Let This Mind Be in You
The sermon emphasizes the importance of having the mind of Christ, which involves thinking and acting like Jesus, submitting to God's will, and reflecting Christ's nature.
David Wilkerson emphasizes the call to adopt the mindset of Christ as described by the Apostle Paul in Philippians 2:5. He explains that having the mind of Christ means thinking and acting like Jesus, making decisions that reflect His nature and servanthood. Wilkerson encourages believers to examine themselves against the Word of God, asking if their lives reflect Christ's likeness. He highlights Jesus' humility and willingness to serve, illustrating that true discipleship involves laying down one's own will to embrace God's will. Ultimately, Wilkerson reassures that every believer can attain this mindset, as Paul declares, 'We have the mind of Christ.'
Text
"Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 2:5).
In this exhortation the apostle Paul is telling the people of God, "Let the mind that is in Christ--the very thinking of Jesus--be your thinking also. His mindset is the one we all are to seek."
What does it mean to have the mind of Christ? Simply put, it means to think and act as Jesus did. It means making Christ-like decisions that determine how we are to live. It means bringing every faculty of our mind to bear on how we actually can have the mind of Christ.
Every time we look into the mirror of God's Word, we're to ask ourselves: "Does what I see about myself reflect the nature and thinking of Christ? Am I changing from image to image, conformed to Jesus' very likeness by every experience that God brings into my life?"
According to Paul, here is the mindset of Christ. "(He) made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men" (Philippians 2:7).
Jesus made a decision while he was still in heaven. He made an agreement with the Father to lay down his heavenly glory and come to earth as a man. He was going to descend to the world as a humble servant. And he would seek to minister rather than be ministered to.
For Christ, this meant saying, "I go to do your will, Father." Indeed, Jesus determined ahead of time, "I am laying down my will in order to do yours, Father. I subjugate my will so that I may embrace yours. Everything I say and do has to come from you. I'm laying down everything to be totally dependent upon you."
In turn, the Father's agreement with the Son was to reveal his will to him. God said to him, in essence, "My will won't ever be hidden from you. You will always know what I am doing. You will have my mind."
When Paul states boldly, "I have the mind of Christ," he is declaring, "I too have made myself of no reputation. Like Jesus, I have taken on the role of a servant." And Paul asserts that the same can hold true for every believer: "We [all can] have the mind of Christ" (1 Corinthians 2:16).
Sermon Outline
- I. The Mind of Christ
- A. Defined as thinking and acting like Jesus
- B. Determined by making Christ-like decisions
- C. Requires bringing every faculty of our mind to bear
- II. Reflecting the Nature of Christ
- A. Looking into the mirror of God's Word
- B. Comparing ourselves to the likeness of Christ
- C. Conforming to Jesus' likeness through experiences
- III. The Mindset of Christ
- A. Taking on the form of a servant
- B. Seeking to minister rather than be ministered to
- C. Submitting to the Father's will
- IV. The Father's Agreement with the Son
- A. Revealing his will to Jesus
- B. Ensuring Jesus always knows God's mind
Key Quotes
“Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus” — David Wilkerson
“He made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men” — David Wilkerson
“I have the mind of Christ” — David Wilkerson
Application Points
- We should strive to think and act like Jesus, making Christ-like decisions that determine how we live.
- We should submit to God's will and seek to minister rather than be ministered to.
- We should reflect the nature of Christ by conforming to Jesus' likeness through experiences and seeking to know God's will.