Sermon: "The Mind of Christ"
Two thousand years ago there was a scandal taking place in a local church. We know this because of what Paul wrote to the people of this church in one of his letters…
I Corinthians 5:1 It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that does not occur even among pagans: A man has his father’s wife.
Paul is saying “I’ve received this report of a scandal in your church…a sexual scandal that isn’t even tolerated outside of the church…one of your men is sleeping with his father’s mother.” It is believed that this woman was not his biological mother, but the man’s stepmother. So it may or may not have been incest, nevertheless, it’s blatant sexual sin, and even that’s beside the point…the problem that Paul wants to address is found in the words that follow…
I Corinthians 5:2 And you are proud.
Proud? How can the men and women of this church be proud, unfazed by this sort of scandal taking place in their church?
Well, it’s important to recognize the fact that these were first generation Believers. Jesus had come and returned back to heaven about 20 years earlier. And so things are just getting started. None of these men and women who made up this church had the opportunity to go to Sunday School as children. They had no history, no background, no Godly foundation that had been laid throughout the course of their life.
Instead they grew up in a city where promiscuity, prostitution and many other types of sexual sins were not only accepted, but embraced. These first generation Believers had almost surely been participants in this type of lifestyle before they decided to follow Jesus.
There was a part of them that wanted to know Jesus, a part of them that wanted to love Jesus, a part of them that wanted to please Jesus…but at the same time they felt this pull from their old way of life…there was a part of them that wanted to continue to participate in the sinful activities that they had once been a part of. They were, what the Bible calls “Double-Minded.”
Many who are now attending church at Five Forks have come out of a background with little or no Sunday School as children, no church background, no foundation that was laid.
Some of us were active participants in a world where the only thing that mattered was doing whatever we pleased.
And because of this, many here today can identify with those first generation Christians in Corinth. You want to know Jesus, you want to love Jesus, you want to please Jesus. But the influence of the world in which you find yourself living in causes you to be “Double-Minded.”
I think there are three types of minds that a person can possess…the sinful (or worldly) mind…the double-mind…or the mind of Christ. The sinful mind is focused solely on self. The double minded person feels the pull of Jesus and yet feels and is open to the pull of the sin in this world. And those who have the mind of Christ…well, that’s what every Believer should be aiming for.
And this is the direction we’re going to be headed this morning.
Our main scripture verse is found in the book of I Peter, chapter 4, verse 2. Peter is describing the person who has the same attitude, the same mind as Jesus.
I Peter 4:1-2 Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude , because he who has suffered in his body is done with sin. (Just as Christ was willing to suffer, we must assume the same mind, the same attitude and be willing to suffer as we make a break from the sinful things of this world.) As a result, he does not live the rest of his earthly life for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God.
As a result of having the same attitude as Jesus, as a result of having the mind of Christ, the Believer (the man, the woman, the young person) does not live to please self all of the time, or even some of the time. He or she lives to do the will of God.
We’re going to look a those three types of minds that a person can possess, so that you can identify the mind that you currently possess, and begin taking the steps necessary to possess the mind of Christ.
We won’t spend much time on this first one, but we do need to acknowledge that many possess…
1. The Sinful (Worldly) Mind
We look to God’s Word to help us to identify what this mind looks like. We find what we’re looking for in the book of Romans…
Romans 8:7 The sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God.
It’s sad to say that this verse describes a majority of the people living in the world today. Their mind is hostile to God…they are not interested in acknowledging, let alone submitting to God and the instructions He gives us in His Word.
And just because we’re sitting here in church on a Sunday morning, don’t kid yourselves and think that there’s no one here today in possession of this sinful, worldly mind.
I don’t dwell on the things I’ve done in the past, because the weight of the shame would be too much for me to bear. I know what it is to experience the freedom from guilt that Pastor Buck shared about several weeks ago. Jesus does forgive us and cleanse us from our sins when we repent and confess and turn from our sin.
But one of the things that still bothers me greatly (when I think about it) is when I recall a Sunday morning back in the summer of 1982, when I came to church here at Five Forks hung over, I’m sure reeking of alcohol. I was living over in Hagerstown and was partying all Saturday night and into early Sunday morning.
I can still remember standing on those green steps out front of the Chapel after church and carrying on a conversation with some friends who had befriended me when I first started attending Five Forks a few months before…Dave Tiedemann, the Byers brothers – James and John. And all the while, my mind was swimming because of alcohol I still had in my system.
I had been in church that morning…but I sat in church here at Five Forks in possession of a sinful mind. I was not interested in submitting to God. I was under the control of my sinful nature.
And so I know that this morning, it’s likely that there are men and women here today who are in possession of the sinful mind.
The only thing that I can say to you is this: There are no points given out for being in Church. God is not satisfied with your attendance, He will only be satisfied with you.
He loves you dearly. I’m convinced that He loved me dearly even on that Sunday morning many years ago. You cannot leave this world in possession of the worldly mind, a mind that is hostile to God, or your hostility will only bring you eternal separation from God and eternal torment over what could have been…in that terrible place that is called Hell.
This morning, open your mind and consider the alternative. To submit to the One who gave you life, who has provided for you and blessed you without you even realizing it.
This morning I’m asking you to humble yourself and submit to God, turn to His Son Jesus and begin the journey that will lead you to the throne of God where you will stand before Him without fear and without shame.
Let’s take a look at the second kind of mind a person may possess, and this would be…
2. The Double-Mind
There’s a lot of us here this morning that either lay claim to this mind-set or find ourselves slipping into it from time to time. It might be tempting for us to take comfort in the fact that though we may still be embracing some things that are sinful and worldly, at least we’re embracing Jesus some of the time and may even be active in the church.
But again, we look to God’s Word to see what He has to say about those who are double-minded, and none of it’s good.
Let’s start in the Old Testament, and work our way through, and see if we can’t identify a pattern here.
II Kings 17:33 They worshiped the Lord, but they also appointed all sorts of their own people to officiate for them as priests in the shrines of the high places. They worshiped the Lord, but they also served their own gods in accordance with the customs of the nations from which they had been brought.
Here we read about a people thousands of years ago who worshiped God without giving up their sinful habits and lifestyle. Still happens today, as many people worship the Lord BUT…refuse to eliminate from their lives the very things they had always placed ahead of God and continue to place ahead of God.
Let’s make our way into the New Testament where we read that…
Luke 16:13 No servant can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.
We read this and think to ourselves, “I don’t hate God…I don’t despise God”…so I must be okay here. And we miss the point that Jesus is making, as He wants us to confront ourselves with this question: Who am I serving? Jesus? Or self?
When it comes time to make a decision over what you will say and how you will say it…what you will do…what your mind will dwell on….are you serving yourself, or Jesus? That’s the point, that’s the question every Believer must answer.
We continue to work our way through God’s Word, reading in I Corinthians that…
I Corinthians 10:21 You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons too; you cannot have a part in both the Lord’s table and the table of demons. Are we trying to arouse the Lord’s jealousy?
Drinking the cup of the Lord and eating at the Lord’s table means that we’re experiencing communion, fellowship, relationship with Him. If this is you, it means you are talking to Jesus and looking for Jesus to speak to you through the Holy Spirit or through the Word.
Drinking from the cup of demons and eating at the table of demons means that you’re embracing and participating in activities that are sinful. It may mean that you are acting in ways that God denounces. It may be that you are exposing your mind and your eyes to forms of entertainment that would delight the forces of evil…things that you used to watch or listen to or participate in…and haven’t been able to give up. Even worse, these actions then cause your thought life to just go down roads that are far off of God’s path.
The double-minded person is just leaving himself or herself open to attack and who knows what kinds of painful experiences down the road when they put off making a break from the world.
In the book of James we read these words…
James 1:8 …he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does.
James is talking about those who simply haven’t reached the point of totally trusting God. The double-minded person – one eye on Jesus, one eye on the world – thinks that Jesus can’t deliver all the goods. That He’s good for this and good for that, we want His protection, we want His blessing, but I’m going to look over here in the world for my fun. For my entertainment, even though God would denounce it. For my pleasure, even though God would denounce it. And the result is going to be an unstable relationship with Jesus.
Do you see what God is revealing to us in His Word? You may come here on a Sunday morning and worship Jesus…but if you leave here and are - like the Corinthians – unfazed by sin, not letting go of certain sins, still embracing certain sins, then you are in possession of a double mind.
Some of you know the Lord and are growing in your love for the Lord, and yet you’re watching TV shows where people are hopping into bed with each other and it doesn’t faze you a bit. In fact it draws you in and captivates you.
Some of you are growing and maturing in your relationship with Jesus, and yet you continue to speak in ways and think in ways that just breaks the Lord’s heart. Because He knows that a double-minded man, a double-minded woman, is going through life and missing out.
Missing out on the things that the Lord has for you…the blessings, the rewards that you can never hold in your hand but that you can absolutely experience in your heart.
The celebrations that come when somebody is saved, or has a breakthrough on his or her spiritual journey. The indescribable feeling that comes when you realize that God has used you for His glory.
I have experienced many wonderful things in my life. I’ve known victory and triumph and joy. But there is nothing that comes close to that feeling of knowing that the Lord has used you for His glory. Nothing.
So what do we need to do in order to move ahead…to leave the double-mind behind and take possession of the mind of Christ?
James 4:8 Come near to God, and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners (of which I am chief) ,and purify your hearts, you double-minded.
If you sit here this morning and can lay claim to the double-mind, then right here, right now, come near to God. And He will come near to you. And He will show you what it means and what it takes to have…
3. The Mind of Christ
What were those words that we all read earlier, our main scripture verse for this morning?
I Peter 4:2 As a result, he does not live the rest of his earthly life for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God.
Back at the end of October when Tom Harmon was here on Wednesday night, his final night, he shared with us The Five Known Wills of God. If you are living for these five things that we’re about to look at…it would be a pretty good indication that you possess the mind of Christ. The first known will of God is this…
1. Be Thankful In All Circumstances
I Thessalonians 5:18 Be joyful always, pray continually, be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
We may not be thankful for everything that is happening to us, but we are to be thankful in everything that happens to us. In other words, no matter what our circumstances, it is possible, and more than this, it is God’s will that we are thankful – if for nothing else other than His presence with us as we go through a difficult time.
If you want to possess the mind of Christ, you will come to understand what it means to be thankful in all circumstances.
The second known will of God is for us to…
2. Be Filled With the Spirit of God
Ephesians 5:17-18 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit.
Being filled with the Spirit means that we are aware of God’s presence living within us, and we look to Him whenever temptation comes our way. When we are tempted to live out our earthly days – or even just a few moments – giving in to those evil human desires that we read about, we remember that His presence is with us, along with His power to help us bite our tongue, turn our eyes in another direction, make whatever choices are necessary that would bring glory to God.
If you want to possess the mind of Christ, you will come to understand what it means to be filled or controlled by God’s Spirit that lives within you.
The third known will of God is for us to…
3. Be a Living Sacrifice
Romans 12:1-2 Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God – this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – his good, pleasing and perfect will.
To be a living sacrifice means just that…to sacrifice any sinful desires that we may have…desires that only feed and strengthen the double-mind, and causes us to miss out on the incredible blessings of God. It will mean saying “No” to things - many things that you used to do – and saying “Yes” to God’s Spirit who lives within you.
If you want to possess the mind of Christ, you will come to understand what it means to be a living sacrifice.
The fourth known will of God is for us to…
4. Be Morally Pure
I Thessalonians 4:3-6 It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; that each of you should learn to control his own body in a way that is holy and honorable, not in passionate lust like the heathen who do not know God…
The temptation to give in to the many forms of sexual immorality that are out there is huge… and it has always been this way. And this world in which we live doesn’t take it easy on us. This is why we must understand that it’s only by the power of God’s Spirit that we can be morally pure.
If you want to possess the mind of Christ, you will come to understand what it means to be morally pure.
The fifth and final known will of God is for us to…
5. Be Willing To Suffer For the Will of God
I Peter 4:19 So then, those who suffer according to God’s will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good.
Why would it be God’s will that any of us should suffer? And the answer is that during times of suffering, we learn what it is to be more dependant on God, more conscience of God and His presence in our lives. I hate to see people suffering as they go through painful trials and circumstances. At the same time, I love to see these exact same people testifying to how they are depending on Jesus and drawing strength from Him. They know that He is doing something, that there is a purpose, and they are willing to suffer so that His will may be done.
If you want to possess the mind of Christ, you will come to understand what it means to be willing to suffer for the will of God.
CONCLUSION
So which mind is it that you possess? If it’s the sinful worldly mind that’s hostile to God, then remember, you get no points for being here. God is after you, not your attendance. The altar is open this morning, and I invite you to come and invite Jesus to be a part of your life and your eternity. And then come see me so I can pray with you and for you after the service.
If you find yourself in possession of a double-mind, then the altar is open for you to come and talk to Him about this pull that you are feeling from the world. Ask Him to help you, and remember, He has promised that if you come near to Him, He will come near to you.
And if you find yourself sitting here today with the mind of Christ, and…
As a result, he does (do) not live the rest of his (your) earthly life for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God. (I Peter 4:20)
…then you can come forward and just fall on your knees and thank Him for His presence and power at work in your life.
Then you can return to your seat as the band comes to lead us in a number of songs, including one of my favorites “Beautiful One.” There is one line that I hope and pray that many of us will be able to sing with enthusiasm this morning, it goes like this: “You opened my eyes to Your wonders anew, You captured my heart with this love, ‘cause nothing on earth is as beautiful as You. Beautiful One I love, Beautiful One, I adore, Beautiful One my soul must sing!”
Let us pray, and then let us sing to our most Beautiful God, our most Beautiful Savior. Not because we can. Not because we should. But because we must.