Well, good morning again. This is Larry Nelson. I'm your Bible teacher this morning. Hey, this is the adult Sunday school class of Madison Baptist Church. I'm so glad you've joined us. This is Thanksgiving week, and I trust this coming Thursday, you'll have a wonderful day with your family. We know a lot of issues for health and concerns are rightly and truthfully being watched. So please be careful with that. But this morning, I'm so glad you're with us. We have so much to be thankful for. And even this class, although it'd be a live stream on the internet, it's just a blessing to be able to speak to you. and come to you with the word of God this morning. I trust that you're praying. I trust that you're engaged in the lessons. Find your Bible, please. We're using the King James Bible. And open up to the book of Philippians, Philippians chapter two. And we'll continue our study. This is our sixth lesson in the book of Philippians. And as we closed out chapter one last week, this week we're opening up chapter two. We're going to be looking back at some of the verses as well. Just to give you a recap on what we've covered so far, remember that we've given a letter P to each of the chapters in the book of Philippians. Chapter one was our purpose. Chapter two, today's chapter that we're starting on is our pattern. And you'll see that as we get down to verse five, our pattern. And then in chapter three, our prize and Jesus is our prize. And then last in chapter four, our power. And I trust this keeps you on track, gives you some idea of what we're doing. Hey, before we get into the memory verse this morning, let's go to the passage in chapter two. We're going to reread a few verses and then have a word of prayer. Then we'll get right into our memory verse time and proceed on to a new verse as well. All right, so let's take a look in chapter two and get a piece of paper and a pencil, take some notes, be engaged. Some of you have been asking me questions about my lessons and our lessons rather, and that's okay. When I see you in church or other places, feel free to ask. I may not have the answer, but if you're asking questions and I know you're engaged in it, you're thinking through the process, And I understand that last week I introduced a brand new book of the Bible, Second Timmy. There's a lot of verbal errors, I'm sure. And so that's one of the least. All right. Take a look. Chapter 2, verse 1. Notice what he says, Philippians 2, 1. If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies fulfill you, my joy, that you be like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory, but in lowliness of mind. Let each esteem other better than themselves. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus. Let's bow to a word of prayer. Father in heaven, as we bow before you, we'd ask you that you might do what man cannot do, open our hearts to your holy word. We'd ask your Holy Spirit of God to direct and lead as we study, as we go through these precious truths and these precious verses of your word. Lord, we are thankful for you today, for the God that you are, high and holy. And Lord, I pray that you might be preeminent in our lives, that we might bring you praise, honor, and glory. Now, Lord, we'd ask you to be manifest. We'd ask your Holy Spirit to open our eyes and our hearts. Lord, give us a focus upon our Savior, the Risen One, and we'll give you thanks. We pray in Jesus' name, amen. Amen. Well, this morning we're gonna begin with our old memory verse. And so let's go through that. Then we'll start with a new one and looking forward to that. Well, remember back in chapter one, Philippians 1 verse 21, for to me to live is Christ and to die is gain. Let's say that, reference, verse and reference. We'll just do it twice this time. Reference, verse and reference. Can you say it out loud? All right, let's give it a try. Philippians 1, 21. For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. Philippians 1, 21. One more time, please. Philippians 1, 21. For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. If you'll remember, we also found another memory verse. And for those that are really expert at memorizing, you don't have to be an expert at all. I'm sure the children have this one down as well. And that's Philippians 1, 6. Philippians 1, 6. Let's say the reference verse and reference for this verse as well. Let's go over it a couple of times as well. And so let's say it together. Philippians 1, 6. Confident of this very thing that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ Philippians 1 6 Let's do it again Philippians 1 6 Being confident of this very thing that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ Philippians 1 6 Well, now we have a brand new verse. You can look at it if you like in your Bible. It's right there. So we have a slide for you as well. And that's Philippians 2, 5. Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus. And so we're gonna say this one three times. See how we're building up the word of God? Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee. Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed thereto according to thy word. With my whole heart have I sought thee. O let me not wander from thy commandments. Thy word have I hid in mine heart. that I might not sin against thee. Psalm 119 verses 19 and 11. That's appropriate, isn't it? And that's exactly what we're doing. We're obeying the word of God when we memorize his word. So let's just jump right into this one. Let's say the reference, the verse, and the reference again, okay? Philippians 2.5, let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus. Philippians 2.5. Did you say it? All right, get the others sitting around you. Let's say it together. Philippians 2.5, let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus. Philippians 2.5. Pretty short verse, isn't it? One more time. Philippians 2.5, let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus. Philippians 2.5. Well, we've read some verses in this first chapter of, I mean, sorry, the second chapter of Philippians, the first five verses we read, but here's what we're going to go through this morning. And we're gonna go back to chapter one, the last few verses in chapter one to complete this outline. But I want you to notice that first of all, we're gonna see, we must, if we're working together in the gospel and we're rejoicing together in the gospel, We must strive with courage. We must strive with courage. We'll see also that we must seek for consolation, we must serve while connected, and we must sustain the mind of Christ. We saw that in verse five, and we're gonna see these in just a moment as we work through them. Turn back to chapter one. You don't have to turn back a page on my Bible. It's on the same open page, and we're gonna be looking at verse 27 through 30, chapter one, verses 27 through 30, and we're going to see how we're to strive with courage in what he's talking about here. How should we strive courageously? Well, notice what he says in verse 27. He says, only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ, that whether I come and see you or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs that you stand fast in one spirit with one mind, striving together for the faith of the gospel. That verse we covered a little last week, but we're going to look a little bit closer this week. this matter of your conversation. He says, only let your conversation be as becometh the gospel of Christ. Now, again, we mentioned it last week. We'll reiterate again this week. Conversation here in the old English doesn't exactly mean the exact same things it does in our modern English, in our modern usage of the word conversation. However, either way, it fits. And so if we're looking at conversation as being that which we talk about, that which we speak, we have conversations with one another. I think this is very fitting. If we're talking about our speech, he says, only let your speech then becometh as it as becometh the gospel of Christ. That means whatever you say, let it let it relate to the gospel. We talk to people How many times do we use idle words? How many times we, oh, it's a great day today, wonderful weather today, or how's your health today, or are you keeping yourself well from this virus today? No, no, no. Instead of having vain conversations, empty conversations, things that don't really mean much, why not turn it towards the gospel? Are you safe today? How are you doing today? Oh, I'm redeemed. I'm saved. I'm heaven bound. My sins are forgiven. There's a lot to talk about. And so if we're talking about this matter of conversation be our manner of speech, then let it be the gospel. And this is true to God's word. But this word conversation has more than just speech. What it's talking about is not only what we say, but what we do, our lifestyle. And that's what we're talking about. Our courage is seen in our lifestyle. If we're living for the Lord Jesus Christ and we're gonna be courageous soldiers for the Lord Jesus Christ, then not only what we say, but what we do matters. And what we say and do is our lifestyle. I liked a little chorus. Let's talk about Jesus. You know that. If you know it, I'll try to clear my voice and we'll go through one time. It says, let's talk about Jesus. The King of kings is he. The Lord of lords supreme throughout eternity. The great I am is he. The way, the truth, the life. Let's talk about Jesus more and more. Well, I've missed a few words in that, but you get the gist. If we're going to talk then let's talk about Jesus. If others are gonna be looking at us, and they are, they will, our family, our children, our parents, our neighbors, our coworkers, our co-students. Listen, if we're living our lives, we are an open book to others. And we say we believe in Christ, they're watching everything we say, everything we do. Let's be courageous in our conversation. That means in our speech and in our lifestyle. I like what he says. He says, only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ, that whether I come and see you or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs." So there must be some speech in that, but there also is testimony in that. And that is, he's going to hear from others about their affairs. He's going to hear from others about that church at Philippi, the Philippians. And he says, and then he gives a little bit of a talk about unity here. In their church togetherness, and that's what the church is as they assemble together. In their togetherness, he says, that I might hear of your affairs that you stand fast. in one spirit, with one mind, striving together for the faith of the gospel. Do we strive for the faith of the gospel? Are we working hard? Are we struggling to get the gospel out? I'm fearful that we're not. I'm fearful that any excuse not to mention the gospel is what we fall into. Now, God's given us an opportunity, an open door, especially here in the South, of sharing the gospel of Christ door to door. Now that the virus has an upswing again, we're stopping that for right now, but it doesn't mean we have to close our mouths. It means everywhere we go, we ought to be talking about Jesus, striving together, together. for the gospel, the faith of the gospel. By the way, when we share the gospel with others, it strengthens our faith and it strengthens their faith, even if they're already saved. But if they're not saved, it plants a seed in that heart. And that's what he's talking about, striving together for the faith of the gospel. Well, we work together with the gospel, not only by lifestyle, but also in boldness. And that's what verse 28, the next verse says, still in chapter one, in verse 28, we see the boldness. He says, and in nothing terrified by your adversaries, which is to them an evident token of perdition, but to you of salvation and that of God. You see, there were those who had, the church at Philippi had enemies, Paul calls them their adversaries, he had many of them, and they were trying to get them discouraged, the church discouraged, trying to set them off the track. He says, no, no, hey, listen, with boldness, that shows your courage, not only your lifestyle, but your boldness in the Lord will show courage. It reminds me of Acts chapter four with Peter and John as they were preaching and as they were being then had been locked up in jail and warned and they were beaten. And they said, hey, don't you speak anymore about this one Jesus. Listen to what he says in Acts chapter four, verse twenty nine. If you want to turn back there, you can. Acts chapter four, verse twenty nine. He says, And now, Lord, behold, their threatenings. and grant unto thy servants that with all boldness they may speak thy word. That was the prayer request in the face of adversaries, in the face of being beaten, in the face of being jailed, warned, threatened, if you please, by the government authorities. And then he says, no, that we may with all boldness speak thy word by stretching forth thy hand and to heal that signs and wonders may be done by the in the name of thy holy child Jesus. Now listen. And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost and they spake the word of God with boldness. Our lifestyle, our conversation, that speaks volumes. But wait, our courage is also seen in our boldness as we face opposition. I'm not talking about rudeness here. I'm talking about the boldness that the Holy Spirit of God gives us by His grace as we seek Him, as we walk the best we can, walking in the Spirit, walking in His holiness. I'm reminded also of The passage found in Ephesians chapter 6 verse 19. He says, and for me that utterance may be given unto me that I may open my mouth boldly. This passage in Ephesians was written nearly the same time. This is passages here in Philippians was written. It's one of the prison epistles. That I may open my mouth boldly. to make known the mystery of the gospel, the Lord God with boldness. That was Paul's request. It goes back to the Old Testament. Joshua commanded his people in Joshua 1, verse 7. Joshua said this. He says, only be thou strong and very courageous. How? In lifestyle. How? In boldness. He says, and be very courageous that thou may observe to do according to all the law. Now, where's the courage come in? He wasn't talking about going to war and being courageous. He was talking about obeying the word of God and being courageous. That's it. That thou mayest observe to do all according to the law, which Moses, my servant, commanded thee, turn not from it to the right hand nor to the left, that thou mayest prosper with us wherever thou go. This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth, but thou shalt meditate therein Day and night, do you see the power of the word of God? Do you see how it gives us boldness? Faith cometh by hearing, hearing by the word of God. That's where faith is built up. The more the word of God we have, the greater shield we have against the enemy's darts, but also the greater faith we have to serve him even more. He says that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein. For therein thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success. And listen to what he says in Joshua 1, 9. He says, Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage. Be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed, for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest. That's a promise from God. It was a promise to Israel. My dear friends, listen. These words were also given to us for an example. We are to follow them closely. God is not changed. He is with us, with us wherever we go. We're not to be afraid. We're not to be dismayed. We're to be full of courage. We're to be courageous. Well, let's move on. So we've seen verse 27 and verse 28. Let's take a look at verse 29, not only in lifestyle, not only in boldness, but we are to strive together courageously in suffering, in suffering. There will be times that we as believers will suffer for the name of Christ. That's not bad. God says that's good. The apostles say that's good. And those of old, those who went before us, they washed their hands in the martyr's fire. They washed their hands in flames as they were burned up, giving glory to God. Wow. Well, notice what he says in verse 29. You're still there. Chapter one, Philippians 1, 29. He says, for unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but to also suffer for his sake, having the same conflict which you saw in me, and now here to be in me. The apostle Paul was suffering. He was suffering for the sake of Christ. As he was suffering for Christ, Jesus gave him even greater Grace from above not only to withstand but to endure now watch and to prosper in that suffering We're going to see more of that in chapter 3. Some of you know exactly the verse we're talking about in Philippians chapter 3, but that's in a few more weeks I'd like to share with you what Peter says in first Peter chapter 4 listen to what he says first Peter chapter 4 beginning in verse 12 In 1st Peter 4, 12, he says, Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial, which shall try you as though some strange thing happened unto you. No, it's not to be strange at all. It's going to happen when we live for Christ. He says, but rejoice. Do what? He says, but rejoice in as much as you are partakers of Christ's sufferings, that when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. If you be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye. Peter knew what he was talking about. Remember, we read about him in Acts chapter four earlier, and he knew what it was to suffer for Christ. Remember, he was imprisoned. He was facing death. The Apostle James was put to death by Herod now Peter was going to be put to death next he was imprisoned yet God had mercy and God had a plan and a purpose to release him for for God's glory and for the the prospering of the gospel of Christ He says happy are ye for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you on their part He is evil spoken of but on your part Jesus, he is glorified. So, as we strive together, courageously, together in the gospel, courage is seen in our lifestyle, in our boldness, and in our suffering. Here's some other ways that courage is seen, other ways that courage is developed, other ways that God receives glory through courage of the believers in prayer. In preaching, in practice, hey, as we pray one for another, God can build us up. We saw that in Acts chapter four. They prayed for boldness. They didn't pray for escape. God gave them boldness. In the preaching, preaching builds us up. We are corrected, but we're also exhorted and built up. And then in our practice, as we live out the gospel, as we live out the word of God. Now here's a question for you. Are you living the word of God? Are you obeying the word of God? Are you obedient to the Holy Spirit of God who speaks ever so quietly but ever so clearly to the heart as we surrender, as we submit ourselves, as we yield ourselves to Him? Very important questions. There's a few other ways that our courage is on display. And we've talked about this matter of prayer and this matter of preaching and this matter of practice, but in edifying, in enabling, in encouraging. This is what the Holy Spirit of God does with his word. He builds us up, he edifies us, he enables us, and then he encourages us. And I like that encouragement that God gives to us by the power of his Holy Spirit. God is so good to us. So, We've seen that we must strive to serve together courageously, but now as we look to chapter two, verse one, we must seek for consolation. We must seek for consolation. We'll explain what we mean. He says, if there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies, now there's the interesting, any consolation. Now, consolation means comfort. You've heard of someone receiving the grand prize for something, and then there's sometimes a consolation prize, perhaps for the second place, or someone who did good but didn't earn first place, a consolation prize. Consolation means to comfort, that's what it means. And so what he's asking here, he says here in verse one, if there be therefore any consolation in Christ, is there? Is there consolation in Christ? Wait, wait. Here's what so many times we seek our consolation in, in circumstances. We're seeking, oh God, would you change the circumstances? Oh God, would you change this situation that I'm in? Our relationships sometimes that they falter. Oh God, my consolation is in this relationship with this person, with my parents, with my spouse. With my children or my grandchildren or my neighbors, oh, I need consolation. Hey, listen, there's nothing wrong with being comforted in our circumstances because circumstances sometimes can be comforting. When circumstances change, what we feel is the right way. Be careful. God wants to turn him his way. And we must yield ourself to God. So circumstances can't be our source of consolation. Relationships, situations, finances, they cannot be the source of our comfort, the source of our consolation. Our consolation must be in Christ. Must be. It must be in Christ. Now, he says again, if there be any consolation in Christ. And I have a, you may see this on the slide, a mention of the 4IF club, the 4IF club. My brother, when we were children, we lived on a kind of a semi-farm situation up in the Pacific Northwest, up in the Seattle area. And we had horses and we were excited about that. We had moved from Kansas, which was flat and barren, a few trees, few hills, and then we moved up to the Pacific Northwest where there were mountains and trees everywhere. And my dad I was busy with work and he got some horses for us one at a time. And eventually we had several horses and we really liked that. It was good for us growing up with that, cleaning the stalls, taking care of the horses, a lot of work involved, don't get me wrong, but a lot of pleasure in that work. My brother joined the 4-H club. All right, and I don't know if it was popular here in those days, back in the 60s, it was there. And they had a four-leaf clover as their little icon, and there were four H's, and I don't remember what the four H's stand for, but wait. God gives us the four ifs here. There are four ifs in this first verse. And he says, if there be any consolation, there's the first one, in Christ. And there is. That's where our comfort is. It's in Christ. It's in Jesus. Listen, it's in knowing him. It's in obeying him. It's in seeking him in prayer. It's in walking with him, Jesus Christ, in our fellowship with him. I was challenged this morning by a phone call. I had a couple phone calls this morning, one from a pastor and one from a former church member in South Africa, one of our churches there. And both of them reminded me, I was challenged, that our faith, so many times, is pictured, it's mirrored by the time we spend in prayer. How's your prayer life? Is Christ any consolation? Oh, my dear friends, when we get a hold of His garment in prayer, when we bow before His holy throne, when we know that He's interceding for us before the Father in heaven, and we're calling upon Him, and we're spending that precious time in prayer, yes, there is consolation. But so many times, the flesh that's so weak wants to take control instead of the Spirit. Yes. It happens. So, is there any consolation? That's the first one. Any comfort in love? Well, does Christ love us? Is there comfort in that? Big time. His love for us. What can separate us from the love of Christ? The Apostle Paul asked in Romans chapter eight, and the answer is a booming nothing. Nothing can separate us from the love of Christ. Nothing can. So is there any consolation, comfort in love? Yes. Wait a minute. Is there comfort in love one towards another? Oh yeah, there is. Is there comfort in a marriage where there's true love? Oh yes. With a family, with the children, where there's true love? Yes, there's comfort in that. But wait, the comfort of Christ, he's talking about Christ. Is there any consolation in Christ? Any comfort of love in Christ? Yes, huge. It's the love of Christ that constrains us. It's his love that strengthens us. It's his love that keeps us going for him. And he says, is there if any fellowship in the spirit? That's the same thing as communion in the spirit. Do we have a oneness? I had to get another C in there, you know how that works. Any fellowship of the spirit? Oh, yes. His Holy Spirit, the Holy Spirit that indwelt the Lord Jesus Christ indwells us. The Holy Spirit that indwelt the Apostle Paul, guided him, gave him the very words of God, indwells us. Now, it's our duty to surrender ourself. Did you know it's a duty to be filled with the Holy Spirit of God? He says in Ephesians, he says, be not drunk with wine wherein is excess, but be filled with the Spirit, capital S, the Holy Spirit. Are you filled with the Spirit? Hey, sometimes I am and sometimes I'm not. We must yield ourself to God, confess and forsake sin in our life. And there's a fellowship, there's a communion with the Spirit of God, the Spirit, the Holy Spirit of the living God, if any fellowship in the Spirit. And then he says, if any bowels and mercies. Compassion, if there's any bowels and mercy, that's an interesting statement. bowels and mercies. You've heard some people say well now from the bottom of my heart I mean this. Well that's that's close to what it means for bowels and mercy. What it means is the innermost being in the the deepest part of the deepest part of my soul with all of the mercy that I have. Now, does Christ have bowels of mercy? He does. Does Christ have a yearning in his heart, the deepest part of his heart for you? He does. He died for you. He was buried, he rose again. Guess for who? for you that you might be justified by faith in him. Dear friend, listen, there is compassion. There is bowels of mercy. Jesus Christ is the one. Notice what he says in chapter two, verse two. So we've seen that He says, fulfill you my joy, that you may be like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord of one mind. Now, we've just spoke of the fellowship that we can have in Christ, fellowship in the spirit, but now he says, fulfill you my joy. He's going on with the same topic. If there be any consolation, if there be any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the spirit, any bowels of mercy and mercy, fulfill you my joy. that you may be like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind." He's talking about unity here. He's talking about the unity of the local church. He's talking to those believers in Philippi, and he's talking to the assembly of those believers. When they come together, he says, now, be in unity. Be in unity. He goes on, he says, fulfill my joy that you be like-minded in unity, like-minded, having the same mind. He's mentioned this before. By the way, we saw this in the last few verses in chapter one, the matter of the mind. We see that now in verse two of chapter two, the matter of the mind, that you might be like-minded. That means thinking on the same things. And of one love he goes on says again fulfill you my joy that you may be like-minded Here's how having the same love what love that's the heart he's speaking of the heart that you might be motivated and moved by love your love one for another and but it doesn't originate there. Our love one for another, regardless of the relationship, that is, if it's a spouse or a child or fellowship of believers, our love one for another comes from our love for Christ who first loved us and gave himself for us. His love for us emanates through us and our love for others then can flourish because he loved us first. Be like-minded of one love. That's the heart. And then of direction of one accord. Being of one accord. That means going in the same direction. Unity. Listen, as a church together, we're to have unity. You remember the passage in 1 Corinthians 1, verse 10. I'll turn here quickly. And I trust you've memorized it, but if I try to quote it, I'll quote it to you wrong. Possibly, don't want to do that. Notice what he says. He says, Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment. Unity. And so being of one love, being of one accord, and then finally being of one mind. Single-mindedness. That means together thinking the right way, our thoughts, and our judgments. According to 1 Corinthians 1.10, our judgments are to be in unity as well. That is how we see things, how we judge things, according to the word of God. Can you do that? Are you doing that? Notice what he says in verse three. He says, let nothing. We're talking about being connected together. We're talking about serving together, connected as we are together. He says, let nothing be done through strife or vain glory. That matter of strife means to struggle. That's where the word struggle comes from, strife. we're not to struggle with one another. Or vain glory, that is somebody wanting to be preeminent, somebody wanting to get the attention, somebody wanting to have glory rather than Christ having the glory. No, no, God resists the proud, that's pride, but gives grace to the humble. He says, let nothing be done through strife or vain glory, but in lowliness of mind, there's that word mind again, we see it over and again, but in lowliness of mind, let each esteem other better than themselves, in peace, no strife, no vainglory, but in lowliness of mind, putting others first. You know the little acronym, J-O-Y, Jesus first, others second, J-O-U last. J-O-Y-U last. Listen, that's the way to live the right kind of life, according to scriptures. Putting others before yourself. Well, in verse four, he says, look not every man upon his own things, but every man also on the things of others. And that's not saying to be nosy. That's a different story, okay? We're not to be nosy. He's not saying here, hey, if you're taking an exam and don't look at yours, look at somebody else's. He's not saying that. What he is saying is, put yourself last, looking not every man on his own things, but every man on the things of other. Listen, that is care. That's caring one for another. And we are, we're to be caring one for another. I like this passage in 1 Corinthians 13. He talks about love and what love isn't and what love is. But I like this verse five, it really points to what we're talking about here in caring for others. Notice what it says. It says, love doth not behave itself unseemly. It seeketh not her own. That's true love, does not seek her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil. But the matter of putting others first, selflessness. Selfishness is the opposite of selflessness. And selfishness is not true love. Selfishness is putting yourself first. And pride puts yourself first. There's a problem with pride. It's found right in the middle of the word if you spell it, P-R-I-E-D, right in the middle of that word is the letter I. And so people with pride have an I problem. Oh, not this kind of an I problem. People that are overcome with pride, be careful, easy to come, easy to come, not easy to go. But those that are overcome with pride have an I problem. I must do this, me, myself, and I. Those are three characters that you have to put down and let others come first. Not only in that, in chapter two, verse five, we must sustain the mind of Christ, the mind of Christ. Verse five, he says, let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus. Let this mind be in you. Now, wait a minute, wait a minute. What is he saying? Let this mind be in you. Which mind is it? Is it what we've been talking about in the first four verses? the matter of consolation, the matter of having the same love, the matter of everything being done without strife or vainglory, about every man looking not on his own things, but on the things of others? Yes, yes. He says, let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus. Or perhaps is he talking about the things which follow, verse five. I wanna read through these, because this is the mind of Christ. I don't doubt that the first four verses are what was in the Apostle Paul's mind and the Holy Spirit's mind as well. So it's not verses one through four, the mind of Christ, or verses six through 10, the mind of Christ, it's both. But take a look at verse six. We're not we're not teaching on this this morning. We're reading it. We're saving it for next week. But watch. He says, who Christ, who being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God, but made of himself of no reputation, took upon him the form of a servant and was made in the likeness of men and being found in fashion as a man. He humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore, God hath all highly exalted him and given him a name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow of things in heaven, of things in the earth, and things under the earth. I'm gonna cap it off with verse 11. He says, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father. Wow. And of all these characteristics, the first four verses and the last six verses, which characteristic best describes Jesus Christ? Is it in consolation with Christ? Is it his comfort of love we found in verse one, the fellowship of the spirit, bowels and mercy? We saw in verse one that Jesus, has obviously a spiritual mind of love. The apostle Paul was emphasizing that, that matter of any comfort of love. So Jesus has that. Jesus has that spiritual mind of love. He has a single mind of unity. In verse two, the apostle was asking that his joy might be fulfilled in their unity, their unity with the same love and the same accord and the same mind. In verse three, we saw that there is a lowly mind of humility, and in verse four, a selfless mind of care. Which one? Which one best describes Jesus? Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus. Well, I think it was found in verse three personally. And we find it again in verses six and seven, and actually throughout that next portion of scripture. And that is the humility of Christ. He was born in humility, born in a stable. He was raised in humility, raised not in a palace, but in a pasture, in a farm country, as a son of a carpenter, lowliness of mind. Jesus Christ, the King of kings, the Lord of lords, the great creator God, who came in flesh to minister to them in flesh, came in lowliness came into Jerusalem on the on the back of a donkey and was hung as a criminal and put to death and crucified as a sinner but yet without sin dying for our sins humility now here's the the challenge for today let this mind be in you the mind of humility, the mind of humbleness, lowliness. My prayer for myself today and my prayer for you and our church, Madison Baptist Church, is that we might be small enough for God to use, that we might be low enough that the one who is high, our highness, the one who is high and holy might be exalted, not ourselves, but the most high God. Let's bow in prayer. Father, thank you for your word. Change and challenge our lives for your glory, not our own, that you might be seen, that your gospel might go forth in power, with courage, with unity. Lord, with humbleness of spirit, letting this mind, the mind of Christ, be in us. For we pray in Jesus' name, amen. God bless you.