“Having the same mind”
By Rev. Michael Stonhouse
Meditation – Sunday, October 1, 2023
Philippians 2:1-13 (Forward, p. 64) CEV p. 1228
All in all, the Philippian church sounds pretty human, just like us. There are those that are sincere about their faith, and those that aren’t (see 1:15-17); there are those who are pretty lax in terms of their lifestyle and behaviour and pretty self-indulgent (see 3:17-21); and there are those who have been overworked and have begun to be nitpicky and argumentative (see 4:2-3). All in all, Paul feels that it is absolutely vital that they work together and struggle side by side to further the Good News of Christ (see 1:27).
For that reason, he pens these words from the passage for today: “Now make me completely happy! Live in harmony by showing love for each other. Be united in what you think, as if you were only one person. Don’t be jealous or proud, but be humble and consider others more important than yourselves. Care about them as much as you care about yourselves” (verses 2-4). High sounding words, to be sure, and certainly something worthy of our efforts.
But then Paul adds one more thing, before ‘launching forth’ into what can be best described as an ancient hymn of praise. In an older version of the Scriptures he says, “Let this mind be in you which was in Christ Jesus.” In other words, think precisely in the same way and in the same terms as Jesus thought. Let Him manner of thinking take over, permeate and control the way you think. Indeed, let it be the very way you think.
And, what was that? Here we quote from this ancient hymn:
a) He was by nature in the very form of God. This means that, regardless of His outward appearance, albeit often quite
Temporary, He was unalterably and unchangeably God. So, He was God regardless of whether He was a babe or youth or young man at that point in time. And He was God regardless of the circumstances, yes, even on the Cross, He was still innately and irrevocably God. Nothing would or could ever change that eternal reality!
b) He did not clutch at His equality with God tenaciously, or resolutely hold on to it, as might well be considered appropriate as His birthright.
c) No, He was willing to let go of it. He was willing to empty Himself of all His divine prerogatives and attributes in order to become fully human. So, for a time, He let go of His divine foreknowledge and had to grow in wisdom and knowledge, just like the rest of us. And He had to surrender His omnipotence, His divine power over everything. Just like us, He could not ‘power’ His way out of trouble but rely upon the graces of God, just like us. Thusly, He became the living model and example of what is possible, even for us. If He could do it, blessed with the very same resources as we have, then so too can we! Alleluia.
d) He took upon Himself the form of a slave, a human being. For Him, this was no play-acting: He was truly and fully human. He knows exactly what it is like, because He’s ‘been there.’
e) But then, Paul introduces one further thought: “He was made in the likeness of men.” In other words, this existence of Jesus as a mere human was not to be His eternal and forever state. Jesus was still God and one day He would return to His Father and reign as God.
And why did Jesus ‘assume’ this, why did He do this? Why did He refuse to ‘stand on ceremony’ and hold on to everything that was rightfully His? Because of His great love for us! He refused to be ‘selfish’ for the sake of us, and so, as Paul says, we should do likewise.
The great Biblical expositor, William Barclay, puts it as follows: “Paul is pleading with the Philippians to live in unity and in harmony, to lay aside their disharmonies and their discords, to shed their personal ambitions and their pride and their desire for prominence and prestige, and to have in their hearts that humble, selfless desire to serve, which was the very essence of the life of Christ. His final and unanswerable appeal for unity is to point at the example of Jesus Christ.” He did it, could do it, Paul says, and so too can we, you and I. Amen.
Forward notes: “For it is God who is at work in you, enabling you both to will and to work for his good pleasure” (verse 13).
“The road of life is not always easy, and, during a challenging patch of life, you might find yourself wondering, ‘Where is God in this? Why is God letting this happen?’
“I completed my elementary school teaching credential in 2008 during a significant American economic downturn. I struggled to get hired for jobs. I made ends meet my substitute teaching. I would apply for full-time employment and get rejected. It was easy to get disheartened, and I often wondered why God wasn’t acting in the way I thought I needed or wanted when I felt this calling to be a teacher.
“It can be frustrating that you don’t get an answer from God right away in your prayers, or it might not be the answer you were hoping for or wanted. But it is important to have faith and remember that all things happen in God’s time, not ours. God is always at work in the world, ensuring God’s will be done.
Moving Forward: “Are you in the midst of a challenging situation and find yourself wondering where God is? Remember: God is with you. Always.”