Nathan Lewis – The Mind of Christ – Class 4: The Principle

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Well we’re we’re here at the
special effort and it’s really

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nice to have so many people here
tonight to enjoy the next study.

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Study for the principle is the
mind of Christ.

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So look forward to some words
from brother Nathan the

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introduction in the.
Study, outline that we had here

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talks about our Father’s desire
to conform us all to this image

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or the mind of Christ as part of
his future divine family.

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And I’m sure that as we listen
tonight, we’ll be able to put

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ourselves in the picture of what
the future divine family is

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going to be.
We are going to have an

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introductory reading tonight and
that’s going to be Philippians

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Chapter 2 and the 1st 11 verses.
And I will call forward Brother

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Steve Jeffress to come forward
and read that to us.

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Thanks, Steve.
Reading together with your

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brother and sisters the 1st 11
Verses of Philippians, chapter 2

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if there be there for any
consolation in Christ, if any

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comfort of love.
If any fellowship of the Spirit,

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if any bows and mercies, fulfill
ye my joy, that ye may be

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likeminded, having the same love
being of 1 accord of 1 mind, let

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nothing be done through strife
or Vainglory, but in loneliness

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of mind let each esteem other
better than themselves.

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Look not every man on his own
things, but every man also on

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the things of others.
That this mind being you, which

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was also in Christ Jesus, who,
being in the form of God,

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thought it not robbery to be
equal with God, but made himself

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of no reputation, and took upon
him the form of a servant, and

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was made in the lightness of
men.

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And being found in fashion as a
man, he humbled himself and

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became obedient, utter death,
even the death of the cross.

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Wherefore God also hath highly
exalted him, and given him a

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name which is above every name,
that at the name of Jesus every

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knee should bow of things in
heaven, and things in earth, and

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things under the earth, and that
every tongue should confess that

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Jesus Christ is Lord, to the
glory of God the Father.

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It’s a pretty powerful section
of scripture there, and we’ll

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use that as an introduction for
Brother Nathan, you see.

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Continues the special effort for
us.

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Study for the Mind of Christ.
Thanks very much.

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Well, thanks, Brother Craig, and
good evening, brothers 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 having the mind of

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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 a

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spiritual mind.
Is not an abstract, eerie, fiery

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idea.
It’s not an intangible concept

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that’s difficult to grasp, a
vapor that can never be tied

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down.
And it’s not just a lofty

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sounding phrase.
We all have to have the mind of

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Christ.
It’s a solid destination.

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Our minds are being renewed,
regenerated, not in a random

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direction but with focus.
And purpose by a Heavenly Father

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towards one goal, one objective.
I’d like you to come to Romans

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chapter 8 as we start our
evening together, because

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nothing could be more crystal
clear than our Heavenly Father’s

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purpose with us in Romans
chapter 8, Romans 8 and verse

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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 know, He also
did predestinate to be conformed

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to the image of his Son, that he
might be the first born among

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many brethren.
Moreover, whom he did

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predestinate, then he also
called, and whom he called, then

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he also justified.
And whom he justified, then he

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also glorified.
Now sometimes we have difficulty

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with these words when we try to
grapple with the intricacies of

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divine predestination and human
free will.

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Do we really have a choice?
Or are those people to be in the

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Kingdom already predetermined as
the word predestinated means

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predetermined in advance.
But if we read carefully, it is

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abundantly clear.
Isn’t it what Paul is saying?

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Paul is not saying that we are
predetermined to be in the

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Kingdom and our free will is
actually an illusion.

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He is saying that what is
predetermined?

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Is that everyone who will be
there will have been through the

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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 among many

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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 end point.

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We’re all heading in the same
direction.

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Just think, brothers and
sisters, of the enormity of that

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task.
All of us are so vastly

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different.
Our minds are wildly divergent

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from each other, But our
Heavenly Father is slowly

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conforming each one of us,
pressing us gently but

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relentlessly into the mold of
the special and unique mind of

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His Son.
God will not give up on us.

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It’s an immutable principle.
We won’t be there if we’re not

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like him.
He is our inevitable

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destination.
Just look at these references

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together.
You know, we often say, don’t

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we, that we’re we’re called upon
to have one mind.

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But it’s not just anyone’s mind.
It’s not even just a common

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mind.
It’s his mind.

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Be of 1 mind is really be of
Christ’s mind.

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We’ve read some of these before.
1st of Corinthians 2 and verse

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16 we have the mind of Christ
Philippians 2 which we’ll look

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at tonight.
Let this mind be in you, which

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was in Christ Jesus.
Well, first of Peter 4.

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For as much then as Christ hath
suffered for us in the flesh,

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arm yourselves likewise with the
same mind.

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It’s Christ’s mind.
Romans 15 Now the God of

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patience and consolation grant
you to be like minded one toward

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another, according to what the
margin says after the example of

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Jesus Christ that ye may with
one mind and one mouth glorify

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God.
One mind is really the mind of

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our Lord Jesus Christ.
He is our inevitable

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destination.
Now I’d like you to come as we

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start our evening together to
1st of Samuel in chapter 14.

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First of Samuel in chapter 14,
because there’s a really nice

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expression here in the story of
Jonathan and his armor bearer.

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Now for those young people and
children at the Sunday School on

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Sunday morning, we’d look,
didn’t we, at?

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The fact that really the story
of the Bible is the story of

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Jesus Christ, just with
different characters and

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different circumstances, and
there’s clues in the record to

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show us that it’s talking about
Christ.

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And most of the time, often
it’ll be talking about the

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crucifixion of Christ.
And here’s another example in

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First and Samuel 14 and verse
four.

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Listen to these little phrases
and between the passages.

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By which Jonathan sought to go
over unto the Philistines

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Garrison.
There was a sharp rock on the

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one side and a sharp rock on the
other side.

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In the name of the one was
Bozes, and the name of the other

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was Sina.
That’s a picture of the

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Crucifixion.
Jonathan’s in the middle, and

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there’s a sharp rock either
side.

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It’s typical of the two thieves.
And look what Jonathan says,

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verse 6 unto the young man that
bear his armor.

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Come, let us go over unto the
Garrison of these Philistines,

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these uncircumcised it may be
that Yahweh will work for us,

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For there is no restraint to
Yahweh to save by many or by

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few.
And his armor bearer said unto

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him, Do all that is in thine
heart turn thee?

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Behold, I am with thee according
to thy heart.

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You know the Revised Standard
Version puts it this way.

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And his armor bearer said unto
him, Do all that thy mind

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inclines to behold.
I am with you.

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As is your mind.
So is mine.

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And in the battle against the
Philistines, Jonathan the Prince

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is our Lord Jesus Christ, and we
are his servants, his armor

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bearers.
And this is our response to his

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battle cry.
We are one.

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We’re of the same mind we are
with him in this battle against

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sin.
What a.

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What a lovely thought.
There’s a growing family

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likeness between the captain of
our salvation and his armor

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bearers.
Well, what defines the mind of

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Christ?
What is this mind?

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What defines this way of
thinking that we’re all striving

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to have?
What is the?

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Distinguishing characteristic of
the mind of Christ.

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Could it be his humility?
He humbled himself, and

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therefore God hath highly
exalted him.

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Maybe it’s the fact that he
loved righteousness and hated

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iniquity.
Hebrews 1 says we’re for because

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of this God has anointed him
above his brethren.

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Maybe it’s his compassion First
of Peter says be of like mind,

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be of 1 mind have compassion 1
towards another.

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Maybe it’s his faith.
The life which I live, I live by

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the faith of the Son of God.
Second of Thessalonians 3 And

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verse 5 talks about the patience
of Jesus Christ.

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Well perhaps it’s his love.
Greater love hath no man.

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This is a new commandment that I
give unto you that you love one

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another as I have loved you.
There was something very

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special, wasn’t there, about the
love of Jesus Christ.

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He trusted in his Heavenly
Father that says that about him

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when he’s on the cross.
In his diarist need, the

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characteristic that kept him
going was he trusted in God.

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Jude talks about the mercy of
Jesus Christ.

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It was because of the joy that
he kept in the forefront of his

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mind that enabled him to endure.
Hebrews 12, seeking A

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Corinthians 10, talks about the
meekness and gentleness of

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Christ.
Well, he says himself, My peace

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I leave with you.
My peace I give unto you.

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What is the distinguishing
feature of this mind that makes

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it so special?
Well, I don’t know if I can give

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you a definitive answer, but I’m
going to suggest to you tonight

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that it’s none of these things.
I want to share some thoughts

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with you on what might be at the
heart at the center of this

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remarkable mind.
And I want to start by taking

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you back to Mark Chapter 5 and
the story of Legion where we

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were in our exhortation.
Because.

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We left something out at the end
of the story of Mark chapter 5,

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obviously, I suppose.
But we left it out and I want to

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go back here to this story, the
giving of a spiritual mind to

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replace a carnal mind and see if
we can see if we can pick up the

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threads of what is the essential
characteristic of the mind of

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Christ.
Mark chapter 5 and verse 15 and

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they come to Jesus.
And instead of seeing Jesus, it

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seems that they saw him who was
possessed of the devil.

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He had put on Christ, and he was
sitting and clothed and in his

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right mind, and they were
afraid.

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His evil conscience, fear,
shame, and concealment was

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replaced with a right mind,
spiritual mind, calm and at

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peace.
And the carnal mind, the

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reptilian mind, was sent into
the animals and.

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00:15:12,830 –> 00:15:15,830
Christ miraculously replaced it
with a mindset.

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00:15:15,830 –> 00:15:22,990
Right now we didn’t go to 2nd of
Timothy chapter one in our first

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00:15:22,990 –> 00:15:25,110
class because I wanted to go
there.

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00:15:25,110 –> 00:15:30,390
Now out of Mark chapter 5,
because this little phrase in

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00:15:30,390 –> 00:15:36,150
his right mind is the Greek word
Sophrenio Sophrenio and it’s

225
00:15:36,230 –> 00:15:39,750
almost exactly the same.
As another very similar

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00:15:39,750 –> 00:15:44,230
expression in second of Timothy
and chapter one, so springboard

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00:15:44,230 –> 00:15:48,590
out of Mark, chapter 5 in the
story of Legion, the replacement

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00:15:48,590 –> 00:15:52,750
of the carnal mind with a right
mind, and come to 2nd of Timothy

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00:15:52,750 –> 00:15:59,190
in chapter one, second of
Timothy one and verse 7.

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00:16:01,150 –> 00:16:07,030
For God hath not given to us the
spirit of fear, but of power.

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00:16:07,960 –> 00:16:15,320
And of love and of a sound mind.
And the phrase sound mind is the

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00:16:15,320 –> 00:16:19,800
Greek Sophrenice Moss.
It’s almost the same as Sophren

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00:16:19,800 –> 00:16:22,120
Neo from Mark chapter 5 verse
15.

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00:16:22,120 –> 00:16:26,640
In fact both of them mean a
sound mind, a self controlled

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00:16:26,640 –> 00:16:29,280
mind.
Because before Legion was of

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00:16:29,320 –> 00:16:34,120
unsound mind he had no control,
but now he is of a sound mind

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00:16:34,120 –> 00:16:37,890
and this is God’s promise.
For all of us to share the mind

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00:16:37,890 –> 00:16:43,810
of Christ.
So if Christ shared his mind

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00:16:44,250 –> 00:16:50,490
with Legion and it was a sound
mind, what is it?

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00:16:51,730 –> 00:16:55,810
Well, as it happens, the New
Testament talks about three

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00:16:55,810 –> 00:17:01,330
types of mind, and the first one
is this one here that we’ve just

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00:17:01,330 –> 00:17:06,339
looked at a sound mind. 2nd of
Timothy one verse 7.

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00:17:06,339 –> 00:17:10,780
This is the mind of Christ.
And notice how in verse 7 the

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00:17:10,780 –> 00:17:15,220
Old Spirit was a spirit of fear.
That’s the carnal mind, isn’t

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00:17:15,220 –> 00:17:17,460
it?
One of its chief attributes is

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00:17:17,460 –> 00:17:21,339
fear.
But now we have a sound mind.

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00:17:22,660 –> 00:17:26,020
But you know there’s another two
minds or type of minds that are

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00:17:26,020 –> 00:17:29,260
mentioned in the New Testament.
And the second one we want to

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00:17:29,260 –> 00:17:33,630
look at is on the same page.
It’s at the end of First of

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00:17:33,630 –> 00:17:36,990
Timothy in chapter six.
Look at verse 17.

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00:17:38,070 –> 00:17:42,670
Charge them that are rich in
this world, that they be not

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00:17:42,870 –> 00:17:48,590
high minded nor trust in
uncertain riches, but in the

253
00:17:48,590 –> 00:17:53,190
living God who giveth us richly
all things to enjoy.

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00:17:54,790 –> 00:17:57,070
There’s those who are high
minded.

255
00:17:57,070 –> 00:18:01,070
These are people who have a
superiority complex.

256
00:18:02,240 –> 00:18:06,200
They’ve got an inflated view of
their own worth.

257
00:18:06,200 –> 00:18:10,360
Do you know Romans chapter 12
and verse 3 describes the man

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00:18:10,600 –> 00:18:15,880
who thinks of himself more
highly than he ought to think.

259
00:18:15,880 –> 00:18:20,600
In other words, he’s high minded
and it goes on in in.

260
00:18:20,660 –> 00:18:25,180
In Romans chapter 12 to say
instead think soberly and it

261
00:18:25,180 –> 00:18:29,540
uses the same word as mark.
Chapter 5 and verse 15 have a

262
00:18:29,620 –> 00:18:34,020
right mind.
So Romans 12 says don’t be high

263
00:18:34,020 –> 00:18:39,900
minded, be sound minded.
Now we don’t we know this as

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00:18:39,940 –> 00:18:44,500
self righteousness.
This is the person who thinks he

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00:18:44,500 –> 00:18:50,380
is better than others.
It’s those who are high minded.

266
00:18:51,440 –> 00:18:54,360
But you see there’s another
group of people and they are

267
00:18:54,360 –> 00:18:59,720
back in first of Thessalonians
in chapter 5 and verse 14.

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00:19:00,960 –> 00:19:07,520
These are the feeble minded.
Just 4 pages back and we read in

269
00:19:07,520 –> 00:19:11,200
first of Thessalonians 5 and
verse 14.

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00:19:11,920 –> 00:19:17,880
Now we exhort you brethren, warn
them that are unruly comfort the

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00:19:17,880 –> 00:19:21,700
feeble minded.
Who are the feeble minded?

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00:19:21,900 –> 00:19:26,460
Well, those are the people who
have an inferiority complex.

273
00:19:27,860 –> 00:19:31,700
Literally, it means small
souled.

274
00:19:32,940 –> 00:19:36,780
It’s exactly the same word
actually in Proverbs 18 and

275
00:19:36,780 –> 00:19:40,460
verse 14 in the secturigant
version where it’s translated

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00:19:40,700 –> 00:19:44,350
wounded spirit.
In fact, Rotherams in in

277
00:19:44,350 –> 00:19:48,830
Proverbs 18 and verse 14
translates that verse The spirit

278
00:19:48,830 –> 00:19:53,110
of a man sustaineth his
sickness, but a dejected spirit

279
00:19:53,670 –> 00:19:58,270
who can bear it.
These are people who are guilty,

280
00:19:58,270 –> 00:20:03,030
if you like, or who suffer from
self pity.

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00:20:03,350 –> 00:20:07,590
It might look a little bit like
humility, but it is self pity.

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00:20:07,790 –> 00:20:11,590
These are the people who think
they’re not as good.

283
00:20:12,310 –> 00:20:17,270
As others, have you ever felt
brothers and sisters and young

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00:20:17,270 –> 00:20:24,910
people just a little bit better
than someone else, or not quite

285
00:20:25,030 –> 00:20:28,710
so good?
We are experts at this.

286
00:20:29,590 –> 00:20:33,230
We can walk into a room and in a
couple of minutes we pig

287
00:20:33,270 –> 00:20:38,030
ourselves on what I call the
ladder of importance.

288
00:20:39,330 –> 00:20:44,130
You know that women are
especially good at this, and

289
00:20:44,130 –> 00:20:50,890
especially women in the world.
Whether it’s looks or clothes,

290
00:20:51,610 –> 00:20:57,170
jewelry, how good your skin is,
how much money you have, what

291
00:20:57,170 –> 00:21:00,610
your husband is like when they
walk into a room in a couple of

292
00:21:00,610 –> 00:21:04,650
minutes, they know, don’t they,
where they are on the ladder of

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00:21:04,690 –> 00:21:08,850
importance.
And you know, sadly, we do this

294
00:21:08,850 –> 00:21:13,290
in the truth as well, don’t we?
I I’m a little, I’m a little

295
00:21:13,290 –> 00:21:15,130
better than that brother over
there.

296
00:21:16,290 –> 00:21:19,090
I’m a little funnier, a little
smarter, and may maybe a little

297
00:21:19,330 –> 00:21:21,290
more spiritually minded.
Maybe.

298
00:21:22,810 –> 00:21:24,970
Probably not as good as this
brother over here.

299
00:21:24,970 –> 00:21:29,050
He, well, he has a real talent
with words and prayers.

300
00:21:30,170 –> 00:21:33,610
He’s very good at approaching
strangers.

301
00:21:34,350 –> 00:21:36,430
Preaching the truth, making
friends.

302
00:21:36,590 –> 00:21:41,190
And he has a full head of here,
whatever it is, whatever it is,

303
00:21:41,430 –> 00:21:46,750
We pig everybody, don’t we?
And ourselves on this ladder of

304
00:21:46,790 –> 00:21:49,950
importance.
Now I’d like you to come to 2nd

305
00:21:49,950 –> 00:21:54,510
of Corinthians and chapter 10,
because the Apostle Paul has

306
00:21:54,550 –> 00:22:00,150
something very important to say
about the ladder of importance.

307
00:22:00,710 –> 00:22:02,750
Second of Corinthians and
chapter 10.

308
00:22:07,180 –> 00:22:09,140
And look what Paul says in verse
12.

309
00:22:10,940 –> 00:22:16,580
For we dare not make ourselves
of the number, or compare

310
00:22:16,660 –> 00:22:23,140
ourselves with some that commend
themselves, but they measuring

311
00:22:23,140 –> 00:22:30,540
themselves by themselves and
comparing themselves among

312
00:22:30,580 –> 00:22:35,400
themselves.
Are not wise and Paul says when

313
00:22:35,400 –> 00:22:40,640
we do this we are not wise.
Because you see both self

314
00:22:40,640 –> 00:22:48,520
righteousness and self pity have
one thing in common they are

315
00:22:48,840 –> 00:22:54,680
equally self.
The self-righteous eldest son

316
00:22:54,680 –> 00:23:00,480
was number better or by the way
no worse than the self pitying

317
00:23:00,480 –> 00:23:03,860
prodigal son.
You know, it’s really easy,

318
00:23:03,860 –> 00:23:06,020
isn’t it?
To spot self righteousness.

319
00:23:06,020 –> 00:23:10,060
We can smell self righteousness
a mile away, especially in

320
00:23:10,060 –> 00:23:13,740
others.
And sometimes self pity is also

321
00:23:14,020 –> 00:23:16,740
easy to see.
You remember the story of King

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00:23:16,740 –> 00:23:21,220
soul at Gibian under the tree
first of Samuel 22 and verse 8.

323
00:23:21,460 –> 00:23:28,740
Why is no one sorry for me?
Pathetic self pity, but you see

324
00:23:28,740 –> 00:23:33,590
self pity often.
Masquerades under the guise of

325
00:23:33,590 –> 00:23:44,550
humility, self deprecation,
timidness, shyness, a reserved

326
00:23:44,550 –> 00:23:49,590
piety.
But I think we all know from our

327
00:23:49,590 –> 00:23:54,910
experiences in life that self
pity is often the result of

328
00:23:54,910 –> 00:24:00,600
disappointed ambition.
In wounded vanity it can be just

329
00:24:00,600 –> 00:24:04,440
as much self as self
righteousness.

330
00:24:04,440 –> 00:24:09,640
It’s just not as easy to spot,
not as obvious, but in fact both

331
00:24:09,840 –> 00:24:15,800
the superiority complex and the
inferiority complex are both

332
00:24:15,800 –> 00:24:19,760
pride.
Both pride because they both

333
00:24:19,760 –> 00:24:24,520
worship self, do you know, in
Hozier chapter 10, we’re told.

334
00:24:24,930 –> 00:24:29,970
Israel is an empty vine.
He bringeth forth fruit unto

335
00:24:30,210 –> 00:24:35,170
himself.
See the point When Christ came

336
00:24:35,450 –> 00:24:39,210
looking for fruit for God there
was nothing.

337
00:24:39,450 –> 00:24:44,050
They were laden down only with
fruits for themselves, whether

338
00:24:44,050 –> 00:24:48,170
they were overcome by the
arrogance and the pride and the

339
00:24:48,170 –> 00:24:52,970
self righteousness of the Jew.
Or whether they were weighed

340
00:24:52,970 –> 00:24:56,050
down with self pity that they
were dominated by the Romans.

341
00:24:56,330 –> 00:24:58,490
They were only concerned about
worshipping and serving

342
00:24:58,490 –> 00:25:02,890
themselves.
And the point is that neither of

343
00:25:02,890 –> 00:25:07,610
these extremes is the mind of
Christ.

344
00:25:07,610 –> 00:25:12,770
Neither is a sound mind because
while we are busy measuring

345
00:25:12,770 –> 00:25:18,350
ourselves against each other.
To either feel a little better

346
00:25:18,350 –> 00:25:23,150
about ourselves because we are
clearly superior in some way, or

347
00:25:23,150 –> 00:25:26,510
to feel sorry about ourselves
because we aren’t as good, We

348
00:25:26,590 –> 00:25:29,630
aren’t as good looking, we
aren’t as wealthy, we’re not as

349
00:25:29,630 –> 00:25:33,830
blessed or successful either
way.

350
00:25:34,510 –> 00:25:40,270
We are pandering to self and the
sound mind doesn’t measure

351
00:25:40,430 –> 00:25:45,190
itself against everybody else.
It measures itself.

352
00:25:45,490 –> 00:25:53,330
By one yardstick, the example
and the measure of Jesus Christ,

353
00:25:53,890 –> 00:25:58,810
Ephesians 4, verse 13.
Till we all come unto a perfect

354
00:25:58,810 –> 00:26:03,650
man, unto the measure of the
stature of the fullness of

355
00:26:03,650 –> 00:26:07,050
Christ.
And wow do we fall short.

356
00:26:07,050 –> 00:26:11,130
Brothers and sisters, there’s no
pandering to self when we

357
00:26:11,130 –> 00:26:17,930
compare ourselves only with him.
When we only use Him as our

358
00:26:17,930 –> 00:26:22,210
measure, our yardstick on the
ladder of importance.

359
00:26:23,450 –> 00:26:26,890
Because if there is one
characteristic that defines the

360
00:26:26,890 –> 00:26:31,930
sound mind, the mind of Christ,
as opposed to the two thieves

361
00:26:32,090 –> 00:26:37,330
that are flanking him on either
side that are all about self, it

362
00:26:37,330 –> 00:26:44,330
is that the sound mind is all
about putting self to death.

363
00:26:46,820 –> 00:26:52,380
A sound mind, The mind of Christ
does not indulge in self

364
00:26:52,380 –> 00:26:56,820
righteousness, nor does it
wallow in self pity.

365
00:26:57,460 –> 00:27:01,820
It kills self, it crucifies it.
It puts self to death.

366
00:27:02,140 –> 00:27:07,820
And I’m going to suggest that
tonight this is the chief

367
00:27:07,820 –> 00:27:11,420
characteristic, the central
principle.

368
00:27:12,020 –> 00:27:14,940
The defining quality of the mind
of Christ.

369
00:27:15,460 –> 00:27:17,980
Remember what Romans 15 and
verse three says.

370
00:27:18,260 –> 00:27:23,900
Even Christ pleased not himself.
It’s the essence of his mind.

371
00:27:24,060 –> 00:27:29,100
It’s a summary of his thinking.
This is what made the mind of

372
00:27:29,100 –> 00:27:33,740
Christ so unique in the history
of the world, so valuable in the

373
00:27:33,740 –> 00:27:37,100
eyes of God it puts self to
death.

374
00:27:39,310 –> 00:27:41,630
You know, sometimes we think
it’s got to be enormously

375
00:27:41,630 –> 00:27:47,270
complicated and difficult to
understand just because it’s so

376
00:27:47,270 –> 00:27:52,070
difficult to do.
But actually it’s so simple and

377
00:27:52,070 –> 00:27:54,750
out of this essential
characteristics brings

378
00:27:54,750 –> 00:27:58,390
everything else that we might
normally think of as the

379
00:27:58,390 –> 00:28:02,550
qualities of the mind of Christ.
Just think about it if you put

380
00:28:02,550 –> 00:28:07,630
yourself to death, or if Christ
when Christ put himself to

381
00:28:07,630 –> 00:28:09,880
death.
Of course he can exhibit

382
00:28:09,880 –> 00:28:15,040
humility and meekness because
he’s put himself to death.

383
00:28:15,200 –> 00:28:18,920
He’s empty of himself.
Of course he can show care and

384
00:28:18,920 –> 00:28:23,240
love and compassion if he’s put
himself to death.

385
00:28:23,480 –> 00:28:26,960
The only thing to trust in, to
have faith in, is in his

386
00:28:26,960 –> 00:28:29,920
Heavenly Father.
Of course he can be free to have

387
00:28:29,920 –> 00:28:32,760
mercy.
It all springs out of the fact

388
00:28:32,760 –> 00:28:35,560
that he put himself to death
every day.

389
00:28:35,760 –> 00:28:38,440
He was free from the bondage of
serving.

390
00:28:38,730 –> 00:28:43,530
Or trusting in self.
And So what happened on Golgotha

391
00:28:44,570 –> 00:28:48,130
on the cross was just a gruesome
symbol, wasn’t it?

392
00:28:48,130 –> 00:28:52,370
Of what he had done to his own
carnal mind every day.

393
00:28:52,890 –> 00:29:00,610
He didn’t really put sin to
death, because then while self

394
00:29:00,610 –> 00:29:03,730
could have been triumphant, it
could be construed that self had

395
00:29:03,730 –> 00:29:07,050
had the victory.
No, he put self to death.

396
00:29:07,460 –> 00:29:11,620
Our Lord understood the
extraordinary freedom that comes

397
00:29:11,620 –> 00:29:16,140
from a life where self is not
king, where the tyrant that is.

398
00:29:16,140 –> 00:29:19,860
Our carnal mind is crucified
each day, every moment.

399
00:29:21,220 –> 00:29:24,380
That’s why, isn’t it?
We celebrate every Sunday

400
00:29:24,380 –> 00:29:28,060
morning this principle in the
breaking of bread and drinking

401
00:29:28,060 –> 00:29:30,500
of wine.
First of Corinthians 11 says we

402
00:29:30,500 –> 00:29:36,450
come to show the Lord’s death.
Till he come, we declare

403
00:29:36,450 –> 00:29:40,130
publicly a grand and abiding
truth.

404
00:29:40,410 –> 00:29:45,250
He put himself to death.
His central principle never

405
00:29:45,250 –> 00:29:50,330
wavered.
Not my will, but thine be done.

406
00:29:50,930 –> 00:29:55,170
He was prepared to utterly
become subject to his father’s

407
00:29:55,170 –> 00:30:00,970
will, because his own was dead.
He’s what brother LG Sergeant

408
00:30:00,970 –> 00:30:04,760
says in his book.
On this very subject, the sound

409
00:30:04,760 –> 00:30:09,800
mind.
A mind is sound when it is

410
00:30:09,800 –> 00:30:15,120
humbled and brought into
subjection by being centered on

411
00:30:15,120 –> 00:30:20,720
one outside itself.
It happens when we put ourselves

412
00:30:20,720 –> 00:30:24,400
to death and center our
affections on something other

413
00:30:24,760 –> 00:30:27,840
than ourself.
Perhaps the truest definition

414
00:30:27,840 –> 00:30:31,440
would be that wherever a false
center.

415
00:30:32,040 –> 00:30:35,520
Is set up in the mind,
attracting to that spot more

416
00:30:35,520 –> 00:30:38,360
than its due share of emotional
energy.

417
00:30:39,040 –> 00:30:45,600
The mind is unsound.
So this is the new center of our

418
00:30:45,600 –> 00:30:51,280
minds, death to self.
If we allow self to creep back

419
00:30:51,280 –> 00:30:56,600
to the center from either side,
then our minds become unsound.

420
00:30:57,090 –> 00:31:01,970
They are no longer scented,
rooted, grounded on one outside

421
00:31:02,490 –> 00:31:06,730
ourselves.
Now we know that death to self

422
00:31:06,850 –> 00:31:10,370
is the central principle of our
Lord’s mind, because these two

423
00:31:10,370 –> 00:31:16,890
thieves on each side, these two
unsound ways of thinking, have

424
00:31:16,890 –> 00:31:19,490
very similar results on our
faith.

425
00:31:20,170 –> 00:31:24,770
In fact, they’re both toxic to
our ability to trust God.

426
00:31:25,250 –> 00:31:27,370
Albeit for different reasons.
And let me show you how.

427
00:31:28,770 –> 00:31:33,730
If we are subject to high
mindedness or self

428
00:31:33,850 –> 00:31:38,130
righteousness, do you know that
really becomes well, we’re

429
00:31:38,130 –> 00:31:43,210
characterized by trusting in
ourselves.

430
00:31:43,290 –> 00:31:46,930
We’re so self absorbed that we
trust ourselves.

431
00:31:47,250 –> 00:31:50,650
Remember the parable of the
self-righteous Pharisee and Luke

432
00:31:50,690 –> 00:31:54,100
18 and verse 9?
I thank thee that I am not as

433
00:31:54,220 –> 00:31:57,940
other men are.
It was said to condemn those who

434
00:31:58,060 –> 00:32:04,980
trusted in themselves that they
were righteous and despised

435
00:32:05,020 –> 00:32:08,620
others.
But you see the people who are

436
00:32:08,620 –> 00:32:13,740
feeble minded, these people feel
so sorry for themselves, that’s

437
00:32:13,740 –> 00:32:16,820
so self absorbed in their own
problems that they can’t,

438
00:32:16,940 –> 00:32:18,700
they’re not.
They can’t find it in themselves

439
00:32:18,700 –> 00:32:23,680
to trust God.
In fact, Psalm 72 verse 2078,

440
00:32:23,680 –> 00:32:26,560
verse 22 describes the
wilderness generation as being

441
00:32:26,720 –> 00:32:32,240
so feeble in faith that they
trusted not in God’s salvation.

442
00:32:32,400 –> 00:32:36,280
So the high minded people trust
in themselves and the feeble

443
00:32:36,280 –> 00:32:38,360
minded people can’t trust in
God.

444
00:32:38,520 –> 00:32:42,080
Both of these ways of thinking
are toxic to faith.

445
00:32:42,440 –> 00:32:46,640
Self, whether it’s self
righteousness or self pity, robs

446
00:32:46,640 –> 00:32:51,120
us of our ability to have faith.
And remember we said that the

447
00:32:51,120 –> 00:32:54,040
carnal mind was like being
without faith.

448
00:32:54,480 –> 00:32:59,000
It’s essential to have faith and
both of these ways of thinking

449
00:32:59,400 –> 00:33:03,320
robust of the ability to have
faith.

450
00:33:04,080 –> 00:33:05,520
Look at the difference in the
middle.

451
00:33:06,440 –> 00:33:09,200
This is second to Corinthians
chapter one and verse 9.

452
00:33:09,680 –> 00:33:14,320
But we had the sentence.
The margin says the answer.

453
00:33:15,240 –> 00:33:19,440
Of death in ourselves that we
should not trust in ourselves,

454
00:33:19,440 –> 00:33:24,400
but in God which raiseth the
dead there it is the answer of

455
00:33:24,400 –> 00:33:27,760
death to ourselves.
We don’t trust in ourselves

456
00:33:27,760 –> 00:33:30,400
because we have put ourselves to
death.

457
00:33:30,760 –> 00:33:33,960
It’s the answer.
It is the answer.

458
00:33:34,040 –> 00:33:38,600
It is the central defining
characteristic of the mind of

459
00:33:38,600 –> 00:33:42,920
Christ.
It’s the only thing that enables

460
00:33:42,920 –> 00:33:46,290
us to trust.
In God and not in ourselves.

461
00:33:47,450 –> 00:33:49,570
Well, I’d like you to come to
John chapter 8, because this is

462
00:33:49,570 –> 00:33:51,730
how our Lord Jesus Christ puts
it.

463
00:33:52,130 –> 00:33:58,650
And it’s so clear, so clear.
John chapter 8 and verse 28,

464
00:34:08,239 –> 00:34:12,080
John 8 and verse 28.
And just listen to these words

465
00:34:12,080 –> 00:34:15,440
and see if you can see a
progression of thought, then

466
00:34:15,440 –> 00:34:19,050
said Jesus unto them.
When ye have lifted up the son

467
00:34:19,050 –> 00:34:26,409
of man, then shall ye know that
I am he, and that I do nothing

468
00:34:27,130 –> 00:34:31,489
of myself.
But as my father hath taught me,

469
00:34:31,889 –> 00:34:36,449
I speak these things, and he
that sent me is with me.

470
00:34:36,810 –> 00:34:41,610
The Father hath not left me
alone, for I do always those

471
00:34:41,610 –> 00:34:46,639
things that please him.
As he spiked these words, many

472
00:34:46,639 –> 00:34:49,560
believed on him.
Then said Jesus to those Jews

473
00:34:49,560 –> 00:34:53,199
which believed on him.
If ye continue in my word, then

474
00:34:53,320 –> 00:34:57,560
are ye my disciples indeed, and
ye shall know the truth, and the

475
00:34:57,560 –> 00:35:01,920
truth shall make you free.
See the progression when we

476
00:35:01,920 –> 00:35:04,880
realize that it has nothing to
do with our self.

477
00:35:05,320 –> 00:35:09,640
Verse 28 That of our self we can
do nothing.

478
00:35:09,720 –> 00:35:12,400
In fact, the only thing we can
do is put ourselves to death

479
00:35:12,400 –> 00:35:16,580
when we realize that.
We give up pleasing ourselves

480
00:35:16,780 –> 00:35:22,260
and we seek only to please Him.
Verse 29 And when we do that, we

481
00:35:22,260 –> 00:35:28,220
get freedom, verse 32 freedom
from ourself, the carnal mind.

482
00:35:28,380 –> 00:35:32,220
It’s so simple.
This is God’s promise explained

483
00:35:32,300 –> 00:35:38,340
for us, death to self.
And so the epistles are

484
00:35:38,460 –> 00:35:42,680
abundantly clear.
With a very consistent message

485
00:35:42,840 –> 00:35:48,920
as to what Christ did to self.
Romans 15 and verse 3 But even

486
00:35:48,920 –> 00:35:55,560
Christ pleased not himself.
Galatians one He gave himself

487
00:35:55,560 –> 00:36:00,000
for our sins.
Ephesians 5 given himself an

488
00:36:00,000 –> 00:36:02,640
offering in a sacrifice.
Philippians 2.

489
00:36:02,720 –> 00:36:05,280
He made himself of no
reputation.

490
00:36:05,440 –> 00:36:09,640
He humbled himself to the death.
Of the cross first of Timothy

491
00:36:09,640 –> 00:36:12,680
two.
He gave himself a ransom.

492
00:36:13,040 –> 00:36:16,880
He glorified not himself.
He offered up himself, he

493
00:36:16,880 –> 00:36:21,200
sacrificed himself.
He in himself bear ass sins.

494
00:36:21,400 –> 00:36:23,880
It’s not an exhaustive list, but
it’s clear, isn’t it?

495
00:36:25,280 –> 00:36:28,880
He sacrificed and humbled and
offered up himself.

496
00:36:29,240 –> 00:36:32,080
This is the defining
characteristic of his mind.

497
00:36:32,360 –> 00:36:37,350
He put self to death.
Because you see, when we tease

498
00:36:37,350 –> 00:36:41,510
out this idea just a little
further, this is the solution,

499
00:36:41,550 –> 00:36:44,870
isn’t it?
To the oldest battle in the

500
00:36:44,870 –> 00:36:49,910
history of the world.
If you cast your minds back to

501
00:36:49,910 –> 00:36:56,070
Genesis Chapter 3, where we have
the first battle of wills, the

502
00:36:56,070 –> 00:37:02,110
first rivalry of ideas, this is
how Christ brought a solution to

503
00:37:02,110 –> 00:37:05,660
that first battle.
When Eve listened to the serpent

504
00:37:05,660 –> 00:37:10,620
and took the fruit and ate, it
wasn’t just that she disobeyed.

505
00:37:11,300 –> 00:37:15,740
It was far, far more at stake in
the Garden of Eden than just a

506
00:37:15,740 –> 00:37:21,460
piece of fruit.
This was a battle over who got

507
00:37:21,460 –> 00:37:26,340
to decide what was right and
wrong.

508
00:37:26,900 –> 00:37:31,620
It was really a battle for who
would be God and when Eve took

509
00:37:31,620 –> 00:37:36,830
the fruit.
She was in effect saying, I know

510
00:37:36,950 –> 00:37:42,990
God has commanded this and that,
but I am the absolute arbiter of

511
00:37:42,990 –> 00:37:46,670
what is right and wrong, and I
will worship myself, the

512
00:37:46,670 –> 00:37:51,910
creature, more than the creator.
It was the first instance of

513
00:37:51,950 –> 00:37:57,190
idolatry and we know, don’t we,
that God is 1.

514
00:37:57,900 –> 00:38:00,460
He cannot tolerate another God
beside himself.

515
00:38:00,580 –> 00:38:04,900
So the punishment for Eve and
for Adam had to be death.

516
00:38:05,300 –> 00:38:10,260
Had to be, because this was a
question of supremacy.

517
00:38:10,340 –> 00:38:13,020
Who would be God?
Just who would be the sole

518
00:38:13,060 –> 00:38:15,980
source of truth in an Eve’s
deceived mind?

519
00:38:15,980 –> 00:38:20,700
She chose herself.
She didn’t put herself to death.

520
00:38:21,780 –> 00:38:24,580
She grasped at equality with the
angels.

521
00:38:24,660 –> 00:38:28,410
She pleased herself.
She glorified herself.

522
00:38:28,610 –> 00:38:30,890
She set herself up as a rival
God.

523
00:38:32,730 –> 00:38:36,530
And so when Christ came and he
thought it not a thing to be

524
00:38:36,530 –> 00:38:41,970
grasped at to be equal with God,
he reversed the thinking of the

525
00:38:42,050 –> 00:38:46,810
entire human race.
He handed over complete

526
00:38:46,810 –> 00:38:50,730
supremacy to his Father.
He ended the battle, the battle

527
00:38:50,730 –> 00:38:55,250
for the mind, and he gave the
victory to his heavenly Father.

528
00:38:57,060 –> 00:39:00,580
You know, I think sometimes I
don’t know about you, but I know

529
00:39:00,580 –> 00:39:02,220
this is true.
In my own life.

530
00:39:03,260 –> 00:39:07,260
I think sometimes we deceive
ourselves into what the battle

531
00:39:07,660 –> 00:39:11,500
for our minds really actually
is.

532
00:39:13,100 –> 00:39:18,700
This is how I kind of imagined
life before kind of looked like

533
00:39:18,700 –> 00:39:21,340
this.
There was God on the one hand,

534
00:39:21,580 –> 00:39:23,340
everything that was right and
true.

535
00:39:24,630 –> 00:39:27,350
And there was evil.
The thinking of the serpent, on

536
00:39:27,350 –> 00:39:29,750
the other hand.
And here I was in the middle,

537
00:39:29,830 –> 00:39:32,750
and I had to make a choice.
I had to decide, would I give my

538
00:39:32,750 –> 00:39:36,830
life to God, or would I abandon
myself to the thinking of the

539
00:39:36,830 –> 00:39:41,990
world and evil.
But you know, that picture there

540
00:39:42,390 –> 00:39:45,990
is utterly false.
That’s not true at all.

541
00:39:46,830 –> 00:39:51,470
This is the truth.
Certainly God is one side of the

542
00:39:51,470 –> 00:39:54,310
picture, but it’s not really
evil.

543
00:39:57,010 –> 00:40:02,370
It’s us.
It’s self, actually.

544
00:40:02,450 –> 00:40:06,850
It’s God versus self.
That’s the great battle, not God

545
00:40:06,850 –> 00:40:09,170
versus evil.
When we’re in the middle making

546
00:40:09,170 –> 00:40:12,530
some grand decision which way we
will fall off the fence.

547
00:40:12,730 –> 00:40:17,730
No, this is a battle between God
and our own minds.

548
00:40:18,450 –> 00:40:20,570
Fact This is how Philippians 3
puts it.

549
00:40:20,810 –> 00:40:24,770
For many are the enemies of the
cross of Christ, whose end is

550
00:40:24,770 –> 00:40:30,050
destruction, whose God is their
belly and whose glory is in

551
00:40:30,050 –> 00:40:33,330
their shame.
Who mind earthly things.

552
00:40:34,370 –> 00:40:39,130
The people who mind earthly
things are the people that

553
00:40:39,130 –> 00:40:44,170
worship themselves.
Their God is themselves their

554
00:40:44,250 –> 00:40:48,050
own belly.
This is a battle between God.

555
00:40:48,790 –> 00:40:52,470
And self.
And see how simple it is.

556
00:40:52,750 –> 00:40:58,630
If we put self to death, then in
the battle for the mind only God

557
00:40:58,630 –> 00:41:01,870
can win.
So the portrait of the carnal

558
00:41:01,870 –> 00:41:09,550
mind is really worship of self,
worship of ourselves as God.

559
00:41:12,030 –> 00:41:14,750
Look at this.
Here’s two lists of sins.

560
00:41:15,790 –> 00:41:20,070
One of them is from Second of
Timothy chapter 3 and verses one

561
00:41:20,070 –> 00:41:23,910
to four which describe perilous
times coming.

562
00:41:25,910 –> 00:41:31,190
And as an aside, that word
perilous only occurs twice in

563
00:41:31,190 –> 00:41:34,510
the New Testament, and the other
time it’s used is Matthew

564
00:41:34,510 –> 00:41:41,590
chapter 8 and verse 28 where
it’s translated fierce in

565
00:41:41,590 –> 00:41:46,630
describing Legion.
It’s the portrait of a demented

566
00:41:46,630 –> 00:41:52,990
carnal reprobate mind, fierce
the fierce mind of legion,

567
00:41:53,270 –> 00:41:57,030
perilous times and Romans.
Chapter one is really the

568
00:41:57,030 –> 00:41:59,950
portrait of a reprobate mind
itself.

569
00:41:59,950 –> 00:42:03,270
Very similar lists.
We won’t go through them, but

570
00:42:03,270 –> 00:42:06,750
look what stands out when you
compare these two lists.

571
00:42:07,630 –> 00:42:12,590
Second of Timothy 3 talks about
men who are lovers of their own

572
00:42:12,590 –> 00:42:17,320
selves.
In Romans chapter one talks

573
00:42:17,360 –> 00:42:21,800
about haters of God.
They are one in the same thing.

574
00:42:23,360 –> 00:42:26,920
We hate God because we love
ourselves.

575
00:42:27,480 –> 00:42:32,920
See how clear that is?
We love ourselves and we hate

576
00:42:32,920 –> 00:42:34,960
God.
We can’t serve 2 masters.

577
00:42:35,730 –> 00:42:38,850
The ancient battle of for the
mind begun in Genesis 3, Who

578
00:42:38,850 –> 00:42:41,930
will be God still rages down the
ages of time.

579
00:42:41,930 –> 00:42:45,810
We either love God or ourselves,
you know, it says of a lie.

580
00:42:45,810 –> 00:42:51,650
Who in when he when his anger
was kindled against Job and Job

581
00:42:51,650 –> 00:42:55,130
32 and verse two, he got angry
against Job because he saw that

582
00:42:55,130 –> 00:42:59,330
Job was justifying himself
rather than God.

583
00:42:59,330 –> 00:43:03,610
It’s simple, isn’t it?
We either serve him or our self.

584
00:43:04,220 –> 00:43:07,780
And Christ came to end the
conflict, to lay down the sword

585
00:43:08,140 –> 00:43:11,900
to fight no more.
He put self to death.

586
00:43:12,420 –> 00:43:13,980
What are mine, brothers and
sisters?

587
00:43:13,980 –> 00:43:17,820
No wonder our Heavenly Father
loved that boy.

588
00:43:19,460 –> 00:43:27,660
No wonder his blood was precious
blood, the power that lies in a

589
00:43:27,660 –> 00:43:33,160
full self sacrifice.
John chapter 10 and verse 17

590
00:43:33,160 –> 00:43:37,560
says, Therefore doth my father
loved me because I laid down my

591
00:43:37,560 –> 00:43:40,600
life.
He put self to death and the

592
00:43:40,600 –> 00:43:46,240
value of that sacrifice was
priceless, priceless in the eyes

593
00:43:46,240 –> 00:43:48,360
of God.
Remember what we said on the

594
00:43:48,360 –> 00:43:52,280
weekend about all the no man
prophecies?

595
00:43:52,720 –> 00:43:55,560
God was looking, wasn’t he, for
the perfect sacrifice that could

596
00:43:55,560 –> 00:43:57,600
take away sins.
And there was no man.

597
00:43:57,760 –> 00:43:59,680
There was no man.
There was no man.

598
00:43:59,800 –> 00:44:07,040
And finally, as our Lord
sacrificed himself, our Heavenly

599
00:44:07,040 –> 00:44:13,920
Father received a person, a mind
who had put himself to death.

600
00:44:13,920 –> 00:44:17,680
Finally, there was a man.
You know.

601
00:44:17,680 –> 00:44:20,760
Isn’t this the power of the new
commandment?

602
00:44:22,280 –> 00:44:26,240
When we think about it just a
little bit, we’ve got an

603
00:44:26,240 –> 00:44:31,320
instinctive brain and the new
commandment says love.

604
00:44:31,320 –> 00:44:33,680
We say, of course I I’m very
familiar with that.

605
00:44:33,680 –> 00:44:35,880
I love myself very fine with
that.

606
00:44:36,200 –> 00:44:40,240
No, no, you need to love one
another.

607
00:44:41,720 –> 00:44:46,720
Oh well, I can probably stretch
my love for myself to include a

608
00:44:46,720 –> 00:44:50,040
few other people, my family and
a few friends.

609
00:44:50,600 –> 00:44:55,460
No, no, no.
You need to love one another as

610
00:44:55,620 –> 00:44:59,420
I have loved you.
This is a calling that goes from

611
00:44:59,420 –> 00:45:04,300
self preservation to self
sacrifice.

612
00:45:04,820 –> 00:45:07,460
It’s a whole new paradigm, a
whole new way of thinking.

613
00:45:07,620 –> 00:45:12,060
Happiness, fulfillment, joy and
freedom will never come by

614
00:45:12,060 –> 00:45:17,100
loving ourselves more, by buying
more things, by indulging in

615
00:45:17,100 –> 00:45:20,920
self righteousness.
Or wallowing and self pity by

616
00:45:20,920 –> 00:45:23,240
being totally obsessed about
ourselves.

617
00:45:24,360 –> 00:45:28,240
Jeremiah says about mankind it
is not in man to direct his

618
00:45:28,240 –> 00:45:31,520
steps.
Jeremiah 10 verse 23.

619
00:45:31,520 –> 00:45:36,560
It will only come from being
like him as I have loved you

620
00:45:36,560 –> 00:45:41,990
sacrificing self.
It’s what Paul describes in

621
00:45:41,990 –> 00:45:45,350
Romans chapter 12 and verse one.
Remember just before we talked

622
00:45:45,350 –> 00:45:47,310
about metamorphosis the other
day?

623
00:45:47,350 –> 00:45:50,990
He says present your bodies a
living sacrifice.

624
00:45:51,190 –> 00:45:53,310
And he puts his finger right on
the key.

625
00:45:53,510 –> 00:45:56,470
If we want to transform our
minds in our lives to be like

626
00:45:56,470 –> 00:46:00,830
Christ, we have to do what he
did, be a living sacrifice of

627
00:46:00,830 –> 00:46:06,350
ourselves daily.
Actually, it’s exactly what

628
00:46:06,350 –> 00:46:07,950
Christ said himself.
Let’s.

629
00:46:08,310 –> 00:46:12,070
Touchdown in the Gospels, in
Matthew’s Gospel in chapter 16,

630
00:46:12,110 –> 00:46:15,670
and just consider what our Lord
said to Peter

631
00:46:31,680 –> 00:46:34,440
Matthew chapter 16.
And let’s just read a few verses

632
00:46:34,440 –> 00:46:40,120
beginning from verse 21.
From that time forth began Jesus

633
00:46:40,120 –> 00:46:45,040
to show unto his disciples how
he must go unto Jerusalem and

634
00:46:45,040 –> 00:46:47,740
suffer.
Many things of the elders and

635
00:46:47,740 –> 00:46:52,900
chief priests and scribes, and
be killed, and be raised again

636
00:46:52,900 –> 00:46:57,060
the 3rd day.
Then Peter took him and began to

637
00:46:57,060 –> 00:47:01,100
rebuke him, saying, Be it far
from thee, Lord, this shall not

638
00:47:01,100 –> 00:47:05,020
be unto thee.
But he turned and said unto

639
00:47:05,020 –> 00:47:12,980
Peter, Get thee behind me,
Satan, thou art an offence unto

640
00:47:12,980 –> 00:47:17,130
me.
For thou savorest not the things

641
00:47:17,130 –> 00:47:20,930
that be of God, but those that
be of men.

642
00:47:22,330 –> 00:47:25,930
Then said Jesus unto his
disciples, If any man will come

643
00:47:25,930 –> 00:47:31,450
after me, let him deny himself,
and take up his cross, and

644
00:47:31,450 –> 00:47:35,650
follow me.
For whosoever will save his life

645
00:47:35,890 –> 00:47:40,010
shall lose it, and whosoever
shall lose his life for my sake

646
00:47:40,210 –> 00:47:43,130
shall find it.
For what is a man profited if he

647
00:47:43,130 –> 00:47:47,650
shall gain the whole world and
lose his own soul?

648
00:47:48,290 –> 00:47:52,290
Well, what shall a man give in
exchange for his soul?

649
00:47:52,330 –> 00:47:55,130
Do you know?
The word savorest?

650
00:47:55,170 –> 00:47:59,530
There in verse 23 literally
means mindest.

651
00:48:00,090 –> 00:48:03,090
Young’s literal translation puts
it this way.

652
00:48:03,250 –> 00:48:07,010
That does not mind.
The things of God, it’s so

653
00:48:07,010 –> 00:48:11,170
clear, we’re either minding the
things of God or of men of

654
00:48:11,170 –> 00:48:17,050
ourselves self here Peter was
frustrating the purpose of

655
00:48:17,050 –> 00:48:19,850
Christ’s mind to go through with
the cross.

656
00:48:20,890 –> 00:48:23,170
Christ was determined to put
self to death.

657
00:48:23,330 –> 00:48:26,970
And Peter was saying no, no, no,
no, no, no, you don’t have to do

658
00:48:26,970 –> 00:48:31,490
that.
But putting self to death was an

659
00:48:31,490 –> 00:48:34,570
immutable principle of Christ’s
mind.

660
00:48:36,410 –> 00:48:42,050
Peter was going to be taken on
that journey by his Lord as his

661
00:48:42,050 –> 00:48:47,970
master relentlessly impressed
upon his good friend’s mind the

662
00:48:48,130 –> 00:48:50,730
unchangeability of this
principle.

663
00:48:50,810 –> 00:48:54,650
Death to self.
Do you know in Luke 22, in the

664
00:48:54,650 –> 00:48:59,530
upper room, Peter was going to
loudly proclaim I’m ready to die

665
00:48:59,530 –> 00:49:04,250
with you, Lord, only for Christ
to declare.

666
00:49:04,700 –> 00:49:09,300
But not not only would he not
die for him, but he would run

667
00:49:09,300 –> 00:49:14,980
away and fail miserably three
times in one night in the garden

668
00:49:15,020 –> 00:49:17,900
just hours later it was Peter
who drew out his sword in

669
00:49:17,900 –> 00:49:23,060
self-defense, only for Christ to
gently put it back in the

670
00:49:23,060 –> 00:49:28,460
scabbard with a reproving look
and heal the man’s ear.

671
00:49:28,700 –> 00:49:32,260
Peter, we’re not here for
self-defense.

672
00:49:33,590 –> 00:49:37,590
Be here to put self to death in
the courtyard.

673
00:49:37,710 –> 00:49:40,910
Peter was going to save his own
skin before admitting he knew

674
00:49:40,950 –> 00:49:44,550
anything about the Galilean
preacher, only for Christ to

675
00:49:44,550 –> 00:49:48,670
give him a look that would haunt
his dreams for the rest of his

676
00:49:48,670 –> 00:49:53,190
life as he willingly went to his
own death.

677
00:49:53,390 –> 00:49:58,110
Oh yes, Peter, he would learn
this letter, this lesson by and

678
00:49:58,110 –> 00:50:01,110
by and by his own death, his own
death.

679
00:50:01,710 –> 00:50:07,380
Glorify God.
And so verse 24 is going to be

680
00:50:07,380 –> 00:50:11,540
Christ’s answer to Peter.
Deny self.

681
00:50:12,540 –> 00:50:15,500
Take up the cross.
Take up the cross.

682
00:50:16,380 –> 00:50:20,620
This is language of crucifixion.
It’s not just a metaphor.

683
00:50:20,980 –> 00:50:24,260
Like a nice way of speaking.
Christ knew.

684
00:50:24,590 –> 00:50:27,750
He knew he would die by
crucifixion because later on,

685
00:50:27,750 –> 00:50:30,990
just a few chapters later in
chapter 20 and verse 19, he

686
00:50:30,990 –> 00:50:35,110
makes that abundantly clear.
This was not just a metaphor or

687
00:50:35,110 –> 00:50:38,310
manner of speaking.
Taking up the cross meant one

688
00:50:38,310 –> 00:50:42,470
thing in the mind of Christ,
Death, Death.

689
00:50:43,070 –> 00:50:50,270
Luke 9 verse 23 adds, as we
know, take up the cross daily to

690
00:50:50,270 –> 00:50:54,180
the point verse 25.
Where we lose our life.

691
00:50:54,740 –> 00:50:58,140
See the point?
Now it’s clear that there are

692
00:50:58,140 –> 00:51:03,260
two parts to these instructions
by Christ in verse 24.

693
00:51:03,260 –> 00:51:08,020
And this is like a well, kind of
like a chiasmus ABBA.

694
00:51:08,140 –> 00:51:11,780
Firstly, we have those things
that are negative.

695
00:51:12,220 –> 00:51:15,460
Put off the old man.
It’s the things in the middle.

696
00:51:15,460 –> 00:51:20,060
Deny himself, take up his cross.
That’s death to self.

697
00:51:20,810 –> 00:51:24,130
And secondarily, on the outside,
we have what’s positive.

698
00:51:24,130 –> 00:51:28,410
Put on the Newman come after me,
follow me, Life to Christ.

699
00:51:28,570 –> 00:51:32,450
And clearly both are necessary.
We’ll talk about this a little

700
00:51:32,450 –> 00:51:38,130
more later in our last study.
But it is also powerfully true

701
00:51:39,170 –> 00:51:46,450
that we cannot truly follow if
we’re not holding a cross, if we

702
00:51:46,450 –> 00:51:49,890
wish to be a disciple.
Death to self is not.

703
00:51:50,500 –> 00:51:53,580
An optional step.
It’s not something that’s just

704
00:51:54,020 –> 00:51:57,620
advisable.
It’s not something we’re not at

705
00:51:57,620 –> 00:52:00,260
liberty to choose.
This step or not putting

706
00:52:00,260 –> 00:52:04,420
ourselves to death is an
immutable principle of having

707
00:52:04,420 –> 00:52:07,260
His mind.
It’s at the very core of who we

708
00:52:07,260 –> 00:52:13,580
are as followers of Him.
We are His disciples only if we

709
00:52:13,580 –> 00:52:19,140
carry crosses on which we have
crucified ourselves.

710
00:52:20,870 –> 00:52:27,390
And what he did in crucifixion,
In fact, we his followers do in

711
00:52:27,390 –> 00:52:30,070
principle.
Do you know when Paul came to

712
00:52:30,070 –> 00:52:34,390
Corinth in first of Corinthians
2IN verse two he said, I’m

713
00:52:34,390 –> 00:52:41,710
determined to know nothing among
you save Jesus Christ and him

714
00:52:42,030 –> 00:52:46,190
crucified.
It was the essence of everything

715
00:52:46,630 –> 00:52:50,850
putting self to death.
This central principle is at the

716
00:52:50,850 –> 00:52:55,370
very heart, the core, the center
of what we describe as the mind

717
00:52:55,370 –> 00:52:58,850
of Christ.
It’s the key to discipleship,

718
00:52:59,370 –> 00:53:03,970
happiness, freedom.
It’s God’s way to freedom from

719
00:53:03,970 –> 00:53:07,610
ourselves, death to self.
This is how Brother Dennis

720
00:53:07,770 –> 00:53:13,170
Gillett puts it in his book,
just on the second page of

721
00:53:13,290 –> 00:53:21,080
Genius of Discipleship.
A central thing is the denial of

722
00:53:21,080 –> 00:53:25,560
self.
It is utterly radical.

723
00:53:26,560 –> 00:53:29,320
Denial of self is the inward
thing.

724
00:53:30,440 –> 00:53:35,240
Taking up the cross daily is an
external manifestation of the

725
00:53:35,400 –> 00:53:40,320
inward condition.
To talk of it is not to realize

726
00:53:40,320 –> 00:53:42,800
it.
To write about it is not to

727
00:53:42,800 –> 00:53:45,520
achieve it.
The use of the word daily

728
00:53:45,800 –> 00:53:49,120
emphasizes that it is not just a
theory, but something that is

729
00:53:49,120 –> 00:53:53,920
real and practical.
In practice it means giving

730
00:53:54,000 –> 00:53:59,240
unhindered access to the master
into every chamber and

731
00:53:59,240 –> 00:54:02,400
especially into every dark
corner.

732
00:54:04,360 –> 00:54:07,920
To think of that possibility
might make some of us feel

733
00:54:07,920 –> 00:54:17,070
ashamed, but at the same time.
May do us some good beautiful

734
00:54:17,070 –> 00:54:20,470
words.
We started our class in Romans

735
00:54:20,470 –> 00:54:23,550
chapter 8 and before we conclude
in Philippians, I’d like you

736
00:54:23,550 –> 00:54:27,910
just to come back through Romans
chapter 8 and see how clear this

737
00:54:27,910 –> 00:54:42,480
is now
in Romans chapter 8 in verse 29

738
00:54:42,480 –> 00:54:47,040
we saw, didn’t we, that it was
God’s will to conform us.

739
00:54:47,620 –> 00:54:53,220
Gently but relentlessly into the
shape, the image, the family

740
00:54:53,220 –> 00:54:58,340
likeness, the mind of his Son,
He desperately wants all his

741
00:54:58,340 –> 00:55:01,660
children in the Kingdom.
He wants to give us the mind of

742
00:55:01,660 –> 00:55:05,140
Christ.
And so verse 31 to 39, if we

743
00:55:05,140 –> 00:55:08,220
just paraphrase it together,
what should we say to these

744
00:55:08,220 –> 00:55:11,940
things?
If God’s for us, who will be

745
00:55:11,940 –> 00:55:15,420
against us?
He didn’t even spare his own

746
00:55:15,420 –> 00:55:17,810
Son.
Nobody offered him up.

747
00:55:18,050 –> 00:55:23,410
He’ll freely give us all things.
Who’s going to accuse us?

748
00:55:24,290 –> 00:55:27,810
God that justifies us?
Who’s going to condemn us?

749
00:55:27,930 –> 00:55:30,890
Christ that died?
Yeah, rather that’s risen and

750
00:55:30,890 –> 00:55:34,090
sits at the right hand of God,
the one that makes intercession

751
00:55:34,090 –> 00:55:37,690
for us.
Who will separate us from the

752
00:55:37,690 –> 00:55:41,330
love of Christ.
Not tribulation or distress or

753
00:55:41,450 –> 00:55:44,610
persecution or nakedness or
anything of these outside

754
00:55:44,610 –> 00:55:48,130
circumstances, No.
I’m persuaded, verse 38.

755
00:55:48,370 –> 00:55:51,490
Nothing, neither death, nor
life, nor angels,

756
00:55:51,490 –> 00:55:55,530
principalities, powers, things
present, things to come, high

757
00:55:55,530 –> 00:56:00,090
depth, nor any other creature
shall be able to separate us

758
00:56:00,290 –> 00:56:04,690
from the love of God which is in
Christ Jesus our Lord.

759
00:56:06,210 –> 00:56:12,570
There’s only one thing, one
thing that stands in the way of

760
00:56:12,570 –> 00:56:14,450
God’s purpose with us, brothers
and sisters.

761
00:56:16,700 –> 00:56:20,500
And it’s not another creature.
It’s ourselves.

762
00:56:23,180 –> 00:56:28,460
We need to get rid of ourselves.
The only solution is to put

763
00:56:28,460 –> 00:56:31,700
ourselves to death.
That’s Paul’s plea right here in

764
00:56:31,700 –> 00:56:35,620
Romans chapter 8.
Get yourself out of the way of

765
00:56:35,620 –> 00:56:39,820
God’s transforming power, and he
will do great things in our

766
00:56:39,820 –> 00:56:42,760
lives.
You know, it’s exactly the same

767
00:56:42,880 –> 00:56:45,800
when we that we looked at in our
last session back in Romans

768
00:56:45,800 –> 00:56:48,840
chapter 12.
If we want to be transformed, if

769
00:56:48,840 –> 00:56:51,800
we want to have our minds
renewed, then the very next

770
00:56:51,800 –> 00:56:55,040
verse in Romans 12 says don’t
think of yourself more highly

771
00:56:55,040 –> 00:57:03,120
than you ought to think, Get
ourselves out of God’s way, you

772
00:57:03,120 –> 00:57:06,640
know, This is a wonderful quote
from Brother John Marshall in

773
00:57:06,640 –> 00:57:10,790
his book Portrait of the Saint.
There is always the danger that

774
00:57:11,030 –> 00:57:16,790
our ego, the eye, the self in
each of us will continue to

775
00:57:16,790 –> 00:57:22,150
assert itself and so frustrate
our spiritual purposes as to

776
00:57:22,150 –> 00:57:27,430
destroy our hope of life
everlasting.

777
00:57:29,430 –> 00:57:32,630
Whilst it’s true, brothers and
sisters, that we need to put off

778
00:57:32,870 –> 00:57:37,350
the old man and we need to be
clothed with the Newman.

779
00:57:38,250 –> 00:57:41,250
You know what the reality is for
us?

780
00:57:41,810 –> 00:57:48,650
The reality is that our part is
just simply to put the old man

781
00:57:48,850 –> 00:57:52,610
to death.
The new man in us, the mind of

782
00:57:52,610 –> 00:57:56,850
Christ, is God’s work.
He creates that in us.

783
00:57:56,850 –> 00:58:00,890
We become a new creature in him.
It’s like the Caterpillar that

784
00:58:00,890 –> 00:58:06,450
we looked at on Sunday.
Our job is just to eat, eat,

785
00:58:07,210 –> 00:58:09,460
eat.
And then we hang upside down.

786
00:58:09,460 –> 00:58:14,540
We put ourselves to death, and
God changes us into a butterfly.

787
00:58:15,060 –> 00:58:20,420
He creates something new in us.
We are transformed by His power,

788
00:58:20,620 –> 00:58:25,180
not our own.
Our job is just to put ourselves

789
00:58:25,180 –> 00:58:30,140
to death, get ourselves out of
the way so that Christ can be

790
00:58:30,140 –> 00:58:33,740
formed in us.
And if we asked ourselves

791
00:58:33,740 –> 00:58:37,500
honestly, honestly, what will
stop us?

792
00:58:38,040 –> 00:58:40,160
From developing the mind of
Christ?

793
00:58:41,400 –> 00:58:43,800
What’s going to hinder our
spiritual progress?

794
00:58:44,440 –> 00:58:48,280
What’s going to prevent us from
getting into God’s Kingdom?

795
00:58:49,600 –> 00:58:55,960
The answer is not a lack of love
or mercy or willingness to

796
00:58:55,960 –> 00:59:01,400
transform from God.
The answer is not a lack of

797
00:59:01,400 –> 00:59:04,160
empathy or compassion or
intercession from Christ.

798
00:59:04,280 –> 00:59:06,530
It’s us.
It’s ourselves.

799
00:59:06,530 –> 00:59:09,930
We are the problem, not the
solution.

800
00:59:09,930 –> 00:59:14,570
If we want transformation, if we
want life and peace, we need to

801
00:59:14,570 –> 00:59:18,810
get ourselves out of the way,
put ourselves to death.

802
00:59:19,410 –> 00:59:21,410
And do you know what the ironic
thing is?

803
00:59:22,330 –> 00:59:27,930
The irony of it is, is that if
we put ourselves to death, we

804
00:59:27,930 –> 00:59:32,970
are actually only doing what
God.

805
00:59:33,530 –> 00:59:38,930
Has determined to ultimately do
to our carnal minds anyway.

806
00:59:40,090 –> 00:59:41,490
We’re not doing anything
special.

807
00:59:42,290 –> 00:59:46,050
God was already going to destroy
the carnal mind in us.

808
00:59:46,970 –> 00:59:50,730
That’s his promise.
We’re not doing anything special

809
00:59:50,730 –> 00:59:55,530
of ourselves.
We’re just being asked to put

810
00:59:55,530 –> 00:59:59,530
ourselves to death.
You know, It’s beautifully

811
00:59:59,530 –> 01:00:02,740
summarized actually, in.
Chapter 8 of Romans and verse

812
01:00:02,740 –> 01:00:06,340
13.
For if ye live after the flesh,

813
01:00:06,340 –> 01:00:11,260
ye shall die, but if ye through
the Spirit, do mortify the deeds

814
01:00:11,260 –> 01:00:15,900
of the body, put to death the
deeds of the body, ye shall

815
01:00:15,900 –> 01:00:21,140
live.
So simple lucky to come.

816
01:00:21,140 –> 01:00:24,380
In conclusion to our reading in
Philippines 2 where Paul is

817
01:00:24,380 –> 01:00:29,100
going to lay this out in
unblinking clarity.

818
01:00:34,170 –> 01:00:38,130
If it wasn’t clear before what
the central defining

819
01:00:38,130 –> 01:00:42,490
characteristic of the mind of
Christ was, this really, I

820
01:00:42,490 –> 01:00:45,450
suppose, is the quintessential
section in the New Testament

821
01:00:45,450 –> 01:00:48,250
about the mind of Christ.
And see how wonderfully simple

822
01:00:48,610 –> 01:00:52,290
and consistent these things are
with what we’ve already seen

823
01:00:52,290 –> 01:00:55,730
this evening.
Philippians Chapter 2 and verse

824
01:00:55,730 –> 01:00:59,190
one.
If there be there for any

825
01:00:59,190 –> 01:01:04,070
consolation in Christ, if any
comfort of love, if any

826
01:01:04,070 –> 01:01:08,510
fellowship of the Spirit, if any
bells and mercies, fulfill ye my

827
01:01:08,510 –> 01:01:14,110
joy, that ye be like minded
having the same love, being of 1

828
01:01:14,110 –> 01:01:20,230
accord of 1 mind, let nothing be
done through strife or vain

829
01:01:20,230 –> 01:01:27,070
glory, but in lowliness of mind
let each esteem other.

830
01:01:27,680 –> 01:01:32,960
Better than themselves.
Look, not every man on his own

831
01:01:32,960 –> 01:01:36,160
things, but every man also on
the things of others.

832
01:01:36,320 –> 01:01:41,560
Let this mind be in you, which
was also in Christ Jesus.

833
01:01:42,760 –> 01:01:47,000
And if we were to ask ourselves
what mind the answer is, well,

834
01:01:47,000 –> 01:01:49,400
it’s the mind at the end of
verse 3.

835
01:01:49,560 –> 01:01:55,760
It’s a mind that esteems other
better than ourselves.

836
01:01:56,540 –> 01:02:00,420
Now you might not know this, but
the word better in verse three

837
01:02:00,500 –> 01:02:04,620
actually is a very interesting
word and it actually means hyper

838
01:02:05,140 –> 01:02:08,420
better.
In fact, it’s used three times

839
01:02:08,500 –> 01:02:12,700
in Philippians.
It’s translated in chapter 3 and

840
01:02:12,700 –> 01:02:18,540
verse eight as Excellency, and
it’s translated in chapter 4 and

841
01:02:18,540 –> 01:02:23,970
verse seven as passive.
All understanding, it has the

842
01:02:23,970 –> 01:02:28,850
idea of beyond value.
This is the key When we esteem

843
01:02:28,850 –> 01:02:32,530
everybody else better than
ourselves, it’s not just a shade

844
01:02:32,530 –> 01:02:36,330
better.
It’s not just a touch better.

845
01:02:38,130 –> 01:02:41,210
It’s not just a smidgen better
than ourselves.

846
01:02:41,650 –> 01:02:45,250
It’s passing all excellence for
value.

847
01:02:45,250 –> 01:02:48,810
This is a complete change of
mindset.

848
01:02:50,120 –> 01:02:51,320
Do you know why, brothers and
sisters?

849
01:02:51,520 –> 01:02:58,040
Because if we have put ourselves
to death, there is not a single

850
01:02:58,040 –> 01:03:06,840
person who’s alive who’s not of
infinitely more value because

851
01:03:06,840 –> 01:03:11,880
we’re dead and they’re alive.
See Paul’s point?

852
01:03:14,080 –> 01:03:18,040
This is a complete change of
mindset.

853
01:03:19,660 –> 01:03:24,300
Now, you might think that verse
5 is an impossibility.

854
01:03:25,420 –> 01:03:31,740
I mean, how could Christ
honestly think that others were

855
01:03:32,140 –> 01:03:35,860
better than himself when, well,
he knew the truth about men?

856
01:03:35,860 –> 01:03:40,140
He knew what was in men.
How could Christ think, honestly

857
01:03:40,140 –> 01:03:41,780
that other people were better
than himself?

858
01:03:41,780 –> 01:03:45,260
Did he just have to pretend that
others were better than himself?

859
01:03:45,860 –> 01:03:51,370
How was this mind in Christ?
And the answer is that the Greek

860
01:03:51,370 –> 01:03:57,010
word for mind is the word
fronio, and it means thinking.

861
01:03:58,010 –> 01:04:02,530
But the diaglot translates it as
disposition.

862
01:04:03,530 –> 01:04:07,050
Disposition.
It’s an attitude.

863
01:04:08,210 –> 01:04:14,690
It’s an A disposition that
implies a choice, and Christ

864
01:04:14,690 –> 01:04:17,950
chose.
To think a certain way, look at

865
01:04:17,950 –> 01:04:19,670
all the words that speak of
choice.

866
01:04:19,870 –> 01:04:24,670
He made himself of no
reputation.

867
01:04:24,990 –> 01:04:28,950
He took upon himself the form of
a servant.

868
01:04:28,990 –> 01:04:33,830
He humbled himself.
He became obedient.

869
01:04:33,830 –> 01:04:37,430
It was all his choice.
He volunteered to have this

870
01:04:37,430 –> 01:04:40,670
mind.
He chose to have this

871
01:04:40,670 –> 01:04:44,670
disposition, Despite his
greatness he chose.

872
01:04:45,090 –> 01:04:49,770
To think like this verse seven
He made himself of no

873
01:04:49,770 –> 01:04:54,570
reputation, and took upon him
the form of a servant was made

874
01:04:54,570 –> 01:04:57,690
in the likeness of men, and
being found in fashion as a man,

875
01:04:57,850 –> 01:05:03,290
he humbled himself, became
obedient unto death, even the

876
01:05:03,290 –> 01:05:08,010
death of the cross.
He made himself of no

877
01:05:08,010 –> 01:05:10,690
reputation.
Do you know literally those

878
01:05:10,690 –> 01:05:17,120
words mean he emptied himself.
He voluntarily stripped himself

879
01:05:17,520 –> 01:05:21,720
of self importance.
Do you know Isaiah puts it this

880
01:05:21,720 –> 01:05:24,600
way?
He poured out his soul.

881
01:05:25,440 –> 01:05:30,480
He emptied his soul unto death.
Isaiah 53 and verse 12.

882
01:05:30,760 –> 01:05:35,680
This was his disposition, his
unique attitude in the history

883
01:05:35,680 –> 01:05:39,000
of the world, filled with
billions of people obsessed

884
01:05:39,000 –> 01:05:43,920
about themselves.
And he emptied himself of self.

885
01:05:44,790 –> 01:05:51,470
He put himself to death, and
Philippians chapter 2 is going

886
01:05:51,470 –> 01:05:57,390
to outline the deepening levels
of Christ’s humility.

887
01:05:58,790 –> 01:06:05,510
He could have enjoyed a divine
status above every other human

888
01:06:05,510 –> 01:06:11,510
being because he was God’s son.
Verse 6 But he acknowledged.

889
01:06:12,240 –> 01:06:18,960
That his humanity made him just
like every other man.

890
01:06:19,080 –> 01:06:23,800
Verse 7.
But he chose to volunteer to be

891
01:06:23,800 –> 01:06:31,720
not just like every other man,
but the bond slave of everyone.

892
01:06:31,720 –> 01:06:36,520
Verse 7 And more than that, he
humbled himself further, not

893
01:06:36,520 –> 01:06:41,000
just to be lower than everybody
else, but to.

894
01:06:41,460 –> 01:06:48,180
Die for them, verse 8.
But not to Not just to die.

895
01:06:48,300 –> 01:06:49,940
It was not to be an honorable
death.

896
01:06:50,140 –> 01:06:54,980
The death of a hero, a legend, a
martyr with a grand monument to

897
01:06:55,060 –> 01:06:58,140
honor his great deeds.
This man volunteered to die.

898
01:06:58,140 –> 01:07:03,540
The death of an abject criminal
outside the rubbish dump of

899
01:07:03,540 –> 01:07:09,700
Jerusalem.
Rejected, Despised, Lonely.

900
01:07:10,690 –> 01:07:21,330
Abandoned, ridiculed, spat on.
Let that mind be in.

901
01:07:21,330 –> 01:07:27,090
You see the point here is a man
who willingly put himself to

902
01:07:27,090 –> 01:07:34,650
death in the most humiliating,
embarrassing, painful way, so

903
01:07:34,650 –> 01:07:39,130
that everyone coming after could
be an absolutely no doubt.

904
01:07:39,560 –> 01:07:43,520
As to what was deserving to self
and the only way he could go

905
01:07:43,520 –> 01:07:49,400
through with such a humiliating
experience is because self was

906
01:07:49,440 –> 01:07:54,000
already dead.
So Philippians chapter 2 is very

907
01:07:54,000 –> 01:07:56,640
clear.
The mind of Christ is

908
01:07:56,640 –> 01:08:01,960
characterized by a lifelong
journey in which we slowly

909
01:08:01,960 –> 01:08:06,480
progress in our thinking.
We esteem others better than

910
01:08:06,480 –> 01:08:07,800
ourselves.
Verse 3.

911
01:08:09,670 –> 01:08:15,030
To the point that we don’t even
look to our own interests

912
01:08:15,230 –> 01:08:22,550
anymore, verse 4.
To the point that we abandon our

913
01:08:22,670 –> 01:08:26,910
own reputation and importance.
Verse 7.

914
01:08:28,109 –> 01:08:33,189
To the point that we volunteer
to become the slaves of

915
01:08:33,229 –> 01:08:40,670
everybody else, Verse 7.
To the point that we put

916
01:08:40,670 –> 01:08:45,750
ourselves to death in order to
help others.

917
01:08:46,310 –> 01:08:50,590
This is the essence of having
His mind in us.

918
01:08:50,790 –> 01:08:53,710
This is being conformed to His
image.

919
01:08:53,870 –> 01:08:55,950
This is following in his
footsteps.

920
01:08:56,270 –> 01:08:58,990
This is the great calling of
discipleship.

921
01:08:58,990 –> 01:09:03,990
This is the secret to the truth
being prepared to be conformed

922
01:09:04,670 –> 01:09:10,000
to his example of death to self.
This is the glorious liberty,

923
01:09:10,200 –> 01:09:13,279
the immense freedom of the mind
of Christ.

924
01:09:13,279 –> 01:09:17,200
Have you ever asked yourself or
wondered, how could he

925
01:09:17,200 –> 01:09:23,200
concentrate enough to do just
his father’s will and never once

926
01:09:23,640 –> 01:09:27,200
rebel?
How could he go without sleep

927
01:09:27,200 –> 01:09:31,560
for an entire night in prayer
and didn’t carry on the next day

928
01:09:31,600 –> 01:09:34,920
without being grumpy or easily
irritated?

929
01:09:36,090 –> 01:09:39,770
How could he just keep giving
and giving and giving to the

930
01:09:39,770 –> 01:09:43,529
crowds, endlessly teaching,
healing the sick?

931
01:09:45,290 –> 01:09:48,330
Well, he’d learned the secret
brothers and sisters of being

932
01:09:48,330 –> 01:09:52,930
dead to himself, of not pleasing
himself.

933
01:09:53,330 –> 01:09:57,730
This is the essential
characteristic of his mind, and

934
01:09:57,730 –> 01:10:04,790
it’s our inevitable destination.
As we submit to God’s mighty

935
01:10:04,790 –> 01:10:09,950
hand, patiently conforming us
all to His image, as hard as it

936
01:10:09,950 –> 01:10:14,070
is brothers and sisters and
young people on our own egos,

937
01:10:15,470 –> 01:10:17,750
this is the standard He is set
for us.

938
01:10:18,430 –> 01:10:23,270
Let this mind be in you that was
in Christ Jesus.

939
01:10:26,150 –> 01:10:28,270
Well, what a fantastic night
tonight.

940
01:10:28,270 –> 01:10:31,470
Thanks Brother Nathan.
Very simple message.

941
01:10:32,050 –> 01:10:37,410
In the end, a a clear change, a
complete change of our mindset.

942
01:10:38,290 –> 01:10:41,250
Lots to think about, lots to
chat about over supper and over

943
01:10:41,250 –> 01:10:45,450
the next few days, over the the
the course of the special effort

944
01:10:46,530 –> 01:10:48,210
and actually by the Nathan just
finished.

945
01:10:48,250 –> 01:10:50,610
As I was thinking during
tonight, what would the world

946
01:10:50,610 –> 01:10:54,530
think if they came in tonight
and listened to this message?

947
01:10:55,690 –> 01:10:56,730
They would think.
They would think.

948
01:10:56,730 –> 01:10:57,970
You’re a bit of a loony, I
think.

949
01:10:58,810 –> 01:11:01,450
Just it’s not it’s not about us.
It’s about everyone else.

950
01:11:01,450 –> 01:11:05,410
And I think that’s the power and
and I guess it’s a simple

951
01:11:05,410 –> 01:11:08,850
message but it’s really hard
sometimes to put into practice.

952
01:11:08,850 –> 01:11:12,170
So completely opposite to what
we get bombarded to out there in

953
01:11:12,170 –> 01:11:14,450
the world.
But it’s a very important

954
01:11:14,450 –> 01:11:18,130
message and of course as we
conclude there how much freedom

955
01:11:18,130 –> 01:11:20,530
that we have in Christ because
of this.