Philippians 2:1-13

2 Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2 then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. 3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4 not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.

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

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Who, being in very nature God,

did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;

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rather, he made himself nothing

by taking the very nature of a servant,

being made in human likeness.

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And being found in appearance as a man,

he humbled himself

by becoming obedient to death—

even death on a cross!

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Therefore God exalted him to the highest place

and gave him the name that is above every name,

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that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,

in heaven and on earth and under the earth,

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and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord,

to the glory of God the Father.

Do Everything Without Grumbling

12 Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, 13 for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.

Why is it so hard to be humble?

be Christ for our lost and hopeless world.

Why do we fight and demand our way?

Why do we hold grudges?

Why do we find it hard to forgive those who hurt us?

It’s a lack of humility.

Philippians Chapter 2 reminds us just how much Jesus gave up in order to join us on this fallen planet.

“Being in very nature God…he made himself nothing,”

And for Jesus Christ, Who was in very nature God, His death on the cross shows us the extreme extent of His humility—of His emptying of Himself.

Humility and self-emptying--taken to its inevitable conclusion—it leads to a cross.

Incarceration means: God became flesh, that God assumed a human nature and became a man in the form of Jesus Christ, the Son of God and the second person of the Trinity.

there is nothing more beautiful in all the earth than a truly humble and loving person.

Humility is the ability to get outside of ourselves and into the hearts and souls of others.

Humility brings peace and personal happiness.

It is what makes us truly human and more like Jesus.

What are we waiting for?

In our relationships with one another, give us the same mindset as Christ Jesus.

Lord Jesus, please give us YOUR compassion.

Give us YOUR attitude; YOUR strength, YOUR humility, YOUR love, YOUR mind.

This Christmas help us to be like You!