252: Nathan Lewis – The Principle, The Mind Of Christ

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Welcome to good Chris Selfian
talks.

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I’m Levi.
And I’m Chris, and I’m Brian.

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Thank you for joining us this
week.

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On this podcast, we select one
talk a week to help us get the

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Bible in our Daily News feed.
We post a new episode at the

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start of each week.
With a short intro beforehand to

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kind of set the stage for the
talk you’re about to listen to.

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And now let’s talk more about
this week’s talk.

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Hi.
This week we’re listening to the

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4th talk in the series
Developing the Mind of Christ by

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Brother Nathan Lewis.
This talk is part of a series

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where Brother Nathan takes us
through the problem of the

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carnal mind, the process of
renewing our minds in the

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principle of the mind of Christ.
In this class, 3 minds are

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juxtaposed against each other,
high minded, feeble minded, and

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sound minded.
Developing a sound mind or the

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mind of Christ is done by
putting S to death.

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I’ve listened to this series
several times and every time I

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listen to it, I’m struck by the
beauty of the mind of Christ.

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And the simplicity of the
solution to an unsound mind

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putting self to death.
The rest of the series will be

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available on the extended
podcast.

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So this is class 4, The Mind of
Christ, Brother Nathan Lewis.

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Well, thanks, brother Craig, and
good evening, brother and

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sisters.
Welcome to to one of our midweek

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classes this week.
And now I suppose we come to the

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crux of our studies together and
the wonderful mind of our Lord

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Jesus Christ.
So tonight we really come to the

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mind of Christ proper.
We’ve looked at the carnal mind,

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the problem that we all have the
promise that our Father has

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given us of replacing that mind
with a spiritual mind by a

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process of metamorphosis.
And now we come to look at the

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mind of Christ in our next class
on Thursday night.

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We want to look at how to
practice.

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Having the mind of Christ.
So we’re going to save any

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practical exhortation
suggestions until Thursday

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night.
But we know, don’t we?

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That principle comes before
practice.

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And tonight we want to look at.
We’ll ask ourselves the

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question, What is the central
principle that governs this

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extraordinary mind that we’re
all striving to have in us?

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What does the mind of Christ
look like?

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What is it in its essence?
Because, you see, the promise of

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a spiritual mind is not an
abstract, eerie, fiery idea.

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It’s not an intangible concept
that’s difficult to grasp, a

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vapor that can never be tied
down.

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And it’s not just a lofty
sounding phrase.

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We all have to have the mind of
Christ.

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It’s a solid destination.
Our minds are being renewed,

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regenerated not in a random
direction, but with focus and

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purpose by a Heavenly Father
towards one goal, one objective.

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I’d like you to come to Romans
Chapter 8 as we start our

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evening together, because
nothing could be more crystal

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clear than our Heavenly Father’s
purpose with us in Romans

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chapter 8.
Romans 18 verse 28 And we know

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that all things work together
for good to them that love God

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to them who are the called
according to his purpose, for

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whom he did.
For no He also did predestinate

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to be conformed to the image of
his Son.

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That he might be the first born
among many brethren.

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Moreover, whom he did
predestinate, then he also

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called, and whom he called, then
he also justified, and whom he

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justified, then he also
glorified.

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Now sometimes we have difficulty
with these words when we try to

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grapple with the intricacies of
divine predestination and human

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free will.
Do we really have a choice or

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are those people to be in the
Kingdom already predetermined as

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the word predestinated means
predetermined in advance?

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But if we read carefully, it is
abundantly clear, isn’t it, what

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Paul is saying?
Paul is not saying that we are

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predetermined to be in the
Kingdom and our free will is

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actually an illusion, he is
saying.

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That what is predetermined is
that everyone who will be there

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will have been through the exact
same process of transformation.

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We are guaranteed to all go
through the same process,

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conformed to the image of his
son.

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What is predestinated is that we
are all being shaped to have one

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family likeness.
That he might be the first born

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among many brethren.
This is ultimately God.

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Manifestation, isn’t it?
And the spiritual mind that is

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life in peace.
The transformed mind is the mind

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of his Son.
The predetermined destination

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for all of us is the mind of
Christ.

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It’s not an abstract spiritual
journey with no endpoint.

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We’re all heading in the same
direction.

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Just think, brothers and
sisters, of the enormity.

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Of that task, all of us are so
vastly different.

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Our minds are wildly divergent
from each other, but our

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Heavenly Father is slowly
conforming, each one of us,

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pressing us gently but
relentlessly into the mold of

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the special and unique mind of
His Son.

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God will not give up on us.
It’s an immutable principle.

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We won’t be there if we’re not
like him.

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He is our inevitable
destination.

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Just look at these references
together.

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You know, we often say, don’t
we, that we’re we’re called upon

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to have one mind.
But it’s not just anyone’s mind.

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It’s not even just a common
mind.

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It’s his mind.
Be of 1 mind is really.

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Be of Christ’s mind.
We’ve read some of these before.

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1st of Corinthians 2 and verse
16 we have the mind of Christ,

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Philippians 2 which we’ll look
at tonight.

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Let this mind be in you, which
was in Christ Jesus.

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Well first of Peter.
For for as much then as Christ

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hath suffered for us in the
flesh, arm yourselves likewise

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with the same mind.
It’s Christ’s mind.

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Romans 15 Now the God of
patience and consolation grant

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you to be like minded one toward
another, according to what the

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margin says after the example of
Jesus Christ that ye may with

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one mind and one mouth glorify
God.

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One mind is really the mind of
our Lord Jesus Christ.

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He is our inevitable
destination.

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Now I’d like you to come as we
start our evening together to

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1st of Samuel in chapter 14.
First of Samuel in chapter 14,

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because there’s a really nice
expression here in the story of

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Jonathan and his armor bearer.
Now for those young people and

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children at the Sunday School on
Sunday morning, we’d look,

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didn’t we, at?
The fact that really the story

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of the Bible is the story of
Jesus Christ, just with

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different characters and
different circumstances, and

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there’s clues in the record to
show us that it’s talking about

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Christ.
And most of the time, often

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it’ll be talking about the
crucifixion of Christ.

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And here’s another example in
first of Samuel 14 and verse

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four.
Listen to these little phrases

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and between the passages.
By which Jonathan sought to go

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over unto the Philistines
Garrison.

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There was a sharp rock on the
one side and a sharp rock on the

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other side.
And the name of the one was

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Bozes, and the name of the other
was Sina.

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That’s a picture of the
Crucifixion.

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Jonathan’s in the middle, and
there’s a sharp rock either

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side.
It’s typical of the two thieves.

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And look what Jonathan says,
verse 6 unto the young man that

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bear his armor.
Come, let us go over unto the

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Garrison of these Philistines,
these uncircumcised it may be

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that Yahweh will work for us,
For there is no restraint to

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Yahweh to save by many or by
few.

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And his armor bearer said unto
him, Do all that is in thine

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heart turn thee?
Behold, I am with thee according

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to thy heart.
You know the Revised Standard

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Version puts it this way.
And his armor bearer said unto

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him, Do all that thy mind
inclines to behold.

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I am with you.
As is your mind.

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So is mine.
And in the battle against the

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Philistines, Jonathan the Prince
is our Lord Jesus Christ, and we

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are his servants, his armor
bearers.

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And this is our response to his
battle cry.

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We are one.
We’re of the same mind we are

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with him in this battle against
sin.

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What a.
What a lovely thought.

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There’s a growing family
likeness between the captain of

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our salvation and his armor
bearers.

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Well, what defines the mind of
Christ?

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What is this mind?
What defines this way of

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thinking that we’re all striving
to have?

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What is the?
Distinguishing characteristic of

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the mind of Christ.
Could it be his humility?

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He humbled himself, and
therefore God hath highly

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exalted him.
Maybe it’s the fact that he

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loved righteousness and hated
iniquity.

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Hebrews 1 says we’re for because
of this God has anointed him

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above his brethren.
Maybe it’s his compassion First

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of Peter says be of like mind,
be of 1 mind have compassion 1

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towards another.
Maybe it’s his faith.

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The life which I live, I live by
the faith of the Son of God.

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Second of Thessalonians 3 And
verse 5 talks about the patience

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of Jesus Christ.
Well perhaps it’s his love.

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Greater love hath no man.
This is a new commandment that I

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give unto you that you love one
another as I have loved you.

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There was something very
special, wasn’t there, about the

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love of Jesus Christ He trusted
in his Heavenly Father.

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It says that about him when he’s
on the cross in his diarist

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need, the characteristic that
kept him going was he trusted in

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God.
Jude talks about the mercy of

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Jesus Christ.
It was because of the joy that

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he kept in the forefront of his
mind that enabled him to endure.

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Hebrews 12, seeking A
Corinthians 10, talks about the

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meekness and gentleness of
Christ.

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Well, he says himself, My peace
I leave with you.

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My peace I give unto you.
What is the distinguishing

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feature of this mind that makes
it so special?

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Well, I don’t know if I can give
you a definitive answer, but I’m

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going to suggest to you tonight
that it’s none of these things.

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I want to share some thoughts
with you on what might be at the

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heart at the center of this
remarkable mind.

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And I want to start by taking
you back to Mark Chapter 5 and

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the story of legend where we
were in our exhortation.

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Because.
We left something out at the end

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of the story of Mark chapter 5,
obviously, I suppose.

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But we left it out and I want to
go back here to this story, the

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giving of a spiritual mind to
replace a carnal mind and see if

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we can see if we can pick up the
threads of what is the essential

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characteristic of the mind of
Christ.

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Mark chapter 5 and verse 15 and
they come to Jesus.

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And instead of seeing Jesus, it
seems that they saw him who was

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possessed of the devil.
He had put on Christ, and he was

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sitting and clothed and in his
right mind, and they were

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afraid.
His evil conscience, fear,

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shame, and concealment was
replaced with a right mind,

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spiritual mind, calm and at
peace.

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And the carnal mind, the
reptilian mind, was sent into

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the animals and.
Christ miraculously replaced it

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with a mindset.
Right now we didn’t go to 2nd of

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Timothy chapter one in our first
class because I wanted to go

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there.
Now out of Mark chapter 5,

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because this little phrase in
his right mind is the Greek word

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Sophrenio Sophrenio and it’s
almost exactly the same.

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As another very similar
expression in second of Timothy

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and chapter one, so springboard
out of Mark, chapter 5 in the

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story of Legion, the replacement
of the carnal mind with a right

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mind, and come to 2nd of Timothy
in chapter one, second of

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Timothy one and verse 7.
For God hath not given to us the

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spirit of fear, but of power.
And of love and of a sound mind.

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And the phrase sound mind is the
Greek Sophrenice Moss.

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It’s almost the same as
Sophrenio from Mark chapter 5,

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verse 15.
In fact both of them mean a

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sound mind, a self controlled
mind.

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00:15:19,660 –> 00:15:23,980
Because before Legion was of
unsound mind, he had no control,

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00:15:24,100 –> 00:15:27,740
but now he is of a sound mind
and this is God’s promise.

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00:15:28,300 –> 00:15:31,180
For all of us to share the mind
of Christ.

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00:15:33,580 –> 00:15:39,940
So if Christ shared his mind
with Legion and it was a sound

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00:15:40,540 –> 00:15:45,780
mind, what is it?
Well, as it happens, the New

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00:15:45,780 –> 00:15:51,540
Testament talks about three
types of mind, and the first one

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00:15:52,180 –> 00:15:57,360
is this one here that we’ve just
looked at a sound mind. 2nd of

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00:15:57,360 –> 00:16:00,400
Timothy one verse 7.
This is the mind of Christ.

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00:16:01,000 –> 00:16:06,360
And notice how in verse 7 the
Old Spirit was a spirit of fear.

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00:16:06,360 –> 00:16:07,760
That’s the carnal mind, isn’t
it?

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00:16:08,040 –> 00:16:10,320
One of its chief attributes is
fear.

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00:16:10,320 –> 00:16:16,360
But now we have a sound mind.
But you know there’s another two

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00:16:16,360 –> 00:16:19,840
minds or type of minds that are
mentioned in the New Testament.

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00:16:20,680 –> 00:16:23,320
And the second one we want to
look at is on the same page.

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00:16:23,850 –> 00:16:27,610
It’s at the end of First of
Timothy in chapter six.

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00:16:28,250 –> 00:16:32,250
Look at verse 17.
Charge them that are rich in

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00:16:32,250 –> 00:16:38,650
this world, that they be not
high minded nor trust in

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00:16:38,690 –> 00:16:43,570
uncertain riches, but in the
living God who giveth us richly

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00:16:43,690 –> 00:16:48,970
all things to enjoy.
There’s those who are high

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00:16:48,970 –> 00:16:50,810
minded.
These are people who have a

239
00:16:51,170 –> 00:16:57,070
superiority complex.
They’ve got an inflated view of

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00:16:57,070 –> 00:16:59,590
their own worth.
You know.

241
00:16:59,590 –> 00:17:03,750
Romans chapter 12 and verse 3
describes the man who thinks of

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00:17:03,750 –> 00:17:08,270
himself more highly than he
ought to think.

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00:17:08,270 –> 00:17:12,589
In other words, he’s high minded
and it goes on in.

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00:17:13,040 –> 00:17:17,599
In Romans chapter 12 to say
instead think soberly and it

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00:17:17,599 –> 00:17:21,920
uses the same word as mark.
Chapter 5 and verse 15 have a

246
00:17:22,000 –> 00:17:26,400
right mind.
So Romans 12 says don’t be high

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00:17:26,400 –> 00:17:33,000
minded, be sound minded.
Now we that we know this as self

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00:17:33,080 –> 00:17:36,880
righteousness.
This is the person who thinks he

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00:17:36,880 –> 00:17:42,760
is better than others.
It’s those who are high minded.

250
00:17:43,830 –> 00:17:47,150
But you see there’s another
group of people and they’re back

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00:17:47,150 –> 00:17:52,150
in first of Thessalonians in
chapter 5 and verse 14.

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00:17:53,310 –> 00:17:59,910
These are the feeble minded.
Just 4 pages back and we read in

253
00:17:59,910 –> 00:18:03,590
first of Thessalonians 5 and
verse 14.

254
00:18:04,310 –> 00:18:08,670
Now we exhort you, brethren,
warn them that are unruly

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00:18:09,230 –> 00:18:14,080
comfort the feeble minded.
Who are the feeble minded?

256
00:18:14,280 –> 00:18:18,880
Well, those are the people who
have an inferiority complex.

257
00:18:20,240 –> 00:18:26,560
Literally it means small souled.
It’s exactly the same word

258
00:18:26,600 –> 00:18:31,240
actually in Proverbs 18 and
verse 14 in the situagant

259
00:18:31,240 –> 00:18:34,400
version where it’s translated
wounded spirit.

260
00:18:34,770 –> 00:18:39,010
In fact, Rotherham’s in in
Proverbs 18 and verse 14

261
00:18:39,210 –> 00:18:42,410
translates that verse.
The spirit of a man sustaineth

262
00:18:42,410 –> 00:18:47,330
his sickness, but a dejected
spirit who can bear it.

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00:18:47,850 –> 00:18:54,090
These are people who are guilty,
if you like, or who suffer from

264
00:18:54,210 –> 00:18:57,410
self pity.
It might look a little bit like

265
00:18:57,410 –> 00:19:01,530
humility, but it is self pity.
These are the people who think

266
00:19:01,530 –> 00:19:08,450
they’re not as good.
As others, have you ever felt

267
00:19:08,530 –> 00:19:12,970
brothers and sisters and young
people just a little bit better

268
00:19:13,810 –> 00:19:17,970
than someone else, or not quite
so good?

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00:19:17,970 –> 00:19:24,250
We are experts at this.
We can walk into a room and in a

270
00:19:24,250 –> 00:19:28,290
couple of minutes we pig
ourselves on what I call the

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00:19:28,290 –> 00:19:32,870
ladder of importance.
You know that women are

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00:19:32,870 –> 00:19:39,030
especially good at this, and
especially women in the world.

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00:19:40,310 –> 00:19:47,310
Whether it’s looks or clothes,
jewelry, how good your skin is,

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00:19:47,630 –> 00:19:51,430
how much money you have, what
your husband is like when they

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00:19:51,430 –> 00:19:54,390
walk into a room in a couple of
minutes, they know, don’t they,

276
00:19:54,390 –> 00:19:58,230
where they are on the ladder of
importance.

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00:19:59,990 –> 00:20:02,550
And you know, sadly, we do this
in the truth as well, don’t we?

278
00:20:04,310 –> 00:20:06,950
I I’m a little, I’m a little
better than that brother over

279
00:20:06,950 –> 00:20:09,830
there.
I’m a little funnier, a little

280
00:20:09,830 –> 00:20:13,150
smarter, and may maybe a little
more spiritually minded.

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00:20:13,150 –> 00:20:16,510
Maybe.
Probably not as good as this

282
00:20:16,510 –> 00:20:19,510
brother over here.
He, well, he has a real talent

283
00:20:19,510 –> 00:20:25,030
with words and prayers.
He’s very good at approaching

284
00:20:25,030 –> 00:20:28,060
strangers.
Preaching the truth, making

285
00:20:28,060 –> 00:20:30,580
friends.
And he has a full head of here,

286
00:20:31,060 –> 00:20:36,100
whatever it is, whatever it is,
We pig everybody, don’t we?

287
00:20:36,140 –> 00:20:40,340
And ourselves on this ladder of
importance.

288
00:20:40,740 –> 00:20:44,220
Now I’d like you to come to 2nd
of Corinthians and chapter 10,

289
00:20:45,260 –> 00:20:49,340
because the Apostle Paul has
something very important to say

290
00:20:49,740 –> 00:20:54,300
about the ladder of importance.
Second of Corinthians and

291
00:20:54,300 –> 00:21:00,900
chapter 10.
And look what Paul says in verse

292
00:21:00,900 –> 00:21:06,340
12.
For we dare not make ourselves

293
00:21:06,340 –> 00:21:11,980
of the number, or compare
ourselves with some that commend

294
00:21:11,980 –> 00:21:19,860
themselves, but they measuring
themselves by themselves and

295
00:21:19,860 –> 00:21:24,020
comparing themselves among
themselves.

296
00:21:24,620 –> 00:21:31,100
Are not wise and Paul says when
we do this we are not wise.

297
00:21:31,100 –> 00:21:37,580
Because you see both self
righteousness and self pity have

298
00:21:37,580 –> 00:21:43,860
one thing in common they are
equally self.

299
00:21:45,140 –> 00:21:49,780
The self-righteous eldest son
was number better or by the way

300
00:21:49,780 –> 00:21:53,980
no worse than the self pitying
prodigal son.

301
00:21:55,330 –> 00:21:56,530
You know, it’s really easy,
isn’t it?

302
00:21:56,530 –> 00:22:00,570
To spot self righteousness.
We can smell self righteousness

303
00:22:00,610 –> 00:22:02,970
a mile away, especially in
others.

304
00:22:03,650 –> 00:22:07,170
And sometimes self pity is also
easy to see.

305
00:22:07,170 –> 00:22:11,250
You remember the story of King
soul at Gibian under the tree

306
00:22:11,730 –> 00:22:16,570
first of Samuel 22 and verse 8.
Why is no one sorry for me?

307
00:22:17,450 –> 00:22:22,890
Pathetic self pity, but you see
self pity often.

308
00:22:23,290 –> 00:22:29,810
Masquerades under the guise of
humility, self deprecation,

309
00:22:31,090 –> 00:22:37,890
timidness, shyness, a reserved
piety.

310
00:22:40,450 –> 00:22:44,010
But I think we all know from our
experiences in life that self

311
00:22:44,010 –> 00:22:48,970
pity is often the result of
disappointed ambition.

312
00:22:50,110 –> 00:22:55,870
In wounded vanity it can be just
as much self as self

313
00:22:55,950 –> 00:22:59,030
righteousness.
It’s just not as easy to spot,

314
00:22:59,030 –> 00:23:04,870
not as obvious, but in fact both
the superiority complex and the

315
00:23:04,910 –> 00:23:08,870
inferiority complex are both
pride.

316
00:23:10,230 –> 00:23:15,150
Both pride because they both
worship self, do you know, in

317
00:23:15,150 –> 00:23:19,510
Hozier chapter 10, we’re told.
Israel is an empty vine.

318
00:23:19,630 –> 00:23:23,910
He bringeth forth fruit unto
himself.

319
00:23:24,910 –> 00:23:30,750
See the point When Christ came
looking for fruit for God there

320
00:23:30,750 –> 00:23:33,550
was nothing.
They were laden down only with

321
00:23:33,550 –> 00:23:37,590
fruits for themselves, whether
they were overcome by the

322
00:23:37,910 –> 00:23:42,990
arrogance and the pride and the
self righteousness of the Jew.

323
00:23:44,340 –> 00:23:46,860
Or whether they were weighed
down with self pity that they

324
00:23:46,860 –> 00:23:49,780
were dominated by the Romans.
They were only concerned about

325
00:23:49,780 –> 00:23:52,060
worshipping and serving
themselves.

326
00:23:52,500 –> 00:23:59,540
And the point is that neither of
these extremes is the mind of

327
00:23:59,540 –> 00:24:03,220
Christ.
Neither is a sound mind because

328
00:24:03,220 –> 00:24:08,660
while we are busy measuring
ourselves against each other.

329
00:24:09,580 –> 00:24:11,900
To either feel a little better
about ourselves because we are

330
00:24:11,900 –> 00:24:17,220
clearly superior in some way, or
to feel sorry about ourselves

331
00:24:17,220 –> 00:24:20,380
because we aren’t as good, We
aren’t as good looking, we

332
00:24:20,380 –> 00:24:25,660
aren’t as wealthy, we’re not as
blessed or successful either

333
00:24:25,660 –> 00:24:29,900
way.
We are pandering to self and the

334
00:24:29,900 –> 00:24:35,620
sound mind doesn’t measure
itself against everybody else.

335
00:24:36,260 –> 00:24:41,810
It measures itself.
By one yardstick, the example

336
00:24:42,690 –> 00:24:48,050
and the measure of Jesus Christ,
Ephesians 4, verse 13.

337
00:24:48,250 –> 00:24:53,530
Till we all come unto a perfect
man, unto the measure of the

338
00:24:53,530 –> 00:24:56,570
stature of the fullness of
Christ.

339
00:24:56,570 –> 00:25:01,370
And wow do we fall short.
Brothers and sisters, there’s no

340
00:25:01,370 –> 00:25:06,650
pandering to self when we
compare ourselves only with him.

341
00:25:07,710 –> 00:25:12,550
When we only use Him as our
measure, our yardstick on the

342
00:25:12,550 –> 00:25:17,150
ladder of importance.
Because if there is one

343
00:25:17,150 –> 00:25:21,430
characteristic that defines the
sound mind, the mind of Christ,

344
00:25:21,790 –> 00:25:26,310
as opposed to the two thieves
that are flanking him on either

345
00:25:26,310 –> 00:25:32,950
side that are all about self, it
is that the sound mind is all

346
00:25:32,950 –> 00:25:41,930
about putting self to death.
A sound mind, The mind of Christ

347
00:25:42,130 –> 00:25:47,090
does not indulge in self
righteousness, nor does it

348
00:25:47,090 –> 00:25:52,610
wallow in self pity.
It kills self, it crucifies it.

349
00:25:52,610 –> 00:25:57,130
It puts self to death.
And I’m going to suggest that

350
00:25:57,130 –> 00:26:02,890
tonight this is the chief
characteristic, the central

351
00:26:02,970 –> 00:26:06,440
principle.
The defining quality of the mind

352
00:26:06,440 –> 00:26:09,440
of Christ.
Remember what Romans 15 and

353
00:26:09,440 –> 00:26:14,240
verse three says.
Even Christ pleased not himself.

354
00:26:14,640 –> 00:26:19,360
It’s the essence of his mind.
It’s a summary of his thinking.

355
00:26:19,840 –> 00:26:23,680
This is what made the mind of
Christ so unique in the history

356
00:26:23,680 –> 00:26:28,720
of the world, so valuable in the
eyes of God it puts self to

357
00:26:28,720 –> 00:26:32,570
death.
You know, sometimes we think

358
00:26:32,570 –> 00:26:36,570
it’s got to be enormously
complicated and difficult to

359
00:26:36,570 –> 00:26:40,890
understand just because it’s so
difficult to do.

360
00:26:41,970 –> 00:26:45,730
But actually it’s so simple and
out of this essential

361
00:26:45,730 –> 00:26:49,330
characteristics brings
everything else that we might

362
00:26:49,330 –> 00:26:52,650
normally think of as the
qualities of the mind of Christ.

363
00:26:53,330 –> 00:26:58,290
Just think about it if you put
yourself to death, or if Christ

364
00:26:58,290 –> 00:27:00,290
when Christ put himself to
death.

365
00:27:01,180 –> 00:27:05,740
Of course he can exhibit
humility and meekness because

366
00:27:06,180 –> 00:27:09,180
he’s put himself to death.
He’s empty of himself.

367
00:27:09,380 –> 00:27:14,260
Of course he can show care and
love and compassion if he’s put

368
00:27:14,260 –> 00:27:17,660
himself to death.
The only thing to trust in, to

369
00:27:17,660 –> 00:27:20,260
have faith in, is in his
Heavenly Father.

370
00:27:20,700 –> 00:27:22,980
Of course he can be free to have
mercy.

371
00:27:23,500 –> 00:27:26,500
It all springs out of the fact
that he put himself to death

372
00:27:27,020 –> 00:27:30,020
every day.
He was free from the bondage of

373
00:27:30,020 –> 00:27:32,710
serving.
Or trusting in self.

374
00:27:34,070 –> 00:27:39,590
And So what happened on Golgotha
on the cross was just a gruesome

375
00:27:39,590 –> 00:27:42,630
symbol, wasn’t it?
Of what he had done to his own

376
00:27:42,630 –> 00:27:47,550
carnal mind every day.
He didn’t really put sin to

377
00:27:47,550 –> 00:27:54,310
death, because then while self
could have been triumphant, it

378
00:27:54,310 –> 00:27:57,030
could be construed that self had
had the victory.

379
00:27:57,190 –> 00:28:01,360
No, he put self to death.
Our Lord understood the

380
00:28:01,400 –> 00:28:06,440
extraordinary freedom that comes
from a life where self is not

381
00:28:06,440 –> 00:28:08,640
king.
We’re the tyrant that is our

382
00:28:08,640 –> 00:28:12,240
carnal mind is crucified each
day, every moment.

383
00:28:13,600 –> 00:28:16,760
That’s why, isn’t it?
We celebrate every Sunday

384
00:28:16,760 –> 00:28:20,480
morning this principle in the
breaking of bread and drinking

385
00:28:20,480 –> 00:28:22,880
of wine.
First of Corinthians 11 says we

386
00:28:22,880 –> 00:28:28,840
come to show the Lord’s death.
Till he come, we declare

387
00:28:28,840 –> 00:28:32,520
publicly a grand and abiding
truth.

388
00:28:32,800 –> 00:28:37,640
He put himself to death.
His central principle never

389
00:28:37,640 –> 00:28:42,720
wavered.
Not my will, but thine be done.

390
00:28:43,320 –> 00:28:47,560
He was prepared to utterly
become subject to his father’s

391
00:28:47,560 –> 00:28:53,360
will, because his own was dead.
Here’s what brother LG Sergeant

392
00:28:53,360 –> 00:28:57,140
says in his book.
On this very subject, the sound

393
00:28:57,140 –> 00:29:02,180
mind.
A mind is sound when it is

394
00:29:02,180 –> 00:29:07,540
humbled and brought into
subjection by being centered on

395
00:29:07,540 –> 00:29:13,100
one outside itself.
It happens when we put ourselves

396
00:29:13,100 –> 00:29:16,780
to death and center our
affections on something other

397
00:29:17,140 –> 00:29:20,220
than ourself.
Perhaps the truest definition

398
00:29:20,220 –> 00:29:23,820
would be that wherever a false
center.

399
00:29:24,420 –> 00:29:27,900
Is set up in the mind,
attracting to that spot more

400
00:29:27,900 –> 00:29:30,740
than its due share of emotional
energy.

401
00:29:31,420 –> 00:29:37,980
The mind is unsound.
So this is the new center of our

402
00:29:37,980 –> 00:29:43,660
minds, death to self.
If we allow self to creep back

403
00:29:43,660 –> 00:29:48,980
to the center from either side,
then our minds become unsound.

404
00:29:49,470 –> 00:29:54,350
They are no longer scented,
rooted, grounded on one outside

405
00:29:54,870 –> 00:29:59,110
ourselves.
Now we know that death to self

406
00:29:59,270 –> 00:30:02,750
is the central principle of our
Lord’s mind, because these two

407
00:30:02,750 –> 00:30:09,270
thieves on each side, these two
unsound ways of thinking, have

408
00:30:09,270 –> 00:30:11,870
very similar results on our
faith.

409
00:30:12,590 –> 00:30:17,150
In fact, they’re both toxic to
our ability to trust God.

410
00:30:17,630 –> 00:30:19,830
Albeit for different reasons.
And let me show you how.

411
00:30:21,150 –> 00:30:26,110
If we are subject to high
mindedness or self

412
00:30:26,230 –> 00:30:30,510
righteousness, do you know that
really becomes well, we’re

413
00:30:30,510 –> 00:30:35,590
characterized by trusting in
ourselves.

414
00:30:35,670 –> 00:30:39,310
We’re so self absorbed that we
trust ourselves.

415
00:30:39,630 –> 00:30:43,070
Remember the parable of the
self-righteous Pharisee and Luke

416
00:30:43,070 –> 00:30:46,520
18 and verse 9?
I thank thee that I am not as

417
00:30:46,600 –> 00:30:50,360
other men are.
It was said to condemn those who

418
00:30:50,440 –> 00:30:57,360
trusted in themselves that they
were righteous and despised

419
00:30:57,400 –> 00:31:01,000
others.
But you see the people who are

420
00:31:01,000 –> 00:31:06,120
feeble minded, these people feel
so sorry for themselves, that’s

421
00:31:06,120 –> 00:31:09,200
so self absorbed in their own
problems that they can’t,

422
00:31:09,320 –> 00:31:11,120
they’re not.
They can’t find it in themselves

423
00:31:11,120 –> 00:31:16,070
to trust God.
In fact, Psalm 72 verse 2078,

424
00:31:16,070 –> 00:31:18,990
verse 22 describes the
wilderness generation as being

425
00:31:19,070 –> 00:31:24,630
so feeble in faith that they
trusted not in God’s salvation.

426
00:31:24,790 –> 00:31:28,670
So the high minded people trust
in themselves and the feeble

427
00:31:28,670 –> 00:31:30,750
minded people can’t trust in
God.

428
00:31:30,870 –> 00:31:34,470
Both of these ways of thinking
are toxic to faith.

429
00:31:34,830 –> 00:31:39,030
Self, whether it’s self
righteousness or self pity, robs

430
00:31:39,030 –> 00:31:43,510
us of our ability to have faith.
And remember we said that the

431
00:31:43,510 –> 00:31:46,430
carnal mind was like being
without faith.

432
00:31:46,870 –> 00:31:51,350
It’s essential to have faith and
both of these ways of thinking

433
00:31:51,790 –> 00:31:55,710
robust of the ability to have
faith.

434
00:31:56,470 –> 00:31:57,910
Look at the difference in the
middle.

435
00:31:58,830 –> 00:32:01,630
This is second to Corinthians
chapter one and verse 9.

436
00:32:02,070 –> 00:32:06,710
But we had the sentence.
The margin says the answer.

437
00:32:07,630 –> 00:32:11,830
Of death in ourselves that we
should not trust in ourselves,

438
00:32:11,830 –> 00:32:16,790
but in God which raiseth the
dead there it is the answer of

439
00:32:16,790 –> 00:32:20,150
death to ourselves.
We don’t trust in ourselves

440
00:32:20,150 –> 00:32:22,790
because we have put ourselves to
death.

441
00:32:23,110 –> 00:32:26,350
It’s the answer.
It is the answer.

442
00:32:26,430 –> 00:32:30,990
It is the central defining
characteristic of the mind of

443
00:32:30,990 –> 00:32:35,310
Christ.
It’s the only thing that enables

444
00:32:35,310 –> 00:32:38,690
us to trust.
In God and not in ourselves,

445
00:32:39,850 –> 00:32:42,130
We’d like you to come to John
chapter 8, because this is how

446
00:32:42,130 –> 00:32:47,090
our Lord Jesus Christ puts it.
And it’s so clear, so clear.

447
00:32:47,890 –> 00:33:02,260
John chapter 8 and verse 28.
John 8 and verse 28.

448
00:33:03,140 –> 00:33:05,620
And just listen to these words
and see if you can see a

449
00:33:05,620 –> 00:33:08,900
progression of thought.
Then see Jesus unto them.

450
00:33:09,310 –> 00:33:13,870
When ye have lifted up the son
of man, then shall ye know that

451
00:33:13,870 –> 00:33:21,230
I am he, and that I do nothing
of myself.

452
00:33:22,070 –> 00:33:27,230
But as my father hath taught me,
I speak these things, and he

453
00:33:27,230 –> 00:33:30,470
that sent me is with me.
The Father hath not left me

454
00:33:30,470 –> 00:33:35,710
alone, for I do always those
things that please him.

455
00:33:36,980 –> 00:33:40,180
As he spiked these words, many
believed on him.

456
00:33:40,340 –> 00:33:42,940
Then said Jesus to those Jews
which believed on him.

457
00:33:43,140 –> 00:33:47,900
If ye continue in my word, then
are ye my disciples indeed, and

458
00:33:47,900 –> 00:33:52,300
ye shall know the truth, and the
truth shall make you free.

459
00:33:52,460 –> 00:33:56,020
See the progression when we
realize that it has nothing to

460
00:33:56,020 –> 00:34:00,980
do with our self.
Verse 28 That of our self we can

461
00:34:00,980 –> 00:34:03,300
do nothing.
In fact, the only thing we can

462
00:34:03,300 –> 00:34:06,020
do is put ourselves to death
when we realize that.

463
00:34:06,760 –> 00:34:11,840
We give up pleasing ourselves
and we seek only to please Him.

464
00:34:12,120 –> 00:34:18,239
Verse 29 And when we do that, we
get freedom, verse 32 freedom

465
00:34:18,320 –> 00:34:21,719
from ourself, the carnal mind.
It’s so simple.

466
00:34:21,719 –> 00:34:28,480
This is God’s promise explained
for us, death to self.

467
00:34:29,600 –> 00:34:32,360
And so the epistles are
abundantly clear.

468
00:34:33,030 –> 00:34:38,110
With a very consistent message
as to what Christ did to self.

469
00:34:38,790 –> 00:34:44,949
Romans 15 and verse 3 But even
Christ pleased not himself.

470
00:34:45,469 –> 00:34:49,429
Galatians one He gave himself
for our sins.

471
00:34:49,909 –> 00:34:53,790
Ephesians 5 given himself an
offering in a sacrifice.

472
00:34:54,110 –> 00:34:56,710
Philippians 2.
He made himself of no

473
00:34:56,710 –> 00:34:59,470
reputation.
He humbled himself to the death.

474
00:35:00,180 –> 00:35:02,380
Of the cross first of Timothy
two.

475
00:35:02,660 –> 00:35:07,460
He gave himself a ransom.
He glorified not himself.

476
00:35:07,620 –> 00:35:10,580
He offered up himself, He
sacrificed himself.

477
00:35:10,820 –> 00:35:15,340
He in himself bear our sins.
It’s not an exhaustive list, but

478
00:35:15,340 –> 00:35:19,980
it’s clear, isn’t it?
He sacrificed and humbled and

479
00:35:19,980 –> 00:35:23,060
offered up himself.
This is the defining

480
00:35:23,060 –> 00:35:26,460
characteristic of his mind.
He put self to death.

481
00:35:28,690 –> 00:35:31,170
Because you see, when we tease
out this idea just a little

482
00:35:31,170 –> 00:35:34,290
further, this is the solution,
isn’t it?

483
00:35:34,290 –> 00:35:38,810
To the oldest battle in the
history of the world.

484
00:35:40,490 –> 00:35:45,090
If you cast your minds back to
Genesis Chapter 3, where we have

485
00:35:45,450 –> 00:35:52,210
the first battle of wills, the
first rivalry of ideas, this is

486
00:35:52,210 –> 00:35:55,730
how Christ brought a solution to
that first battle.

487
00:35:56,360 –> 00:36:00,160
When Eve listened to the serpent
and took the fruit and ate, it

488
00:36:00,160 –> 00:36:06,480
wasn’t just that she disobeyed.
It was far, far more at stake in

489
00:36:06,480 –> 00:36:09,120
the Garden of Eden than just a
piece of fruit.

490
00:36:10,880 –> 00:36:18,240
This was a battle over who got
to decide what was right and

491
00:36:18,240 –> 00:36:20,920
wrong.
It was really a battle for who

492
00:36:20,920 –> 00:36:24,720
would be God and when Eve took
the fruit.

493
00:36:25,450 –> 00:36:31,570
She was in effect saying, I know
God has commanded this and that,

494
00:36:31,690 –> 00:36:36,970
but I am the absolute arbiter of
what is right and wrong, and I

495
00:36:36,970 –> 00:36:41,290
will worship myself, the
creature, more than the creator.

496
00:36:41,450 –> 00:36:47,650
It was the first instance of
idolatry and we know, don’t we,

497
00:36:47,650 –> 00:36:51,960
that God is 1.
He cannot tolerate another God

498
00:36:51,960 –> 00:36:54,760
beside himself.
So the punishment for Eve and

499
00:36:54,760 –> 00:37:00,800
for Adam had to be death.
Had to be, because this was a

500
00:37:00,800 –> 00:37:03,800
question of supremacy.
Who would be God?

501
00:37:03,960 –> 00:37:07,560
Just who would be the sole
source of truth in an Eve’s

502
00:37:07,560 –> 00:37:09,640
deceived mind?
She chose herself.

503
00:37:10,960 –> 00:37:16,560
She didn’t put herself to death.
She grasped at equality with the

504
00:37:16,560 –> 00:37:18,480
angels.
She pleased herself.

505
00:37:18,910 –> 00:37:22,630
She glorified herself.
She set herself up as a rival

506
00:37:22,630 –> 00:37:27,190
God.
And so when Christ came and he

507
00:37:27,190 –> 00:37:30,950
thought it not a thing to be
grasped at to be equal with God,

508
00:37:31,270 –> 00:37:36,910
he reversed the thinking of the
entire human race.

509
00:37:37,230 –> 00:37:41,430
He handed over complete
supremacy to his Father.

510
00:37:41,430 –> 00:37:46,110
He ended the battle, the battle
for the mind, and he gave the

511
00:37:46,110 –> 00:37:51,130
victory to his heavenly Father.
You know, I think sometimes I

512
00:37:51,130 –> 00:37:53,570
don’t know about you, but I know
this is true.

513
00:37:53,570 –> 00:37:57,330
In my own life.
I think sometimes we deceive

514
00:37:57,330 –> 00:38:03,250
ourselves into what the battle
for our minds really actually

515
00:38:03,250 –> 00:38:07,450
is.
This is how I kind of imagined

516
00:38:07,450 –> 00:38:11,730
life before kind of looked like
this.

517
00:38:12,290 –> 00:38:15,210
There was God on the one hand,
everything that was right and

518
00:38:15,210 –> 00:38:17,890
true.
And there was evil.

519
00:38:17,970 –> 00:38:20,450
The thinking of the serpent, on
the other hand.

520
00:38:20,530 –> 00:38:23,450
And here I was in the middle,
and I had to make a choice.

521
00:38:23,530 –> 00:38:28,010
I had to decide, would I give my
life to God, or would I abandon

522
00:38:28,010 –> 00:38:30,770
myself to the thinking of the
world and evil.

523
00:38:32,890 –> 00:38:36,410
But you know, that picture there
is utterly false.

524
00:38:37,250 –> 00:38:41,130
That’s not true at all.
This is the truth.

525
00:38:42,170 –> 00:38:46,090
Certainly God is one side of the
picture, but it’s not really

526
00:38:46,090 –> 00:38:50,240
evil.
It’s us.

527
00:38:51,760 –> 00:38:57,120
It’s self, actually.
It’s God versus self.

528
00:38:57,320 –> 00:38:59,840
That’s the great battle, not God
versus evil.

529
00:38:59,840 –> 00:39:03,480
When we’re in the middle making
some grand decision which way we

530
00:39:03,480 –> 00:39:08,160
will fall off the fence.
No, this is a battle between God

531
00:39:08,360 –> 00:39:12,430
and our own minds.
Fact This is how Philippians 3

532
00:39:12,430 –> 00:39:14,910
puts it.
For many are the enemies of the

533
00:39:14,910 –> 00:39:19,710
cross of Christ, whose end is
destruction, whose God is their

534
00:39:19,950 –> 00:39:23,190
belly and whose glory is in
their shame.

535
00:39:23,190 –> 00:39:28,590
Who mind earthly things.
The people who mind earthly

536
00:39:28,590 –> 00:39:33,710
things are the people that
worship themselves.

537
00:39:34,230 –> 00:39:37,510
Their God is themselves their
own belly.

538
00:39:38,190 –> 00:39:42,440
This is a battle between God.
And self.

539
00:39:43,400 –> 00:39:49,040
And see how simple it is.
If we put self to death, then in

540
00:39:49,040 –> 00:39:52,120
the battle for the mind only God
can win.

541
00:39:52,960 –> 00:39:57,280
So the portrait of the carnal
mind is really worship of self,

542
00:39:58,400 –> 00:40:04,960
worship of ourselves as God.
Look at this.

543
00:40:05,040 –> 00:40:09,170
Here’s two lists of sins.
One of them is from Second of

544
00:40:09,170 –> 00:40:15,250
Timothy chapter 3 and verses one
to four which describe perilous

545
00:40:15,250 –> 00:40:20,650
times coming.
And as an aside, that word

546
00:40:20,650 –> 00:40:24,930
perilous only occurs twice in
the New Testament, and the other

547
00:40:24,930 –> 00:40:29,970
time it’s used is Matthew
chapter 8 and verse 28 where

548
00:40:29,970 –> 00:40:35,730
it’s translated fierce in
describing Legion.

549
00:40:36,970 –> 00:40:43,690
It’s the portrait of a demented
carnal reprobate mind, fierce

550
00:40:43,690 –> 00:40:48,010
the fierce mind of legion,
perilous times and Romans.

551
00:40:48,010 –> 00:40:51,410
Chapter one is really the
portrait of a reprobate mind

552
00:40:51,410 –> 00:40:53,770
itself.
Very similar lists.

553
00:40:54,210 –> 00:40:57,130
We won’t go through them, but
look what stands out when you

554
00:40:57,130 –> 00:41:02,530
compare these two lists.
Second of Timothy 3 talks about

555
00:41:02,530 –> 00:41:06,130
men who are lovers of their own
selves.

556
00:41:07,700 –> 00:41:11,780
In Romans chapter one talks
about haters of God.

557
00:41:11,900 –> 00:41:17,820
They are one in the same thing.
We hate God because we love

558
00:41:17,860 –> 00:41:21,140
ourselves.
See how clear that is?

559
00:41:21,540 –> 00:41:25,660
We love ourselves and we hate
God.

560
00:41:25,660 –> 00:41:29,190
We can’t serve 2 masters.
The ancient battle of for the

561
00:41:29,190 –> 00:41:33,550
mind begun in Genesis 3, Who
will be God still rages down the

562
00:41:33,550 –> 00:41:36,630
ages of time.
We either love God or ourselves,

563
00:41:36,990 –> 00:41:42,390
you know, It says of a lie.
Who in when he when his anger

564
00:41:42,390 –> 00:41:46,110
was kindled against Job and Job
32 and verse two, he got angry

565
00:41:46,110 –> 00:41:49,590
against Job because he saw that
Job was justifying himself

566
00:41:50,510 –> 00:41:52,670
rather than God.
It’s simple, isn’t it?

567
00:41:52,670 –> 00:41:58,410
We either serve him or ourself.
And Christ came to end the

568
00:41:58,410 –> 00:42:02,410
conflict, to lay down the sword
to fight no more.

569
00:42:02,650 –> 00:42:06,050
He put self to death.
What are mine, brothers and

570
00:42:06,050 –> 00:42:08,650
sisters?
No wonder our Heavenly Father

571
00:42:08,850 –> 00:42:14,690
loved that boy.
No wonder his blood was precious

572
00:42:15,050 –> 00:42:22,530
blood, the power that lies in a
full self sacrifice.

573
00:42:23,380 –> 00:42:27,420
John chapter 10 and verse 17
says, Therefore doth my father

574
00:42:27,420 –> 00:42:30,700
loved me because I laid down my
life.

575
00:42:31,020 –> 00:42:34,700
He put self to death and the
value of that sacrifice was

576
00:42:34,820 –> 00:42:39,020
priceless, priceless in the eyes
of God.

577
00:42:39,060 –> 00:42:43,780
Remember what we said on the
weekend about all the no man

578
00:42:43,780 –> 00:42:46,220
prophecies?
God was looking, wasn’t he, for

579
00:42:46,220 –> 00:42:48,740
the perfect sacrifice that could
take away sins.

580
00:42:48,860 –> 00:42:51,140
And there was no man.
There was no man.

581
00:42:51,140 –> 00:42:56,220
There was no man.
And finally, as our Lord

582
00:42:56,380 –> 00:43:04,020
sacrificed himself, our Heavenly
Father received a person, a mind

583
00:43:04,140 –> 00:43:08,540
who had put himself to death.
Finally, there was a man.

584
00:43:09,900 –> 00:43:12,460
You know.
Isn’t this the power of the new

585
00:43:12,460 –> 00:43:15,810
commandment?
When we think about it just a

586
00:43:15,810 –> 00:43:21,770
little bit, we’ve got an
instinctive brain and the new

587
00:43:21,770 –> 00:43:25,530
commandment says love.
We say, of course I I’m very

588
00:43:25,530 –> 00:43:27,970
familiar with that.
I love myself very fine with

589
00:43:27,970 –> 00:43:31,810
that.
No, no, you need to love one

590
00:43:31,810 –> 00:43:37,490
another.
Oh well, I can probably stretch

591
00:43:37,490 –> 00:43:41,130
my love for myself to include a
few other people, my family and

592
00:43:41,250 –> 00:43:43,650
a few friends.
No, no, no.

593
00:43:44,250 –> 00:43:49,410
You need to love one another as
I have loved you.

594
00:43:49,770 –> 00:43:55,130
This is a calling that goes from
self preservation to self

595
00:43:55,450 –> 00:43:58,570
sacrifice.
It’s a whole new paradigm, a

596
00:43:58,570 –> 00:44:02,530
whole new way of thinking.
Happiness, fulfillment, joy and

597
00:44:02,530 –> 00:44:07,610
freedom will never come by
loving ourselves more, by buying

598
00:44:07,610 –> 00:44:10,690
more things, by indulging in
self righteousness.

599
00:44:11,110 –> 00:44:14,750
Or wallowing and self pity by
being totally obsessed about

600
00:44:14,750 –> 00:44:18,790
ourselves.
Jeremiah says about mankind it

601
00:44:18,790 –> 00:44:21,350
is not in man to direct his
steps.

602
00:44:21,990 –> 00:44:26,270
Jeremiah 10 verse 23.
It will only come from being

603
00:44:26,310 –> 00:44:31,310
like him as I have loved you
sacrificing self.

604
00:44:32,970 –> 00:44:36,410
That’s what Paul describes in
Romans chapter 12 and verse one.

605
00:44:36,410 –> 00:44:39,410
Remember just before we talked
about metamorphosis the other

606
00:44:39,410 –> 00:44:41,690
day?
He says present your bodies a

607
00:44:41,690 –> 00:44:45,130
living sacrifice.
And he puts his finger right on

608
00:44:45,130 –> 00:44:47,130
the key.
If we want to transform our

609
00:44:47,130 –> 00:44:50,170
minds in our lives to be like
Christ, we have to do what he

610
00:44:50,170 –> 00:44:55,770
did be a living sacrifice of
ourselves daily.

611
00:44:57,650 –> 00:44:59,970
Actually, it’s exactly what
Christ said himself.

612
00:44:59,970 –> 00:45:04,090
Let’s touchdown in the Gospels,
in Matthew’s Gospel in chapter

613
00:45:04,090 –> 00:45:08,050
16, and just consider what our
Lord said to Peter

614
00:45:24,080 –> 00:45:26,840
Matthew chapter 16.
And let’s just read a few verses

615
00:45:26,840 –> 00:45:32,530
beginning from verse 21.
From that time forth began Jesus

616
00:45:32,530 –> 00:45:37,450
to show unto his disciples how
he must go unto Jerusalem, and

617
00:45:37,450 –> 00:45:41,930
suffer many things of the elders
and chief priests and scribes,

618
00:45:42,450 –> 00:45:46,290
and be killed, and be raised
again the 3rd day.

619
00:45:47,530 –> 00:45:51,450
Then Peter took him and began to
rebuke him, saying, Be it far

620
00:45:51,450 –> 00:45:54,450
from thee, Lord, this shall not
be unto thee.

621
00:45:55,850 –> 00:45:57,970
But he turned and said unto
Peter.

622
00:45:59,810 –> 00:46:07,210
Get thee behind me, Satan, Thou
art an offence unto me, for thou

623
00:46:07,210 –> 00:46:12,730
savorest not the things that be
of God, but those that be of

624
00:46:12,730 –> 00:46:16,090
men.
Then said Jesus unto his

625
00:46:16,090 –> 00:46:21,650
disciples, If any man will come
after me, let him deny himself,

626
00:46:21,970 –> 00:46:26,810
and take up his cross, and
follow me, For whosoever will

627
00:46:26,810 –> 00:46:31,220
save his life shall lose it.
And whosoever shall lose his

628
00:46:31,220 –> 00:46:35,180
life for my sake shall find it.
For what is a man profited?

629
00:46:35,300 –> 00:46:40,020
If he shall gain the whole world
and lose his own soul?

630
00:46:40,700 –> 00:46:44,660
Well, what shall a man give in
exchange for his soul?

631
00:46:44,660 –> 00:46:48,460
Do you know?
The word savorest there in verse

632
00:46:48,660 –> 00:46:54,860
23 literally means mindest.
Young’s literal translation puts

633
00:46:54,860 –> 00:46:57,220
it this way.
Thou does not mind.

634
00:46:57,750 –> 00:47:01,030
The things of God, it’s so
clear, we’re either minding the

635
00:47:01,030 –> 00:47:07,750
things of God or of men of
ourselves self here Peter was

636
00:47:07,750 –> 00:47:11,390
frustrating the purpose of
Christ’s mind to go through with

637
00:47:11,390 –> 00:47:14,590
the cross.
Christ was determined to put

638
00:47:14,590 –> 00:47:17,190
self to death.
And Peter was saying no, no, no,

639
00:47:17,270 –> 00:47:19,910
no, no, no, you don’t have to do
that.

640
00:47:21,230 –> 00:47:26,030
But putting self to death was an
immutable principle of Christ’s

641
00:47:26,030 –> 00:47:30,450
mind.
Peter was going to be taken on

642
00:47:30,770 –> 00:47:38,210
that journey by his Lord as his
master relentlessly impressed

643
00:47:38,210 –> 00:47:42,450
upon his good friend’s mind the
unchangeability of this

644
00:47:42,450 –> 00:47:44,210
principle.
Death to self.

645
00:47:44,210 –> 00:47:48,730
Do you know in Luke 22, in the
upper room, Peter was going to

646
00:47:48,730 –> 00:47:55,810
loudly proclaim I’m ready to die
with you, Lord, only for Christ

647
00:47:55,810 –> 00:47:58,970
to declare.
But not not only would he not

648
00:47:58,970 –> 00:48:03,730
die for him, but he would run
away and fail miserably three

649
00:48:03,730 –> 00:48:09,010
times in one night in the garden
just hours later it was Peter

650
00:48:09,090 –> 00:48:12,730
who drew out his sword in
self-defense, only for Christ to

651
00:48:13,410 –> 00:48:19,370
gently put it back in the
scabbard with a reproving look

652
00:48:19,370 –> 00:48:23,170
and heal the man’s ear.
Peter, we’re not here for

653
00:48:23,170 –> 00:48:27,770
self-defense.
We’re here to put self to death

654
00:48:29,290 –> 00:48:31,570
in the courtyard.
Peter was going to save his own

655
00:48:31,570 –> 00:48:34,650
skin before admitting he knew
anything about the Galilean

656
00:48:34,650 –> 00:48:39,410
preacher, only for Christ to
give him a look that would haunt

657
00:48:39,410 –> 00:48:45,010
his dreams for the rest of his
life as he willingly went to his

658
00:48:45,010 –> 00:48:48,570
own death.
Oh yes, Peter, he would learn

659
00:48:48,570 –> 00:48:53,050
this letter, this lesson by and
by and by his own death, his own

660
00:48:53,050 –> 00:48:55,330
death.
Glorify God.

661
00:48:56,930 –> 00:49:02,490
And so verse 24 is going to be
Christ’s answer to Peter.

662
00:49:02,490 –> 00:49:05,970
Deny self.
Take up the cross.

663
00:49:05,970 –> 00:49:10,770
Take up the cross.
This is language of crucifixion.

664
00:49:11,490 –> 00:49:15,210
It’s not just a metaphor.
Like a nice way of speaking.

665
00:49:15,610 –> 00:49:20,130
Christ knew he knew he would die
by crucifixion because later on

666
00:49:20,130 –> 00:49:23,370
just a few chapters later in
chapter 20 and verse 19, he

667
00:49:23,370 –> 00:49:27,490
makes that abundantly clear.
This was not just a metaphor or

668
00:49:27,490 –> 00:49:30,690
manner of speaking.
Taking up the cross meant one

669
00:49:30,690 –> 00:49:34,850
thing in the mind of Christ.
Death, Death.

670
00:49:35,450 –> 00:49:42,650
Luke 9 verse 23 adds, as we
know, take up the cross daily to

671
00:49:42,650 –> 00:49:46,590
the point verse 25.
Where we lose our life.

672
00:49:47,110 –> 00:49:50,550
See the point?
Now it’s clear that there are

673
00:49:50,550 –> 00:49:55,630
two parts to these instructions
by Christ in verse 24.

674
00:49:55,630 –> 00:50:00,430
And this is like a well, kind of
like a chiasmus ABBA.

675
00:50:00,510 –> 00:50:04,190
Firstly, we have those things
that are negative.

676
00:50:04,590 –> 00:50:07,870
Put off the old man.
It’s the things in the middle.

677
00:50:07,870 –> 00:50:12,470
Deny himself, take up his cross.
That’s death to self.

678
00:50:13,190 –> 00:50:16,510
And secondarily, on the outside,
we have what’s positive.

679
00:50:16,510 –> 00:50:20,830
Put on the Newman come after me,
follow me, Life to Christ.

680
00:50:20,950 –> 00:50:24,830
And clearly both are necessary.
We’ll talk about this a little

681
00:50:24,830 –> 00:50:30,510
more later in our last study.
But it is also powerfully true

682
00:50:31,550 –> 00:50:38,830
that we cannot truly follow if
we’re not holding a cross, if we

683
00:50:38,830 –> 00:50:42,270
wish to be a disciple.
Death to self is not.

684
00:50:42,880 –> 00:50:46,000
An optional step.
It’s not something that’s just

685
00:50:46,400 –> 00:50:50,000
advisable.
It’s not something we’re not at

686
00:50:50,000 –> 00:50:52,640
liberty to choose.
This step or not putting

687
00:50:52,640 –> 00:50:56,800
ourselves to death is an
immutable principle of having

688
00:50:56,800 –> 00:50:59,640
His mind.
It’s at the very core of who we

689
00:50:59,640 –> 00:51:05,960
are as followers of Him.
We are His disciples only if we

690
00:51:05,960 –> 00:51:11,520
carry crosses on which we have
crucified ourselves.

691
00:51:13,260 –> 00:51:19,780
And what he did in crucifixion,
In fact, we his followers do in

692
00:51:19,780 –> 00:51:22,460
principle.
Do you know when Paul came to

693
00:51:22,460 –> 00:51:26,780
Corinth in first of Corinthians
2 and verse two, he said, I’m

694
00:51:26,780 –> 00:51:34,100
determined to know nothing among
you save Jesus Christ and him

695
00:51:34,420 –> 00:51:38,580
crucified.
It was the essence of everything

696
00:51:39,020 –> 00:51:43,270
putting self to death.
This central principle is at the

697
00:51:43,270 –> 00:51:47,790
very heart, the core, the center
of what we describe as the mind

698
00:51:47,790 –> 00:51:51,230
of Christ.
It’s the key to discipleship,

699
00:51:51,750 –> 00:51:56,350
happiness, freedom.
It’s God’s way to freedom from

700
00:51:56,350 –> 00:51:59,990
ourselves, death to self.
This is how Brother Dennis

701
00:52:00,150 –> 00:52:05,550
Gillett puts it in his book,
just on the second page of

702
00:52:05,670 –> 00:52:13,140
Genius of Discipleship.
The central thing is the denial

703
00:52:13,260 –> 00:52:17,980
of self.
It is utterly radical.

704
00:52:18,940 –> 00:52:21,700
Denial of self is the inward
thing.

705
00:52:22,820 –> 00:52:27,620
Taking up the cross daily is an
external manifestation of the

706
00:52:27,780 –> 00:52:32,700
inward condition.
To talk of it is not to realize

707
00:52:32,700 –> 00:52:35,180
it.
To write about it is not to

708
00:52:35,180 –> 00:52:37,940
achieve it.
The use of the word daily

709
00:52:38,180 –> 00:52:41,500
emphasizes that it is not just a
theory, but something that is

710
00:52:41,500 –> 00:52:46,300
real and practical.
In practice it means giving

711
00:52:46,380 –> 00:52:51,620
unhindered access to the master
into every chamber and

712
00:52:51,620 –> 00:52:54,780
especially into every dark
corner.

713
00:52:56,780 –> 00:53:00,300
To think of that possibility
might make some of us feel

714
00:53:00,300 –> 00:53:07,450
ashamed, but at the same time.
It may do us some good,

715
00:53:09,050 –> 00:53:12,850
beautiful words.
We started our class in Romans

716
00:53:12,850 –> 00:53:15,930
chapter 8 and before we conclude
in Philippians, I’d like you

717
00:53:15,930 –> 00:53:20,290
just to come back through Romans
chapter 8 and see how clear this

718
00:53:20,290 –> 00:53:34,860
is now.
In Romans chapter 8 and verse 29

719
00:53:34,860 –> 00:53:40,820
we saw, didn’t we, that it was
God’s will to conform us gently

720
00:53:41,940 –> 00:53:46,740
but relentlessly into the shape,
the image, the family likeness,

721
00:53:47,300 –> 00:53:50,740
the mind of his Son.
He desperately wants all his

722
00:53:50,740 –> 00:53:54,020
children in the Kingdom.
He wants to give us the mind of

723
00:53:54,020 –> 00:53:57,500
Christ.
And so verse 31 to 39, if we

724
00:53:57,500 –> 00:54:00,620
just paraphrase it together,
what should we say to these

725
00:54:00,620 –> 00:54:04,320
things?
If God’s for us, who will be

726
00:54:04,320 –> 00:54:07,800
against us?
He didn’t even spare his own

727
00:54:07,800 –> 00:54:12,920
son, but he offered him up.
He’ll freely give us all things.

728
00:54:14,280 –> 00:54:18,680
Who’s going to accuse us?
God that justifies us?

729
00:54:19,000 –> 00:54:21,640
Who’s going to condemn us?
Christ that died?

730
00:54:21,880 –> 00:54:24,760
Yeah, rather, that’s risen and
sits at the right hand of God,

731
00:54:24,840 –> 00:54:29,480
the one that makes intercession
for us, who will separate us

732
00:54:29,680 –> 00:54:33,740
from the love of Christ.
Not tribulation or distress, or

733
00:54:33,820 –> 00:54:36,980
persecution or nakedness, or
anything of these outside

734
00:54:36,980 –> 00:54:40,580
circumstances.
No I’m persuaded this 38

735
00:54:40,740 –> 00:54:43,260
Nothing.
Neither death, nor life, nor

736
00:54:43,340 –> 00:54:47,500
angels, principalities, powers,
things present, things to come,

737
00:54:47,660 –> 00:54:51,660
high depth, nor any other
creature shall be able to

738
00:54:51,660 –> 00:54:56,380
separate us from the love of God
which is in Christ Jesus our

739
00:54:56,380 –> 00:55:00,100
Lord.
There’s only one thing.

740
00:55:01,600 –> 00:55:05,960
One thing that stands in the way
of God’s purpose with us,

741
00:55:05,960 –> 00:55:10,440
brothers and sisters, and it’s
not another creature.

742
00:55:12,000 –> 00:55:18,040
It’s ourselves.
We need to get rid of ourselves.

743
00:55:19,330 –> 00:55:21,810
The only solution is to put
ourselves to death.

744
00:55:21,810 –> 00:55:25,130
That’s Paul’s plea right here in
Romans chapter 8.

745
00:55:25,330 –> 00:55:29,970
Get yourself out of the way of
God’s transforming power and he

746
00:55:29,970 –> 00:55:33,090
will do great things in our
lives.

747
00:55:33,850 –> 00:55:36,530
Do you know it’s exactly the
same when we that we looked at

748
00:55:36,530 –> 00:55:38,970
in our last session back in
Romans chapter 12.

749
00:55:39,410 –> 00:55:42,610
If we want to be transformed, if
we want to have our minds

750
00:55:42,610 –> 00:55:46,010
renewed, then the very next
verse in Romans 12 says don’t

751
00:55:46,010 –> 00:55:48,690
think of yourself more highly
than you ought to think.

752
00:55:50,200 –> 00:55:56,920
Get ourselves out of God’s way,
you know, this is a wonderful

753
00:55:56,920 –> 00:56:00,320
quote from Brother John Marshall
in his book Portrait of the

754
00:56:00,320 –> 00:56:03,520
Saint.
There is always the danger that

755
00:56:03,520 –> 00:56:09,600
our ego, the I, the self in each
of us will continue to assert

756
00:56:09,600 –> 00:56:15,760
itself and so frustrate our
spiritual purposes as to destroy

757
00:56:16,280 –> 00:56:22,540
our hope of life.
Everlasting Whilst it’s true,

758
00:56:22,540 –> 00:56:27,260
brothers and sisters, that we
need to put off the old man and

759
00:56:27,260 –> 00:56:31,020
we need to be clothed with the
Newman, do you know what the

760
00:56:31,020 –> 00:56:38,740
reality is for us?
The reality is that our part is

761
00:56:38,740 –> 00:56:41,940
just simply to put the old man
to death.

762
00:56:42,700 –> 00:56:46,660
The Newman in us the mind of
Christ is God’s.

763
00:56:47,080 –> 00:56:49,240
Work.
He creates that in us.

764
00:56:49,240 –> 00:56:53,280
We become a new creature in him.
It’s like the Caterpillar that

765
00:56:53,280 –> 00:56:58,840
we looked at on Sunday.
Our job is just to eat, eat,

766
00:56:59,600 –> 00:57:01,840
eat, and then we hang upside
down.

767
00:57:01,840 –> 00:57:06,920
We put ourselves to death and
God changes us into a butterfly.

768
00:57:07,440 –> 00:57:12,800
He creates something new in us.
We are transformed by His power,

769
00:57:13,000 –> 00:57:17,540
not our own.
Our job is just to put ourselves

770
00:57:17,540 –> 00:57:22,540
to death, get ourselves out of
the way so that Christ can be

771
00:57:22,540 –> 00:57:26,140
formed in us.
And if we asked ourselves

772
00:57:26,140 –> 00:57:31,860
honestly, honestly, what will
stop us from developing the mind

773
00:57:31,860 –> 00:57:34,780
of Christ?
What’s going to hinder our

774
00:57:34,780 –> 00:57:39,100
spiritual progress?
What’s going to prevent us from

775
00:57:39,100 –> 00:57:43,740
getting into God’s Kingdom?
The answer is not.

776
00:57:44,790 –> 00:57:50,110
A lack of love or mercy or
willingness to transform from

777
00:57:50,110 –> 00:57:53,790
God?
The answer is not a lack of

778
00:57:53,790 –> 00:57:56,550
empathy or compassion or
intercession from Christ.

779
00:57:56,670 –> 00:57:58,910
It’s us.
It’s ourselves.

780
00:57:58,910 –> 00:58:02,310
We are the problem, not the
solution.

781
00:58:02,310 –> 00:58:06,950
If we want transformation, if we
want life and peace, we need to

782
00:58:06,950 –> 00:58:11,190
get ourselves out of the way,
put ourselves to death.

783
00:58:11,790 –> 00:58:13,790
And do you know what the ironic
thing is?

784
00:58:14,700 –> 00:58:20,300
The irony of it is, is that if
we put ourselves to death, we

785
00:58:20,340 –> 00:58:28,780
are actually only doing what God
has determined to ultimately do

786
00:58:28,780 –> 00:58:33,300
to our carnal minds anyway.
We’re not doing anything

787
00:58:33,300 –> 00:58:36,740
special.
God was already going to destroy

788
00:58:36,740 –> 00:58:40,660
the carnal mind in us.
That’s his promise.

789
00:58:41,920 –> 00:58:44,040
We’re not doing anything special
of ourselves.

790
00:58:45,600 –> 00:58:50,200
We’re just being asked to put
ourselves to death.

791
00:58:51,240 –> 00:58:54,040
You know, it’s beautifully
summarized actually in chapter 8

792
00:58:54,040 –> 00:58:58,720
of Romans and verse 13.
For if ye live after the flesh,

793
00:58:58,720 –> 00:59:03,680
ye shall die, but if ye, through
the Spirit, do mortify the deeds

794
00:59:03,680 –> 00:59:08,280
of the body, put to death the
deeds of the body, ye shall

795
00:59:08,280 –> 00:59:11,200
live.
So simple.

796
00:59:12,910 –> 00:59:15,990
Lucky to come in conclusion to
our reading in Philippines to

797
00:59:16,030 –> 00:59:26,750
where Paul is going to lay this
out in unblinking clarity, if it

798
00:59:26,750 –> 00:59:31,270
wasn’t clear before what the
central defining characteristic

799
00:59:31,270 –> 00:59:35,750
of the mind of Christ was.
This really, I suppose, is the

800
00:59:36,030 –> 00:59:38,510
quintessential section in the
New Testament about the mind of

801
00:59:38,510 –> 00:59:40,630
Christ and see how wonderfully
simple.

802
00:59:41,100 –> 00:59:44,660
And consistent these things are
with what we’ve already seen

803
00:59:44,660 –> 00:59:50,340
this evening, Philippians
chapter 2 and verse one, if

804
00:59:50,340 –> 00:59:54,460
there be there for any
consolation in Christ, if any

805
00:59:54,460 –> 00:59:58,060
comfort of love, if any
fellowship of the Spirit, if any

806
00:59:58,060 –> 01:00:04,100
bells and mercies, fulfill ye my
joy, that ye be like minded

807
01:00:04,580 –> 01:00:08,860
having the same love, being of 1
accord of 1 mind.

808
01:00:09,910 –> 01:00:14,790
Let nothing be done through
strife or vaing glory, but in

809
01:00:14,790 –> 01:00:21,310
lowliness of mind let each
esteem other better than

810
01:00:21,310 –> 01:00:25,350
themselves.
Look not every man on his own

811
01:00:25,350 –> 01:00:28,550
things, but every man also on
the things of others.

812
01:00:28,710 –> 01:00:33,910
Let this mind be in you, which
was also in Christ Jesus.

813
01:00:35,150 –> 01:00:37,670
And if we were to ask ourselves
what mind?

814
01:00:38,320 –> 01:00:41,760
The answer is, well, it’s the
mind at the end of verse 3.

815
01:00:41,960 –> 01:00:48,160
It’s a mind that esteems other
better than ourselves.

816
01:00:48,840 –> 01:00:52,800
Now you might not know this, but
the word better in verse three

817
01:00:52,880 –> 01:00:57,000
actually is a very interesting
word and it actually means hyper

818
01:00:57,520 –> 01:01:00,800
better.
In fact, it’s used three times

819
01:01:00,880 –> 01:01:05,080
in Philippians.
It’s translated in chapter 3 and

820
01:01:05,080 –> 01:01:10,680
verse eight as Excellency.
And it’s translated in Chapter 4

821
01:01:10,720 –> 01:01:15,640
and verse seven as passeth, all
understanding.

822
01:01:15,920 –> 01:01:21,080
It has the idea of beyond value.
This is the key When we esteem

823
01:01:21,120 –> 01:01:23,480
everybody else better than
ourselves.

824
01:01:23,800 –> 01:01:28,720
It’s not just a shade better.
It’s not just a touch better.

825
01:01:30,520 –> 01:01:33,600
It’s not just a smidgen better
than ourselves.

826
01:01:34,160 –> 01:01:37,640
It’s passing all excellence for
value.

827
01:01:37,640 –> 01:01:41,160
This is a complete change of
mindset.

828
01:01:41,160 –> 01:01:43,680
Do you know why, brothers and
sisters?

829
01:01:43,920 –> 01:01:50,400
Because if we have put ourselves
to death, there is not a single

830
01:01:50,400 –> 01:01:59,240
person who’s alive who’s not of
infinitely more value because

831
01:01:59,240 –> 01:02:08,440
we’re dead and they’re alive.
Sepal’s point This is a complete

832
01:02:08,840 –> 01:02:14,440
change of mindset.
Now you might think that verse 5

833
01:02:15,120 –> 01:02:19,480
is an impossibility.
I mean, how could Christ

834
01:02:19,800 –> 01:02:26,800
honestly think that others were
better than himself when, well,

835
01:02:26,800 –> 01:02:29,440
he knew the truth about men?
He knew what was in men.

836
01:02:29,560 –> 01:02:33,350
How could Christ think?
Honestly, that other people were

837
01:02:33,350 –> 01:02:35,870
better than himself.
Did he just have to pretend that

838
01:02:35,870 –> 01:02:40,070
others were better than himself?
How was this mind in Christ?

839
01:02:41,510 –> 01:02:45,790
And the answer is that the Greek
word for mind is the word

840
01:02:45,790 –> 01:02:53,230
Fronio, and it means thinking.
But the diaglot translates it as

841
01:02:53,790 –> 01:02:56,910
disposition.
Disposition.

842
01:02:57,950 –> 01:03:01,070
It’s an attitude.
It’s an.

843
01:03:02,050 –> 01:03:05,570
A disposition that implies a
choice.

844
01:03:06,370 –> 01:03:09,970
And Christ chose to think a
certain way.

845
01:03:10,090 –> 01:03:12,050
Look at all the words that speak
of choice.

846
01:03:12,250 –> 01:03:17,090
He made himself of no
reputation.

847
01:03:17,370 –> 01:03:21,330
He took upon himself the form of
a servant.

848
01:03:21,370 –> 01:03:26,220
He humbled himself, He became.
Obedient.

849
01:03:26,220 –> 01:03:29,820
It was all his choice.
He volunteered to have this

850
01:03:29,820 –> 01:03:33,060
mind.
He chose to have this

851
01:03:33,060 –> 01:03:37,060
disposition.
Despite his greatness, he chose

852
01:03:37,380 –> 01:03:42,140
to think like this verse seven
He made himself of no

853
01:03:42,140 –> 01:03:46,940
reputation, and took upon him
The form of a servant was made

854
01:03:46,940 –> 01:03:50,060
in the likeness of men, and
being found in fashion as a man,

855
01:03:50,260 –> 01:03:54,500
he humbled himself, became
obedient unto death.

856
01:03:55,270 –> 01:04:01,350
Even the death of the cross, he
made himself of no reputation.

857
01:04:01,630 –> 01:04:06,350
Do you know literally those
words mean he emptied himself?

858
01:04:07,110 –> 01:04:11,710
He voluntarily stripped himself
of self importance.

859
01:04:12,670 –> 01:04:14,430
Do you know Isaiah puts it this
way?

860
01:04:14,510 –> 01:04:20,750
He poured out his soul.
He emptied his soul unto death.

861
01:04:20,830 –> 01:04:24,950
Isaiah 53 and verse 12.
This was his disposition.

862
01:04:25,440 –> 01:04:29,800
His unique attitude in the
history of the world, filled

863
01:04:29,800 –> 01:04:35,160
with billions of people obsessed
about themselves, and he emptied

864
01:04:35,160 –> 01:04:40,480
himself of self.
He put himself to death.

865
01:04:41,960 –> 01:04:46,440
And Philippians chapter 2 is
going to outline the deepening

866
01:04:46,640 –> 01:04:53,520
levels of Christ’s humility.
He could have enjoyed a divine

867
01:04:53,520 –> 01:04:58,200
status.
Above every other human being

868
01:04:58,200 –> 01:05:05,040
because he was God’s son, verse
6 But he acknowledged that his

869
01:05:05,040 –> 01:05:14,200
humanity made him just like
every other man, verse 7 But he

870
01:05:14,200 –> 01:05:21,040
chose to volunteer to be not
just like every other man, but

871
01:05:21,040 –> 01:05:24,100
the bond slave.
Of everyone.

872
01:05:24,100 –> 01:05:27,700
Verse 7.
And more than that, he humbled

873
01:05:27,700 –> 01:05:33,020
himself further, Not just to be
lower than everybody else, but

874
01:05:33,020 –> 01:05:37,820
to die for them.
Verse 8.

875
01:05:38,980 –> 01:05:41,900
But not to not just to die.
It was not to be an honorable

876
01:05:41,900 –> 01:05:46,060
death, The death of a hero, a
legend, a martyr with a grand

877
01:05:46,060 –> 01:05:49,270
monument.
To honor his great deeds, this

878
01:05:49,270 –> 01:05:54,830
man volunteered to die the death
of an abject criminal outside

879
01:05:54,830 –> 01:06:02,070
the rubbish dump of Jerusalem.
Rejected, despised, lonely,

880
01:06:02,990 –> 01:06:13,710
abandoned, ridiculed, spat on.
Let that mind be in.

881
01:06:13,710 –> 01:06:18,910
You see the point?
Here is a man who willingly put

882
01:06:18,910 –> 01:06:24,150
himself to death in the most
humiliating, embarrassing,

883
01:06:25,150 –> 01:06:28,910
painful way, so that everyone
coming after could be an

884
01:06:29,110 –> 01:06:34,030
absolutely no doubt as to what
was deserving to Self.

885
01:06:34,270 –> 01:06:37,750
And the only way he could go
through with such a humiliating

886
01:06:37,750 –> 01:06:42,590
experience is because self was
already dead.

887
01:06:44,530 –> 01:06:46,930
So Philippians chapter 2 is very
clear.

888
01:06:47,730 –> 01:06:52,010
The mind of Christ is
characterized by a lifelong

889
01:06:52,090 –> 01:06:55,970
journey in which we slowly
progress in our thinking.

890
01:06:57,210 –> 01:06:59,530
We esteem others better than
ourselves.

891
01:06:59,530 –> 01:07:06,370
Verse 3 to the point that we
don’t even look to our own

892
01:07:06,370 –> 01:07:13,490
interests anymore.
Verse 4 to the point that we

893
01:07:13,490 –> 01:07:16,740
abandon.
Our own reputation and

894
01:07:16,740 –> 01:07:22,300
importance.
Verse 7 to the point that we

895
01:07:22,300 –> 01:07:26,820
volunteer to become the slaves
of everybody else.

896
01:07:27,540 –> 01:07:36,260
Verse 7 To the point that we put
ourselves to death in order to

897
01:07:36,260 –> 01:07:40,580
help others.
This is the essence of having

898
01:07:40,580 –> 01:07:45,680
His mind in us.
This is being conformed to his

899
01:07:45,680 –> 01:07:47,720
image.
This is following in his

900
01:07:47,720 –> 01:07:50,640
footsteps.
This is the great calling of

901
01:07:50,640 –> 01:07:52,960
discipleship.
This is the secret to the truth,

902
01:07:54,040 –> 01:07:59,440
being prepared to be conformed
to his example of death to self.

903
01:08:00,840 –> 01:08:04,960
This is the glorious liberty,
the immense freedom of the mind

904
01:08:04,960 –> 01:08:07,680
of Christ.
Have you ever asked yourself, or

905
01:08:07,680 –> 01:08:11,560
wondered how could he
concentrate enough?

906
01:08:12,230 –> 01:08:16,790
To do just his father’s will and
never once rebel.

907
01:08:18,029 –> 01:08:22,189
How could he go without sleep
for an entire night in prayer

908
01:08:22,189 –> 01:08:26,630
and didn’t carry on the next day
without being grumpy or easily

909
01:08:26,630 –> 01:08:30,149
irritated?
How could he just keep giving

910
01:08:30,430 –> 01:08:34,189
and giving and giving to the
crowds, endlessly teaching

911
01:08:34,870 –> 01:08:38,830
healing the sick?
Well, he’d learned the secret,

912
01:08:38,830 –> 01:08:43,350
brothers and sisters.
Of being dead to himself, of not

913
01:08:43,350 –> 01:08:47,550
pleasing himself.
This is the essential

914
01:08:47,550 –> 01:08:53,830
characteristic of his mind, and
it’s our inevitable destination

915
01:08:54,430 –> 01:08:59,189
as we submit to God’s mighty
hand, patiently conforming us

916
01:08:59,229 –> 01:09:03,510
all to His image, as hard as it
is brothers and sisters and

917
01:09:03,510 –> 01:09:09,510
young people on our own egos.
This is the standard he is set

918
01:09:09,510 –> 01:09:14,630
for us.
Let this mind be in you that was

919
01:09:14,630 –> 01:09:32,069
in Christ Jesus.
Thank you for listening to the

920
01:09:32,069 –> 01:09:33,790
good Christadelphian Talks
Podcast.

921
01:09:34,550 –> 01:09:36,470
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922
01:09:37,090 –> 01:09:39,370
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01:09:50,170 –> 01:09:52,890
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01:09:52,890 –> 01:09:57,330
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01:09:57,330 –> 01:09:59,730
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01:10:18,730 –> 01:10:20,770
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939
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