UNITY THROUGH HUMILITY (1): THE MOTIVE

(Philippians 2:1)
June 10, 2018

Read Phil 2:1-2 – A deer and a lion enter a café. The deer says, “I’ll have a
bowl of hay and a side of corn.” Waiter says, “Okay, what will your friend
have?” The deer replies, “Nothing.” “Isn’t he hungry?” The deer replies,
“Are you kidding? If he were hungry, would I be sitting here?” The church
has the opposite problem – too many hungry people. What do I mean? Gal
5:15: “But if you bite and devour one another, watch out that you are not
consumed by one another.” Christians eating one another! Bad menu! We
defend our pettiness, spin our foibles, but they are just plain wrong.

The theme of Phil 1 is “Christ first.” The theme of Phil 2 is “Others second.”
Two major problems face any church – lack of unity, and departure from the
Word. Both were starting in Philippi, and Paul wants to nip them in the bud.
Phil 2:1-11 deals with unity. It’s one of the greatest passages in the Bible
occasioned bc 2 otherwise stalwart women, faithful co-laborers with Paul
were fighting. Thus 4:2) I entreat Euodia and I entreat Syntyche to agree in the
Lord.” That’s where Paul is heading. But before he gets there, he sets their
small struggle against the Big Picture, so that when he calls them out
specifically they’ll respond positively– just as I hope we will. All our
complaints are infinitesimally small against the big picture.

The theme here is easy, involving 2 commands. 2) complete my joy by being

of the same mind.” So – be of one mind. What mind? 5) Have this mind in
yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus.” The message is unity – “have one
mind, the mind of Christ.” Not the mind of Euodia or of Syntyche. Not the
mind of Clement or Lydia or anyone else in Philippi. Not even the mind of
Paul, but the mind of Christ. True unity is exactly that – the mind of Christ.
And I must tell you, we go places Jesus would never go.

But Paul adds a twist. There are many roads to unity. A tyrant might impose
unity. That happens in a lot of churches where the pastor is dictator. Others
negotiate unity. You give on this, I’ll give on that. But Paul’s got another way
– a harder way. V. 3: Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in
humility count others more significant than yourselves.” Unity thru humility
– deferring to the interests of others. Putting others first – especially when
we’re sure we’re right is one of the hardest things God ever asks us to do.

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That’s a tough assignment. So Paul goes deep. Great theology leading to great
submission leading to great doxology -- praise to God instead of us. How do
we get to unity through humility? Paul’s tells us: The Motive (1): The
Mission (2): The Means (3-4): and The Model (5-11). This passage is so
rich. Today we look at the motive. Unity will never come out of a sense of
duty. Unity comes when we treasure the gifts we’ve received from God –
Consolation, Comfort, Companionship and Compassion. When we truly
understand those, we will be on our way to unity thru humility!

I. Consolation in Christ
1)So if there is any encouragement [or consolation] in Christ.” In English this
reads like maybe we’ve had encouragement in Christ, maybe not. Not in
Greek. It’s a first class “if” condition which assumes the fact. It could be
translated, “Since there is encouragement in Christ.” All four items in this
verse are assumed by Paul to be true. You’ve received this – so act like this.

“Encouragement” -- παρακλησις – a word Jesus uses elsewhere to describe the

HS – παράκλητος – helper or comforter. One who comes alongside. So Paul is
saying, “Here’s your first motivation – the consolation of Christ coming
alongside you to comfort and help.” To Paul, Jesus was as real and immediate
as the hand in front of his face. Hard to bite another with Jesus’ arm around
your shoulder! Jesus is a real presence in the life of any true follower of His.

We get Christ’s consolation the moment we accept Him as Lord. That answers
life’s biggest question -- where will I spend eternity and with whom? There’s
no greater consolation than knowing heaven is in your future! Jesus told the
thief on the cross? “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in
Paradise” (Lu 23:43). What consolation for a man who minutes before had no
hope whatsoever. He must have been staggered by that promise and the
realization that his eternal future was assured. Completely dazzled!

Every believer has that promise. “Heaven is yours!” Compared to that, the
little things we fight over are small potatoes. We need to revel in what we
have in Him. If we trust Him for our eternal future, can’t we trust Him by
giving way to another on an issue of minor importance? Really?

And it’s not just what He did in that moment of conversion. When Jesus came
alongside us to save us, He came alongside for good! Heb 13:5c: “I will
never leave you nor forsake you.” His “alongsidedness” is not for an hour or a
day or a year; it’s forever. Through thick and thin, there He is. Whether you
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feel Him or not, there He is. The one constant in a believer’s life is Jesus – felt
or not! Prov 18:24b: “A man of many companions may come to ruin, but
there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.” That’s pretty close, Friends.

On August 16, 1987, NW 225 crashed just after takeoff from Detroit. 155
died; one lived; Cecilia, age 4 of Tempe. Rescuers thought she was from one
of the cars on the highway, but there was her name on the passenger list.
Cecilia survived bc her mom, Paula Chican, unbuckled her seat belt, got on
her knees before her daughter, wrapped her arms and body around Cecilia and
saved her from the fire and chaos that ensued. And Beloved, Jesus has you in
that same loving chokehold. You don’t have to win every battle. We must
find our consolation in Christ, not in being right. Our worth is “in Him.”

II. Comfort From God’s Love

Next Paul says, “If there is any comfort from love, and I assume there is, you
Philippians have experienced it.” This is the love of God – not the love of one
believer for another, nor even Paul’s love for them. Notice that Christ is in the
first phrase and the Spirit in the third. So, here, Paul is reminding them of
what an overwhelming experience the Father’s love has been in their lives.

God did not love us because we were loveable. We weren’t, and we’re not!
But God does not love for what He finds in us; He loves for what He finds in
Himself. Most of us are still trying to earn what we’ve already got! Thus the
wonderful verse: Rom 5:8 but God shows [pres] his love for us in that while
we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” While we were yet sinners – still
reeking of selfish ambition and rebellion God still determined to love us. It’s
the cross where love finds its fullest expression in human history. We must
live at the cross, bringing our own along, to see the love of God.

In the movie Taken, Liam Neeson plays Brian Mills, retired CIA, whose
daughter, Kim, is kidnapped while vacationing in Paris. On a phone call he
promises to come for her. He becomes a sleepless force of nature as he single-
mindedly devotes himself to finding and rescuing her – dispatching numerous
thugs and degenerates along the way. Finally, almost dead from injury and
exhaustion, he finds and rescues his daughter, after which she says, “Daddy,
you came for me.” He replies simply, “I told you I would.” That’s the cross,
EXCEPT the rescuer actually does die – and listen – the one rescued is not a
beloved daughter, but the evil rebels the father fought all along. That’s who
He is and that’s who we were – brought together only by infinite love!

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And Paul’s saying, “If you’ve been loved like that, how could you possibly
withhold love to a brother or sister in Christ over some petty detail? How
could you destroy unity for the sake of a selfish desire to have your way?
How could you?” II Cor 5:14, “For the love of Christ controls us.” Be
controlled by the love of Christ, not the love of being right! Paul never got
over God choosing a vicious murderer like himself. Never got over the love of
God. Have we gotten over the love of God? Has it become passe? Many of us
have forgotten God’s love because we have forgotten who we were and who
we are outside of Christ.

I must tell you that if you are breaking the unity of the church on other than
moral or theologically blasphemous grounds, then it is not the love of God
controlling you. The love of God would never go there. Let the love of God
overwhelm you again. Take comfort there. Let it drive your existence. This is
exactly why Paul prayed for the Ephesians in 3:19 “and to know the love of
Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of
God.” If God’s love is our motivation for living, unity will be a non-issue.

III. Companionship in the Spirit

If there is any “participation in the Spirit”, and I assume there is. Participation
translates κοινωνια – fellowship. We fellowship with the HS! That’s high
company! Paul says in II Cor 13:14: “The grace (or encouragement) of the
Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be
with you all.” Why can believers be one with each other as with no one else?
Because we have a common bond – the indwelling HS.

Paul assumes this always. He asks the confused Galatians (3:2): “2 Let me
ask you only this: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing
with faith?” They may have been confused about how they got the HS, but
that they had Him there was no doubt. To the hopelessly carnal Corinthians: I
Cor 12:13: “13 For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or
Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit.” Believers
have this in common. They all have the HS – all of Him. He is not divided;
you don’t get half now and half later. He is all there indwelling every believer.
Rom 8:9: “If anyone have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His.” You
cannot be a Christian without having the HS. So Paul can say, “If there is any
participation in the Spirit, and I assume there is, be of one mind!”

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The logic is clear. If we all have the HS, and are submissive to His will, there
can be no infighting. The HS will not be fighting against Himself. If there is
strife and dissension, someone’s fighting the indwelling HS to whom they
have sworn loyalty as a believer. Self has assumed the throne again and the
HS has been pushed aside. He will not be giving mixed messages.

Paul’s point here is that true Spirit-filled believers will not be at odds with
each other. They have the unifying internal pull of the HS. Think of a bag of
marbles. They are different sizes and colors and composition but all packed
together in the bag – bound together by the container. But if the bag is opened
or ripped apart, marbles spill everywhere. External bonds can break.

But now think of a magnet placed in a pile of iron shavings. By their very
nature, the shavings respond to the power of the magnet and are drawn
together. That’s Paul’s picture. Christians fellowshipping in the HS rather than
resisting Him will be drawn together -- seeking His program, not theirs. God
Himself will lead them to be of one mind. Our fellowship in the Spirit will
bring us together as we seek His will, not our own.

IV. Compassion Overall

“Affection and sympathy” – Affection – bowels or viscera, seat of emotions to

ancients – much like we would use the word “heart”. “Sympathy” – Elsewhere
translated the “mercies of God” (Rom 12:1; II Cor 1:3). These are summary
words, intended to remind the Philippians of God’s great care for them. The
consolation in Christ, love of the Father, fellowship in the Spirit all culminate
in the heartfelt love of God for them. Paul is replaying on the inner screens of
their hearts the compassion that God has shown them – and then asking them
to show the same to others. He’s urging their hearts to synchronize with the
heartbeat of God. If they’ll do that, the infighting will be at an end.

God’s compassion. We’ve largely lost our sense of that. We’ve become very
man-centered instead of God-centered. It’s all about us. Modern writers
suggest Christ’s death for us demonstrates our self-worth. One writer says,
"Of course, the greatest demonstration of the person's worth to God was
shown in giving us his Son." That’s an incredibly self-serving statement. God
loved us, yes. But Jesus didn’t die for us because we were worthy; He died
for us to make us worthy. The cross was a demonstration of God’s love,
compassion, mercy and goodness – not ours. Our condition in God’s eyes is
defined in Rom 3:12: “All have turned aside; together they have become
worthless; no one does good, not even one.” Jesus didn’t die in denial of that
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condition; He died to fix that condition for all who would believe. We need
to get our theology straight. We’re not saved because we were worth saving,
but because of His mercy.

A recent newscast reported the arraignment of a serial killer who has admitted
to at least 15 murders. Bail was set at $6 million. So, does that make him the
$6 million man? He’d be worth a lot more to society than most of us, right?
The bail doesn’t reflect the value of the murderer, but the severity of his
crime. And Jesus’ death is not a statement of our worth but of the depth of
our guilt. God loved us yes, but not because we earned it! We are saved
because of something good in God, not something good in us. Once we get
how far we’ve fallen, and how high He has lifted us, our lives will be driven
by a whole new motivation – greater than any other in the world.

Conc – Years ago the czar of Russia had a friend who died and left his son in
the care of the czar. The czar raised this young man – clothed him, fed him,
educated him, and loved him. He became an accountant and joined the army.
But he began to gamble and soon had large debts he could not repay. In
desperation he began to embezzle army funds. But his actions soon caught up
with him. He was staring at the books one night, but seeing now way out, he
pulled his gun to kill himself. Lacking nerve, he began to drink to overcome
his fear. But before he could take his life, he drank himself to sleep.

Well, the czar was a bit paranoid, so he used to go about in a corporal’s

uniform to check on morale and hear what people thought of him. This night,
he found the young man asleep over his books. It didn’t take long to determine
what was happening. He added up the debt, then wrote a note: “I will make
good this entire debt.” He signed his name, sealed it with his signet ring and
left. When the young man awoke and found the note he couldn’t believe it.
The czar had seen everything, knew the absolute worst about him, and yet had
paid his entire debt. Well, that’s the gospel, Beloved.

And Paul is saying, “Remember, dear friends? Remember what God has
done for you? Remember His grace and compassion and love? How He
knows the worst about you, but sent his own Son to pay your debt?
Remember? Good. I want you to revel in it – and then extend to others
what’s been extended to you! The gospel wasn’t just for then; it’s for all
time. Live it out. There’s your motive – the love of God!” Let’s pray.