LET THIS MIND BE IN YOU . . . .
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| Our panel discussion was not going well. WE COULD NOT AGREE ON MUCH! |
Well, that has happened to me more than once. But the first really big time it happened was in the summer of 1980 when I was just starting my seminary education.
Having said that, please excuse me for a moment while I do this. This won't take long . . . . (points at audience and counts): "One, two, three, four, five, six, seven -- please remember your number so i can put you into the right group -- one two three four five six seven . . . ."
In that first class on Christian education in June of 1980, that is how our professor numbered us off and put us into different presentation and study groups.
"Okay, I want all the number ones over here in the corner . . . , and all the number fours get over here." That's what Dr. Burgess said.
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| Our attempts to paint a clear picture of the Theology of Christian Education remained very fuzzy . . . . |
"Now, each group, please make sure you work together. I'll give you some time in class to do some work. But you're also going to need to get together after class on your own, and put some thought into this. Here's the bibliography. You all have a Bible. Let's get started!" said Dr. Burgess.
I found myself working with three men whose personality types were quite other than mine.
1. One guy was analytical. He wanted to discover the main emphases of Christian Education from the course text book and place them in a weighted list, in ascending order. The more he talked, the sleepier I got.
2. Another guy was the actor in the group. He was very dramatic: "Hey, guys, lets work up a dramatic skit featuring the operations of a real live children's sunday school class in a typical church. We can perform what Sundays Schools should do. I will be happy to play the lead role of course . . . ." The rest of us just stared at him. A long time.
3. The other guy was the idea man. He said, "let's not do the assignment literally like the teacher proposed. Instead let's revise the assignment! We'll come up with a few biblical texts that have to do
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| Perhaps Paul stood on these steps and preached to a congregation that one day would become divided . . . . |
with Christian education, we'll explain each passage in a short paragraph, and then we'll turn it over to the class to supply all the details. We want the class to have to work at this out loud. Let's let them fill in the blanks and try to figure out how it all fits. That way they will have a chance to learn on the run . . . ." We stared at him too.
4. Then there's me -- the goal-oriented personality. I'm the guy in the group who wants to do the bare minimum of what's required for a passing grade, get it all down on paper, read it aloud a few times, then hand it in -- and then move on to something else as quickly as possible.
I think you can easily believe me when I tell you we did not get along. Our initial attempts to put together a this class project ended in chaos! We could not move forward because we
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| Churches are composed of volunteers. They do not have to get along, and so often, they don't! |
The problem we had back then turns out to be fairly common in the history of the church. Churches are institutions composed primarily of free people who are all volunteers, and with very few employees, by ratio. That makes it a little harder to reach agreement even on some really important issues.
As I said, the problem isn't new. In fact, finding common points of agreement for ministry has been a difficulty since the beginning of the church. We have the Book of Acts as a witness to that, but also especially this letter from the Apostle Paul to the Philippians.
Paul learned the church he had founded at Philippi was having major difficulties among its leaders with finding common ground for ministry. That is why he wrote to them about their mind-set. Believe it or not, Paul was asking from them something very, very big: he was writing to get them all to think about the questions, "What goes into your mind? What are you bringing to the table to share with others? And above all are you bringing a cooperative spirit that is Christian?" He was asking them that; but he was also urging them to reach agreement about major goals of ministry.
Another way to describe the Philippian church's problem is to call it what it was: DIVISION. Division is what you have if you cannot reach a point of agreement. Paul even singles out two church-leading women by name, Euodia and Syntuche and strongly urges them to agree with each
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| There are churches today which, like Philippi, have become divided over issues that seem big. |
"I exhort you to agree, to have the same mind, to think the same way," are various translations of his words to them.
Don't get me wrong: the church at Philippi had many wonderful people in it. Paul could find a lot of things to say about them.
But the leaders were unable to reach agreement on some very basic issues of Christian ministry. So throughout this letter, and especially here in chapter two, Paul uses a verb that can be translated variously, as "thinking the same together; having the same mind; sharing the same opinion." He often uses an active verbal tense with that word. And what he means is finding a common point of agreement, and sticking to it long enough to get some positive things done.
LET ME REPEAT THAT: The word he uses means finding a common point of agreement or opinion, and then sticking to it long enough to get some positive things done. Like I said: Paul is asking a great deal from that congregation.
He's asking for a big thing from them, because in real life common ground and the same mind is not a simple thing to achieve in a large organization like this one. (Remember: we are composed mostly of volunteers.)
Personalities, personal histories, wide and narrow views of things, all get in the way of finding that workable common ground.
Paul is asking for such a big thing for them all, that he knows the only way to accomplish it is to invoke the life and example of the Son of God Jesus Christ. Paul knows, and we know, that it takes God Himself to bring people together in unity like that. It takes God to give us some
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| If Jesus takes over your mind that is a very good thing . . . . |
ONLY GOD HIMSELF CAN HELP CHRISTIANS AGREE TOGETHER FOR THE LONG HAUL.
Paul knew the Philippian Church needed divine intervention in order to get on the same page, and stay on it. He describes that intervention as "having the mind of Christ" (repeat).
THEY NEEDED, AND WE NEED TODAY THE MIND OF JESUS CHRIST.
READ
1 Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy,
2 fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.
3 Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.
4 Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.
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| With the mind of Jesus, Syntuche and Euodia would be able to cooperate. Hurray! |
5 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus . . . .
1. WE NEED THE MIND OF CHRIST FOR GODLY COOPERATION.
We need God to perform some kind of elective brain surgery within all of us to help us reach and hold that common ground and that like-mindedness.
I illustrated at the beginning the kinds of things that can keep a church committee from cooperating together.
The mind of Christ which grants the ability to cooperate is described in these verses: don't look to your own interests quite so much, but esteem others as better than yourself, and think and look more on their interests.
How does anyone get to that place? By having special elective surgery, performed by the good doctor Himself -- Jesus Christ. We are to have his own humble mind in us. We are to think and see the world like Him. We are to be as submissive to the Father as He was. He wants to give us a piece of His mind, and we must open our minds to receive it.
WE NEED A PIECE OF HIS MIND! A BIG ONE!
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| The mind of Jesus Christ gives to us a submissive spirit. |
READ
5 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus,
6 who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God,
7 but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bond-servant, and coming in the likeness of men.
8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even death by way of a cross.
If I have a piece of His mind, then I will be able to see someone else's point of view is as important as or maybe even more important than my own. Jesus gives us a piece of His mind, and all of a sudden what we used to think was important no longer is. Now we think of others more than ourselves. So, in the words of the apostle we "let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself." Christ teaches us to "look out not only for (our) own interests, but also for the interests of others."
I can remember several years ago going into a church missions committee meeting with a certain agenda in mind. There was one big thing I wanted to accomplish in that meeting. I
had thought it through; I believed it was the best thing for the church. I wanted to see that it
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| God gets the credit for helping our missions committee agree on one project. |
But when I got to the meeting quite to my surprise there were several people there who had different ideas about missionary projects and how to fund them. They came up with things I hadn't thought about. And suddenly within the first few minutes of my friend's sharing of his idea, I felt as if God was saying to me: save your ideas for another time. It'll be easier to get everybody to do this instead. And after all it's one of my ideas."
I decided in that moment to be submissive. To speak and act as if that new idea was better than mine. So we all got on board with my friend's plan. And it worked out amazingly! (But then, God's ideas always do!)
I know now what happened in those moments. Jesus Christ gave me a piece of His mind!
We need that in our church to find common ground and loving, unified cooperation.
2. But we also need THE MIND OF CHRIST FOR GODLY MOTIVATION.
By this we mean learning to want the things that God wants. Learning to WANT -- TRULY TO WANT -- THE THINGS THAT GOD WANTS FOR US AND OTHERS.
READ
12 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling;
13 for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.
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| We get the best things done when Jesus Christ motivates us! |
It's like being on the swim team, and deciding to get up on the starting stand, and then wilfully diving into the pool of your life that God has placed in front of you.
But we're not alone in swimming that path. Remember Christ is giving us a piece of His mind! And once He has done that, we start wanting what He wants for us. We start wanting and even willing what is pleasing to Him. It is truly an amazing thing that He works within us. And in the course of His doing that, our mind changes about many things. And He makes us open to consider things that in the past we might never even have been interested in before.
I remember when we were first married, my wife tactfully suggested that we ought grow a garden. She meant mainly flowers, but also an occasional vegetable here and there. But I wasn't interested in that. I didn't want to spend any money on garden stuff, and I didn't like
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| When I saw how the children enjoyed their garden in the church courtyard, I felt as if God was preparing me to grow one too. |
Texas, so the plants were free, and cactus require almost no care or attention.
Life went on and if our parsonage had a garden we took care of it, but it mainly fell to her to see that it amounted to anything. Finally we moved here and I got to see the church children plant their very own garden over in the courtyard area. They had lots of help: our youth group hauled in some sand and spread it around. Other adults came and assisted with watering. And before too long our children were able to go out in the garden area and harvest their own watermelons, squash, tomatoes, carrots, and cucumbers.
I got to see all of that done, or hear about it over a period of time, and it was transforming to me: AND THAT'S WHEN CHRIST GAVE ME A PIECE OF HIS MIND! He began to work in my mind to want what He wants. And now all of a sudden that suggestion of my wife's from years ago not only makes sense, but it seems to be very desirable. The Lord has seen fit to provide us with a backyard, a garden section already in place, and good soil. Perhaps he
wants us to grow a garden not just for us but to have extra to share with others. But the experience of seeing these young ones enjoy grow their own garden, is something God has
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| Nobody, but nobody motivates us like Jesus Christ. He has a plan for us, and He works in us to want His plan! |
AND I SAY, THANKS LORD, FOR GIVING ME ANOTHER PIECE OF YOUR MIND!
And that lets you know something: Jesus can give you a piece of His mind at any time of your life. He may have done it years ago; but He is not finished. You're still working out your own salvation in fear and trembling. If He has changed your opinions and your very motivation once, He can do it again. And He likely will! For, as Paul wrote, "13 . . . it is God who works in you both to will and to act for His good pleasure.
I hope today you'll ask Jesus for another piece of His mind. When I was about 12 years old I kept hearing about people who had changed their mind. And I asked, "where exactly is our mind located?" And I decided the mind is up here in our heads, right where our brains are. So to ask for the mind of Christ, is to ask for a form of voluntary brain surgery: I let Him take out whatever is necessary; and I let Him add back in whatever He wants you to have that wasn't there before.
And when He does this, my friend, this is the path to godly cooperation; and godly motivation.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
BIBLE TEXT FOR YOU TO READ, USE, AND LOVE!
Philippians 2:1-13
1 Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy,
2 fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.
3 Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.
4 Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.
The Humbled and Exalted Christ
5 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus,
6 who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God,
7 but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men.
8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.
9 Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name,
10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth,
11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
12 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling;
13 for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.
LBC
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