Study of Works: ”Serving in a World of Selfishness” by Kirk Brothers

April 22, 2023 - Equipped Workshop Day 3

7:15PM Keynote Auditorium Speaker 

 

Kirk Brothers closes out day 3 off the Equipped Workshop. 

 

Slides:

• Slide of current news stories
• Serving in a World of Selfishness - Philippians 2
• Prison Break
  • Writing from a prison in Rome to Philippi where he had also been in prison
  • He was released from prison in Philippi
  • He had converted a jailer in Philippi
  • He was writing to tell them how to break out of prison without leaving the cell
• Theme: "Attitude Determines Altitude" (cf. Phil. 4:4)
  • Ch. 1: Paul's Attitude
  • Ch. 2: Christ's Attitude
  • Ch. 3: Wrong Attitude
  • Ch. 4: Attitude Adjustment
• Oneness of Mind
  • Phillipians 2:1 - Therefore if there is any encouragement in Christ, if there is any consolation of love, if there is any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and compassion, 2 make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose, but also for the interests of others.
• Oneness of Mind
  • Encouragement in Christ -> same mind
  • Consolation of Love -> same love
  • Fellowship of Spirit -> united in spirit
  • Affection & Compassion -> one purpose
• Philippians 2:2-4 - 2 make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose. 3 Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, bu with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; 4 do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.
• Philippians 2-8 - 5 Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, although he existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be gasped, 7 but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. 8 Being humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.
• Savior's Mind: Humiliation
  • "Attitude" - "to think, form or hold an opinion, disposition"
  • To be one we must be humble
  • To be humble we need to learn to think like Jesus
  • John 13:15 "For I gave you an example that you also should do as I did to you."
  • Philippians 2:5-6  5 Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be gasped,
  • John 1:1-3
  • Colossians 1:15; Hebrews 1:3
  • John 17:5
• Philippians 2:5-8 5 Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. 8 Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.
• What did He give up?
  • Divinity?
    • Matthew 1:23
    • John 8:58
    • John 20:28
  • Gave up
    • privilege
    • power
    • place
  • Not position, divine person-hood
  • Emptied self by becoming human
• Philippians 2:5-8 5 Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. 8 Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.
• Often interchangeable, but seem to be contrasted here:
  • Morphe (form, v6-7) - Essential nature, that does not change
  • Schema (appearance, v8) - Outward appearance that can change
• His internal essence and nature was/is divine. 
• His outward appearance changed & he became human. 
• Though divine, he became fully human and experienced life as a human being

• John 1:14 And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.

• Acts 17:30 "Therefore having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now declaring to men that all people everywhere should repent, 31 because He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He has appointed, having furnished proof to all men by raising Him from the dead." 

• Heb 2:17 Therefore, He had to be made like His brethren in all things, so that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. 18 For since He Himself was tempted in that which He has suffered, He is able to come to the aid of those who are tempted.

• Heb 4:15 For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin.

• Phil 2:7-8  7 but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. 8 Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.
• [3 Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves;]
• Majestic Mountain View
• Picture of a Cross
• Picture of a paper saying "I want to be a garbage man"
• Phil 2:9 For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE WILL BOW, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. NASU
  “Right Hand of God” (Mark 16:19)
• Change of Mind
  • Phil 2:12 So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling; 
    13 for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.
  • “Work Out” – “Accomplish, Bring to completion”
  • Jesus worked to save by humble obedience
  • The Father is at work (energeo) in us
  • Therefore, we need to “go to work” and put our faith into action by humble obedience
    • What does working out your salvation look like?
  • Phil 2:14 Do all things without grumbling or disputing; 15 so that you will prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world, 
  • “Without grumbling or disputing”
    • Blameless: “no cause or ground of complaint”
    • Innocent: “unmixed”
    • Above Reproach: “without blame, fault, ridicule or disgrace” 
    • “among whom you appear as lights in the world” 
• The Savior's Mind
  • Be him to be one, be one to be him
  • Then we shine as lights in a dark world
  • Photo of Captain Emil Kapaun
  • Do I have the attitude of Christ?
    • Have I emptied myself?
  • Does my service add to the light or does my selfishness add to the dark?

Duration 42:03