Review and Introduction

Weaver reviews the previous message on the mind of Christ, emphasizing the command in Philippians 2:5 and the necessity of possessing this mind to please God. He recaps the exhortation from verses 1-4 and the application from Romans 15:5-8 regarding one mind, one mouth, one motive, and one mission.

So let's open our Bibles today to the book of Philippians chapter 2. Philippians chapter 2. I started a message last week which I entitled "The Mind of Christ." And I told you that basically last week was an introduction bringing us up to the passage that I really wanted to deal with. And so today I'm going to be dealing with the second part of the mind of Christ. For those who missed the first part, I will review, so hopefully you'll be able to tie everything together. So let's look in Philippians chapter 2, and we'll begin reading with verse 5, since we dealt with verses 1 through 4 last week, and mentioned verse 5. Philippians 2 verse 5:

Last week I began this message by asking, do you possess the mind of Christ? I also asked, can you define, delineate, or declare the mind of Christ, or can you express its essence? Then I proceeded to say, if you cannot express the essence of the mind of Christ, how in the world do you know that you possess the mind of Christ? And the Bible says very plainly in verse 5, "Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus." So in the last message, I endeavored to show the absolute necessity in possessing the mind of Christ in order to please and to glorify our Heavenly Father. I also explained that the mind of Christ is revealed in His Word. Here we do have the mind of Christ very plainly declared. But secondly, I also pointed out that we also have the mind of Christ in the sense that those who are true believers are indwelled by the Holy Spirit of God.

The Bible says in Romans 8 and verse 27, "And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God." So the Holy Spirit, who is God, certainly knows the mind of God, and in that sense, since we possess the Holy Spirit, or He possesses us, we do have the mind of Christ in that sense as well. But I spent all last week covering one point, and that is the exhortation to the mind of Christ. And that was verses 1 through 4. Now, what I concluded last week, we ended with Romans chapter 15, and I want you to hold Philippians 2, but turn back to Romans chapter 15, and let's read verses 5 and 6, and let me just cover very quickly and show you what the Word of God demands in the mind of Christ and how this would work out in application. In Romans chapter 15 verse 5, the Bible says, "Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus: that ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Wherefore receive ye one another, as Christ also received us to the glory of God." Verse 8, "Now I say that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers." Now I pointed out in closing last week that here is what God requires of us in possessing the mind of Christ.

First of all, we must have one mind. That is, we must learn to think alike. We must learn to think biblically and scripturally. Okay? If we think biblically and scripturally, we're going to have one mind. Secondly, I want you to note in Romans chapter 15, one mind will give us one mouth. He says, "Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus, that ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God the Father." In other words, if we think alike, we're going to speak alike. If we have one mind, we're going to ultimately end up with one mouth. It's just that simple.

David said in Psalm 116, "I believed, therefore have I spoken." Thirdly, I want to point out that there is also to be one motive. He says in verse 6, "that ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ." So the one motive that we should have is that everything that we do, we're to do for God's honor and God's glory. The Bible says in 1 Corinthians chapter 10 and verse 31, "Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God." And then of course verses 7 and 8 tell you that if you have one mind and one mouth and one motive, you're going to have one mission, and that is to learn to receive each other as Christ received us to the glory of God, and also that we might confirm the promises of the fathers. In other words, when people see that truth is real in our lives, we are indeed confirming the promises made unto the fathers.

So, if we possess the mind of Christ, we're going to have one mind, one mouth, one motive, and basically one mission. Because the Bible says, "For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us." Now, today what I want to do is this. I want to give you the specifics on what the mind of Christ really consists of. So let's go back in our Bibles to the book of Philippians chapter 2 and let's begin with verse 5 when he says, "Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus." So the obvious and best example of the mind of Christ is Christ himself. Christ was the highest example which could be furnished. And his example would illustrate and confirm all the apostle had said of the virtue of possessing the mind of Christ. So the principle in this case is simply that we're to make the Lord Jesus Christ our model and our example, and frame our lives in every respect according to Christ. In 1 Peter 2 and verse 21, listen carefully. The scripture says, "For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps." So Jesus Christ then is our example. We're to follow Him.

Christ as the Supreme Example

Christ is presented as the highest example of the mind of Christ. Believers are to follow His steps, as 1 Peter 2:21 commands, and the imperative in Philippians 2:5 demands continual conformity to Christ's thinking.

So, if we possess the mind of Christ, we're going to have one mind, one mouth, one motive, and basically one mission. Because the Bible says, "For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us." Now, today what I want to do is this. I want to give you the specifics on what the mind of Christ really consists of. So let's go back in our Bibles to the book of Philippians chapter 2 and let's begin with verse 5 when he says, "Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus." So the obvious and best example of the mind of Christ is Christ himself. Christ was the highest example which could be furnished. And his example would illustrate and confirm all the apostle had said of the virtue of possessing the mind of Christ. So the principle in this case is simply that we're to make the Lord Jesus Christ our model and our example, and frame our lives in every respect according to Christ. In 1 Peter 2 and verse 21, listen carefully. The scripture says, "For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps." So Jesus Christ then is our example. We're to follow Him.

If we think like Him, we will walk like Him. And as long as we think like Christ and follow Christ, we're never ever going to err in our steps. Because He is the absolute perfect example. Now, let me remind you of something when we look at verse 5 before we get started today. I told you this last week. I'm going to tell it to you again. Verse 5, "Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus." When God gives us this statement, it is not a suggestion, it is not advice, and he is not asking for your consent. It is an imperative in the Greek, it is a present passive imperative, and an imperative is a command. So actually what you are being commanded is to have the mind of Christ. And since it is a present imperative, it means that you are constantly and continually to be conforming your thinking to the mind of Jesus Christ.

So let's ask this question. What specifically is involved in having the mind of Christ? Well, first, it means that we will have the mind of Christ if we have the humility that Christ has. Let me show you. Look in Philippians 2 in verse 5, he says, "Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus."

The Kenotic Passage and Christ's Two Natures

Weaver explains the Kenotic Passage (Philippians 2:6-7), warning against heresies that deny Christ's deity or humanity. He affirms that Christ is one person with two distinct natures, quoting the Athanasian Creed, the Creed of Chalcedon, and the Philadelphia Baptist Confession.

Now watch verse 6, "Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: but made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men." Now, the passage that we're dealing with is an extremely important passage. And let me just tell you, you're going to have to listen very carefully to what I'm about to say in the next 10 or 15 minutes. Because this passage is very, very important. It is known as the Kenotic Passage. It is from the Greek word kenosis, which is a noun, or from the Greek verb kenoo. And there are an awful lot of views concerning this passage. In fact, one may find all kind of heresies concerning this passage.

There are so many people that try to use this passage to even deny the deity of Christ. Others then try to use the passage to deny the humanity of Christ. Denying the deity of Christ is heresy. Denying the humanity of Christ is heresy. There are others that even try to use this passage to confuse and co-mingle the two natures of Christ, which also is heresy. So, I'm just simply saying, as you look at this passage, you're going to have to look very carefully, and you're going to have to consider not only this passage, but what scripture teaches in relationship to this passage. Why there are so many heresies regarding this passage is because it is surrounded with this little word right here when it says, "Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God, but made himself of no reputation." And when the Bible says he made himself of no reputation, there are many who translate that as he emptied himself. Well, if Christ emptied himself, what did he empty himself of?

You see what I'm saying? So, some would say he emptied himself of his deity, therefore he's not God. Some say he emptied himself of his humanity, so therefore he cannot be the God-man. You get in all kind of heresies. The Gnostics, there was a group of them called the Docetists. The way they got around some of this stuff is they said Christ was nothing more than a divine apparition. He was not real. He just appeared to be real. All kind of crazy things.

Let me point something out and listen carefully. Jesus Christ is both God and man. Jesus Christ is one person with two natures. The natures are not combined, they're not commingled, they're not conflicted. Whenever the deity of Christ is denied, it is heresy. Whenever the humanity of Christ is denied, it is heresy. Whenever the two natures are combined and commingled and conflicted and confused, it is heresy. Now, I want to do something and I want you to listen very carefully.

I'm going to quote for you from some of the ancient creeds just so you can see how that this has been fought against all down through history. Here is just only part of the Athanasian Creed. I've read the Athanasian Creed in here before. It was written by Athanasius in the fourth century. And here's just part of it. Listen carefully. "It is also necessary for eternal salvation that he believes steadfastly in the incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ. The true faith is, we believe and profess that our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is both God and man. As God, He was begotten of the substance of the Father before time. As man, He was born in time of the substance of His mother. He is perfect God and He is perfect man with a rational soul and human flesh. He is equal to the Father in His divinity, but He is inferior to the Father in His humanity.

He came as a servant, I'll cover that later. Although He is God and man, He is not two, but He is one Christ. And He is one, not because His divinity was changed into flesh, but because His humanity was assumed to God. He is one. Not at all because of a mingling of substances, but because He is one person. As a rational soul and flesh are one man, so God and man are one Christ." "He died for our salvation, descended to hell, arose from the dead on the third day, ascended into heaven, sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty, and from there He shall come to judge the living and the dead." So here's the Athanasian Creed. And he's saying that Christ is one person with two natures. Here's the Creed of Chalcedon, which was in 451 A.D. And there's one word here, or one little phrase that I'm going to comment on afterwards, but I'm going to read the Creed as it is, just so that you can see that this has been fought over for centuries.

And these creeds were developed to fight against these Arian heresies and Gnostic heresies and all these heresies that came down through the ages. So here's the Creed of Chalcedon in 451. "Following the Holy Fathers, therefore, we all with one accord teach the profession of faith in the one identical Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. We declare that He is perfect, both in His divinity and in His humanity. truly God, and truly man, composed of body and a rational soul. And He is co-substantial with the Father in His divinity, and co-substantial with us in our humanity, like us in every respect except for sin. We declare that in His divinity, He was begotten of the Father before time, and in His humanity, He was begotten in this last age of Mary, the Virgin, the mother of God." I'll explain that later.

"for us in our salvation. We declare that the one self-same Christ, also begotten Son and Lord, must be acknowledged in two natures, without any commingling or change or division or separation, that the distinction between the two natures is in no way removed by their union, but rather that the specific character of each nature is preserved, and they are united in one person and one hypostasis. We declare that he is not split nor divided into two persons, but that there is one self-same only begotten Son, God the Word, the Lord Jesus Christ." "This the prophets taught about him from the beginning. This Jesus Christ himself taught us. This the creed of the fathers handed down to us."

Now, if you will notice in this creed, Mary is here called the mother of God. In fact, the Greek word is Theotokos, which literally means God-bearer. But the truth is this, that Christ is both God and man. He is one person with two natures, and these two natures are not commingled. Now, quite frankly, I will tell you, I'm uncomfortable with the phrase, "the mother of God." Mary was indeed the mother of the human nature of Christ, but she was not the mother of Christ himself. Christ assumed that human nature. Look in Philippians 2 and verse 6, the Bible says, "Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: but made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men." So, our Lord then took upon himself the form of a servant. He assumed our nature. And very quickly, if you will hold Philippians 2, but look back in the book of Luke chapter 1 at verse 35, and I want you to see what the angel told Mary as he was revealing to her that she was to be the mother of the human nature of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Notice if you would in Luke chapter 1, and notice if you would please verse 35. Luke 1 and verse 35. Here it is. Here's what the angel Gabriel said. Luke 1 verse 35,

That holy thing. What was the holy thing? It was the human nature of Christ. So, Christ assumed that nature. If you try to ask me when he assumed that nature, I don't know. But he did assume the nature. Here's one thing I do know. And one thing I can say without equivocation. And that's 1 Timothy 3 and verse 16. Let me just quote it. "And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh,

justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory." Notice what he said, "and without controversy great is the mystery of godliness." And then he said, "God was manifest in the flesh." Now let me give you just one more confession of faith. I think it's just one short paragraph. This is from the Philadelphia Baptist Confession of Faith, paragraph 2. "The Son of God, the second person in the Holy Trinity, being very and eternal God, the brightness of the Father's glory, of one substance, and equal with Him who made the world, who upholdeth and governeth all things that He hath made, did, when the fullness of time was come, take upon Him man's nature, with all the essential properties and common infirmities thereof, yet without sin, being conceived by the Holy Spirit in the womb of the Virgin Mary, the Holy Spirit coming down upon her, and the power of the Most High overshadowing her. And so was made a woman of the tribe of Judah, of the seed of Abraham and David, according to the scripture, so that two whole, perfect, and distinct natures were inseparably joined together in one person without conversion, composition, or confusion, which person is very God and very man, yet one Christ, the only mediator between God and man."

So, here's what you need to learn. Jesus Christ is one person with two natures. He is perfectly God and perfectly man and these two natures are not combined, they are not confused, they're not conflicted and they're not to be confounded. He is one person with two natures.

Now, I want you to look back in Philippians 2 and verse 7. The Bible says, "But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men."

Christ's Self-Emptying Explained

Christ 'made himself of no reputation' not by giving up His deity, but by veiling His divine glory in human flesh. Weaver cites John Calvin and Hebrews 10:19-20 to support that Christ's flesh concealed His majesty.

Now I want to give you one quick quote before I start explaining and preaching. And this one quote will help you understand. John Calvin is writing on Philippians 2 and verse 7 and he says this, "In order to exhort us to submission, by his example he shows that when as God, he might have displayed to the world the brightness of his glory, he gave up his right and voluntarily emptied himself, and that he assumed the form of a servant, and contented with that humble condition, suffered his divinity to be concealed under a veil of flesh." So how are we to understand "he made himself of no reputation"? See, if you try to say he gave up his deity, then he's not God. If he gave up his attributes, then he's not God. If He ceased to be omniscient, omnipresent, and omnipotent, then He's not God. But Calvin was right when he said this, "He suffered His divinity to be concealed under a veil of flesh."

If you will hold Philippians 2, but turn in your Bibles to the book of Hebrews chapter 10, let me show you where that is very clearly taught. Notice Hebrews chapter 10. And look at verses 19 and 20. Hebrews chapter 10 verse 19,

Well, what did our Lord's human nature do? In one sense of the word, it veiled his divinity. When people saw our Lord, they saw Him as they would see us. You remember Isaiah chapter 53 said, "there is no comeliness in Him that we should desire Him." In other words, He looked like just a normal everyday human being. Period. He was a normal man. But that flesh veiled His deity.

Christ was and is and always will be God. He did not cease to become God. He did not lay aside His attributes. He did not lay aside anything. The way He emptied Himself or became of no reputation was He allowed the human flesh to veil His glory.

Now, I want you to look in verse 6. Philippians 2 and verse 6. "Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God." In order to comprehend this phrase, you must understand that Christ did not seize upon the opportunity to lawfully and fully display His deity, His glory, and His majesty. He had every right to do so. He was God, yet He willingly concealed His deity in His flesh. The Mount of Transfiguration was an instance where His glory did shine through the veil of His flesh. Look in your Bibles to Matthew chapter 17. Matthew 17 at verses 1 and 2. Matthew 17 verses 1 and 2.

The Voluntary Humility of Christ

Christ did not seize the opportunity to display His full deity; instead, He voluntarily humbled Himself. The Mount of Transfiguration (Matthew 17:1-2) was a rare glimpse of His glory. The first Adam grasped at equality with God, but the second Adam demonstrated humility.

Christ was and is and always will be God. He did not cease to become God. He did not lay aside His attributes. He did not lay aside anything. The way He emptied Himself or became of no reputation was He allowed the human flesh to veil His glory.

Now, I want you to look in verse 6. Philippians 2 and verse 6. "Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God." In order to comprehend this phrase, you must understand that Christ did not seize upon the opportunity to lawfully and fully display His deity, His glory, and His majesty. He had every right to do so. He was God, yet He willingly concealed His deity in His flesh. The Mount of Transfiguration was an instance where His glory did shine through the veil of His flesh. Look in your Bibles to Matthew chapter 17. Matthew 17 at verses 1 and 2. Matthew 17 verses 1 and 2.

The Bible says, "And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart, and was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light." This is known as the Mount of Transfiguration, of course. Let me tell you something. It would not have been sinful, wrong, or unlawful for Jesus Christ to shine forth in the brightness and the glory of His deity and His majesty, for He was God. But what verse 6 tells us, that our Lord's abasement and His humility were voluntary and they were not of necessity. The Bible says, "He humbled Himself. He made Himself of no reputation."

Now I want you to stop and think. The first Adam, who was a man and a creature, sinfully seized at the opportunity to become God and was kicked out of the garden. The second Adam, who was God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God in the sense of displaying His glory and His majesty, but he willingly and in humility concealed that glory in the veil of flesh. The first Adam demonstrated his pride, his arrogancy, and his vain desire. The second Adam demonstrated his humility and his obedience.

Now, if you haven't put together what the mind of Christ really is, I'm going to show it to you this particular time. Because in this passage, we have very specific truths given to us. The mind of Christ consists of two essential graces, humility and obedience. First, let's consider the humility of Christ. You must understand that Christ left His throne of glory. He concealed His deity. He came into the world which He had created.

The Mind of Christ: Humility

The first essential grace of the mind of Christ is humility. Christ left His throne, was born in a lowly estate, and served others. Psalm 113:5-6 shows that even beholding creation requires divine humility; how much more the incarnation. Believers are called to put on humbleness of mind (Colossians 3:12).

He was born in the lowliest of places, a manger, of parents with the lowliest of social status, a carpenter. He was under the law. After he was made in the likeness of man, he became a servant. He was made under the law and it was a law which he had made and given. He suffered as a man. He died for sins that he did not commit. He endured the wrath of God and gave His life for a people who by nature hated and despised Him. Wow.

Here's Galatians 4 verses 4 and 5. Listen carefully.

Our Lord created the world, He came into the world. He could have and should have come as the shining King of glory, but He did not. He veiled His glory, He willingly veiled it and humbled Himself.

Now I'm going to show you the humility of Christ. I want you to hold Philippians 2, we're coming right back there. But I do want you to turn to the book of Psalms, Psalm 113, and let's look at verses 5 and 6. Here's an amazing, an amazing truth. I have a message on this, I haven't preached it in years and years, but it is still a wonderful truth. Look at Psalm 113 at verses 5 and 6. Psalm 113 verses 5 and 6. Here's the question.

"Who is like unto the Lord our God who dwelleth on high? Who is like Him?" Watch the next verse. "Who humbleth himself to behold the things that are in heaven, and in the earth!" Can you imagine that? Can you imagine? It requires extreme humility on God's part just to behold things in heaven and in the earth. God is so high above, He is so holy, so righteous, so glorious, so majestic, it takes humility for Him to look down and see heaven and see earth. Now, if it requires humility for God just to observe and to look at the heavens and what is in the earth, which He made, how much more humility is required for that same God to lay aside the righteous manifestation of His glory and veil Himself with flesh and become man and became a

servant and then to die and suffer for others. How much more humility is required. He willingly, voluntarily assumed a meaner position and a lower rank. He not only became flesh, he became a servant. And he became obedient unto death. How are we unlike Christ? Look at us, how we fight for position, how we strive for rank, how we strive for popularity. Christ was not in a popularity contest. He voluntarily humbled himself. You see, the mind of Christ is a mind of humility.

Do you remember that passage in Isaiah 55, verses 8 and 9, where God said this,

Man always strives to be the greatest. You remember even the apostles were fighting among themselves who should be the greatest. And what did our Lord do? He took a little child and put him in the midst and said, "Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven." And then He says, "Whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister; and whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant." Our Lord said in Matthew 11 verse 29, "Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls." For I am meek and lowly of heart. I want you to turn in your Bibles to the book of Colossians.

Just over one or two pages. Look in Colossians chapter 3 and verse 12. Colossians 3 and verse 12. Look what the Apostle Paul commands and admonishes us. Colossians 3 and verse 12,

Go back to verse 12. He says that you are to put on humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering. I told you last week, and I'm going to remind you this week, if we ever saw who God really was, how holy and righteous and godly, and if we really saw the depth of our sin and the depravity of our sin, I'll guarantee you there'd be a natural humility. You remember Isaiah, when he saw the Lord high and lifted up in Isaiah 6 and verse 5, he said, "Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts."

What is the mind of Christ? It's a mind of humility, where he willingly humbled himself. Do you remember that passage in John 13 where our Lord took a basin and took towels and washed the feet of His disciples?

I don't know about you, but I never really wanted to wash any dirty feet. But our Lord, yeah, washed their feet. So what is the mind of Christ? First of all, it is a mind of humility. Secondly, it is a mind of obedience. I want you to look in your Bibles, back to Philippians chapter 2, and let's read verses 7 and 8. The Bible says, "But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself,

The Mind of Christ: Obedience

The second essential grace is obedience. Christ came as a servant, always doing the Father's will (John 8:29). His obedience extended to death on the cross, where He endured God's wrath as a substitutionary sacrifice. Believers are to walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing (Colossians 1:10).

and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross." One of the most frequently used phrases in the New Testament concerning Christ is a phrase that he used of himself. He referred to himself as the sent one. The sent one. He always said, "I came not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me." Christ came as a servant. I want you to look in Luke chapter 22. Luke chapter 22 and verse 27. Look at what our Lord says. Luke 22 and verse 27.

In fact, let's begin with verse 24. Look at verse 24. "And there was also a strife among them, which of them should be accounted the greatest. And he said unto them, The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and they that exercise authority upon them are called benefactors. But ye shall not be so: but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that doth serve. For whether is greater, he that sitteth at meat, or he that serveth? is not he that sitteth at meat? but I am among you as he that serveth." Our Lord came to be a servant. He was a servant of the Father. He did not labor to promote a separate interest. As the Son of Man, He studied how to promote the glory of God and the welfare and the salvation of His people. He came to serve, He came to save, He came to die. Only Christ, the perfect servant, could say as He said in John 8 verse 29, "And he that sent me is with me:

the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him." Let me ask you, is there any wife in here that can say that she always does the things that please her husband? Or the husband could say, "I do always those things that please my wife"? Or children who can say, "I do always those things that please my parents"? Or is there a Christian who can say, "I always do those things that please my Heavenly Father"? Unhappily, sometimes we do not please Him. We should. But only Christ, the perfect servant, could say, "I do always those things that please him." Our goal should be the goal of Christ. We should desire and strive to do always those things that please our Heavenly Father.

Let me show you something. Turn right over in your Bibles, just a page or two. Colossians 1, and look if you would please at verse 10. Colossians 1 and verse 10. Paul is praying for the Colossians. And in fact, let's read verse 9. He says,

Paul said, one of my prayers for these Colossians is that they might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing. Just asking you a question, have you ever really made it a matter of prayer to ask God to enable you to walk pleasing unto Him? We can only walk pleasing unto Him as we keep His Word, as we obey the principles in His Word. I want to show you something else.

Turn in your Bibles to 1 John chapter 3. 1 John chapter 3.

This might throw a little enlightenment on the subject of why our prayers are not answered sometimes. 1 John 3, look in verse 22. John writes, "And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight." Because we keep his commandments and do those things that are pleasing in his sight. Do you do those things that are pleasing in his sight? Our Lord became a servant. He became obedient, and He became obedient unto death. We may live and be obedient until we die. However, our death will be quite different from that which our Lord experienced. He knew that in His death, He would incur and He would experience the full wrath of God for our sins. His death was unique. It was a sacrificial death. It was a substitutionary death. It was a propitiatory death. When Christ died in our stead, that is as our substitute, when He gave Himself a sacrifice, the full wrath of a holy, righteous, sovereign God fell upon Him. And He appeased and satisfied and placated the righteous wrath of God on our behalf. The only reason that we can be forgiven is because our sins were paid for in Christ.

I don't know if you ever thought about this, but sin must be paid for. And if it's not paid for in Jesus Christ, that means you must pay for it yourself, and I've got news for you. You don't want to pay for it yourself. Our Lord became a servant. He became obedient. And He became obedient in death. But it was not just what you and I would call dying. It was not just a natural death.

He experienced the fullness of the wrath of a righteous, holy God. I want you to turn to the book of Hebrews, chapter 12. Hebrews chapter 12, and I want you to look at verse 2. Hebrews chapter 12, verse 2. Here's an amazing statement. Hebrews chapter 12, verse 2. The Bible says, "Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God." Now I want to ask you, look at verse 2 again, "Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God." Here's my question, what was the joy that was set before Christ? How could He endure the cross and despise the shame for joy?

The Joy Set Before Christ and Our Duty

Christ endured the cross for the joy of obeying the Father and saving His people (Hebrews 12:2). Believers are called to the same mind of humility and obedience, even when difficult. Hebrews 12:4 reminds us we have not yet resisted sin to the point of bloodshed, so we have no reason to complain.

I think there are two answers. First, there was a joy of being obedient to His Father even unto death. And secondly, there was the joy of saving His people. "Who for the joy that was set before him"—Father, I've completed the work which You've given Me to do. I've saved the people. And in doing so, He endured the cross, despising the shame. That's why we are commanded in Philippians 2 and verse 5, "Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus." What kind of mind was it? A mind of humility, a mind of obedience. I want to read you two paragraphs from John Gill before I make the applications. Listen to what John says.

"Let the same condescending spirit and humble deportment appear in you as in him. This mind, affection, and conduct of Christ may refer both to His early affection to His people and the love He bore to them from everlasting, the resolution and determination of His mind in consequence of it, and His agreement with His Father to take upon Him their nature in the fullness of time and to do His will by obeying, suffering, and dying in their room instead, and also the open exhibition and execution of all this in time when He appeared in human nature, poor, mean, and abject, condescending to the lowest offices, and behaving in the most meek and humble manner throughout the whole of His life to the moment of His death." Now, what was the mind of Christ? He was eminently humble, and this is what we are peculiarly to learn of Him. "Learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart." If we were lowly-minded, we should be like-minded. And if we were like Christ, we should be lowly minded.

"We must walk in the same spirit and in the same steps which the Lord Jesus who humbled himself to suffering and death for us, not only to satisfy God's justice and to pay the price for our redemption, but to set for us an example that we should likewise follow in his steps." Wow. Now, the command is, "Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus." We may complain and state that it is difficult to walk humbly and obediently. And that is certainly an understatement, especially since we're in the flesh. Undoubtedly, it is true. It is very difficult. Our flesh will not lie silently on the altar as did Isaac. Our flesh will scream and cry and beg and plead for fulfillment.

But we have our duty. Micah 6 and verse 8 says this, "He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?" Humility. It may be difficult. It may be extremely difficult. But it's still our duty. I hope you're still in Hebrews chapter 12. If not, turn there.

I want to show you something. Because we may complain loudly concerning our duty and the difficulty that we have conforming our minds to the mind of Christ. Yet there's really no reason to complain because I want you to look. Hebrews 12 and verse 4, "Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin." How many of you have sweat great drops of sweat as blood? How many of you shed blood resisting sin? None of us. So what the author of the book of Hebrews is saying is this, until we start shedding blood, our own blood, in resisting sin, we have no reason to complain. We just must do our duty and learn to walk humbly and obediently with our Heavenly Father.

Conclusion and Prayer

Weaver concludes that love fulfills the law (Romans 13:10) and calls believers to resist sin and walk in obedience. He prays for God's help to think and act like Christ, desiring to always please the Father.

I must call your attention to this, and we must remember that if we love the Lord, we will obey Him. Romans 13 and verse 10 declares that love is the fulfilling of the law. So that means this, if I have the option of sin in front of me, and I have the option of obedience in front of me, as badly as my flesh may want the sin, I must resist that sin and walk in obedience and in submission to my Heavenly Father, so that I may have the mind of Jesus Christ. "Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus." A mind of humility and a mind of obedience. That does not mean that we do not stand. But we stand humbly, and we stand obediently, and we stand lawfully. We fight, but we fight in humility. We fight in obedience. Deuteronomy 17 is a tremendous passage, and Deuteronomy 20 is a tremendous passage, especially on warfare. And yet God gives the regulations and the rules for humbly and obediently fighting righteous and godly battles. "Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus." Let's pray. Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, we do ask You for Your blessing and Your help and Your grace.

And Lord, teach us that we may think like Thee, that we may act like Thee. Help us, Heavenly Father, to honor Thee in all that we say and do. And may our desire be to say with Jesus Christ, "For I do always those things that please my Father." Father, help us. In the name of Jesus Christ, we ask and pray. Amen.