Philippians 2:1-11, Make my joy complete

great so we're in philippians chapter 2 and verses 1 to 11 let me pray and then i will

Philippians 2 · chapter mention

read the passage for us let me pray uh loving father we want to just ask now for your um

particular help as we look at this section of your words and lord we want to ask that you might give

us the concentration that we need we want to pray that we might uh not just learn stuff with our

minds but that we might be moved in our hearts to love and trust you say lord we pray that you might

impress upon us the great humility of the lord jesus that we might bow the knee to him and give

him all the glory in jesus name amen okay so i'm in philippians chapter 2 i'm going to read to you

Philippians 2 · chapter mention

verses 1 to 11 and then we're going to think about it together it's on page 1179 but most of you like

you're there already anyway philippians chapter 2 therefore if you have any encouragement from being

Philippians 2 · chapter mention

united with christ if any comfort from his love if any common sharing in the spirit if any tenderness

and compassion then make my joy complete by being like-minded having the same love being one in

spirit and of one mind do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit rather in humility value others

above yourselves not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others

in your relationships with one another have the same mindset as christ jesus who being in very nature

god did not consider equality with god something to be used to his own advantage rather he made himself

nothing by taking the very nature of a servant being made in human likeness and being found in appearance

as a man he humbled himself by becoming 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 acknowledge that jesus christ is lord

to the glory of god the father now i think those verses are probably so familiar and so brilliant

that really i feel like i should perhaps just read them through a few times and then sit down and shut up

if you are in any way minded to commit verses of the bible to memory you could do a lot worse than memorizing

these verses especially verses 6 to 11 as a really central and important part of the new testament theology

of who jesus is anyway but i'm not going to just read them and sit down and shut up i have got some more

things to say as we try and have a look through and see what the lord is saying to us tonight

but to try and keep your interest on a sunday evening i am going to point out three surprises

in the verses three surprises the first one is this depending on exactly how you read it i think

there is only one instruction here so you have the passage printed out in the front of your handout i

would like you to circle the instruction what is the instruction in these verses have a think about

that maybe on your own you can cheat and talk to the person next to you if you'd like to

and circle what is the imperative or the instruction that do this in these verses there is one possibly

two depending on how you break it down or which exact greek text you choose to use

letters

yes

you

you

you

This is like exam conditions.

I'm liking this.

I think I might pace up and down just to make you feel all nervous.

So, yes.

I think it's my dream of a sort of teaching.

Even if you want to.

But that's my assumption.

There's more than that.

Oh.

It's pretty English.

I'm trying to understand.

I guess it's not.

I guess it's not.

Okay.

Now, it is possible that one of the imperatives is in verse five.

In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus.

We're going to deal with that in a moment.

But there is one more in verses one to four.

One imperative.

What is the imperative?

The instruction in verses one to four.

It's only one.

Yes.

Make my joy complete.

That's the imperative.

That's the instruction.

That's the request.

I think it's surprising that, right?

But this is Paul's emphasis.

Everything else around it essentially is a description of the actions that that would require.

So things required to make Paul's joy complete, which is the instruction.

And it's arranged in fours.

Okay.

There are groups of four around that imperative.

So he starts, doesn't he?

If you have any.

And he starts with encouragement from being united with Christ.

That's the first one.

If any.

Second one.

Comfort from his love.

If any.

Third one.

Common sharing in the spirit.

Fourth one.

If any.

Tenderness and compassion.

And of course, the answer to all of those is, yeah, of course I have that.

Of course, I have encouragement from being united with Christ.

That there is great encouragement in being united with Christ.

If I have any comfort from his love.

If I have any comfort from his love.

Of course, the love of Christ is of great comfort to me.

I am hugely comforted by the love of Christ.

If we share in the common spirit.

Common sharing in the spirit.

Of course.

Because believers are recipients of the Holy Spirit.

If any.

Tenderness and compassion.

Of course, we are tender and compassionate towards one another.

If that's the case, well then, make my joy complete.

And afterwards, the descriptions of what filling that command looks like.

So continue.

By.

So how do I make the joy complete?

Well, by being like-minded.

Number one.

Number two.

By having the same love.

Number three.

By being one in spirit.

And fourthly, by being of one mind.

Okay.

So there's four more.

Four at the beginning.

Then the instruction.

Four at the end.

And then, four more descriptions of that.

With the sort of negative connotations included.

Nothing out of selfish ambition.

Nothing out of vain conceit.

In humility, valuing others above yourself.

Not looking to your own interest, but to the interest of others.

Four more there.

So here's the instruction from Paul.

Essentially, and I don't want to oversimplify it.

But it is essentially, make me happy.

Or make me full of joy.

By enjoying and building Christian community.

That's what he's saying.

There's, I suppose, more to it than that.

But that's the distilled essence of it.

Paul literally wants to be filled up with joy.

Full to the measure of joy.

By seeing the Philippians pulling together.

In a way that reflects the gospel that's at work in them.

Now I think, I think when you get that.

That's a massive surprise.

Why is Paul so obsessed with his own joy.

That he makes this the central instruction of verses one to four.

Turn to the person next to you.

Why is it that Paul is so obsessed with his own joy.

That he makes that the central instruction in these verses.

Have a think.

With the person next to you if you want to.

And then I'm going to ask you to answer.

And then I'm going to ask you to answer.

And then I'm going to ask you to answer.

You okay.

To, can I say.

I'd like the.

You better.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Or make the Lord's joy complete, if you can do such a thing, because the Lord is as joyful as it's possible to be joyful.

Why his joy?

Any suggestions?

what have you been talking about

Nick what did you think

we were just saying that Paul's joy

is in

Christ has given him a mission

Christ has sent him out

and he's absolutely Gentile

he's out to let people know

about Christ

and for everyone that turns to Christ

it's like

it's a wonderful thing

and he's sharing God's joy

so people like

Paul's joy is God's joy

people get saved and grown

it's kind of the same

yeah so Paul has joy in them

growing in the faith just in the same way

as that is joyful for the Lord

to see the outworking of the work of Christ on the cross

yes

there is a particular sense though

in which I think he seems to be suggesting

that the sort of

the underlying little niggles in Philippi

Philippi like Iodia and Syntyche

sort of not getting on with each other

or this selfish ambition of the preachers

in verse 15 of chapter 1

is in some sense

making Paul's joy incomplete

now I think the answer

probably the most helpful way to look

come at the answer is in chapter 4 verse 1

where he mentions joy there

so chapter 4 verse 1

just turn over the page to it

he says this

that there is a link between

their godliness and Paul's joy

because he says chapter 4 verse 1

therefore my brothers and sisters

you whom I love and long for

my joy and my crown

stand firm in the Lord in this way

dear friends

it seems doesn't it

in chapter 4 verse 1

that the perseverance of the Philippians

is somehow connected

to the crown

and reward

that Paul is looking forward to

on the day of Christ

Paul is anticipating

that on the day of Christ Jesus

his joy on that day

is not just in one sense

a joy in the Lord

although it will be

but it's a joy that comes from

seeing others there on that day

whom he had a part

in ministering to

they are his crown

and his joy

look at what the gospel did

in their lives

and I got to be part

of sharing it with them

now if that's right

then the instruction

in chapter 2 verse 2

becomes something like

make my joy complete

is something like

live in the light of Christ's return

isn't it

my joy is linked

to your perseverance

I get joy

from seeing you

persevering

in the Christian faith

until the return

of the Lord Jesus

so it is

look forward to

and long for

that day

remember that Christ

is coming again

and all this petty

squabbling

and all this selfish ambition

is a total waste of time

remember where my joy

is Philippians

don't go robbing me

of joy on that day

by your petty arguments

on this day

live for the return

of the Lord

by living out the unity

you've been given

in Jesus Christ

letting that flow

into love

and one spiritedness

one mindedness

as you look out

to the interests of others

counting others

above yourself

I don't know whether

I've used this before

but Rico Tice

who wrote

the Christianity Explored course

has an illustration

about living in London

but having a flat in

wait

living in Paris

but having a home in London

have you heard this story before

have I told you this before

no

okay well let me use it again

because it's quite helpful here

Rico Tice says this

he says imagine that your home

is in London

but you are sent with work

to Paris

and in Paris

you get given an apartment

that you are allowed to live in

for your time in Paris

but home is still back in London

okay

and you are paid a salary

in Paris

and you're allowed to spend that salary

in whatever way you choose to

you know you're supposed to provide

for your needs from that

but there is one rule

anything that you buy

for your apartment in Paris

you cannot take

from Paris

it has to remain there

but it is possible for you

to wire money

forward to London

so that you can have it there

when you finally arrive

back home in London

and you can enjoy it there

and Rico's question to you then is

okay

if that's

if that's the scenario

that you're working in

what do you do with your money

what does your apartment

look like in Paris

do you fill it

full

right to the brim

with all sorts of different

trinkets and furnitures

well no of course you don't do you

what you do is you live as simply

as you possibly can

in order to send as much money

forward as you can

so that you can enjoy it

when you arrive home

in London

and he says in one sense

that's

that's kind of Christian living

we are living here

temporarily

but it is possible

says Paul

and

it's not

treasure here

is it

it's joy here

it is possible

if you like

for us to

wire joy forwards

for that day

by Christian perseverance

on this day

so why would you

indulge so much

in trying to be right

now in an argument

or a discussion

and that sort of thing

with one another

squabbling with one another

in Philippians

when that robs you

of sending joy forwards

for the day of the Lord Jesus

that's I think

Paul's assumption here

that it is

this sense of living

in the light

of Christ's return

the future joy

that means

that present squabbles

are not really worth having

and you can kind of see

how that works

can't you

yeah

I remember

maybe this is too much

for admission

but I'll go for it anyway

I remember when

Vanessa and I were first married

we were

we were having an argument

it was a very rare occasion

but we were having an argument

we lived in a small flat

in Sheffield

which

it was like

the bishop's old house

in Sheffield

had been turned into apartments

and I think they'd just like

put paper between the apartments

it wasn't

you know

you could hear everything right

and so we were having this argument

and then someone just started

banging on the wall

to tell us to shut up

and

and then all of a sudden

we just started laughing

and we couldn't even remember

what we were arguing about

but that's

that's the sense here isn't it

that there's a sort of

there's a pettiness

to selfish ambition

which forgets

that there's a day coming

a day of future joy

when we'll stand before the Lord

when actually

that

that idea that you were making

a name for yourself

in the church

will seem to be so pathetic

and silly

why were you so bothered about that

there's a day of future joy

why are you so bothered about

being right in that discussion

with other euodia and syndicate

because there's a

there's a day of future joy

and that will

you won't be bothered

there'll be a banging on the wall

and you'll forget

what you were arguing about

and that's the sense here

okay so

just in your pairs

I think I put one question

for discussion there

what would it look like

for you to pay joy forwards

what would it look like

for you to pay joy forwards

have I written that on your

invest in future joy

have a talk with the person

next to you about that

did anyone have a really

helpful answer

that they want to share

no

just a no

come on Florence

yes

yes

so there are issues

that become a priority

in this life

which they probably shouldn't be

in the light of the future

we can be obsessed with

present blessing

rather than future blessing

yeah

yeah

yeah

there's a

there's a really

helpful Puritan

prayer that

um

that gave something like this

we

uh

we hasten to a day

where it will be

immaterial

whether we were rich

or poor

happy

or sad

and

you know

there's that

it's that sense isn't there

we are

we are running

towards a day

where actually

much of what we worry

about today

will be completely

immaterial

and so we live

in the light

of that day

we make

our joy complete

we make Paul's joy complete

we make one another's joy complete

by living in the light

of Christ's return

yes

there are things

concerning us

but if the Lord

took us tonight

we'd be

yes

why would we say

worried about it

yeah

great

Christian

second surprise

okay

we're going to move

a little bit more

quickly

uh

Christian community

starts with

Christ-like

thinking

I am told

because I'm not really

very good at this anyway

but verse 5

is quite difficult

to translate

and there are

a couple of different

Greek

possibilities

in terms of

background text

as well

so the question

is whether it's

really a command

or it's passive

so the NIV translation

is really a paraphrase

of what's there

in your relationships

with one another

have the same mindset

as Christ Jesus

the ESV

if you have one of those

translates it

have this mind

among yourselves

which is yours

in Christ Jesus

and that sort of

captures the spread

of the possibilities

either this is an imperative

you have the same mindset

as Christ Jesus

you know

make sure you have that

or

have this mind

it's yours

in Christ Jesus

so live it out

now

you can

read

any number of commentaries

which

will tell you

any number of things

about that

but basically

it comes down to this

I guess

in a sense

is that

Christ Jesus

thought in this way

you also

should think

in that way

and it's right

to say isn't it

that as we become

Christians

we are given

the mind of Christ

we by the spirit

of God

we think like

the Lord Jesus

we are being transformed

into his likeness

to think like him

so that's also true

but it's also true

that we should strain

every effort

to think like Christ

so I don't think

there's any

great battle

to have

in the translation

of verse 5

particularly

but the idea

is that

Christian living

starts with

Christ-like

thinking

Christian living

starts with

Christ-like

thinking

and the community

the Christian community

which Paul is so

eager to see formed

is a function

of how they think

before it's a function

of what they do

and what then

is that thinking

well it's outlined

in the verses

that follow

in verses 6 to 8

Christ Jesus

who being

in very nature

God

did not consider

equality with God

something to be used

to his own

advantage

he's not making

himself less than God

he is in very nature

God

but he is not using

his divinity

to overcome

the weakness

of human flesh

which he is taking

on to himself

instead verse 7

he is making himself

nothing

taking the very

nature of a servant

being made

in human likeness

Jesus takes

to himself

full humanity

even as he is

in very nature

God

he becomes

human

being made

in human likeness

and then

being found

in appearance

as a man

he humbled himself

by becoming

obedient to death

even death

on a cross

it's the steps

down isn't it

from the

from the glories

of heaven

to the weakness

of human flesh

to the humble

status of a servant

to the service

of death

on a cross

for the sake

of others

now again

I don't want to do

all the talking

this evening

so I just wonder

whether you could

think of a way

that you might

describe Jesus'

thinking

if you could

encapsulate

Jesus' thinking

in verses 6 to 8

how would you

encapsulate it

what would you

describe Jesus'

thinking as

in verses 6 to 8

and then what would it

mean for you

to think the same way

okay

how would you

encapsulate Jesus'

thinking

how would you

describe Jesus'

thinking in verses 6 to 8

what would it mean

to think the same way

have a think about that

just for a moment

because we're going

to

okay

how would you

how would you

describe Jesus'

thinking

what's Jesus'

mindset in verses 6 to 8

anybody

so he's thinking

of humanity

he's thinking

of people

yeah

and not using

his divinity

as a reason

not to

serve humanity

in the way

that they needed

yeah

he's not

like he's not

going

I'm above this

right

these guys are

messed up

right

what am I doing

here

these guys are

these guys are

not worthy

of my

service

I am

leaving them alone

he's not thinking

like that at all

is he

he's

he's giving

himself up

yeah

thanks Claire

others

I feel like

Liz is on the

cusp of a

thought

but it's

I just think

somewhere

there was

because there's

another scripture

there was

joy

in actually

doing

this

this

because

we're

human

beings

we wouldn't

naturally

want to

leave

our status

and to

become

nobody

yet Jesus

was willingly

doing that

so he must

have thought

they're worth it

you know

it's in another

reason

yeah

yeah

yeah

this is

Hebrews 12

2

isn't it

he for the

joy that

was set

before him

endured

the cross

scorning

its shame

and sat

down at

the right

hand of

the throne

of God

consider him

who endured

such opposition

from sinners

that you will

not grow

weary

and lose

heart

yeah

the joy

set

before him

yeah

so what

do you think

it would

look like

for us

to think

in the same

way

I think

I've

before

I summarized

it like

this

I think

at

Redeemer

yesterday

and I

think I

did this

before

for us

that

this is

self-sacrificial

service

for the

eternal

well-being

of others

to the

glory

of God

right

that's

that's

what's

going on

here

what would

it mean

for us

to think

that same

way

so

at least

had a good

phrase

which she's

borrowed

from a

book

that she's

read

go on

yes

not to

think less

of yourself

but to

think of

yourself

less

yeah

it's not

like a

continual

putting down

of yourself

but just

not actually

thinking of

yourself

in those

situations

yeah

that's a

Tim Keller

ism

it's helpful

yeah

yes

there is

we should

be willing

to consider

whatever it

is that

we're asked

to do

by the

Lord

however

humbling

it is

yeah

because

actually

if these

verses

are right

then

it's

it's

okay

for us

to be

asked

to do

big

things

and

significantly

humbling

things

and to

lose

things

that

are

precious

to

us

for the

sake

of

other

people's

eternal

well-being

it's

okay

yeah

I think

that's

what you're

saying

isn't

it's

okay

for God

to ask

you

to lay

that down

for the

eternal

well-being

of somebody

else

yeah

it's

profoundly

challenging

isn't it

profoundly

challenging

Vanessa

are you

going to

say something

or we

just

yes

yes

so it

is a

concern

for the

glory

of God

over and

above it

is for

the pat

on the

back

of people

yeah

yeah

yeah

okay

let's just

move on

and do

the third

thing

the third

and final

surprise

is that

humility

is divine

greatness

and maybe

this isn't a

surprise

because I

think we're

perhaps so

used to

it but

the

therefore

in verse

nine

is supposed

to come

I think

as a

surprise

or a

shock

that it

is

as

God

sees

the

humility

of the

son

in human

flesh

that he

exalts

him

to the

highest

place

I think

literally

the word

there is

is hyper

exalt

or super

exalts

him

that

we've got

to be careful

haven't we

the son

is eternally

divine

verse six

he is in

very nature

God

has been

and continues

to be

in very

nature

God

this is

not the

elevation

of the

son

to a

status

that he

did not

have

before

in eternity

past

God

the son

was

and is

divine

rather

this seems

to be

related to

the

humanity

of Jesus

Christ

the God

man

Christ

Jesus

it is

God

the son

in flesh

that is

super

exalted

he is

given the

name

that is

above

every

name

he is

the

king

Jesus

is

Lord

it's

the

summary

of the

gospel

isn't

it

he is

Lord

the ruler

over

God's

people

he is

the

fulfillment

of all

the

kingship

in the

old

testament

that we've

been

looking at

on

Sunday

mornings

he is

the

head

over

God's

people

he is

the

new

Adam

the

new

head

of

humanity

so that

God

the

father

looks

on

Jesus

and

says

yes

amen

that is

my

divine

eternal

son

in

human

flesh

who

has

accomplished

all

that we

laid

before

him

his

humility

has

exposed

his

divine

DNA

if you

like

Jesus

Jesus

has

exposed

God

and

made

him

known

in

his

humility

now

creation

will

worship

Jesus

because

in

Jesus

we

see

the

divine

rule

and reign

of

God

so that

God

the

father

is

glorified

by

Jesus

being

worshipped

and

submitted

to

how

is

the

father

glorified

by

Jesus

being

worshipped

well

because

Jesus

being

worshipped

is the

exposure

of

divinity

because

you

see

in

Christ

what

it

is

to

be

God

and

so

God

is

glorified

I

don't

know

whether

can you

remember

those

magic eye

pictures

you know

when you

there was

like a phase

at Christmas

when there

were all

the rage

when you

hold them

up to

your eyes

and then

you move

them away

and all

of a sudden

the image

pops out

or if

you're

like me

you do

that for

ages

and

nothing

happens

at

all

I

think

you have

to be

slightly

cross-eyed

to see it

does anyone

know what

I'm talking

about

Florence

you have

no idea

she's

too young

Florence

I know

what I'm

getting you

for Christmas

right

a magic

eye picture

magic

eye picture

so

it is

I mean

this is

maybe

a slightly

silly

illustration

but it

is as

if

Jesus

as you

as you

hold him

up to

your face

as you

see Jesus

in his

humility

on the

cross

out pops

the glory

of God

the divinity

this is

God in

flesh

this is

what God

looks like

this

humility

is the

exposure

of God's

greatness

and his

majesty

and his

glory

that we

may

worship

him

as

king

of kings

and lord

of lords

every knee

bowing

every tongue

acknowledging

that Jesus

Christ

is lord

to the

glory

of God

the father

and that

second half

from verse

nine

down to

verse

eleven

picks up

old testament

images

of God

and his

greatness

and applies

them to

Jesus

in his

humanity

which is

a remarkable

thing

for Paul

to do

so let

me just

end with

this

and we

can talk

about this

in our

groups

just before

we finish

how is

the humble

greatness

of Jesus

good news

for us

as we

seek to

live like

him

this is

meant

I think

to be

an inspiration

for us

to have

this mindset

that Christ

Jesus

has

so how is

this humble

greatness of

Jesus

good news

for us

as we

try and

live for

him

how I

think

about that

anyone want

to share

their answer

or the answer

of the person

they were

talking with

say

Jesus

in his

humble

greatness

demonstrates

to us

and shows

us what

God is

like

and gives

us something

that we

could never

earn

right

he gives

us

salvation

a place

in glory

forgiveness

of sins

new life

by the

spirit

a hope

of future

glory

so he

gives us

that

and that

makes us

want to

serve

others

in humble

sacrificial

service

for their

eternal

well-being

but if we

do that

we will be

empty

so where

are we

going to

go

we're going

to go

to the

saviour

who

humbly

serves

us

for giving

us

what we

can't

earn

ourselves

in his

humble

sacrifice

for us

and as

we see

and experience

that it

makes us

want to

humbly

serve

others

even more

but where

are we

going to

go for

the

resources

to do

that

we're

going to

come

back

to

Christ

who

humbly

serves

us

which

sends

us

round

and round

and round

looking

perpetual

motion

as we

live for

Christ

and his

glory

it's

brilliant

news

isn't

it

it's

brilliant

news

because

Jesus

it's easy

I think

for people

in the world

to ask

you to

give up

stuff

and ask

you to

be humble

and say

that you

should be

self-effacing

but where

is the

power and

the strength

going to

come from

to do

that

it has

no power

or strength

to do

that

actually

our

power and

strength

to humbly

give

ourselves

up

for the

eternal

well-being

of others

comes from

the fact

that at

the centre

of our

story

is God

himself

in human

flesh

humbly

serving us

that we

might be

saved

and therefore

we go and

pass that

on to

others

let me

pray

and then

we'll

sing

to

play

heavenly

father

how we

thank you

for

Jesus

thank you

for his

humble

greatness

thank you

that he

made himself

nothing

he took

the very

nature

of a

servant

and was

made

in human

likeness

and being

found in

appearance

as a

man

he

humbled

himself

becoming

obedient

to death

even

death

on a

cross

that we

might

be

saved

oh

lord

what a

great

delight

what

great

joy

for us

we

pray

please

that you

might

help us

with like

minds

to serve

others

that they

too

might enjoy

what we

enjoy in

the lord

Jesus

and we

pray lord

that we

might do

that

like

Christ

for your

glory

in

Jesus

name

amen

amen