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#186.
186 Jesus of thee, we never retire the new and living food.
And satisfy our heart's desire. Life is in thy blood 186.
Uh, indicating a lot of everything. So I don't know. That's why I'm doing good.
And so I may go on a hot birthday since I'm good at it and we're good night over there.
OK, the.
Hell, where I'm doing it on the Earth airplane, I think the Christmas is all over the world.
May I suggest a very familiar chapter, but one speaking for myself, I think that I need Philippians chapter 2.
It seems to fit with that hymn that our brother gave out to and references already been made to it in the open meeting.
Uh, what would my brethren think about that?
Sounds good, brother.
Thank you Linds. Chapter 2.
If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies fulfill ye my joy, that ye that ye be like minded, having the same love, being of 1 accord of one mind. Let nothing be done through strife or Vainglory, but in lowliness of mind. But each esteemed others better than themselves.
Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. But this mind being you, which was also in Christ Jesus, who being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God, but made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men. And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.
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Wherefore God also has highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow.
Of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth. And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in My presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure.
Do all things without murmuring, murmurings, and defeating.
That you may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as light in the world, holding forth the word of life. That am I rejoice in the day of Christ, That I have not run in vain, neither labored in vain.
Gay. And if I be offered upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I joy and rejoice with you all. But the same calls also de joy and rejoice with me. But I trust in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy shortly unto you, that I also may be of good comfort when I know your state. For I have no man like minded who will naturally care for your state. For all seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ.
But ye know the proof of him that as a as a son with the Father, he has served with me in the Gospel. Him, therefore, I hope to send presently, so soon as I shall see how it will go with me. But I trust in the Lord that I also myself shall come shortly. Yeah, I suppose that necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother, companion in labor and fellow soldier, but your messenger.
And he that ministered to my wants.
For he longed after you all, and was full of heaviness, because that ye have heard that he had been sick. For indeed he was sick nigh unto death. But God had mercy on him, and not only him only, but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow. I sent him therefore the more carefully, that when ye shall see him, ye may rejoice, and that I may be the less sorrowful. Receive him therefore in the Lord with all gladness, and hold such and reputation.
Because for the work of Christ He was nigh unto death, not regarding his own life. To supply your lack of service toward me.
We might make a few remarks just by way of introduction.
And of course, this will be going over familiar ground with many here.
But we know that Philippians is the wilderness book of the New Testament, and we also know that it does not, on the one hand, give us any particular new doctrine. Nor was there any serious problem in the Philippian assembly other than the fact that there were some that didn't get along with one another. And I don't mean that that isn't serious, but it didn't in that same sense involve the entire assembly.
So as someone else has put it, the book of Philippians gives us normal Christian experience.
And of course, normal Christian experience involves having Christ brought before us, and so we get Christ brought before us in a little different way in each chapter.
As our life in chapter one, as our pattern or example in chapter 2, as our object in chapter 3, and as our strength in chapter 4. And so here in the second chapter, it's Christ as our pattern or our example.
As someone has said and I, I can't improve on the language, he said. It is the graciousness of the Christian life, in contrast to chapter 3, which is the energy of the Christian life.
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Chapter 2 brings before us more the example of Christ in His perfect manhood.
Chapter 3 gives us a risen Christ in glory as an object.
And so in every way Christ is ministered to us here, but especially in this second chapter, we have him as our pattern or our example for our wilderness pathway in the world where we still are until He comes.
We often read this scripture and should at the breaking of bread and remembering the Lord, but if it's looking at the context of brother Bill said here is Christ as our example and.
Infection, it's almost all of them that they could take of many, many others that would be worship meeting. They present Christ, first of all, is the object of our faith and we rest in his work for a piece of God. But then second, he is the object of our adoration, worship. And finally, of course, it's a hard example that were to follow here and to put this into our lives. And, uh, again, I just invite you sometime to think of all the other scriptures commonly read as the breaking of bread and almost all of them.
She had us utilized him as our Atlanta.
Well, that's very good, Martin, because as you say, we do often read this from verses 5 down to the end of verse 10 or verse 11 at the breaking of bread. And that's most appropriate. Very, very good. But as you say, in the context in which it's given here.
It really is an example for us and so we need to look at it that way and remember that.
We're it's anticipating, of course, we're going ahead, but the atoning sufferings are not brought into the picture here because we could not follow the Lord in that. But it says the death of the cross and there are many believers that have suffered martyrdom for Christ.
Many who have suffered cruel deaths in going all the way down in rejection in this world. So the atoning sufferings are not really in view here, although of course there's nothing wrong with looking at it in that way when we read the scriptures at the remembrance of the Lord.
But what's important to notice here, and it's the same in the third chapter, is that before the apostle launches into, as we might say, before, excuse me, before he launches into.
The Lord Jesus is our example. He discusses the hindrances to our being, examples of what He was. And so in this chapter, in the 1St 3 verses we get things that we have to look out for in our practical lives in order that we might be an example of Christ, just as in the third chapter.
We get things mentioned in the first few verses that are hindrances to our having Christ as our object as a risen Christ in glory. And so here in the 1St 3 verses we have things that hinder us don't we?
The Apostle Paul had received what we would commonly call fellowship, monetary fellowship, in his work for the Lord, and he greatly appreciated it. Philippi wasn't a wealthy assembly, it was relatively poor, but they were one of those who specifically and more than once had fallen mind and really wanted to help with his needs.
And Paul received it from them, no doubt by the hand of Aphroditus, who's mentioned later in this chapter. But then he says, as it were, if you really want me to be truly happy, if you really want me to have comfort of love and fellowship of the spirit.
Here's something else that I really would like to see. And then he says.
That ye be like minded, having the same love being of 1 accord of one mind.
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Little things like that that started out could spoil the piece of an assembly. And he says if you you enjoyed the fact that they thought of him and sent him fellowship, but.
Oh, how it just.
Overwhelmed his heart. To think that there were those in that assembly who weren't getting along with one another and whose seeds of dissension and strife could easily spread to others. Says If you really want me to completely to be completely happy.
That's what I'd like to see.
In the first chapter of First Corinthians there is a admonition given likewise.
Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing. Let there be no divisions among you, but that there that ye be, perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.
Well, we know that there was strike that came in, in Corinth and so these early admonitions were needed and it's, it's nice to see, go back to 2nd Kings chapter 2 and see, uh, Elijah and Elijah in perfect communion. We'll just highlight a few verses and second things chapter 2.
Verse six. And Elijah said unto him, Carry, I pray thee here, for the Lord hath sent me to Jordan instead, as the Lord liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. And they too went on.
And then at the end of verse seven, there is another expression.
They, too, stood by Jordan.
And the verse 8 so that they too went over on dry ground. And finally in verse 11. And it came to pass as they still went on and thought well.
It's good to see that there was.
A good End 11:30 They still went on in communion one with another. And what a wonderful thing it is when at the end of one's Christian pathway we're still going on in fellowship with our brethren and with the Lord.
Hmm.
This argument continues from verse 25 of the first chapter where it says, having this confidence, I know that I shall abide and continue with you all for your furtherance and joy of faith, that you rejoicing may be more abunning Christ Jesus for me by my coming to you again. And so they were very encouraged at this thought that he would come again. And they, uh, I really love the apostle. That's what you're referring to and that's what he takes up in verse one. He answers that that was their comfort of love, fellowship of the Spirit, bowels of mercies, and so on towards him.
They expressed it very much, but when it came to one another, it was a different matter. And that's what he went on to say in chapter one, verse 27. Only let your conversation or manner of life be as if he comes the gospel of Christ, that whether I come and see you or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that you stand fast in one spirit with one mind, striving together for the faith of the gospel. This they weren't doing, and that's what he's taking up in these verses.
And it's such a good lesson for us too, because it is very easy to do that, isn't it? It's easy to love brethren from afar with those that we spend time with every week in the local assemblies. Well, that's a different matter, isn't it? And sometimes we struggle perhaps to see the same degree of Christ in them. Well, it's necessary that we should go on and see the mind of Christ so that we can do that.
The question, of course, comes to mind, and it's one that we sometimes face. What do we do if we're not of one mind?
And that happens. How do we handle that? And I'm not talking about something we'll say in natural things where perhaps there can be a difference of thought or a difference of opinion, but perhaps even in the Lord's things we find ourselves not totally of one mind on something. How do we deal with that?
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You're looking at me, Bruce. What would you say? I'm just listening.
Well, I'm asking a question.
It isn't a whole answer, but I, I I believe we see part of an answer in the next chapter and it's always been a comfort to my own soul.
Now, of course, we're not talking about something that touches vital doctrine concerning the person and work of Christ. If there were someone who was wrong on that, we would have to stand very firm. And there can be occasions when we would have to refuse the fellowship of another believer if he or she were willfully going on with something that seriously dishonored our blessed Lord. But in.
Verse.
15 of chapter 3 it says.
Let us therefore as many as be perfect, or the thought there is full grown mature.
Be thus mind, and if in anything ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you. Nevertheless, whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us mine the same thing.
Paul recognized that every believer didn't mature at the same rate, and some perhaps would be more mature, more, uh, understanding of the Christian faith and the principles of it than others. That is normal in the House of God and in the body of Christ. But it need not stop the fellowship that we enjoy with one another, as it says here.
Whereunto we have already attained.
And so if in anything ye be otherwise minded, God that says shall reveal even this unto you. So that at least is a partial answer to the question I suggest. But maybe others have a thought on it. But to say I asked the question expecting an answer, so I didn't mean to answer it myself. But that's one verse that has been a help to me.
There are sometimes differences that come up over a subject that perhaps is not a vital subject. No, Mr. Garvey and Mr. Bella had differences in terms of their view of baptism and there was one occasion when there was a sister, knowing that they both held different views, tried to get them going on the matter.
She wanted to see how they would respond.
So she put a question and I don't remember the answer.
Knowing that the other brother had a different view of the situation, I think she went to Mr. Darby 1St and said, uh, brother Darby, what do you hold on baptism?
And I said, I love my brother Bellitt very much and I would rather not answer that on this occasion. And then she turned to brother Bella and said, well brother Bella, what do you hold on baptism? And he said my tongue so.
Here there was a controversy that was avoided, and would not have been a very profitable controversy or discussion, and both of these brethren had the discernment not to carry it any further.
They love their brethren more than they love being right.
I suppose that's the spirit that is put before us in this beginning part of the chapter. You know, a, a, a brother noted for his knowledge of the scriptures, said ignorance is our common lot. And every time we learn something, it's just a further proof of our ignorance because we didn't know it before. And so with that in mind, we, we press on. It's, it's not, uh, something necessarily to be ashamed of that we don't have light on a certain subject.
But what we do have, we should have from the Lord and uh, and so, so we have solid material that we've learned from himself. And in those things we have fellowship with one another. And, you know, starting out my work life with, uh, with my hands in the building trades, you know, it was something didn't quite fit right. And the tendency is, uh, one of my bosses used to say, don't force it. Get a bigger hammer.
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And, uh, and that was, you know, meant to be a joke. I think it, but, uh, it's not the way to do it. Uh, the answer is don't force it. And we just wait on the Lord. And in due time, I, I have never had in my Christian life a sincere desire to understand a particular thing where if I didn't wait on the Lord, in due time, the Lord came in and gave me light on that subject that.
Circumstance.
General wait on the Lord and we'll have what we have will be from the Lord and we won't get into these Pickles with with our brethren.
That's interesting here is that the example that's given to us is of the Lord.
Who was right all the time?
And perfect.
It's bad enough that we don't back down when we might be wrong, uh.
You can back down if you're right and it's, uh, there's nothing wrong with doing that.
I think that's what we're told in this chapter. You might be right. There's nothing wrong with backing down. It doesn't mean that you're compromising and you don't have to agree.
But as has been said, you don't have to push forward either. Umm.
That's what's always difficult. It's hard when you really are sure that you're right.
To back down. But isn't that what we're being told here in this chapter? This was the Lord. He was equal with God.
Nothing wrong with him.
This is in basic Christianity you have.
Self denial, self sacrifice, and self judgment.
The first two we have the Lord as an example.
And he denied himself.
And he sacrificed himself. Why? Because there was something wrong there that he deny himself? Because there was something wrong? Of course not. So self denial has nothing to do with whether you're right or wrong.
Uh, as has been said.
Put the Lord, and put our brethren above.
Pressing our point and making sure that we people agree or acknowledge that we're right.
So that's what's difficult for us to grasp sometimes.
It's OK to back down even if you're right.
I like the, uh, thoughts that have been presented here this afternoon. Bill's question, I'd like to highlight the thought around the word, the same mind, thus mind and one mind and, uh, bring just maybe a little bit more to the focus. What is it in the third chapter that is to be minded about Bill brought before us those four things, each chapter having its own.
Thing in in the third chapter.
It's the price. And that brings me back to the illustration rather, Bill, that you used this morning of those two players on the basketball team, as long as they remember that the prize is the state championship or whatever it is that they're aiming for, they keep that in mind. They can have differences of opinion, differences of technique, differences of position on the team. But if they got that goal that that price in front of them, it helps them keep them playing together. And then the other aspect of it, I think is in our chapter, and there's probably more to this thing, but in terms of being A1 mind.
Verse five says, let this mind be in you. And that's the point. I think that, uh, was being brought out. There's a need for humility. And I like that Mister Darby's translation that brings out the thought that we're to consider everybody around us as more excellent than ourselves. And it's interesting. I like it that way because there's a recognition that what we are in Christ is incredible. It's excellent to start with.
But then when I look at myself and I look around at each one of you.
I consider each one of you as more excellent than myself, and it helps us to do what Brother Darby and Brother Bella did. To see the excellence of price in our brethren around us helps us to deal with the differences.
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The first thing that we should do if we're not of one mind about something.
Is hang our head and acknowledge that that's a failure.
Right, that's the first thing.
Not to decide or try to figure out a fight to see who's right. If we not have one mind about something, that's a failure.
And we should, that's the first thing we should do, is acknowledge that.
I think brother Ted, that's what Paul is referring to in verse three, because all too often it can degenerate into strife and Vainglory, can't it? And instead of there being that loneliness which recognizes that as we get in Corinthians, uh, we know in part and we prophecy in part. And so as, uh, uh.
Our brother has already remarked whenever we learn something, it is it is merely a manifestation of the fact that there was ignorance there before. But when there's that loneliness of mind, then the strife in vain glory doesn't get into the picture. Uh.
It's not, well, I'm right and I'm going to prove it if it's the last thing I ever do, but rather being comfortable with the fact that there's so much I don't know that I can well afford to give in, even if I am right. Again, with the clear and definite understanding that we can't, can't compromise that which is due to the Lord Jesus and to His honor and glory in either His person or His work. We can't sacrifice that which is a.
Cardinal and an important doctrine of the Christian faith in the name of keeping the peace. That isn't the thought here, but rather if we don't see eye to eye on something, well, it's all been brought out well, we don't need to add to it.
Her brother, known to many of us. Uh.
We were at a conference and he asked this question, he said. What percentage of all there is to know, do you know?
Well, you can't answer the question without saying you know everything.
Right. The fact is, we never know enough.
And that's what I think we have to, uh, what is being said is loneliness of mind is acknowledging that.
So you never know enough and I love this verse in, uh, First Corinthians chapter 8. I believe it comes to bear on loneliness of mind.
Uh, First Corinthians 8 and verse 2.
Any man thinks.
That he knoweth anything.
How about that?
Any man thinks that he knows anything.
Well, he does not yet know as he ought to know.
But if any man loves God, the same is known of Him. You know, it's in no way intended to be funny, but it's just saying in the world that is actually very true.
As to what is the value, it's not what you know, it's who you know.
And if you know the Lord, that's all you need.
What you know will never be enough to equip you to be one who can stand up and say I'm right all the time.
Only God can do that.
We should also be in a state of learning, attitude of learning. That's why we're here. I'm I'm listening and I'm learning.
Call Susan this uh, fourth verse two he mentions.
Uh, look, not every man on his own and I think we could use the word advantages, but every man also on the advantages of others, you know, to.
Umm, make sure that we're, we're cared for ourselves is as natural to us as breathing. That's just the way we are by nature. We have occasion to go and visit our brother and the Lord in a prison and you go in there and you sit down and wait for him to come in and there's vending machines there.
And you can purchase what you want to share with them and others are there too, visiting their loved ones. And everyone flies over to the vending machines and they all want the salads because that's one of the better things to eat there. And, uh, it's, you just see human nature come out. Everyone's grabbing for what's to their advantage. And I believe that that's our nature. And Paul here is, is saying we need to set what is so natural to a society. We need to look at one who never did anything for his advantage.
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The Lord Jesus and then he gives us him as the supreme example, and then he gives as many as four other examples of those that were devoted here. He mentions himself very briefly in verse 17. Yeah. And if I be offered, if he's he's willing to be poured out for others.
As a libation and then he mentions the devotedness of the Philippians here he says upon the sacrifice and service of your faith. So.
If he did two or devoted they were, they were, uh, willing to send once and again to Paul's necessities, says later on. And then he mentions Timothy, his son in the faith, and he says he has no man naturally minded who will care for your state. These are all examples to us in this one chapter of those that look to the advantages of others before advantaging themselves. And then he gives us the papparditis and it's touching.
If we have time to get to this dear brother, what it says about him, but it says here that he was a messenger and he ministered to my wants. Paul could say of him. And then he says at the end of the chapter he regarded not his life to supply your lack of service toward me. These are touching things. These are examples of those that look to the advantages of others instead of themselves. They put others 1St and I, I believe that.
Brethren, if we were to do more of that, we wouldn't have these difficulties. We would be of one mind if we were looking to each other's advantages before our own. Our brother John, uh, referred to Timothy here and I believe in another translation where it says I have no man like minded who will naturally care for your state. It's rendered care with genuine feeling.
And.
That's, that's certainly something that, uh.
Very rare today and I was just thinking two of a few verses that we have in the 13th chapter of First Corinthians concerning charity or love. In verse four says it suffereth long as kind and Vietnam. Charity borneth not itself, is not pumped up, does not behave itself unseemingly. Then it says seeketh not her own.
That fits.
In line with what our our brother John has spoken about earlier.
Others that are considered.
So I can never look on another St. of God if I look carefully at them without seeing a quality that I wish I had. Now you, you may say, oh, I know somebody in Voyage. It's hard to find one. And I have heard that before. And I've heard other stories that would bring a smile to your lips if I repeated them. But.
The point is, I can always look at someone else and see something of Christ or some quality that they have as a Christian that I wish that I had and that gives me to be able to esteem others better than myself. And what a what a privilege that is to do that as a believer, to look at someone else and look at what they have that I do not have.
And hopefully wish I did have.
And it's true, isn't it? And so the thought is here that.
Yes, we are to be aware of our own. I believe the Darby translation uses qualities. We are to be aware of the gifts the Lord has given us. It's not a wrong thing to recognize one's gift or one's line of work or whatever it might be that the Lord has given us. And to do it, that's a good thing. But to be so taken up with myself, But I don't realize what others have, That's a mistake. And yet it's a tendency of the human heart, isn't it? To think that what I'm doing is more important than someone else?
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And so how how needful that is if I am going to follow the Lord Jesus. And I like what Brother Ted brought out, that we have the example of one who was always right.
The Lord Jesus, we say it with all reverence, never looked around at someone else and saw a quality that he wished he had.
He had them every quality that was in perfection in a man in this world the Lord Jesus exemplified in His person.
And yet he humbled himself as we get in the next few verses. What would an example for us?
We are not to know one another after the flesh, we are to regard each other with spiritual dignity as.
Those that have been eternally and supremely blessed, picked up from a horrible pit, each one of us, and we are now joint heirs with Christ. We are sons. We have this, this almost, we could say, unbelievable position of favor.
John's father, I can remember him coming years ago to Detroit, Maine, and.
Speak about this, these, these, this, this attitude and he said, well, I walk. I am to walk in humility because I realized my background pit from whence I've been dead. But on the other hand, I'm to walk with dignity because I realize what he has made me and those two aspects really are the beautiful balance of the Christian. So I don't need to occupy myself with your flesh. As a matter of fact, in first Corinthians 13 is a guard for my behavior.
And also instruction on how I'm to deal with my brethren's behavior. But it's all, you might say, news. It's all directed to me as to how I can conduct myself and my thoughts can be defined properly. And that's a help. And so I don't need to be figuring out or looking for that which is of the flesh and you or anyone else except myself, because I am, as Ted already brought out, that one aspect that we have.
Of self judgment.
So the Lord Jesus.
Never had that battle that you and I have. And in that sense, the Apostle Paul was an example or a guide for us, uh, in seeking to wage a good war, failing internally because until we get home, uh, into heaven, the flesh warth against the spirit that we might not do the things that we would. And so my, uh, my uh, portion is a believer, uh, continuously not to be.
Droopy or morbid or anything like that. But it's my it's to be my daily practice, my continual practice to judge myself as the flesh seeks to rear its ugly head, to use that sharp knife on myself. And it might have been Mr. Darby who said those who use the sharp knife on themselves will be very, very gentle on others.
I'd like to read a verse from.
First Chronicles.
And chapter 12 well known.
Verse of those that, uh, came to David, they're, they're uh, various armies that uh, came to him. And in particular, the one I was thinking of was in verse 33, Zebulun.
Zebulun such as went for to battle expert in war with all instruments of war.
50,000 which could keep rank. They were not of double heart.
This letter of thanks for fellowship that the apostle is writing is from prison. He had been with him and he wasn't with them, and they were in a conflict. There were enemies. There were those that came up in his absence that were preaching Christ in order to stir up strikes. There were open adversaries and persecutions. And what was the enemy trying to do? He was trying to.
Destroy that little testimony for Christ and Philippi by breaking the ranks.
And he was using and could use the flesh in each and every one of them.
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And so these things to be on guard against are given, and then the only way to keep rank is given. Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus. Paul is saying I'm not here and the conflict is real, and you've got to fill my shoes.
And you can't do it unless it's the mind of Christ in you.
Let this mind be in you. If that's in each one of his own, there'll be a keeping of rank, because Christ's mind isn't divided, it's one. And so after the warnings He gives that which is so necessary. Let this mind be in you. They were not a double heart. They could keep rank and valuable to David in that way. The enemy would like to come in and divide.
The, the, uh, faith of God and this earth because it brings Christ down and that's his aim. And we need this mind of Christ, that lowly mind, if we're going to keep ranked.
Nice to see in that same chapter that goes on to say verse 38, all these men of war that could keep rank came with the perfect heart to Hebron to make David king. So their heart was right as well wasn't?
So going on in our chapter here, we see these various as often as has often been referred to, these various steps downward that our blessed Lord and Master took in coming down into this world.
It says here in verse 6.
Being in the form of God.
Thought it not robbery to be equal with God, we might just mention that that strikes a death blow at those who would deny the deity of the Lord Jesus. There are many false cults out there that would try and make the Lord Jesus a created being that would try and bring him down to the level of a God or a mere man or are created being or something like that.
So this is one verse, and there are many others that strikes a direct blow at any thinking such as that he thought it not robbery to be equal with God.
Then he goes down, down, down.
Made himself of no reputation. It's one thing not to seek a reputation, it's another thing deliberately to make oneself of no reputation.
There are those who have had a reputation who didn't seek it and perhaps didn't want it, but got it anyway because of who they were. And we know that the Lord Jesus, when he was here on earth, there was a time when they were going to take him by force and make him a king.
But they were going to do it for the wrong reasons and at the wrong time, and the Lord would not accept that position at that time. There will be a day when He takes His place as the rightful King, but that was not the time for it. So the Lord Jesus deliberately avoided anything that would have made him of a reputation. Did he have a reputation? In one sense, yes. Crowds followed him, People came after him in order to get what he could offer. Healing food.
Good ministry, good teaching.
But as he could say, I believe in the 7th of John, The world cannot hate you, but me it hateth, because I testify to it that the works thereof are evil. And so the Lord Jesus made himself of no reputation. And as it says, it goes on here, took upon himself, upon him the form of a servant.
What a place for the Son of God.
Reminds me of when the Lord washed the disciples speak.
Said he.
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Before it says what he did, it says what he knew.
Umm.
John, Chapter 13.
It says Jesus knowing.
As the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he was come from God and went to God.
He riseth from supper, and laid aside his garment.
Just that's enough. It's a picture.
He knew who he was, he knew where he was from and knew where he was going, and he rose up.
And to paraphrase, he humbled himself.
And the beautiful thing is that he remains a servant forever, doesn't he? That's almost incomprehensible. In the picture we get in Exodus 21 of the Hebrew servant, it says he shall be a servant forever. And we get, we don't need to turn to it, but we get that exemplified and other scriptures such as Luke 12, where it says that when the Lord comes and finds.
You and me, we trust watching. What is he going to do? He's going to make us to sit down and then he'll come forth and serve us. It it's it's beyond our understanding to think that the Lord of glory is going to do that. He'll be a servant forever. He says in essence the same thing in the first verse of John 17.
Father, glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee. I believe in one sense, the Lord is saying, I have now finished everything you have given me to do on earth as a servant. Now glorify me in order that I may continue serving.
It's it's as I say, it's beyond our understanding. And yet this is the example that is set before us of one who not only took the form of a servant, but remains a servant forever. Does that clash with what we get in this chapter from verses 8 to the end of verse eleven? No, it doesn't.
God has highly exalted him. He does have that name which is above every name. Every knee is going to bow to him, but it will not take away from the fact that He remains a man forever and remains a servant forever.
Because of his deity, because of who he was, it was within his scope, you might say, of authority to be able to take manhood to himself, and even that in the form of a servant come down here amongst men. For a creature to do that is outside of their scope.
Dog is not even if it were able, it's not proper, it's not becoming, it's not their portion to try to become a cat.
And there were apparently angelic beings who left their first estate and introduced confusion into the creation of God, and God had to deal with them governmentally. And today, of course, in the lawless spirit in this world, we see people on every hand trying to do this and do that, or be this and be that, other than the place that God assigned them in nature.
That's the spirit of lawlessness.
And sin but for the Son of God, the one who created all things, sustains them, who had all rights and all power to everything. It's not it's perfectly as it says here in verse six thought it not robbery to be equal with God. Someone could read it in the Darby translation. It's beautiful there Yeah, and and.
I can't doesn't come to mind right now, but.
Thought it not an object of repine to be equal with God? Is that the way it is? I think that exists from memory also translated into some an object to be grasped after. There you go. Thank you. Thank you. Yeah. It was proper to him and it was something that in the, in the, uh, it's the riches and the glory of his grace that he should do so that he should come down.
00:55:12
Jake manhood to himself.
And if that weren't enough to remain a man forever, it just goes. It just boggles the mind.
Not sure, I believe there's places in the King James where we're told to humble ourselves. And I believe if you check the translation, umm.
It's to be humbled. I think it's passage, You know, we, as Bruce said, the Lord really only won with the ability to humble himself. Preachers can't do that. But God sets our circumstances up.
That we might be humbled because without humility you can't enjoy grace. And He wants us to enjoy His grace. It's impossible to enjoy grace without humility. And so God in His mercy arranges our circumstances that we might be humbled. Our job in that, in those circumstances, is to let ourselves be humbled. Umm.
And and it's his doing for our good.
In the case of, as we said, the case of where we are not of one mind, that's.
A good opportunity to experience humility.
And I would just suggest, Brother Ted, there are two ways we can be humbled, aren't there? I can be humbled as we get in Peter under the mighty hand of God.
And.
That can be if I at the risk of using the same word, it can be a very humbling experience because if the mighty hand of God humbles me, I better submit to it. But the preferred way to be humble is by what we have here, isn't it? I can be humbled by being in the Lord's presence, because I cannot be proud in His presence. How can I be if I'm occupied with Him? I cannot be anything but humble.
But sometimes the Lord has to humble me under his hand, doesn't He?
I could go back to the beginning of verse seven, it says.
There he made himself of no reputation.
Or I think Darby has emptied himself. So I'd like to ask a question if somebody wonder how far does that go? And the reason for the question is because there are many who teach that, umm, when the Lord Jesus became a man and came into this world, he gave up his deity, He set that aside. I'm wondering if some brother could answer that.
Sir, would would you repeat that? Tim? What is the exact question? The question is how far emptied himself goes. There are those who teach it, and there's thought of emptying himself means that he emptied emptied himself of his deity when he came into this world.
And he was here as a man alone. Now that teaching is widespread in Christendom, and I wonder if someone could give some light on that.
Well, we have one verse again I just suggested as a partial answer in Colossians chapter 2.
Our brother Clifford Brown, whom some of us remember quite well, used to say that there is not one bad teaching out there in the world around us and in the Christian, in Christendom that doesn't have a verse of Scripture that hits it right in the middle in Colossians 2. And verse 9 tells us that doesn't it? In him dwelleth all.
The fullness of the Godhead bodily.
We can't get around that. Yes, it does say he was made in the likeness of men, but if we and and as an another verse that bears on that is Hebrews 2.
Hebrews 2.
Which says.
Verse 14.
For as much, then, as the children are partakers of flesh and blood.
He also himself likewise took part of the same that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is the devil, and so on. And if I remember rightly, and I'm no scholar in Greek, but I believe Mr. Darby has a footnote in his translation pointing out that those two words translated in our King James as partakers.
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Are not the same word in the Greek language. One of them has the thought of that which is characteristic of, in this case, the race. The children are partakers of flesh and blood. The other, which is used the second time, he himself likewise took part of. The same has to do with one who takes part of something that is characteristic of someone else.
But the verb does not say how far that goes.
And we know from other scriptures, it's so clear that the Lord Jesus was just as much a man as you and I. He had a human body, He had a human soul, He had a human spirit, but all without sin. And so I believe it's very clear from the Word of God that there is no way that any part of his deity was compromised in any possible way. And the Scripture certainly.
Need not, we need not have any doubt about that.
I always felt much years ago, hearing the stages that when it comes to our margin incarnation, it was not a matter of subtraction but condition. In other words, it should not give up anything he added to the audience, but in addition to his divine traits, took off the university. It's not a little thing that's kind of helped me. But of course, no matter how we speak to try to explain the information, it goes beyond human understanding and reasoning to protect the worshiping for.
So I think that's important because of the challenge to it and I totally agree with what's said.
I think it's vital that we agree with that, actually. The Lord Jesus never ceased to be what he ever was, did he? He was Emmanuel, God with us. And when he walked as a man on this earth, he was barely God himself still as a baby, and his mother's arms to sustain her in a folder of all things. And that's vital truth that we need to hold.
But it still says here in this verse, empty themselves. And the question is, and what was it that he set aside when he came into this world?
Certainly wasn't his deity, every attribute of deity that ever he had his God in heaven, he still had an earth. Whether omniscient, significance, omnipresence, all of those things you find them laid out in the word of God when he was a man on earth.
But there was the issue of the question of His glory, and I take it to be that maybe some brothers have another thought. But in First Timothy chapter 6 you have there.
Spoken about the Lord Jesus Christ. It says in the end of verse 14 our Lord Jesus Christ.
Which in his own times he shall show, who is the blessed and only potentate, the King of kings, the Lord of Lords, who only hath immortality dwelling in delight, which no man can approach. Unto whom no man has seen or can see. To whom he honor and power everlasting. That thought of light unapproachable, How old that he is in his glorious eternal God. How could men bear that, if He came to earth in that way?
He couldn't do that and so that I take it to be what he set aside that.
Intrinsic glory that he has there in the heaven of heavens on earth. He came in the form of a service. It was different. He had to set that aside. And I believe he speaks of that in John 17 and uh, verse five, he says, and now, oh Father, glorify thou me with thine own self, with the glory which I had with thee before the world was that was the glory that he enjoyed before the foundation of this world.
And before he came into the world as well. But it couldn't be so when he walked among men who could bear that. And now he's looking on in anticipation of that day when it would be so again in John 17.
He created all things right by himself, for himself, this part of his glory as a creator, but in emptying himself. I wonder if that doesn't have to do with scriptures and I. I used to have them written down. I think they're all in John.
01:05:06
He never spoke his own word.
Right. He never did his own will.
So. But as God, what else could he do?
And so I think in emptying himself, it was he never did anything of himself. And what would be wrong? He was perfect sentence. What would be wrong with him speaking his own word or doing his own will, except that he had taken a bondman's place and and got and put himself in the place of man. And we're told in the Scriptures, man's whole duty is to obey. And so.
He never, while he was here as a man, never, not once ever stepped out of that position and took his deity back. You might say he, he was who he was. He couldn't cease to be God. He said before Abraham was. I am. He wasn't referring to his manhood, and he was saying it while he was a man, but he never stepped out of that place. If he had, it would disqualify him as our substitute.
It has nothing to do with whether there is anything wrong with His thoughts, His words, there wasn't. But being in the form of a man, His mission was to be the perfect man and that is to do nothing for himself, of himself. It was all in complete obedience to God and everything he did, even walking on the water He did by the commandment of His Father. We know that because He said I do nothing of myself, the only did what the Father's commandment was.
And I believe that's what emptying himself was. It was. It's nothing for himself, nothing of himself.
It's just the opposite of man.
We have an expression. We use Batman full of himself. It's just the opposite.
It is important as as you quoted there in John chapter 8, where the Lord answered the gainsayers, Thou art not yet 50 years old, you know. Art thou greater than our father Abraham? And he didn't say before Abraham was. I was before Abraham was, I am and I've I've always appreciated the statement and I can't recall where or when I first heard it, but it goes like this. He never stopped being who he was by becoming who he became.
When he took manhood to himself, as our brother has said, he added that.
To himself in an inscrutable way that's beyond our full understanding, that one who dwelt in that inaccessible light was pleased to come out of that light to us in the person of the Son of God, the man Christ Jesus. The apostle John laid his head on his bosom, traveled with him, watched him sleep and eat and labor and walk and work and yet at the end he says in his first epistle, he just.
How does he put it there? He just marvels that which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon on our hands, have handled.
Of the word of life. So the life was manifested, seen it bear witness and show unto you that eternal life which was with the father and manifested unto us. What a, what a beautiful, it's inscrutable brother. Uh, Ralph Reeb senior used to used to when, when these subjects would come up, he would, uh, added more than adequately answer the, the question that you brought onto the table today.
But then he would always seem to get around to the Tabernacle and how the staves went through these rings and if the rings were on the shoulder.
Of the, of the special Levi carrying than the ark is always above man's head. And now he's told me that probably a dozen times. And uh, pointing to this fact that the Lord Jesus could say no man knoweth the Father, but the Son and he to whom the son reveals him. But then he goes on to say, no man knoweth the Son but the father period. So in that, uh, well known hymn, the higher mysteries of thy fame, the creatures grasp, transcend.
The Father only thy blessed name, son can comprehend those those questions. I I would never cross my mind, Tim. Mm-hmm to have thought what what what you brought from from others.
01:10:02
But, uh, how beautiful that as, as Bill has brought before us, there's always a perfect scripture to answer any of these mischievous, uh.
Uh, umm, machinations that man brings up.
Nothing left out. Hmm, not a thing left out.
And ultimately.
If we could say it this way, the reason why man has trouble with things like the Trinity, the deity of Christ, and many other things in Scripture is that there is much in the Word of God that is beyond human understanding. You and I can enjoy it, live in the good of it, appreciate it in our own souls, but ultimately we can't understand it. And when man encounters something like that with his natural mind.
His mind says, but I will understand it and he reduces it to what he can understand and of course brings error in in order to do it. You and I when we read all this, ultimately have to say I can't understand it. Person of the Son of God as man is a divine mystery and you and I, I don't believe in eternity, will understand it. And I love that verse that was brought out in First Timothy 6.
There's a dimension of his Godhead glory that no creature can ever behold, because as God, he has a glory that the creature cannot look upon.
Yet he became just as much a man as any one of us here, except without sin.
Might be nice to read those scriptures and, uh, First Corinthians chapter 2.
Says there in verse 11 First Corinthians chapter 2.
For what man knoweth the things of a man, say the spirit of man, which is in him. Even so the things of God knoweth no man but the Spirit of God. And we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is of God, which we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.
Which things also we speak not in the world, which man's wisdom teaches, but which the Holy Ghost teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God. They are foolishness unto him. Neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. But he that is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is judged of no man.
For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him?
We have the mind of Christ. Everything that we are able to comprehend as believers is given to us of God through the Holy Spirit, and we're able to comprehend certain things that which God reveals to us, and we can enjoy those things. The natural man, he would like to reduce the Lord Jesus Christ down to the level of man Why? Because that takes away all his responsibilities. He can reduce the Lord Jesus down to the level of man. He is no different than any other man.
He can fail, he can sin and takes away the truth of the word of God, but.
Natural man doesn't have the spirit, he doesn't have the discernment. And so when they get into spiritual things, they're just going to re they're they're going to destroy spirituality. They're going to destroy it in such a way that it's going to be pleasing to them.
That's how man works. He wants, he wants the word of God to fit into his lifestyle. But we know that the word of God, he wants, he has a lifestyle for us.
That he wants us to fit into that altogether different.
Just very quickly this, you know, focusing on that phrase he emptied himself and trying to make a doctrine is what it sounds like. Those ones we're doing. Umm, that's just an example, I believe of what it means that no scripture that is of any private interpretation. I believe to read Darby's note on that, it means you can't take a scripture, zero in on scripture and and that just interprets itself. It's got to be interpreted in, in the context of the entire scripture.
01:15:11
Anyone said that he emptied himself of his deity? How many scriptures were brought out here in this meeting and were just immediately refute that? That's a danger. When you look at a scripture and think you see something just because of that scripture all by itself has to take into account everything else.
I wonder if we could sing #61 How wondrous the glories of meat.
Jesus from his face shine. His love is eternal, as sweet as human.
Also divide #61.
Uh-huh. I am waiting.
On the laundry for my life.
Thank you for the wonderful time we've had reading your word this afternoon. Thank you.
For your beloved son that you sent because of your great love for who he is, for what he's done. Father, may we remember the price that he paid to have us as his own and the example that he set for us to follow. And Father, this afternoon we've had a lot of practical things. We've had a lot of useful things.
Also had some deep things, but we've done the easy part now we've talked about it. Please help us to remember them. Please help us to put them into practice in our everyday life. May these thoughts of our Lord Jesus Christ have their good effect in our hearts and in our walk, in the days and the months and the weeks and the years follow. May we be fashioned more like Him for His glory and for yours as well. Pray in His name, give thanks, Amen.