Now. Is it out of selfish ambition? Bothered when someone doesn't acknowledge that. So he says, let nothing be done. And then he gets even more detailed with that. He says, the second thing,
let nothing be done through conceit Possibly quoting Philippians 2:3. That may sound like the same, but it's two different things because conceit is the image management. It's the idea of needing to be seen and need to be right or important. This is really a the second step to what he's calling a behavior. Unity looks like. And the word conceit there means vainglory. In other words, if it's done out of conceit, it's done out of what? Glory that won't matter. And he's addressing this because obviously it's an issue to deal with. Paul's not writing this just because the Philippians, those in Philippi, were unique. Because we know it's not. It's true for every one of us that he says. Two things, don't let this be done out of selfish ambition and don't let it be done out of conceit. And you can only ask the Holy Spirit, you have to show me in my own heart. I remember praying that, Lord, is this your call or is this my selfish ambition? And really it was out of that, Ron, where we really started talking about bearing fruit rather than being successful. Because I was successful, I had to compare myself with someone else. Like, what is the what what are we the biggest? Are we the best? That's vain conceit. I I remember people saying the church alive is worth the drive. And I liked it. Vain. Conceit. Right? I told you, didn't I? In 1981. There's a young 26-year-old pastor. I put out on our marquee Rogers County's fastest growing church. That's just like bending over and saying, Spank me, God. The same thing. I mean, it's real, isn't it? So much so, if we're not careful, we'll become sectarian. And not embrace the body of Christ in the city. That's what Paul's dealing with, isn't he? What we have going on here is so much better. If that's the idea, we have to be careful.
So he gives two things about unity of not to do, then it gives two things to do. Are you ready?
In lowliness of mind, each esteem others better than himself Possibly quoting Philippians 2:3. That counts others more significant. That really is huge, isn't it? When I tell you that God dealt with me with my wife in that area, I wasn't considering her more significant. I think the the real question for us in this room to ask ourselves. Because it's contrary to our present culture, isn't it? You know, we we build our self-esteem by being superior. We're taught that way. And I'm not against you teaching your children healthy self-esteem, but you we have to be careful that as a Christian, the whole way is the way of the cross. That our dependency of image is in him and not in ourselves. So when you teach your children, they can do whatever they dream to do. Shouldn't it be you can do whatever God designed you to be? Because that's fruitfulness, isn't it? But it's not sensational. In fact, it comes out of when we just preach through the scriptures. There'd be a lot of people who say, Glenn, I wish you'd just tell me how great I am. And how wonderful my life's going to be this week. And that's not what Paul does. Oh, in him, you're there. That's why he starts off with those basis, right? But then he comes down to the practical part. And the second thing he says is let each of you look not only for your own interest, but for the interest of others. He's not saying ignore your interest, but include, if you have that need, then somebody else also has that need. Isn't that powerful? What is that? That's a behavior. That's what it actually looks like. That's what unity actually looks like. So here's a good question for each of us. Who in our congregation do you consider more significant than yourself? Take out a piece of paper and write the name down. No, I'm just joking. It wouldn't be a bad practice, would it? One person that you consider more significant than yourself. And I'm not taking away from You know, you oftentimes people would put down the leaders because they'd see them as significant. But, and I don't want to take away from God's giving honor, but it ought to include beyond that. There ought to be among us, I see Christ in. And here's how, when you hear me say, I see Christ in people, that changes everything. That changes everything for me. Because if I just look at you, I'm looking at you what you can do for me. But if I look at Christ in you, I see the gifts and grace. And that's why we need to get to know each other and hear each other's story, is that we can really understand the value that person has in the gifts of Christ. And by the way, let me just add to this: you won't know everybody in this room. You don't know who they are, but you won't know them. Human behavior says you're going to only know about 60 people in your life. Count them. You do well to get 60 people that you that really know you, that you really know. And that's normal, okay? That's normal. Sometimes people come into a congregation that's got a couple, two, three hundred people or more, they feel overwhelmed because they think they got to know everybody. No, the same 60 you knew before, it's a different 60, but you can get to know them. So invest in those that God puts in your life because why? He's causing you to see and consider. And here's the question: if that's true, if there's somebody that I consider more significant, then when was the last time I acted on that? That's a good question, isn't it? Why? Because disunity starts at the small self-centered instincts. Needing the last word. Can I tell you, I don't know if that ever goes away. You just don't heed to it. That was my idea. I wonder if they know that. I came up with that first. It never goes away, does it? But you don't heed to it. That's why he's saying, don't do these do not do the first two things, but do these two things, honoring one another. So what does it do?
Now he goes deeper than this. If you follow me so far, those are the practicals. He goes deeper than this. He goes into the what I would call the means of unity, meaning that this is how it actually works. And this is Christ. He says,
Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus Possibly quoting Philippians 2:5. Now we know we have the mind of Christ, but what does he mean by
let this mind be in you? It means that this is a Possibly quoting Philippians 2:5 part of your understanding. You've allowed this to be a part of your understanding. Here's why he says Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus. So the phrase in Christ Jesus reminds us that this is not merely an imitation. Jesus, watch this, is not just an example for us. He is the power for us. Let me say that again. It's easy to look at Jesus, say he's a good example. You say, well, then I'm going to fall short of that example. But he's not just a good example. He's saying, let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus, because he is in us. We can do this. Right? You can do it. Because why? Because he starts off by saying this: here's the steps. He gives the steps. Are you ready? He was in the form of God. Remember that in verse 6? Meaning he was God, and he is God.
In the beginning was the word, and the word was with God, and the word was God Possibly quoting John 1:1, right? Jesus is the word.
We beheld his glory, the only begotten of the Son, the Father Possibly quoting John 1:14, of the Father. So the glory of the Word, the Word is Jesus. And he says here, He was in the form of God, the essential nature. Paul is describing Christ's deity. He starts by saying, think with me, he as God, okay? What does he do? It says the next part of that, he did not grasp Christ. Equality with God. Now hear me on this. This is while he was in his glory in heaven and had not taken on the form of a servant. Otherwise, he could not have agreed to come to this earth. He did not consider this place as something to be grasped. He did not hold on to it, but
willingly took upon the form of a servant Possibly quoting Philippians 2:7. So though he is God and was in the form of God, notice he was in the form of God. He had not taken on the form of humanity. He did not consider that to be grasped to his advantage, to take it as his advantage. He's showing us the very means by which this happens. Watch what he says. He emptied himself. I believe one translation says,
He made himself of no reputation Possibly quoting Philippians 2:7, meaning that he did not give up his deity, but he took up on humanity. In an attempt, listen to me now, in an attempt to teach Christians their authority as a believer, some have used this verse called the Kenosis of Christ to say that Jesus emptied himself out of his deity, and he only functioned here on this earth by the power of the Holy Spirit, therefore you can too. That's got half truths to it. Jesus did not empty himself out of his deity. Jesus walked on this earth a hundred percent God and a hundred percent man. Otherwise, he would not have fulfilled the fulfillment. He could not have emptied himself out of his deity. He emptied himself out of the position, so to speak, of grasping. He took up on the form of a servant. So, yes, we operate by the power of the Holy Spirit as a believer, but don't think for one minute minute that Jesus gave up his deity. His divine attributes, Jesus, when he came to be known as Jesus, took up on the servant form. He took up on humanity. Are you with me? It's important for you to know doctrinally because you can get off there. Start thinking that out of order, man is important to God. God uses man, but you can never bring man to the level of God. God is other than we are. We're created in his image, but we're not equal with God. It's important that you understand that. So Jesus
emptied himself and he took upon the form of a servant. Scripture born in the likeness of men Possibly quoting Philippians 2:7. That was the incarnation. He humbled himself by becoming obedient. Listen to this.
He humbled himself becoming obedient, even Possibly quoting Philippians 2:8, and Paul emphasizes this: even to the obedient of the cross. The crucifixion was the most shameful way that Romans could have someone die. He became
obedient even to the death of the cross Possibly quoting Philippians 2:8. Here's the picture that we see, if we could see a mental picture. Jesus steps out of glory and he steps down steps, so to speak. Doesn't change his nature, but he
takes on the form of a servant Possibly quoting Philippians 2:7. He does that for us. Had he not come into humanity form, there would not have been a sacrifice, listen now, that was worthy to pay the price for sin that would meet God's holiness and standard of righteousness. It wasn't just that man fell that far, it's just that it's also that God is so holy, the sacrifice that paid for your sin had to be equal to him. So God, it says in Isaiah, looked for one who would stand in the gap, but he found none, so he stretched forth his own right arm. So God himself sent his son in the form of humanity. Are you with me? And walked under that for you, so that when he went to the cross, he took the full penalty. It was laid on
him who knew no sin. He was made to be sin, that we might be made the righteous of God Possibly quoting 2 Corinthians 5:21. If you're in this room today or you're listening, I'm sharing with you the clear gospel. The gospel is that you trust in what Jesus did and nothing else. When I hear someone say, Someday God might be merciful enough to forgive me, I know they don't hear the gospel. Because a Muslim will say that. Someday God might be merciful to me. A Hindu will say that. Only those who understand the gospel says it's not what he will do someday. It's the fact that he died for me and I trust in the work he already did and nothing else. That's saving faith. Are you with me? So if you're sitting in this room and your confidence is in anything other than what I just said, then that's not saving faith. It may be religion, it may be hope that God someday will forgive you, that he's a good God, so he's going to forgive me. That Is not saving faith? Saving faith is that Christ has already done it for us. He humbled himself. So when he stepped down, really, he did by his own choice. So here's a question I guess I have to ask myself and ask you if God Himself descended this far for us, what stairs am I refusing to step down for someone else? Pretty good question, isn't it? What am I willing and not willing to do? And here's why it's all so important.
Paul wraps it up by talking about the victory of humility. The victory of it is through humility. You know, humility, we think if we humble, we're losing something. But according to the scriptures, humility always brings the exaltation. Those who are proud, he will what? Resist, but you humble yourself that in proper time and due season, God will what? He'll raise you up. He will exalt you in his way and his work. So God honors the way of the cross. Listen to me. He honors the way of the cross. The reason Paul uses the basis for unity, because if they don't see that, they're never going to be wanting to connect with one another. When I first came here as a 25-year-old pastor, in those days, you're supposed to have revivals twice a year. Supposed to have a spring revival and a fall revival. Some of you old enough know what I'm talking about. So we need to have a revival and I was on staff at First Assembly in Lawton, Oklahoma, and all I heard about those two years I was there is Red Dixon. How great Red Dixon was. Red Dixon was his greatest preacher. You gotta hear Red Dixon. So when I came here, I thought, who else can I have come preach a revival but Red Dixon? So I found him over in Arkansas and asked him to come preach a revival. Sunday through Wednesday night, Red Dixon. And I'm telling you. And people loved Red Dixon. Oh, they loved Red Dixon. Sunday night he preached and they showed up and packed the house because they loved Red Dixon. Monday night, when you're not supposed to have a crowd, it was full. And he preached, and people. Loved Red Dixon. By Tuesday night, I didn't expect him to show up. But man, was the house full to hear Red Dixon and one of the deacons brought to me the offering count. They had come in Sunday night, Monday night, and Tuesday night. And back in 1981, it was a lot of money. It was over three. Like twenty thousand now. I don't know if I liked Red Dixon. I get four hundred and fifty dollars a week, I told myself. He's got more in three nights than months of income. Hear me. We went to lunch on Wednesday. And I didn't want to hear Red Dixon. We talked the more his voice. I didn't like Red Dixon. I didn't want to hear Red Dixon. And the guy had the gall to give me advice. This fifty-something-year-old wise man gave advice to this twenty-year-old. Five-year-old pastor, how dare him. I'm not gonna do anything, Red Dixon says today. And I'm serious, I couldn't wait to get out of that luncheon. The more he talked, the more I didn't want to hear him. And I went back to the little church building over there on Blue Star where we were having those early days. And the platform was our altar, and I laid across the altar. I said, Lord, I don't like what the Because I never come up with his terms. Here's what he said: he said, stay at the feet of Calvary. I might have used the word cross. I don't use the word Calvary. Calvary is the place. Calvary is the place of the cross. Chris, it did something in me. I got up and I said, I'm gonna stay, I'm gonna live my life at the feet of Calvary. That night, by the help of the Holy Spirit, I got up to take the offering myself. And I was able to take him up the largest offering I'd ever taken up in my life. There was like $1,300 or $1,400. I was so happy to take him a check for $4,500 for those three or four nights. I handed it to him and he said, Come out to the car with me. He said, The Holy Spirit told me to tithe to you whatever you gave to me. He wrote me a week's long salary, $450. And the Holy Spirit was doing more than blessing me. He was teaching me something that I could not do myself. We cannot be unified ourselves. We won't even want to hear their talent. We won't even want to hear their voice. Are you listening to me? When somebody brags on them, you're gonna say, Yeah, but you should have seen what I did. You won't be happy at all. That's why he says, This is the steps as Christ Himself, Lord Himself, and went to the cross. He said, Because of that, he has been exalted. He didn't exalt himself. He's exalted above every name that's named in heaven and earth. And get this, and beneath the earth. Jesus Christ was altered by the Father. It did not take from the Father's glory, it fulfilled the Father's glory in the kingdom of God. It does not take one from another, it fulfills the glory of Christ in the house. Here's my heart for us today. And I have to say, what he does for us is in every area. He says every name. That means the name of the covenant of God. That's the Lord. He reaches over in Isaiah with the name Yahweh and said,
every tongue will confess. There's a universal acknowledgement, it's to the glory of the Father Possibly quoting Philippians 2:11.
Now here's my call. This may be a practical thing at first, and then I want to go to the Application right now. The practical card this week, could I ask you to do something? Would you identify one relationship where you can take a step down for the sake of unity? And that probably will start in your marriage. You see, I hear Christians always trying to be one. That's not the answer. The answer is to discover that you already are one. I've heard Christians say one prayer that has not yet been answered, that Jesus prayed. In
John 17, when he said, Father, that they may be one, even as you and I are one. And I hear whole articles and messages preached on why that prayer has not been answered yet. Can I tell you that Jesus answered it when he went to the cross? He prayed that prayer right before he went to the cross. He says, Father, as you and I are one, I pray that they be one. How are they one? Through the cross. When you become a Christian, you are saved into the church. You can't join the church. Well, you can join man's organization, but you can't join the church. You're born, birthed into the church. You're birthed into one body, one Lord, one baptism, one spirit. You and I are already one. We're not seeking to be one, we're seeking to see the oneness. If I see that I'm stuck with you and you're stuck with me, I need to see Christ in you. Because we're already one. If you look at your spouse, you say, honey, we need to be one. It's the wrong way. Start with the fact that when you said I do, in that covenant, you became one flesh, bone of bone and flesh of flesh. You're not trying to be one. You are already one. And your response out of that revelation will do far more than you ever realized. Because you wait a minute, wait a minute. I've got to treat them differently because we're already one. When I see that we're already one in Christ, we're not separated in this city. You say, Yeah, but those believers over there, they believe something different. I know they do, but they're believers. They don't worship like we do. We are the real worship house. Oh, no no no. Are you with me? It's so easy for this to slip into our heart among ourselves. So I'm asking the question today. I'm asking this simple question: where do I see selfish ambition and empty glory in me that's showing up in the body of Christ? Beforehand, what is the Holy Spirit saying to you? What is He saying to you in this room? Is there someone you need to go to this week? And recognize the oneness and the unity that you already have. Isolated in your mind, waiting for someone else to encourage you when you've already received encouragement and consolation in Christ? Are you thinking that God doesn't love you when He's already said that you have comfort in His love? If you know Christ, have you already trusted in Jesus Himself? Have you trusted in the fact that faith is in the completed work of Christ? It's the only means of being delivered from damnation ahead. It's the only means. Are you at a point where the Holy Spirit is speaking and saying, Glenn, or calling you by name, here's where you need to respond, and here's what you need to do. I'm going to invite everybody in this building to stand to their feet, and I'm going to open this moment of prayer time. If you want to kneel where you are, you're welcome to do that. If you want to come and kneel around the front, you're welcome to do that. If the Holy Spirit is telling somebody here to stay at the feet of Calvary, then hear the word of the Lord today. If there is something rising up inside of you, selfish ambition, anger, jealousy, all of those areas, Paul says: here's the basis. Know that you have Jesus Christ as your consolation. Know that you're comforted in Him. Know that you have a partnership with the Spirit. Know that you've been given mercy. So have mercy. Upon those bases, you say, Lord, I lay my life down. Just take a moment right there where you are. Pray and cry out to Him. Whatever the Holy Spirit is drawing upon you. In this room, obey the Spirit. We have time. We don't want to miss the moment of his call upon our heart's eyes. What if the Holy Spirit is dealing with eternal matters this day? We'd want to be cautious. We'd want to be sensitive. We want to be aware. Would you just be in prayer right now? Praying in the spirit, praying under your breath, praying for one another, couples. This may be your chance to take a different approach in your home and marriage. Though God has already made you one. And where do you need to step down from what you would grasp in order to see unity? Maybe for you it's It's important that you be right. Maybe for you, it's important that people know about you, know your knowledge. The Holy Spirit is speaking. It's all about the unity of Christ in his body. That we dare honor and consider those more significant than ourselves. Lord, would you show me that where that's not true in my life? Would you just ask the Holy Spirit that? Where that's not true in your life? Maybe you say, Well, Glenn. I feel insignificant. I don't feel any significance. Go back to the basis first. Know your consolation is in Christ. Know that you're comforted in his love. Know that you share with the Holy Spirit. Are you there's a reason he gave those four basics because you can't move further. You may be putting yourself down. You might say, pride's not my issue. Actually, it is self-pity. Honestly, that is pride. Self-pity is a subtle form of pride. Because it's about you. A person who's humble, C. S. Lewis said, you wouldn't even know he's humble. You just like being around him. He would not even know about humility. You just like being around him for some reason. That's Christ. That's Christ. So, Father, I pray. As you're working and dealing in our hearts today, let's not be in a hurry. Stop being a hurry. Let's let the Holy Spirit do his work. Let your will be done, Father. Just put our hands against what God has done today in our heart. Amen. So good to see you this morning. I'm Ron. How many of you, if you felt inspired by the message today, can you just say amen? If you felt convicted by the message, can you say, Oh me. Me too. Amen. Listen, I want to take a moment and receive our giving today. You know, there's a couple ways that you can give. One is by cashier check, and that's with an offering envelope that's in front of you. And as you leave, there's receptacles there. But many of us give online. We have a slide there. You can text to give. Event now. It's ladies only. It's gonna be fun. Ladies, make sure you sign up for that. And gents, let's get on that golf term. It's gonna be a lot of fun. I hear if you buy enough bogeys, you could win that tournament. Stand with me this after or this morning. Listen, I want to remind you, you know, what a powerful message. I want to invite our prayer teams down. You know, we talked about at times just how there is a shift when we do those announcements. But we know that God is still working through the Word. So I want to encourage you today. If there's God was speaking to you during the message, did get a chance to really express that. Maybe there was someone that you're considering today, like, man, you know. I think about that sometimes that moment of humility, there's a challenge that comes to it. Maybe you need someone to agree with you today to hold you accountable. You say, man, I'm going to take that step and go to that person and ask for forgiveness. Maybe if you haven't bowed your knee and your heart to Christ Himself. Now I've been there before in my own pride, thinking that I could push his call off into the future and that I could lift myself and walk. Today, God is dealing with you said you bow your until the name of Jesus. It's that step of humility today. I want you to find someone that before you leave this building. Make sure that anything that's in your heart, anything that God was dealing with, you can take care of it. Father, with that said, I pray that there wouldn't be one person that would leave today wrestling in their own heart, but there would be a full surrender. Christ, you took ultimate steps. Lord, keep us safe as we go. Keep your hand upon your people, your goodness, your mercy to follow them as they leave this place. Hand upon their businesses, their families, their hell. And always, God, will they prosper? Go in the name of Jesus today. Church can be saved. And God bless you guys. Have a great Sunday. Cook chili beaning.
