Mari Ikeda
❖ Audio
Be Like-Minded and Of One Mind (Philippians 2:1-11)
A. We should not be self-centered (1-4)
1 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.
B. What Jesus has done for us (5-11)
5 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; 7 rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross! 9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
1. He became our role model
2. He taught us God’s love
C. We can become one by each of us’ having the same mind and love of Jesus
1 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.
For Discussion
Everyone knows one should not be self-centered. However, in fact we even don’t realize when we are being self-centered, and often attack and hurt each other. Each of us needs to be transformed by Jesus’ love. Let each of us put Jesus at the center of our life, so that we can overcome various forms of differences among us and become one.
For Discussion
1. What has Jesus done for your sake?
2. How can we love others as Jesus loves?