --> 00:37:43.599 We we just, you know, I've been at this 50 years, and I was sharing in the earlier service. 00:37:43.760 --> 00:37:58.239 I had a sort of some prolonged time, you know, away with the Lord and um and left to myself, you know, I'm in my old days, I screamed and yelled and got angry at people and you know, used less than five fingers waving at people who cut me off in traffic. 00:37:58.400 --> 00:38:00.400 You you'll get that in a couple minutes. 00:38:00.639 --> 00:38:03.440 Um and over time God's changed my life. 00:38:03.599 --> 00:38:19.920 But inside, you know, I've just I had a couple days alone with the Lord, and it was just like, how after 50 years of walking with you internally, how I so still, gosh, am I thinking, I want life my way, I want to be in control. 00:38:20.239 --> 00:38:23.840 You're asking me to do some things, that just feels like too much sacrifice. 00:38:24.000 --> 00:38:33.519 And I'm so bombarded by the comfort of American Christianity that I just have to fight it all the time. 00:38:34.079 --> 00:38:38.800 I just have to take steps with my money that are bigger than the steps I used to take. 00:38:38.960 --> 00:38:43.119 I just have to take steps with my time that are bigger than the ones I used to take. 00:38:43.280 --> 00:38:51.679 I just have to go to places around the world that are a little bit more dangerous than I'd like to at this point, because kind of had this grandfatherly deal. 00:38:51.760 --> 00:38:54.000 I like to see all my grandkids grow up. 00:38:54.880 --> 00:38:55.679 But you know what? 00:38:55.840 --> 00:39:05.760 I really want is my grandkids to have the kind of faith that basically, whether I live a long time or not such a long time, I want my grandkids going. 00:39:05.840 --> 00:39:06.719 You know what? 00:39:07.519 --> 00:39:09.760 My grandpa was 69 years old, man. 00:39:09.840 --> 00:39:11.119 He was trucking. 00:39:11.760 --> 00:39:15.599 He was, he was, he was, he was going for the next mountain. 00:39:16.079 --> 00:39:17.840 I want to be like that. 00:39:18.320 --> 00:39:32.880 And so if I get three years or 10 years or whatever God gives me, I would rather become who God wants me to become than to do and enjoy some things that I think from my little world will really make my life work out. 00:39:33.039 --> 00:39:34.000 How about you? 00:39:34.800 --> 00:39:50.239 The application of this great passage is what I love, is he just doesn't leave us with these great truths that he's fully God, that he's fully man, that he has this union, that he humbled himself, that he rose from the dead. 00:39:50.400 --> 00:39:53.039 Look at verses uh 12 through 16. 00:39:53.280 --> 00:40:01.199 He says, Since this is how life works, if we choose to go down, God will exalt us because the way he did it with Christ. 00:40:01.360 --> 00:40:02.639 So here's the application. 00:40:02.800 --> 00:40:05.679 So then, and notice he's not angry at anybody. 00:40:05.920 --> 00:40:14.159 So then, my my beloved or dearly loved children, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence. 00:40:14.480 --> 00:40:15.599 Work out your salvation. 00:40:15.760 --> 00:40:17.760 Notice it's not work for your salvation. 00:40:18.079 --> 00:40:21.039 Work out your salvation with fear and trembling. 00:40:21.360 --> 00:40:25.199 For it's God who's at work in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure. 00:40:25.440 --> 00:40:29.440 In other words, have a reverential feel of like, wow, is my life counting? 00:40:29.599 --> 00:40:31.440 Am I doing what he wants me to do? 00:40:33.119 --> 00:40:37.599 And then this is one that my wife will say, Chip, I'm gonna remind you of this. 00:40:37.840 --> 00:40:39.119 Do all things. 00:40:40.960 --> 00:40:43.840 All things without grumbling or disputing. 00:40:44.079 --> 00:40:45.199 Well, why? 00:40:45.519 --> 00:40:50.079 So that you could prove yourselves to be blameless. 00:40:50.159 --> 00:40:51.519 That means holy. 00:40:52.559 --> 00:40:59.199 Holy in what we rot watch, holy in what we think, holy in our sexuality, pure before God, pure before men. 00:40:59.440 --> 00:41:09.440 That you could be blameless and innocent, children of God, above reproach, in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among who you appear as lights of the world. 00:41:09.599 --> 00:41:19.679 Literally, the word is luminary, stars, the kind of people that they would see you and even with your imperfections would say, someday, someway, I want to be like you. 00:41:19.920 --> 00:41:21.519 You've shown me the truth. 00:41:21.760 --> 00:41:35.679 I was bombarded by all this stuff and all this culture and all these voices, and everybody telling me all these kind of things, and then I met you and the way you lived and the way you loved, it showed me. 00:41:35.920 --> 00:41:50.960 There's life because you showed me Jesus, holding fast the word of life, so that in the day of Christ, Paul says, I may have cause to glory because I did not run in vain nor toil in vain. 00:41:51.920 --> 00:42:00.559 Basically, you Philippian church, there's a good chance I'm gonna die before any of you. 00:42:01.760 --> 00:42:09.199 But it'll be all worth it if you become the kind of Christians that have the attitude that was in Christ Jesus. 00:42:10.639 --> 00:42:12.000 What's that look like for you? 00:42:14.079 --> 00:42:21.599 And maybe you're visiting and maybe you think, you know, that part you kind of went pretty fast on every knee's gonna bow and every tongue's gonna fast. 00:42:22.000 --> 00:42:23.599 That happens to everybody. 00:42:24.559 --> 00:42:29.280 It happens voluntarily while you're living when you trust Christ as your Savior. 00:42:31.199 --> 00:42:33.840 You can say, I don't believe in any of this Jesus stuff. 00:42:34.000 --> 00:42:34.800 You don't have to believe it. 00:42:34.880 --> 00:42:37.039 You don't have to believe in gravity either. 00:42:37.199 --> 00:42:39.440 Just step off about a 15-story building. 00:42:39.599 --> 00:42:41.760 You can believe in gravity, not believe in gravity. 00:42:41.920 --> 00:42:43.599 The results are roughly the same. 00:42:45.039 --> 00:42:57.360 You don't have to believe in Jesus in this life, but you will bow your knee, you will confess him as Lord and King, and then he will say in his graciousness, there's only two kinds of people in all the world. 00:42:59.039 --> 00:43:04.239 Those who say to the Father, Thy will be done. 00:43:05.119 --> 00:43:08.400 And those to whom the Father says, Thy will be done. 00:43:09.280 --> 00:43:12.239 We can have our own way, we can reject Christ. 00:43:12.559 --> 00:43:15.840 He's not a God that forces relationship, he loves us. 00:43:16.480 --> 00:43:29.679 So I would just encourage you to say yes on this side of eternity, that you might spend forever and ever and ever and ever with him and live for him now. 00:43:31.199 --> 00:43:36.800 Lord Jesus, thank you for bringing this group of people in this room on this day. 00:43:39.119 --> 00:43:46.000 And thank you that what the Apostle Paul spoke to that little church in Philippi is true of us. 00:43:48.719 --> 00:43:54.079 And I I confess to you, I'm I'm still on the journey. 00:43:56.239 --> 00:44:20.559 But being older than most people, I can say that as I have by your grace chosen to break setting my mind and my heart all about me and considering others more important than myself, you have given a life that's truly life. 00:44:22.880 --> 00:44:29.920 Lord, I pray for uh anyone here that might need to just say, Lord, will you forgive me? 00:44:30.239 --> 00:44:35.280 I don't understand all this, but I wanna I want you to be my savior. 00:44:36.079 --> 00:44:38.960 And I'm asking you right now, make that really clear. 00:44:40.159 --> 00:44:43.119 And there's people here I'm sure that you can talk to. 00:44:44.559 --> 00:45:00.239 Lord, help us to be the kind of followers of you who have the attitude of Jesus, that you might lift us up and exalt us in ways that bring life to us and through us to others. 00:45:00.400 --> 00:45:02.159 In Jesus' name, amen. 00:45:03.039 --> 00:45:05.360 We hope you are blessed by this message. 00:45:05.519 --> 00:45:09.920 Please subscribe to our podcast for access to every episode as they're uploaded. 00:45:10.079 --> 00:45:12.159 And hey, we'd love to connect with you. 00:45:12.320 --> 00:45:18.000 Take a next step by filling out our virtual connection card at awakeningchurch.com slash card.