Rev Renny Khoo
28 June 2020
28 Jun 2020
Rev Renny Khoo
Sermon Outline
Topic: Developing the Mind of Christ
Text: Phil 2:5-11
Rev Renny Khoo
Sermon Outline
Topic: Developing the Mind of Christ
Text: Phil 2:5-11
During the MCO, questions that were in our minds may cause anxiety however with
the right frame of mind and looking at the situation in the right lenses enabled us to
make sense of all that were happening. Mindsets and world view are two words that
came out strongly during this period as what we think will affect what we see and will
eventually affect our behaviour and response to situations. Paul in the above
passage states that God commanded us that our mind should be like Christ Jesus.
The sermon will look at the mind of Christ and its impact on our minds and in the
coming week will deal with the process in developing our minds.
The above passage depicts the most complete picture of who Jesus is and what He
did which essentially relates to His mind and inner most thoughts. Jesus sharing on
his thoughts is to transform us and impact our mind, shaping and influencing our
thinking. The passage tells us three things about Jesus and we shall then evaluate
how this should impact our minds.
They are :-
1.Jesus is God
Jesus was in the form of God. The Greek word to describe this is morphe or
translated as form in English. This translation depicts an outward appearance
however that was not what it meant. Morphe meant the essence of an entity, its
quality and nature. An outward expression of an inner essence. Plainly put, Jesus
is God. The Apostle Paul said, Jesus has the unique and identical quality that made
God God. Jesus is the very substance of God, very characteristic of God and very
being of God. Jesus is God as much as God as a Father for He is equal to the
Father, the same in substance and being. So how does this affect our mind? If
Jesus said that He has come into our lives and have said that He loves us and will
never forsake us, for we are His and He is committed to us, we should be much
more optimistic about our future and lives. He had allowed children to sit on His lap,
calling all to come to him all who are weary and heavy laden and He will give us
rest. This is our God. Paul solid and unyielding faith which is so sure, steadfast and
unsinkable because he knows that Jesus is God and He lives in Him. This is
reflected in the passage Romans 8: 34-39. This is also the same Jesus in our lives
and we should be much more optimistic about our future and our thinking.
2. Jesus became human (God-man)
Jesus is not only divine but He is also human. It does not mean that having been
God, He is now human or turned to human. This is not the case as Jesus never
stopped being God but He became human as well. He became God/ Man at once
ie 100% of both entities. This impact our minds in two ways. Firstly, there are
philosophers who states that the flesh/human is tainted, polluted and impure and
this made it difficult for them to accept that God became a human. The Christian
faith is the only faith that puts equal importance to the physical and spiritual. Thus,
we need to give equal emphasis on both the spiritual (salvation is important) and
the physical aspects of our lives ie the environment, social justice, economic
empowerment, our physical and mental fitness are just as equally important.
Secondly, because God became human, He understands us and knows what we
are going through. He has been betrayed, lonely, disappointed, feared death, so
in short He knows our troubles and we can always go to Him for He understands.
He is our wonderful counsellor, mighty God, everlasting Father and Prince of
Peace so we can keep both the spiritual and physical together.
3. Being human, He humbled Himself and became a servant even to death on the
cross.
When Jesus came, He could have been a super human, a powerful human being
but He came in the form of a servant, making himself nothing and humbled
Himself and became obedient to death on the cross. This is totally the opposite of
us for we crave power and position. Jesus showed us the way, for to go up is to
go down, to be rich is to share, to be great is to be a servant. Jesus emptied
Himself and found Himself feeding the thousands, walked on water, preached and
taught, heal and cast out demons, Jesus showed us this wisdom in John 14:12
where we will do greater works than Him if we depend on the Father and to yield
to Him our dreams and ambitions in His hands and watch Him brings us to new
heights. When we have a glimpse of Jesus’s inner thoughts, this too will impact
our minds.
Conclusion:
Jesus is God. Let that change your mind.
Jesus became human. Let that change your mind.
Jesus humbled Himself and became a servant. Let that change your mind.
Questions for discussion
1. Phil 2:5-11 depicts Jesus' innermost thoughts. Why do you think He is revealing
His innermost thoughts with us?
2. Jesus is God and if you are a disciple of Christ, you know that Jesus lives in you,
even as you follow Him. How does this fact shape/influence your mind/
perspective towards life?
3. In your opinion/experiences, how do you develop your mind? What are some bible
verses we can ponder over when it comes to our mind?
