The New Under Ground Church-THE TRUTH MUST BE TOLD: Thinking and Acting Like Jesus

Monday, July 21, 2014

Thinking and Acting Like Jesus

Posted on July 21, 2014 by nhiemstra

Let’s say that the bottom of your life has fallen through. You know, stuff happens, and we have to learn how to deal with it. So how does Paul suggest we deal with it? Well, as a matter of fact, he told the believers in Philippi that in any situation to “Have the same attitude that Christ Yeshua had” (Philippians 2:5).
That’s nice and all, but what does it mean to have the same “attitude of Christ? I that just some of the religious jargon we hear thrown around, or does it really mean something significant? Well my friends, it means that we are to act and think like Jesus did — but more importantly, that we can act and think like Jesus did. It means that every time we are in a tough situation, we make Christ-like decisions. 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 need to ask ourselves: “Does that really reflect the nature and thoughts of Christ? Am I changing from image to image; am I being conformed to Jesus’ very likeness by every experience that God brings into my life?”
According to Paul, Jesus “set aside the privileges of deity and took on the status of a slave, became human!” (Philippians 2:7). Are you willing to do that? Are you willing to lay aside any honor or glory this world may offer?
Jesus made that 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 minister rather than be ministered to.
For Christ, this meant saying, “Father, I will go to do your will.” Jesus determined ahead of time to lay down his own will in order to do his Father’s. He subjugated his own plans and desires so that he could embrace his Father’s. Everything he said and did came from his Father. He laid everything down so He could be totally dependent on his Father.
In turn, his Father agreed to make his will known to him. Yahweh was saying, “My will, my desires, will never be hidden from you. You will always know what I am doing. You will have my mind in every situation.”
Now, when Paul boldly stated, “I have the mind of Christ,” he was declaring, “I have also laid my reputation aside. Like Jesus, I have taken on the role of a servant.” And according to Paul, the same can hold true for every believer! Don’t believe me? Read I Corinthians 2:16:

“. . . we have the mind of Christ and hold the thoughts, the feelings and purposes of His heart” (I Corinthians 2:16).

It isn’t just a bunch of inspirational words thrown together to impress people. Paul wrote:

“When I first came and told you the mystery that God had shared with us, I didn’t use big words or try to sound wise [unlike many preachers, today]. In fact, while I was with you, I made up my mind to speak only about Jesus Christ, who had been nailed to a cross.
At first, I was weak and trembling with fear. When I talked with you or preached, I didn’t try to prove anything by sounding wise. I simply let God’s Spirit show his power. That way you would have faith because of God’s power and not because of human wisdom [Which is the complete opposite of modern believers. We insist on the flash-and-dazzle we see from some preachers].
We do use wisdom when speaking to people who are mature in their faith. But it isn’t the wisdom of this world or of its rulers, who will soon disappear. We speak of God’s hidden and mysterious wisdom that God decided to use for our glory long before the world began. The rulers of this world didn’t know anything about this wisdom. If they had known about it, they would not have nailed the glorious Lord to a cross. But it is just as the Scriptures say,

“What God has planned
    for people who love him
is more than eyes have seen
    or ears have heard.
It has never even
    entered our minds!”

God’s Spirit has shown you everything. His Spirit finds out everything, even what is deep in the mind of God. You are the only one who knows what is in your own mind, and God’s Spirit is the only one who knows what is in God’s mind. But God has given us his Spirit. That’s why we don’t think the same way that the people of this world think. That’s also why we can recognize the blessings that God has given us.

Years ago, when I was teaching on this topic, I told the congregation that if they kept saying they were just “human,” I would slap ‘em on the side of the head. That shook them up some, and former football coach Denny Keck, who was probably three times my size, said it had him shaking . . .
Folks, we need to get the thoughts out of of our head that we are still the same weak-willed, limp wristed, weasels that we once were. We are now the Righteousness of Christ and possess the Wisdom and Understanding of our Father. He is no longer withholding anything from you.
So gird up your loins and quit your belly aching. We have a world to win for our King and Father!
Nickolas

With these Morning Messages, I take you on guided tours to, as Bunyan described, the Celestial City. At times we linger at corners familiar and unseen. And explore the depths of our faith along the way.

The trail is long, but there’s no hurry. Though we do need to stock up on supplies for the way, and that’s where I need your help. If you enjoy these messages, please consider becoming a contributing member of this tour group. It will be very much appreciated.