The Christmas Mindset

Hymns

O come all ye faithful

While shepherds watched their flocks by night

Angels from the realms of glory

Angels we have heard on high

The race that long in darkness pined

Once in royal David's city

Silent night

Away in a Manger

Joy to the world

Ere zij God

Scripture

Philippians 2:5-11

⁵ Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, ⁶ who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, ⁷ but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. ⁸ And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. ⁹ Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, ¹⁰ so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, ¹¹ and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Sermon Notes

What attitude should mark the person of Christ in light of his coming?

Phillipians also called the letter of joy as mostly the letter is one of commendation.

How you think changes the way you live.

The mindset we should have
1. The mind of Christ in us
    - Christ is the pattern for how we should live if we believe in him
    - this mindset is in us already if we believe in him.
    - joined together
 So
1. Equality with God does not need to be grasped ....he didn't clutch his Godness to himself.
2. Made himself nothing...a human, a fallen type human,
Not a glorious before the fall human, but a human with the weaknesses brought about by the fall.  But he lived without sin.  A weak body, not a well heart or mind.
3. Became a servant.  We are called to have this same mindset as well.   To be a servant, not seeking after prestige, serving those around us.
4. So obedient he would die.   Obeyed his father in all things.
5. That death would be in grievous manner.  Obedient to the point so what needed to be done would be done.

We need the mindset to seek the good of others.  To make their good a priority.

Sin made us self centered.  This passage reminds us that this is not the way God intends us to be.  His focus is on helping us see the need to care for others first.

Remember this fact: death is punishment for sin.
Yet Jesus died. The sinless one.
His death was the direct result of his obedience.
He took something he didn't deserve.
Taking death on the cross,  in his obedience,  doing what needs to be done,  to save people from their sin.

So have this mind in you.  The mindset of Christ.   Be changed by having a mind of obedience.   His mind is in you, live it out.