Palm / Passion Sunday --- 25 March 2018

Philippians 2:5-11

Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness. And being found in human form, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death-- even death on a cross. Therefore God also highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus

·       What is the mind of Christ Jesus?

·       Paul explains this in his letter to the Philippians. It is more than a way of thinking; it is a way of acting by which the disciple can reflect Jesus to the world. It’s easier to say it than to do it.

·       Paul tells the community to whom he’s writing that they are to live out the mind of Christ and reminds them who Jesus is, namely the Son of God who emptied himself to be born as one of us and further humbled himself to die a criminal’s death. In simple terms, God was put to death by God’s creation.

·       The British spiritual writer, C.S. Lewis wrote “True humility is not thinking less of yourself; it is thinking of yourself less.” Jesus thought no less of himself and did not despise himself. What he did do was to think of himself less, to humble himself in obedience to his Father’s will, and to give himself up to a criminal’s death, not for his own glory but for our sake.

·       His disciples may take him has the model for our lives. The mind of Christ then in our model, our goal, and our way of living. The life of the community is formed by the mind of Christ -- by a spirit of humility and loving service to one another rather than competition and grasping for power and control.

·       There has never been a more radical way of living than this. It would change us and it could change the world.

·       The problem could be as simple as this: The Gospel has not been tried and found wanting; it has been found difficult and not tried. (from G.K. Chesterton)

Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness. And being found in human form, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death-- even death on a cross. Therefore God also highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.