Tag: Christ

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Philippians 2:8a – Two Things

A picture of a leaf with two drops of water on it (Pixabay)

And being found in appearance as a man…

Summary: Paul is walking us through what it means to think like Jesus. His understanding of the Lord is reflected in the clarity of his description of what sets Jesus apart.  

Paul is in the middle of describing the mindset of Jesus Christ. 

Whatever you might think of Jesus, it seems obvious he was in a pickle. Here he was, the one through whom all things were made (John 1:3), reduced to being a social outcast in his own creation. (His disciple, Nathanael, when he found out Jesus was from Nazareth, said: “Can anything good come from there?” — John 1:46). 

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Philippians 2:5 – A Portrait of Jesus

Large portrait of Jesus hanging on a wall (Grok)

In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:

Summary: Paul is preparing us to see something very special. He wants our hearts and minds to be open to what he is about to show us. 

Paul is about to show us a portrait of Jesus. As he takes us down the hall to the gallery where the portrait waits, he reaches out his hands to us and gently speaks these words: 

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Philippians 2:2c – Two Kinds of Love

[Therefore, if you ….make my joy complete by being like-minded]… having the same love…

Summary: Having the “same love” as Christ is a challenge. Understanding why helps us to focus our efforts on serving God’s will.   

Paul’s sentences are famously long and convoluted. In this passage, he begins with a series of “if’s,” and then, when he reaches his “then,” he asks his readers to “make my joy complete by being like-minded.” 

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Philippians 2:1-2 – Paul’s Request

A graphic representation of a building (sky scraper) made from words. (Grok)

Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind.

Summary: Paul’s thoughts are sometimes complex. In this meditation, we take a 30,000-foot view of Paul’s thoughts in his passage in hopes of seeing the “bigger picture.”  

If you have read this blog for any length of time, you are probably shocked to see a meditation that is based on two entire verses at once. Never fear! We will, no doubt, dissect this in future meditations. However, given the complexity of Paul’s thought here, I thought it best to begin with an overview. 

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Philippians 1:29 – Suffering for Jesus

Picture of a man, hand to his forehead, outside in the rain (Pixabay)

For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for him…

Summary: Understanding the suffering Paul asks us to do for Christ requires that we look past our own pride and love as Christ loves. 

I don’t know about you, but the idea of suffering has never appealed to me. Of course, there are different kinds of suffering. The story of the Prodigal Son in Luke 15:11-32 is a good illustration of this. 

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Philippians 1:27a – Living Worthy

Picture of a lawnmower on the grass.

Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. 

Summary: Paul’s direct instruction about how we ought to conduct ourselves is the foundation for a lifetime of study and practice. 

Finally — Paul provides us with a straightforward sentence! 

“Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of ________ (fill in the blank).”

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