Striving together without Strife Phil 2:1-11

"Great church Fights"

Paul had rivals at Philippi 1:12-18

Depressive.  Be angry but do not sin. 

Phil 1:27. Strive together with one mind.  

Do you remember those wonderful times of genuine comfort as you understood the gospel ? Do you remember the times of fellowship in the Spirit with other like minded believers? 

Philippians 2:1-5 ESV - So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, 

But hurts come in.  Self centredness can dominate.  Selfish ambition for power or pleasure or fame or fortune.  And the wondered fellowship is gone. And of course it's not our fault! 

You should have Harmony. Vs 3

Philippians 2: 2 complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. 3 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. 4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. 5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus

You should have Humility vs 3 

You should have Helpfulness. Vs 4. 

How?  4 times Paul says it's about something you have control over - your mind! 

Philippians 1:27 ESV - Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel

Προς φιλιππησιους 2:1-5 GRCTR - Εἴ τις οὖν παράκλησις ἐν Χριστῷ, εἴ τι παραμύθιον ἀγάπης, εἴ τις κοινωνία πνεύματος, εἴ τινα σπλάγχνα καὶ οἰκτιρμοί,

2 πληρώσατέ μου τὴν χαράν, ἵνα τὸ αὐτὸ φρονῆτε, τὴν αὐτὴν ἀγάπην ἔχοντες, σύμψυχοι, τὸ ἓν φρονοῦντες·

3 μηδὲν κατὰ ἐριθείαν ἢ κενοδοξίαν, ἀλλὰ τῇ ταπεινοφροσύνῃ ἀλλήλους ἡγούμενοι ὑπερέχοντας ἑαυτῶν·

4 μὴ τὰ ἑαυτῶν ἕκαστος σκοπεῖτε, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὰ ἑτέρων ἕκαστος.

5 Τοῦτο γὰρ φρονείσθω ἐν ὑμῖν ὃ καὶ ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ·

Philippians 2:1-5 ESV - So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, 2 complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. 3 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. 4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. 5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus

Remember His Service 

Philippians 2:6-7 ESV - 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.

Matthew 20:17-28 CSB

[17] While going up to Jerusalem, Jesus took the twelve disciples aside privately and said to them on the way, [18] "See, we are going up to Jerusalem. The Son of Man will be handed over to the chief priests and scribes, and they will condemn him to death. [19] They will hand him over to the Gentiles to be mocked, flogged, and crucified, and on the third day he will be raised. " [20] Then the mother of Zebedee's sons approached him with her sons. She knelt down to ask him for something. [21] "What do you want?" he asked her. "Promise," she said to him, "that these two sons of mine may sit, one on your right and the other on your left, in your kingdom." [22] Jesus answered, "You don't know what you're asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink?" "We are able," they said to him. [23] He told them, "You will indeed drink my cup, but to sit at my right and left is not mine to give; instead, it is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father." [24] When the ten disciples heard this, they became indignant with the two brothers. [25] Jesus called them over and said, "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those in high positions act as tyrants over them. [26] It must not be like that among you. On the contrary, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, [27] and whoever wants to be first among you must be your slave; [28] just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."

John 13:1-5,12-17 CSB

[1] Before the Passover Festival, Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart from this world to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. [2] Now when it was time for supper, the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas, Simon Iscariot's son, to betray him. [3] Jesus knew that the Father had given everything into his hands, that he had come from God, and that he was going back to God. [4] So he got up from supper, laid aside his outer clothing, took a towel, and tied it around himself. [5] Next, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples' feet and to dry them with the towel tied around him. [12] When Jesus had washed their feet and put on his outer clothing, he reclined again and said to them, "Do you know what I have done for you? [13] You call me Teacher and Lord-and you are speaking rightly, since that is what I am. [14] So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. [15] For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done for you. [16] "Truly I tell you, a servant is not greater than his master, and a messenger is not greater than the one who sent him. [17] If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them.

Remember His Sacrifice

Philippians 2:8 ESV

And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

Remember His Sovereign Supremacy 

Philippians 2:9-11 ESV

Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, [10] so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, [11] and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Isaiah 45:5-7,18-25 CSB

[5] I am the LORD, and there is no other; there is no God but me. I will strengthen you, though you do not know me, [6] so that all may know from the rising of the sun to its setting that there is no one but me. I am the LORD, and there is no other. [7] I form light and create darkness, I make success and create disaster; I am the LORD, who does all these things. [18] For this is what the LORD says- the Creator of the heavens, the God who formed the earth and made it, the one who established it (he did not create it to be a wasteland, but formed it to be inhabited)- he says, "I am the LORD, and there is no other. [19] I have not spoken in secret, somewhere in a land of darkness. I did not say to the descendants of Jacob: Seek me in a wasteland. I am the LORD, who speaks righteously, who declares what is right. [20] "Come, gather together, and approach, you fugitives of the nations. Those who carry their wooden idols and pray to a god who cannot save have no knowledge. [21] Speak up and present your case- yes, let them consult each other. Who predicted this long ago? Who announced it from ancient times? Was it not I, the LORD? There is no other God but me, a righteous God and Savior; there is no one except me. [22] Turn to me and be saved, all the ends of the earth. For I am God, and there is no other. [23] By myself I have sworn; truth has gone from my mouth, a word that will not be revoked: Every knee will bow to me, every tongue will swear allegiance. [24] It will be said about me, 'Righteousness and strength are found only in the LORD.'" All who are enraged against him will come to him and be put to shame. [25] All the descendants of Israel will be justified and find glory through the LORD.

Jesus is Yahweh.  Exodus 3

Exodus 3:4-6,13-15 CSB

[4] When the LORD saw that he had gone over to look, God called out to him from the bush, "Moses, Moses!" "Here I am," he answered. [5] "Do not come closer," he said. "Remove the sandals from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy ground." [6] Then he continued, "I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob." Moses hid his face because he was afraid to look at God. [13] Then Moses asked God, "If I go to the Israelites and say to them, 'The God of your fathers has sent me to you,' and they ask me, 'What is his name?' what should I tell them?" [14] God replied to Moses, "I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: I AM has sent me to you." [15] God also said to Moses, "Say this to the Israelites: The LORD, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you. This is my name forever; this is how I am to be remembered in every generation.

Bow in humility because He is Yahweh. 

Bow in humility because He sacrificed Himself for you

Bow in humility He came to serve you! 

Therefore serve others!