The Attitude of Christ
First B Jackson
2022-10-16

Automatically transcribed. Where this and the recording disagree, the recording is the record.

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All right. Hello everybody. Good morning. How are we? We're kinda we're kind of a light crew, but we're also dispersed.

But what do you say we we start by worshiping in song? And would you stand with me if you're able? From, Psalm eighteen sixteen, this will, this is this is a good lead into this song. It is, he reached down from on high, and he drew me out of deep waters. Love lifted me.

Shall we sing it together? Alright. How about are you washed in the blood? You can have a seat here for a moment. And Nick, back there on the sound booth, is going to share a few announcements with us.

Hey. Good morning, everybody. Tomorrow night is, the Monday night service. If you haven't been there before, it's welcome to people of all ages. And, we have meal, music, and a message.

Tomorrow night is, it's just like every other Monday except I'm preaching. So come on by and support and eat some pizza. And, in the meantime, Awana is going on here. In this room, all the chairs get cleared out and, lots of volunteers come in and get to share the word and love of the Lord, with kids from all ages. That's what that big circle on the floor is for.

That's for all their games. It's a it's a lot of noise. It's a lot of fun. And if you know one of anybody with kids, invite them to to come to that. Sisters Saved by Grace is a Bible study that continues on.

It's on Thursday nights. They have food over there and great fellowship, and it's very encouraging, and it just it sounds like a lot of fun. And frankly, I'm a little jealous. So, yeah. Open it up to the rest of us guys here.

The the women's Bible study, that's during the day on Wednesdays, has its last week this week. So come on by and support them. And if you wanna catch up to all of the other weeks, you can see those online on our YouTube page. And please check the lost and found. All of the book racks are full.

There's coats hanging up. There's a walnut stuff back there. There's a bin back there. Please, please, please take it. And even if you haven't been missing anything for years, it might still be back there fossilized.

So please come pick it up. We would love that. It'd be encouraging to all the rest of us to clear that out. And finally, Martha Humphrey's funeral will be streamed at 5PM on our website. Carl said earlier that Facebook, is it on our Facebook page or on our website?

Do you know?

That's a great question. I believe it was Facebook. That's where I saw a trial yesterday that Ray put on to see if it would work. Good. If you

have any questions about that, maybe give me a call and we can try to walk you through it if you have any problems. And I'll try to link that onto our website if I can later this week. So check check that out. And please say a prayer for that family as we mourn the loss of Martha, but are grateful for her being with the Lord, these days. So thank you very much.

Do you have an announcement too?

That's today.

That is today. That'll be 05:00 today. Thank you for asking. That's an important detail. Alright.

Is that all, Nick, for announcements? Thank you for sharing those. And shall we sing together again? And would you stand with me? I served my whole heart in preaching the gospel of his son, Romans one nine says.

From Revelation four eleven, you are worthy to receive glory and honor and power. Indeed he is. Shall we sing of it? What a beautiful song. And you can have a seat here for a moment.

I'll this is the worship through giving part of the the service, and the ushers are coming on forward. And and here's a verse that's been sticking with me from first Thessalonians five this week, and it is, rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances, all circumstances. Why? For this is God's will for us in Christ Jesus. So before we before Judy plays a beautiful piece, can we pray together?

Almighty God, worthy. Worthy are you. Thank you. What a beautiful song and such a wonderful truth to be singing. You're worthy of our adoration and our praise, our devotion.

You are good. Your loving kindness endures forever. What a great reminder today. To rejoice. To rejoice means to delight in your grace, to be conscious of it, aware of it, glad for it.

To pray continually, that's without ceasing, and to give thanks, to be thankful for that grace that you've extended us so that we can extend it to others. And, God, that is what we endeavor to do. Lord, I thank you for this body of Christ this morning. Thank you for the gifts, the talents, the abilities that you've given to each and every individual here. Use to build up the body of Christ.

Lord, thank you that this body, each and every day conscientiously, uses those gifts to love and to serve without reservation, longing to do your will. Lord, would you accept these gifts in the place and otherwise? Even more so, would you accept the heart behind them and use them for the advance of your kingdom? In Jesus' name. Amen.

This

is Pamela Constant. She's a missionary in France. She lived here for eight years in the middle of her two journeys first to Belgium for I don't know twelve years then home here for eight and now she's in France for five or six I can't remember. Anyway, long time. The Lord had her learn French for a reason when she was young and she put it to use for him and what a joy that is to know and she'll tell you what she's been doing these last six years maybe a little bit about Belgium but she's a wonderful lady and we want to encourage her and bless her.

Out in the foyer there's these little cards. Thank you dear. And on the back there's a place where you can support her with donations. She's under the Greater Europe Mission. Is that right?

Greater Europe Mission is her sending missionary foundation, but we here at First Be Our Church helps her out a little too. So if you would like to write a check just for her, you can just put Pamela in the memo, drop it in the box out there, or give it to Diane anytime or Nick, and everything that comes in will go straight to her. Alright? Your turn.

Bonjour from France. That's usually how I start my greeting with this church because I usually attend online, and I try to do it every week. And I have to say those that keep the online stuff going, it is such a blessing to be able to tune in and to follow this church. So I wanna start by first off thanking you from the bottom of my heart, for your partnership with me in sharing the gospel in France. It's a huge source of joy for me to know that you're there standing with me.

Sometimes I'm stopped in my tracks just when I recognize how daunting the task God's given me is, and I certainly could not do it without him and without you. The biggest question I get asked regularly is, why France? Because we have this perception that it's this Christian nation. But in in reality, it's atheistic. It's atheism is the primary religion, you can call it that.

Atheism or at best agnosticism. You will see more Muslims in France than you see by believing Christians. All those big cathedrals and stuff that you see pictures of, they're empty. They've turned been turned into museums or restaurants or even movie theaters. The French have been told for generations.

And in fact, I've personally sat in meetings where supposed religious leaders have told people there is no sense in reading the Bible. You will never understand it anyway. It will only mess you up. And as we all know here today, that is absolutely not true. The Bible is such a gift from God.

There is no one like our God. Amen. God has brought some incredible experiences into my life these last couple of years, and one of which I think is the most profound and most remarkable for me is sitting in a group of French people discussing the state of the church in France. And one lady reached across the table with tears in her eyes and grabbed my hands and said, help us. It's so much beyond me, but God is at work, and he is worthy of our praise.

What encourages me the most is watching God's hand at work every single day. Every single day. I've been blessed to help a Christian camp called Camp De Sim, Camp Of The Peaks, which is aptly named because like much like Jackson, it is surrounded by mountains. It is in the French Alps. And, if any of you ski internationally, out of Ouijs, which is often on the news, There's big ski race, also big bike race.

Tour de France goes there. And also, Dusseldes. Now you have an idea where I am. It's above Grenoble. And at the camp, we house a 120 people at a time.

We do camps from age six up to adults and families. And, we see about 3,500 people pass through the doors of the camp every year, which is remarkable for France. Many of those people will hear the gospel for the first time, and many of them come just to be strengthened and encouraged so that they can go back to their own churches or their own villages and shine for Jesus. I've also been asked recently to help a church in Sicini, which is in Grenoble, that's been struggling without a pastor for ten years. And, they have been desperately hungering to have more depth in what's going on at the church and to grow in their knowledge of God.

It's so so encouraging to see people who are just desperate to have more depth in their relationship with Jesus. So I'm praying that God will use me, to help you then. Please, when you think when you hear of France and when you think hear on the news or in passing or whatever, may that prompt you to pray for this church and other churches and the believers in France that are struggling. Many of the people who come to our our camp, for instance, they come from all over France, and many of them will go to villages where they are the only Christian in town. And in many cases, almost all of the believers that I know won't go to workplaces where they are the only Christian.

France is a battleground. It is a spiritual war zone right now. But there is no one like our God. I have been awed to see God create Bible studies out of nothing, where frankly I have done absolutely nothing. For instance, there was one where one lady came up to me and said, hey, I wanna grow deeper in the faith.

Would you do a Bible study with me? Sure. And then not more than twenty four hours later, another lady comes and says, word for word exactly the same thing. I'm like, well, will you look at that? God's putting together a Bible study.

That Bible study now has 15 people. Yes. Hallelujah. And we have another 23 that tune on tune in online because it's recorded. God is doing great things, and I've seen I've seen young people.

When I first went to Belgium, it was incredible because I felt like it would take ten years for me to even earn the right to talk about Jesus with somebody. But now, it feels like every single time I sit down, God opens a door for me to talk about him. God is in the middle of doing great things, and I cannot wait to see what he's gonna do these next couple of years. I've been amazed at the divine appointments. I know Ray's talked about those.

Divine appointments he's opened up. I mean, in bizarre places, riding the tram to an appointment or even during a propane delivery. How does that stuff happen? Only thanks to our God. Greater things are yet to come, and I am expectant, like I said, to see what God's gonna do in the next couple years.

I'm looking forward to sharing with you in two years what he's done. The spiritual battle for Francis, fierce. But thankfully, our God is all powerful, and he makes the mountains melt before him. Melt. Oh, gives me chills.

And he's already won the victory. He's already won the victory. So please do continue to pray for me and pray for the other missionaries. Pray for France. Pray that God will spark the flame of passion in the French people so that they can reach their own people with the gospel and with the love of Jesus.

Pray that they will be strengthened to live incarnationally and to show Jesus to everyone around them. I pray that they will just overflow with God's love. I start the back the trip back this afternoon. It has been truly, truly an immense joy to join you folks for your Bible studies and prayer groups and your services. I think I cried through the entire first service.

So I'm trying to hold myself together here for for another hour or so. But thank you once again for your encouragement and your prayers and all of your love. It's it is an immense an immense blessing. Thank you.

Can you stay up here? Well, I'd love to pray for for Pam here before she sits down. Lord, thank you for your servant, Pam. And thank you, Lord, for what you are doing around the globe. Thank you, Lord, for the way that you are preparing hearts and minds.

And we ask God your blessing on Pamela as she travels back. Lord, you have ignited a a fire in her, but but also the people in France. And so, Lord, we pray for those divine appointments for each and every conversation, even the ones that might surprise her sometimes. And, Lord, that it would open the door for the good news of your love and forgiveness. And so would you would you bless Pamela as as she travels back?

Lord, give you give her strength and wisdom and courage and endurance. Lord, also, you surround her with with coworkers and other believers, Lord, that can encourage her and lift her up. And we send her with a blessing. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Thanks, Pam. And there is Martha. You noticed that Ray is out this morning. And and one more, just one more quick word about, if you would like to give, to Pamela and, our ministry in France, right outside the the door there, on the wall is a is a box. And so if you feel compelled to give, it's there.

You noticed that Ray is out this morning. He's in Las Vegas today, and he is leading the memorial service for Martha Humphrey. Many of you know Martha. Yes. Yes.

Almost everybody in this room, not as many in the nine. But Martha went home to the Lord on September 19, and I am thankful for these words of Jesus in in John eleven twenty five. This is what Ray will be sharing this this this evening. It was to Martha, the sister of Lazarus. Jesus said, I'm the resurrection and the life, and anyone who believes in me will live even after dying.

And then he asked her, Martha, do you believe this? And her response, full of faith, yes, Lord. I've always believed that you're the Messiah, the son of God. The one who's coming to the world from God. And just like that Martha, our Martha, full of faith, put her faith and trust in Jesus.

She's passed from life to life eternal. Anyone who believes in him will live even after dying. That is the good news of the gospel. That's our comfort. That is our hope.

A sure and certain hope. And so I'm thankful for that promise to us. I'm thankful that we can rejoice even through tears and through grief. And that Ray can be in Las Vegas to represent us and send our love to the family. Also know that you can stream it at five from Facebook, and, it'll be on there.

So this morning, I wanna share just a few of my favorite verses from the book of Philippians, if I may. That's where we've been on Monday nights. Chapter two verses one through 11 is where I'd like to go today. The heading in my Bible is having the attitude of Christ. Now, there is so much to be said about these 11 verses.

I am only scratching the surface today out. So I'll say that upfront. Only scratching the surface today. But here's how I'd like to approach it. Within these verses are instructions to the Philippians.

Great instructions for then and now. But also, within these verses is the motivation for carrying out those instructions, and that's what I would like to focus on today. It is more than just a to do list. Paul's heart and desire for the church is that these instructions would be carried out as a response, as a response for what God has done for us. And so let me show you what I'm talking about here.

So here they are. Here's the list of instructions. To agree wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, working together with one mind and purpose. To not be selfish or try to impress others, but to be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves, not only looking to our own interests, but taking an interest in others. Those are the instructions there.

But I also want to see this, and I'm going to repeat this over and over and again just in case we we missed it. I believe repetition is the key to learning. Here's the motivation, though, to carry out those instructions. Encouragement from belonging to Christ, the comfort from his love, the fellowship together in the spirit, having hearts that are tender and compassionate, and most of all, the example of Jesus, his love, humility, service, and sacrifice. So I see these instructions and motivation behind them as inseparable.

They go together. They must stay together. So let's go ahead and read it through. It's Philippians two one through 11. And, Nick, would you just track with me as I read?

I'm reading from the New Living Translation this morning. Okay? Words are on the screen. Here's what it says. Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ?

Any comfort from his love? Any fellowship together in the spirit? Are your hearts tender and compassionate? Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose. Don't be selfish.

Don't try to impress others. Be humble. Thinking of others is better than yourselves. Don't only look to your own interest, but take an interest in others too. You must have the same attitude that Christ had that though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to.

Instead, he gave up his divine privileges. He took the humble position of a slave and was born a human being. And when he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God, and he died a criminal's death on a cross. Verse nine, therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor, and he gave them the name above all other names that at the name of Jesus, every knee should bow in heaven, on earth, and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the father. So I'd like to stop there for now.

Pray first and just work our way through these if I if I may. God, thank you for this word for us today. May it remind us once again of how deeply we are loved by you. So much so that you gave up your divine privileges. You took the humble position of a slave, humbling yourself in obedience to God, and ultimately died a criminal's death so that we, us, wayward sinners, could be reconciled to you through faith in your work.

With this in mind, I wanna pray that your example to love and to serve without reservation would spur us on to do the same. Amen. So again, here's the approach that I wanna take here, instructions and motivation. If Paul is asking those Philippians to do this, to agree wholeheartedly, love each other, work together with one mind and purpose, not to be selfish, but to be humble, thinking of others as better than themselves, not only looking to their own interest, taking an interest in others. The motivation behind it as they carry out these instructions is the encouragement from belonging to Jesus.

The comfort from his love. That fellowship together in the spirit. Hearts that are tender and compassionate and the example of Jesus. So starting with verse one, just working our way through. Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ?

And I was asked the same church. Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Indeed, head nods and yeses. Is there any encouragement that God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself and no longer counting people's sins against them that he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation? There's comfort in that.

There absolutely is. Or from Galatians three that we are children of God through faith in Christ, adopted sons and daughters into his kingdom. That is very, very encouraging to belonging to Christ. He's saying, church, if there's encouragement from that. Is there any?

Then he asked, is there any comfort in his love? Is there any comfort in this right here? You know, may we never grow tired of hearing this verse right here. It just it is so great that every week in Awana some of these kids are hearing this for the the the very the very first time. God so loved the world, he gave his only son.

Whoever believes in him won't perish. They're gonna have eternal life. Or Romans five eight, that God showed his great love for us while we were still sinners. He sent Christ to die for us. While he did not wait.

While we're still sinners, he sent Christ to die. Or Romans eight thirty eight and thirty nine, I'm convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God's love. Death, life, angels, demons, fears, worries, not the powers of hell or the earth or the sky. Nothing in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God that's revealed in Christ Jesus. Is there any comfort from a love like that?

I think we would all go, yes. Absolutely, there is. Another question. Is there any fellowship in the spirit? And so he's asking them, hey, when you all meet together, do you experience a sweet fellowship, a partnership, a community in the spirit?

Do you have that? Are your hearts tender and compassionate? He's he's asking, has God given you a gut level compassion for one another? If that's the case, and I believe it was, absolutely hands down, of course, was, he says then agree wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another. He's saying get along.

Work together with one mind and purpose. You won't be surprised. There was some conflict and disagreement in the church. I heard somebody say recently, where two or more are gathered, there'll be conflict. But I believe this is why he's asking them to reflect on those questions so that they would consider within their conflict, have I been encouraged by belonging to Jesus?

Have I found comfort in my in his love? Do I have that fellowship in the spirit? Well, if so, that will help me to work through that conflict. This right here in Philippians is wonderful relationship advice for us. It's fantastic.

It really is. So verses three and four, here here's even more. Don't be selfish or try to impress others. Be humble. Thinking of others is better than yourselves.

Don't just look out for your own interest. Take an interest in others too. Those are very, very clear. I think they become even clearer when we see them modeled through Jesus. So verses six through 11, this is a Messiah poem.

It's probably something they sang in church about the person and the work of Jesus. And this Messiah poem says, though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. So let's just meditate on these. Consider them for just a moment. Jesus, the exact representation of God.

He did not seize or grasp for that equality with God. So he could have, but he didn't. Wow. Verse seven, instead, he gave up his divine privileges, and he took the humble position of a slave. And he was born a human being like you and I.

Isn't that amazing that Jesus set aside that equality with God? He left the glories of heaven. He steps down to Earth in human form, And he took the position of a slave, a person without any ownership rights of their own. He completely laid himself down for the service of others. That's what God in Christ did for us.

That is truly amazing. And here's a powerful example in John 13. It's Passover time. Jesus knows he's going to be betrayed and and denied by his disciples, but look what he does. Verse 13.

He loved the disciples during his ministry on Earth, and he was gonna love them right to the very end no matter what, no matter what they did or said. And so he got up from the table, and he took off his robe, and he wrapped a towel around his his waist. And he poured water in a basin, and he began to wash his disciples' feet one by one, drying them with a towel that he had around The God of the universe. Isn't this just wild? Taking the humble position of a slave and served and served.

You know, how many times do we expect just to be served? Right? And that's that's not what Jesus is saying. He's saying serve others. If you wanna be great, serve first.

Wow. Serves his disciples even though they would betray him and deny him. He used his free will to do this very thing right here, to humble himself in obedience to God, to carry out not his will, but the father's will. Boy. And where did that take him?

To the cross. Dying a criminal's death on a cross. In our place for our sin. That was that was meant for us. This is truly amazing.

Isn't this compelling, though? And I believe this is what lovingly draws us to carry out these instructions. It does not guilt us. It does not shame us. It gives us a compelling reason why we would have that attitude of Christ to love and to serve.

Because of this. He first loved us. It's one of my my favorite verses. I think I share it every time I speak on a Sunday morning. We love because he first loved us.

And I believe that is exactly what Paul is communicating, here to the Philippians. Except in this case, here's the love that he's he's asking them to show, to agree wholeheartedly with each other, to love one another. That's God's self giving, others focused love. It prefers what God prefers. That's God's brand of love.

It's a little different than the love that we see from day to day, isn't it? God's love is a self giving, others focused love. He tells them to work together with one mind and perp and one mind and purpose. There's unity unity there. He says, not to be selfish, not just to think about yourselves.

Think about the people around you. Think of them, in fact, as better than yourselves. Wow. And not only look out for your own interest, but how about the interests of others? What do they need?

All of this, absolutely all of it comes as a response. That's what I see in this text. This is a response carrying out these instructions here. This is a response for what Jesus first did for us. And it is a beautiful and marvelous testimony of the love and the goodness of God.

It's about him. And so when people see that in us, the church, the body of Christ, carrying out these instructions, what should they really be seeing? The goodness and the love of God carried out through his willing and obedient servants. So, Lord, would you help us as we endeavor to do these things as imperfect, God, as we are? You say, your power is made perfect in our weakness.

And that we would have the attitude to love and to serve without reservation as you did. And when that selfishness creeps up, God, that we would recognize it, put it to death, and move on. In Jesus' name, amen. So for today, in this very abbreviated, version of Philippians two, The main takeaway that I'd like to communicate here is the attitude of Christ. This isn't something I would suggest we try to muster up on our own.

That loses steam very, very quickly. Okay, here's a list of instructions. I've to get after it now. Yes, but hold on, let's consider where the motivation comes from to carry them out. And that's the encouragement from belonging to Christ.

And it's the comfort from his love. And it's the fellowship that we have together in the spirit. And the hearts that are tender and compassionate and the example of Jesus, his love, humility, service, and sacrifice. And once we get these things, I think once we meditate on them, consider them, the natural outflow then is this, that we would get along with one another and love each other and work together with one mind and purpose. Not being selfish or trying to impress others, but in humility, really considering other people as better than ourselves.

And not only looking to our own interests, but taking an interest in the other person too. If indeed, God has elevated Jesus to the place of highest honor, and he gave him the name above all other names, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow in heaven and earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus is lord to glow the glory of God the father. If indeed this is true, and I believe it is, then these instructions right here, as we wait Jesus' return, are best carried out by these motivating factors, the encouragement from belonging to him, the comfort from his love, the fellowship in the spirit, having hearts that are tender and compassionate. Why? Because God's made them that way in us.

And the example of Jesus, his love, humility, service, and sacrifice. And one more word of encouragement from Paul. And this is verse 13. It comes after these 11 verses. But let's remember this.

He's saying to the Philippians, after giving these instructions, he says, hey, church. Remember this, that God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him. Ain't that encouraging? That's good to know right there, that God is doing the work. He's doing the work as we yield our will to his.

He's given us the desire and the power to carry out those instructions. Remember, we've been given the Holy Spirit. And the Holy Spirit does the work through us. So that's the good word from Philippians today. I'd like to to close in prayer and sing one more song.

And, Judy, would you would you come on up? I think we're gonna we're gonna sing the song, I've decided to follow Jesus. But before we do, let's pray together. Lord, thank you for putting this in front of us today. And I pray that it would cause us to thoroughly consider that we would go back.

And Holy Spirit, you would help us to recall what we've heard in the scripture today. The encouragement from belonging to you, the comfort from your love, the fellowship that we have together in your spirit, the tender mercies of Christ that spur us on to love and serve one another. In Jesus' name. Amen.

I have decided to follow Jesus. I have decided to follow Jesus.

No turning back. No turning back.

The world behind me, the cross before me. The world behind me, the cross before me. Back. Will you decide now to follow Jesus? Will you decide now to follow

I Jesus? Wanna leave as a little benediction here from Ephesians. And this is this is Paul's prayer, and and may it be ours too, that we would understand the incredible greatness of God's power. The the power that helps us to carry out those instructions that he's given us. That we would understand the incredible greatness of God's power for us who believe in him.

This is the same mighty power that raised Christ from the dead, and it seated him at the place of honor at God's right hand in the heavenly realms. Amen.