Philippians: Humility | Bella Vista Church of Christ

Philippians: Humility

Philippians

Cultivating The Mind of Christ

Philippians 2.3-11

We continue our study in the Book of Philippians.

We've come to chapter two... Where Paul is saying... We are to have the... Heart... Mind... Attitude... Disposition... And behavior of Jesus... We are to conform to His image...Become like Him.

Can I say this and you not become upset with me?...

Is it possible that sometimes we get so wrapped up in... 

• Doctrine... 

• Issues... 

• Church politics... 

• What we can do and can't do...

• Who is in and who is out... 

That we forget that our first and foremost purpose... That is to become like Jesus. 

This appears to be the single most important task in our Christian Walk... 

• To keep our eyes upon Jesus...

• To seek first His Kingdom Righteousness.

• Become a child of God... A son... 

• Not just any son... But a Son like Jesus

• Raised to walk in a new life...

• Taking on His nature...

• Sharing in His suffering...

• Becoming heirs and joint heirs with Him...

• Sharing in His Resurrection and Heavenly Abode.

Listen church... We must be careful that our Christian walk has a lot more to do with our personally becoming MORE like Jesus than... The exact name over the church-house door... Church attendance... Church government... Ministry... Giving... What we believe about the Spirit and His work... The rapture and end of time sequences... Where and what Heaven and Hell are like… The question is... Do we think and act like Jesus?

Let's read our text... Beginning with the verse numbered three... Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death--even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Did you notice it... Did you catch... What attribute was given in this text... Stated twice...

• That allowed Jesus to abandoned His equality with God by adding Humanity to His nature...

• Allowing Him to empty Himself of the... Joys... Privileges... The Glory... Of Heaven....

• Allowing Him to come to earth and live as one of us...

• Allowing... The Divine Creator... The Sovereign God of the universe... To become a Servant... 

• Allowing human Suffering and Death... Not just any death... But the shameful death of a 

criminal on a Roman Cross.

Let me read them again... 

but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not 

only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Your attitude should be 

the same as that of Christ Jesus...

• But made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human 

likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became 

obedient to death--even death on a cross!

Amazing love!!!...

How can it be????...

That thou...My God! 

Did'st die for me?

Church... I submit to you this morning that if Jesus... Had not had humility... Had not humbled Himself... There would be no salvation for us... 

Read it again!... Here... Paul says...

• Humility allowed His incarnation.

• Humility allowed His becoming a servant...

• Humility made possible His soul-saving death on the cross... Amen

And here's the application of the text...

We are to be like Jesus... Putting on humility... Humbling ourselves.

Consider these Scriptures that tell us God loves and rewards Humility...


James 4.6 & 10... God opposes the proud... But gives grace to the humble.... Therefore... 

Humble yourselves before the Lord... And He will lift you up.

Matthew 18.4... Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom. 

Proverbs 15.33... The fear of the Lord teaches a man wisdom... And humility comes 

before honor.

Micah 6.8... He has showed you... What is good.... And what does the Lord require of 

you?... To act justly... To love mercy... And to walk humbly with your God.

Colossians 3.12... Therefore... As God's chosen people... Holy and dearly loved... Clothe 

yourselves with compassion... Kindness... Humility... Gentleness... And patience.

Romans 12.3... Do not think of  yourself more highly than you ought... But rather think 

Of yourself with... sober... Humble... Judgment.

First Peter 5.5-7... Clothe yourselves with humility towards one 

another... Because... God opposes the proud... But gives grace to the humble... 

Therefore Humble yourselves under God's mighty hand... That He may lift you up. 

Church... It should be of no surprise to us that God's most hated sin is a lack of HUMILITY.

It was Solomon who wrote... There are six things which the Lord hates... Sseven are an abomination to Him... A Proud Look... Haughty Eyes... Pride that goes before DESTRUCTION... A haughty spirit that goes before a fall.

Listen... Have we lost our focus?... Have we allowed... Are we allowing... The world.... Our Western Culture... To force us into its mold of... NARCISSISTic.... Egotistical... Self-centered... PRIDEful... Superior... Arrogant… Thinking?

• Webster says... Humility is the state of being free from such prideful arrogance.

• In the Greek... Our word means... Abased... Lowliness of heart and mind. 

• Jesus gives us a Biblical definition in the Beatitudes... Blessed are the POOR IN SPIRIT... 

That's exactly what HUMILITY IS!... Being poor in spirit!

Come... Let' see what we can learn about Biblical Humility...

First… Understand that... Humility is an attitude… A heart condition.

Your Heart & Attitude should be like that of Christ Jesus.

We are to think like Jesus!… Have his attitude!... His disposition. 

Proverbs 23.7 says… For as a man thinks in his heart… So is he.

Dale Carnegie once said… We are not what we think we are… But what we think… We are.

Indeed… We must not loose focus on the fact... that life… that life… Is determined by attitude… What we think.

Secondly... Humility is placing others before self.

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit… But in humility consider others better than yourselves.

What does it look like when we consider others better than self?

• Simple things like… Letting others go first… Who is first in the fellowship line?... 

Over the years... I've noted who is always first in the Fellowship Line... It's a lack 

of Biblical Humility.

Do we allow others to be first?... At the cash register or in the teller's line?

• With COVID... Are we willing to place the interest of others and wear a mask?

• In the area of forgiveness… Humility is giving others the benefit of the 

doubt… It's being first to say… I'm sorry… Let's put this behind us?

• In benevolence… It is considering the needs of others… Before our own wants?

• In evangelism… It's sharing the Gospel regardless of the social risk involved?

• In the matter of prejudice… Is it placing others of different… Race… National 

origin… Age… Education… Financial or social statues… Before self?

Church... The life of Jesus tells us that... Narcissism is out... Humility is In.

Thirdly… We must not be overly concerned with position.

Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus… Who… Being in very nature God… Did not consider equality with God something to be grasped. 

Listen to Paul's credentials in Philippians three… I have reasons for confidence… POSITION. If anyone else thinks he has reasons to put confidence… POSITION… In the flesh… I have more… Circumcised on the eighth day… Of the people of Israel… Of the tribe of Benjamin… A Hebrew of Hebrews… In regard to the law…  Pharisee. As for zeal… Persecuting the church… As for legalistic righteousness… Faultless. But… LISTEN NOW… But whatever was to my profit… I now consider loss… Nothing… Rubbish… For the sake of Christ.

Our application is simple. 

• Whatever titles we may have earned…

• Whatever degrees or titles may hang on the wall… Or placed after our name...

• Whatever position we've been appointed to…

Being like Jesus means we never lord our authorityOur position… Over others… Or… In any way… Make them feel inferior to us.

Listen to Jesus… 

Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant… 

• Whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. 

For even the Son of Man did not come to be served… But to serve… And to give his life as a ransom for many.

Here it is church... If we think ourselves better than others... Any Others... We don't have the heart of Jesus... It was His humility that made Him a Servant and Savior to all. 

 This brings us to the fact that Humility demands SERVANTHOOD.

Verse seven… But made himself nothing… Taking the very nature of a servant… Being made in human likeness. 

In the upper room… When he had finished washing their feet… Jesus asked... Do you understand what I have done for you?... You call me Teacher and Lord… And rightly so… For that is what I am. Now that I… Your Lord… Your God!... And Teacher… Has washed your feet… You also should wash one another's feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you... Now that you know these things… You will be blessed… You will be happy… If you do them.

Church… 

• Is it possible that we are not enjoying life as it was meant to be enjoyed… 

• We are not receiving the blessings we desire…

• We are not as happy as we could to be…

Simply because we are unwilling to empty ourselves of this world's glory… And become a servant?

Humility is always obedient. 

Verse eight… And being found in appearance as a man… He humbled himself and became obedient to death… Even death on a cross!

Again… Proper behavior results from proper attitude.

Humility is our saying… Speak Lord… Your servant hears.

And then… Not become hears only… But  doers of the Word.

Listen to Paul's conclusion in verses 12 & 13… Continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling… For it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.

Church... Let's go home today knowing that... 

Humility cultivates obedience... 

• Humility allows God to work in our life.

In fact Paul begins this letter in verse six... Saying... We can be confident of this... he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion. 

There's an interesting verse in Second Chronicles seven... If my people… Who are called by my name… Will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked way… Then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land. My eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place.

This is what we want… Isn't it?… 

• For God to hear our prayers...

• forgive our sins…

• And heal our land…

Indeed!

Well… We close asking the question... 

What will be the result of a life lived in Biblical humility?...

Note verse fifteen of chapter two… So that you may become blameless and pure… Children of God without fault… In a crooked and depraved generation… In which you shine like stars in the universe.

Church... As a child of God... Becoming like Jesus... Having His... 

• Mind... 

• Heart... 

• Attitude... 

• Disposition... 

• And Behavior...

Is our... Not losing our focus on this subject of humility.

Perhaps you're not a child of God this morning... Put on HUMILITY... Become obedient by... Faith... Repentance... And genuine New Testament baptism... Immersion in water for the forgiveness of your sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit.




Written By

Parker Willis

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