Welcome to the Kerwin Baptist Church broadcast today. Our desire is for the Word of God to be spread throughout the world.
so that all may know Christ. Join us now. For a portion of one of our services here at Kerwin Baptist Church. Located in Kernersville, North Carolina. And we want to continue on our series on the subject of attitude.
I want you to look at Philippians chapter 2 tonight. Philippians chapter 2. And if we had to title this, which we did, I would call this from the Bible the sons of God. the sons of God. you know, what really ought to dictate The attitude that permeates our life, let's just be honest, attitude is what people see.
Can I have any men right there? You might have good reasons and you might think you can justify, but let's just be honest. Attitude is what mo people don't always see motives. But they sure do see attitude. And we've been attacking this seven, eight weeks now, and I know that we're just showing different passages of scripture, and it just comes down to it.
It's not that we don't know, and I'm going to show you the Bible, but it's not, I don't think it's even I've got to prove to you and really win you over that we should have a good attitude. Everybody knows that we should have a good attitude.
Now, biblically, we're going to show you what the Bible expects, but I think it just comes down to it whether or not we're able to admit to ourselves, you know what, I don't really have a really good attitude. And I've come to the point in my marriage, even with my wife, that I just tell her sometimes, like, babe, listen, I'm struggling with my attitude right now, and I just want you to know it. I know it's not right, I know it shouldn't be this way, but I'm kind of struggling with this. right now. And I I think part of the battle is just admitting it.
Sometimes the people with the worst attitudes would almost act shocked if you told them, Do you know you have a rotten attitude? And they would be like, What are you talking about? And you just want to say, Have you ever seen a mirror? Have you ever seen it? I mean, do you not look at yourself?
Can you not see it all over you? You know, kind of a thing. And I think it just comes down to whether or not we want to admit it to ourselves or not. And I hope that if we talk about it enough, you're not going to remember everything I've said, but if we talk about it enough, Maybe it'll at least come on with us enough that we'll be aware and maybe out during the week just realize: you know, I really need to watch. My attitude.
Let's look at Philippians chapter 2, and we're just gonna begin reading in verse 1. And we're not gonna cover the entire chapter, but we're gonna hit some different things in this chapter, especially as it relates to the attitude and spirit that we kind of permeate in our life. Look at verse 1. If there be any consolation in Christ, If any comfort of love If any. Fellowship of the Spirit.
If any. battles and mercies.
Now notice that. This is going to take effort. And this isn't just going to come naturally. It's not just going to happen by chance. We're going to have to.
Be mindful and on purpose. get into God's word and change the areas where we're wrong in. But notice this. If there's any consolation in Christ, listen, if it's possible at all, That Christ can help you through this. And by the way, He can.
If there's any comfort of love, and you know, God's never asked us to do anything without loving us first. It would be one thing if God just threw out a bunch of rules and said, This is what I expect. God did not throw out, look at me, folks, this is not a rule book. Do you hear me? If you're looking at this as a rule book, you're looking at it wrong.
Okay, this is a narrative. About the fact that here's the need for a Savior, here is the Savior, here's the Savior that came, and this is what it means to my life. In the beginning was the Word, the Word was with God, and the Word. This is God. This isn't a rule book.
It's not even a book. This is God Himself, okay? This is His Word. And we've got to look at this, it isn't just a bunch of rules for us to follow. Everything or anything that He has put or asked for us in this book, it started with the fact that He loved us first.
Yeah.
Okay, so notice if you would, in number one tonight, we're going to jump right into it. I want you to notice in verse 2, we see first that our attitude should promote unity. Our attitude, the attitude that we have in our life, should promote something and it should promote unity. Look at verse 2. Paul says, Fulfill ye my joy.
Now he's talking to a church, and that's what I'm doing tonight. This is literally in the context of. Of corporate believers, okay? He says this: Fulfill ye my joy. that ye be like-minded.
Having the same love being of one accord, And of one mind. Paul says: listen, you're gonna have to conduct yourself in a way. that is going to promote Unity. Notice the words he uses: that ye be like-minded. This word like-minded is the Greek word phreneto.
Okay, I'm not going to go through the words we get from that, but what it means is: listen to me: when Paul says, I want you to be like-minded, that word phreneto means to exercise the mind. to interest oneself in. to set your affection on. What it means is this: look at me. Paul is not asking that all of us think the same.
Paul is not asking or saying that all of us should have the exact same opinions and we should all think the exact same way. No, no, no, no. We're all different. We all have different backgrounds. We all have different.
What Paul is saying is it doesn't matter how you see things. It doesn't matter how you were raised. And it doesn't even matter about your opinion. And over here, it doesn't matter how you were raised. And just because you were raised and you like something doesn't mean you're right and they're wrong.
And just because over here you like things a certain way and they don't doesn't mean you're right and they're wrong. What Paul says is, you're going to have to exercise your mind. You're going to have to get beyond what you think and maybe what you've been told. And all of us are going to have to exercise our mind. All of us are going to have to set our affection on something that's the same.
Now, none of us are ever going to be exactly the same, but we can be like-minded. Why? Because we can all put. our mind where it should be. Everybody got that.
So Paul is not saying that all of us have to be the same. Paul is saying that all of us ought to make the same thing our priority. And that's the Word of God. You're going to have to set your affection on it. You're going to have to exercise your mind.
It's not about what I think, what you think, what I want, what you want. Our mind has to all be centered on what Christ wants through our church. Do you understand that? Say amen tonight.
So our attitude with people. should promote Unity.
Now, here's what's interesting. Look at the verse.
Now, I want you to notice under this, first thing under this is strife hurts unity. No, I know that's an oxymoron. Of course, it does. When there is strife, there isn't unity. But notice what the verse says: that ye be like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, and of one mind.
Look at verse 3: let nothing be done through strife. If we're going to have unity, our attitude has to be a way that we try our best to avoid strife. Not that our attitude should constantly cause strife.
Now here's what I would say lovingly. If wherever you look, in almost with everybody in your life, there ends up being strife. There is a common thread there. Do I need to tell you what the common thread is? I mean, if just about everything that happens, it's this person at work, it's this guy, it's pastor, it's this, and whatever the case might be, if eventually there just always seems to be that there's strife, and I don't really, I don't see.
The common threat is you. And what it means is it doesn't mean that I have to think the same as he does. And I don't have to agree with Pastor. And I don't have listen, I don't have to see it everything the exact same way. But what my attitude should promote is for us not to have strife.
How many of you believe we can still disagree and not have strife? You all agree with that? Listen, there's some of you sitting right here. You probably disagree with me on a lot of things. And I guarantee you I probably disagree with some of you on a lot of things.
But my motive is not just to disagree with you. And I hope your motive is not just to disagree with Pastor. It's we have our opinions, we have our things, we have our beliefs, we have our interests, we have all those things. But what our attitude should promote. Is not I'm right, you're wrong, or vice versa.
What our attitude should promote is to avoid strife. Why? So that there can be unity. You see, the goal is unity. The goal is us as a corporate body to be like-minded.
And so, hey, there's going to be some things that maybe, hey, I don't agree with it and I don't like. But how you handle it.
Now, I've had people say, you know, I don't agree with it, but, you know, it's okay. Just because I don't agree with it doesn't mean I'm mad. And then I find out from five, six people that they're talking about. I mean, you're talking about things behind, well, you haven't handled that right. That's producing strife.
Listen, you got a problem with an individual. The best way to do it is not to call your friends and complain about it. And if you have a friend that's done that, you have a person in your life that is causing strife, and I would recommend avoiding them. Because there's going to be strife everywhere they go. Because if that's how they handle a problem.
That means unity is not their interest. getting their way. is their interest. Which brings us to the second thing. Notice what he says here.
Let nothing be done through strife or, secondly, vain glory. Strife hurts unity. Notice this. Self-glory. Glorification hurts unity.
You know what this word vain glory means? It means I want to be glorified. That's what vainglory means, I want the glory, and that's vain. That's vanity. It means that many times my attitude can be a way because I want my way.
I want to be right. I want to get what I want. What is that? That is self-glorification. Are you with me tonight, Kerwin?
Say amen. I'm teaching you the Bible. And this is what God says. Listen, our goal ought to be unity as a corporate body. But strife hurts that unity.
And you know what else does? Self-glorification. I'm going to get my way, and I'm going to prove to everybody my point about things. Dear friend, you're not proving your point, you're just showing that you have no interest in unity. What you're showing is you want the glory, you want your way, you want to be the person in charge, and you want to have it done the way you want to have it done.
And dear friend, if we have a personality like that, it's going to constantly cause division. And here's what I recommend: look around your life, wherever you've been. Has there been strife? Has there been division? It just might be you, it just might be me.
And here's what causes it: strife. and self-glorification. Vain glory. We won our way.
So, our attitude should promote unity. And Paul says, listen. He says, I'm asking you to fulfill my joy, what I want more than anything. Is for you to be able to be like-minded. What I want more than anything is for you having the same love, being of one accord, and of one mind.
Look at me, Kirwan. Why did Paul want that so much? Because the more unity a church has, the more glory God gets. Because the only way a church can ever have unity is if it's about God. But the less unity a church has, the less glory God gets, and the more glory the individuals get.
And that's not the kind of church we want. Paul says that our attitude should promote Unity. By the way, this let nothing be done through strife, this word strife, it literally means vigorous or bitter conflict. I don't know about you, but I want to walk in this building. And I'm going to be honest with you, I feel like we're so blessed here.
And listen, we're going to go through dry seasons and fruitful seasons, and we're going to have where it just seems like honey from heaven is dripping in the auditorium. And then we're going to have nights where we can't wake nobody up and couldn't get a holy grunt if we had to. It's going to be up in Listen. I understand, but let me tell you what I want. I want to be able to walk in these walls.
without conflict. No, unfortunately sometimes it's just it's impossible to avoid. I didn't say I want to walk in these walls and nobody disagreed with me. Yeah.
Listen, nobody has the right to have a corner on how things are done. Listen, we all have a right to our opinion. We all have a right to how we feel about things. But I want to walk in this building that even though none of us might all agree on everything, I would like to walk in this building where there's no conflict and there's no strife. You know why?
Because we're here for Him. And we're going to set our affection on him. I'm not going to set my bitterness on what I don't like. I'm going to set my affection on him. Do you understand that?
Say amen. I hope I helped. Notice number two, look at verse three. We see that our attitude not only should promote unity, but number two, our attitude should prefer others. Hmm.
Megaverse three. But in Not strife, not where you get the glory. But in lowliness of mind, let each esteem other better than themselves. Ouch. Oh me.
Hard to hear. Look at verse 4. Look not every man on his own things. But every man also in the things of others.
Now in the f in the The previous verse, Paul focuses on unity. But now he focuses on what we have to remove. to get that unity. And what we have to remove is self. Yeah.
Self. is the cause. of contention. What does James say from whence come wars and fighting among you? Come they not of your own selves.
Ourself, our flesh.
Now, notice what he says here: lowliness of mind. That's that's humbling ourselves. That means instead of me Trying to put what I think Above everybody, lowliness of mind. No, it doesn't mean be dumb. And it doesn't mean that you're always wrong.
It just means lowliness of mind. I'm not going to project myself where I'm above everyone. Notice, in lowliness of mind, let each esteem other. Better than themselves.
Now, here's what it doesn't say: it doesn't say, let each esteem the other's opinion better than themselves. No, no, no. We're all going to have different opinions, and as much as we differ, I might still be convinced in my mind I'm right. And you might still be convinced in your mind that you're right. But it's not about esteeming each other's opinions.
What it is about is making sure we esteem each other. And while I might differ my opinion, I am not going to disrespect you. I'm not going to go criticize you to people. Everybody get this? Do you see what he's saying?
I show respect to the person. Loneliness of mind, I'm going to esteem. My motive, my priority is to put that person over me.
Now, we might have different opinions. It doesn't mean that here's a preacher trying to tell you how you have to think. I'm not telling you how you have to think. I suggest you get in the Bible, you get truth for yourself. Listen, this isn't a dictatorship here at this church.
Okay, you'll never hear that from me. You can think on your own two feet. And I'm going to do my best to preach the Bible. You show me I'm wrong, whatever the case might be, but not just because your interpretation might be different. You show me I'm wrong, I will be.
But let me tell you something: what we always got to be careful of is that we esteem the other. more important than ourselves. No, I know it's tough. Notice what he says in verse 4: look not every man on his own things, but every man also. on the things of others.
Paul's goal was to remove our focus. from ourself. to focusing on others. Paul says we have to remove Wrong ambition, strife. We have to remove pride, lowliness of mind, esteem others above ourselves.
Our attitude should prefer others.
Now, the question would be, and I ask myself this too: does my attitude prefer others. Can you be honest about it? Tonight? Can you ask yourself Does your attitude prefer others? You ever heard where you open up a Chinese Fortune in the Chinese restaurant.
And you add in the bathroom at the end of the Anybody ever read Your Little Fortune and they always joke about like in the bathroom or whatever the case might be?
Well, let me add a little bit of that to you tonight. Let me open up your fortune, okay? No, let each esteem other better than themselves on the interstate. Let each esteem other better than themselves. At the restaurant.
Let ancient steam others better than themselves at Walmart. Ooh, I hit a note. Oh, I hit a nerf. I hit a nerve. Do you really think you're hearing a guy up here preaching to you that it's got this all figured out?
Of course I don't. Of course I don't. I have road rage. I'm struggling, okay? I struggle with that.
I just happen to believe that when it's a 45, you should at least go 20. Yes. Half the time I would take that. But not ten, okay? I struggle.
I'll be driving in the car and my wife will just put her hand over, put it on my arm. Calm down, babe. Calm down. Because I got places to go. I gotta go serve God.
I gotta go love people. Get out of my way, lady. I gotta go love people. Our attitude should always prefer others. Millicent.
I'm not saying you need to do this because I do it because I don't. I'm saying you and I need to do this because this is what God said.
Now why did God say that? I'll tell you what, number three. Beginning in verse 5, our attitude should portray Christ. The reason our attitude Should promote unity, and the reason our attitude should prefer others is because the whole point is our attitude should portray Christ. We should act and treat people in a way that Christ Would.
Look at verse 5. Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.
Now, Paul just said this is what you need to do, and now he gives us the example. Look at verse 6, he reminds us. Here's Christ Jesus, verse 6, who, being in the form of God, fought it not robbery to be equal to God. Here he is, Jesus. He's equal with God, God in the flesh, but he comes here.
Look at verse 7, but made himself. Notice this first. No reputation. Jesus literally set aside what people thought about him. Let me tell you something.
When we are always so defensive of self, that's pride. And that's exactly what he's talking about in this passage. He said, Let me remind you about our example. If anybody had the right. to throw in the position card.
It would have been Jesus. Oh, I'm the Son of God. You shouldn't treat me that way. No, no, no, no. He made himself of no reputation, even though he was king of glory.
He made himself of no reputation. Notice this, and took upon him the form of a what? Serve it.
So my attitude to portray Christ is I've got to let go of my reputation. And I've got to become a servant. Notice this. and was made in the likeness of men, and being found in fashion as a man, he Humbled. himself.
Our attitude. greatly hinges on whether or not you and I are willing to humble ourselves. to make ourselves of no reputation. Instead of fighting so hard to make sure I'm represented, that I'm heard. Notice here.
Verse 8, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. He didn't just become obedient to death, he came obedient to the most vicious death. Ever He submitted. He had an attitude of submission. You ever struggle?
Fighting against God, what God's doing in your life? No, we would never say we would. Oh, I want God to have full freedom in my life. Oh, yeah. Yeah, I haven't reached that yet.
I still struggle. I still catch myself. fighting against it. And I don't necessarily physically, but mentally. It's like I'll do it because I know it's right.
But I'm still struggling with it. I'm kind of mad about it. Notice what he says here. Look at verse 9. Wherefore?
Here's the Son of God made himself of no reputation, became a servant, humbled himself. Even submitted himself to the cross. But notice, look at verse 9. Wherefore God hath also highly exalted him.
Now, here's what's interesting. I hear people teach this verse as if this is only going to be done for Christ.
Now, hear me out. The last part of this verse is. That's the only part that is only done for Christ. What did God do? Because Jesus did this.
He exalted him and he gave him a name which is above every name.
Now, can I tell you something? God's not going to do that for you because no name is ever going to be higher than Jesus. But let me tell you, according to this verse, what God does do. If you humble yourself and you make yourself of no reputation and you become obedient and submit to the will of God, God exalts you. Here's the way it works in God's economy: you lower yourself, He exalts you.
Your attitude exalts you, God's going to lower you. Are you with me? Say amen. Don't you love the Word of God? He makes it very clear.
Listen, if you want God to exalt you, lower yourself. Notice number four. Our attitude should be a pattern of contentment.
Now look at verse 14. Do all things. Has it already been hard enough? Should I just wait for this verse for another Sunday night? Have you taken all you can take already?
Because this is a doozy. Just in case you have any other little excuse you want to throw in there, he just covers, he puts a wet blanket on all your plans. Do all things. without murmuring and disputings. Does that not scream attitude?
Do all things, not some. Not most. Do all things without murmurings and disputings.
Now, in Philippians 2, We have been dealing with corporate body, unity in the body. But what we're talking about here in verse 14 is not something that is only to be done in the context of corporate worship. We're talking about something that is in the context of every personal believer. You and I are to do all things without murmurings. and disputings.
What does that mean? Glad you asked. Murmuring, let's start with that first. The idea of without murmuring is literally the word we would use for grumbling. It's the Greek term gangismon, which means dealing with.
complaining or grumbling. This is about Grumbling and complaining over a circumstance. This is even about murmuring or grumbling to God. This isn't just about How we this isn't just about me complaining about Frank This is about me complaining about God. God said, listen, you ought to serve me without complaining.
Do all things. Does that word, does that little phrase, all things, remind you of anything? I can do all things through Christ, which strengtheneth me. God said, do all things without murmuring. Murmuring is grumbling.
complaining. And that is attitude. There are some people going to complain about everything.
Some people are going to grumble about everything. I mean, they can't get along with anybody. They can't even get along with himself. You know, you heard about that cruise ship that found this island, and this guy lived on it by himself? And he had three structures on there.
And the one structure says, what is this? This is where I live. And the other structure, what's the second? He says, Where I go to church. He says, What's that third structure?
He said, That's where I used to go to church.
Some of you didn't get that at all.
Sorry, Pop, that was a pop joke. I didn't tell it very well. You can't even get along with yourself. Hey, can I tell you something? I don't even agree with me half the time.
Just about every day, I can get to the end of the day, and I can be mad at myself for what I've done. I don't even agree, Daniel, with how you handled it. And I'm Daniel. But God says this: that you and I have to work on an attitude. And the attitude is this.
to do all things without Grumbling and complaining.
Now, here's what's interesting. This word murmuring is an outward action. And it means this: I believe what God really wants is for us to do everything with a willing heart. I can give you verses for that. But what God is even saying here is The greatest news that anyone can receive is the news of the free gift of salvation found in Jesus Christ.
It is our desire for you to know him personally. Would you take a moment to hear this today? Every man is born with a sin nature. Romans 3.23 says, For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. No matter how hard we try, We're not good enough to obtain God's glory.
or to get to heaven. Because of that sin carries the penalty of death. Romans 6.23 says, For the wages of sin is death. But the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. The wages of our sin, or the payment of our sin, only equals death and separation from God.
But it's only through God's gift Salvation through Jesus Christ that we can accept Him as our Savior. Jesus Christ paid for your sin debt. The Bible says in Romans 5:8, But God commendeth his love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. All you have to do is receive Christ. by faith as your Saviour.
Romans 10:9 says, That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, Thou shalt be saved. Verse 13 continues, For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. It's as simple as admitting that you're a sinner believing. that Jesus is the only way. and calling upon his name.
Bible says whosoever that's anyone. can call upon the name of the Lord to be saved. Have you accepted Christ as your personal Savior? There is no greater day than today to take care of this. Would you accept Christ as your Savior?
If you have any questions, please give us a call at 336-993-5192 or visit our website at Crowin Baptist Church. Dot com. or visits at person at one of our three service times. We hope you have a great rest of your day. God bless you.
Okay.
