SESSION 3 FOLLOWING WITH JOY The Point We can live in love and humility even as Christ did. The Passage Philippians 2:1-11 The Bible Meets Life The world equates joy and happiness with having our needs and desires met. Reality shows us, though, that having all our desires met does not necessarily bring us joy or make us any happier. Joy comes when we turn from pleasing ourselves and turn to living humbly before God, placing the needs of others before our own. When we follow the example of Jesus in humility, we experience joy. The Setting Although writing from Rome while under house arrest, Paul found joy in humbly following God s plan for his life. Even while enduring confinement and uncertainty, chained to a Roman guard, Paul placed the needs of the Philippians before his own. He wrote to them of the spiritual blessings we share as believers in Christ, exhorting them to turn from pleasing themselves and to follow the example of Jesus in humility and obedience. BIBLE STUDIES FOR LIFE 121
What does the Bible say? Philippians 2:1-11 (HCSB) Emptied Himself (v. 7) This phrase means to render void or of no effect. Christ voluntarily made His eternal position, rank, and privilege of no effect while on the earth. 1 If then there is any encouragement in Christ, if any consolation of love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, 2 fulfill my joy by thinking the same way, having the same love, sharing the same feelings, focusing on one goal. 3 Do nothing out of rivalry or conceit, but in humility consider others as more important than yourselves. 4 Everyone should look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. 5 Make your own attitude that of Christ Jesus, 6 who, existing in the form of God, did not consider equality with God as something to be used for His own advantage. 7 Instead He emptied Himself by assuming the form of a slave, taking on the likeness of men. And when He had come as a man in His external form, 8 He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death even to death on a cross. 9 For this reason God highly exalted Him and gave Him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth 11 and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. 122 Session 3
THE POINT We can live in love and humility even as Christ did. GET INTO THE STUDY 10 minutes DISCUSS: Invite your group members to discuss Question #1 on page 97 of the PSG (Personal Study Guide): When have you really needed an attitude adjustment? Allow time for each person to respond. SUMMARIZE THE PSG (PAGE 98): I went into a convenience store to grab a bottle of water. The cashier asked, Where are you from? You don t look like you re from around here. I replied, I live in North Carolina. He then said, You look like [pop icon] Pitbull. Do you know him? I said, No, not personally, but I know who he is. Then the pushy cashier asked, Are you married? I responded, Yes, happily. To which he asked, Why are you married? How old are you? I m 37, I answered. He said, You re too young to be married. A man needs many women. I smiled and replied: You need Jesus. And you need a wife. Looking back, I wish I had told him to read Philippians 2. TIP: As you lead, keep in mind that everyone in your group may not yet be a Christ-follower. Pray for your group members and be ready to talk one-onone when the opportunity arises to share Christ. Notes SAY: In Philippians 2, we find the right outlook on life. Life isn t about satisfying our lusts; it s about joyfully following Christ and glorifying Him, who willingly gave His life for us. LEADER PACK: Bring your group s attention to Pack Item #11, Philippians 2:5 poster, to highlight the focus of today s study. GUIDE: Call attention to The Point on page 98 of the PSG: We can live in love and humility even as Christ did. PRAY: Transition into the discussion with prayer. Thank God for sending Jesus who lived a perfect and selfless life so that we might experience real joy. Display Pack Item #11 to use as you introduce today s session. PLAYLIST PICK: The River by Jordan Feliz BIBLE STUDIES FOR LIFE 123
10 minutes STUDY THE BIBLE Notes Philippians 2:1-2 (HCSB) 1 If then there is any encouragement in Christ, if any consolation of love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, 2 fulfill my joy by thinking the same way, having the same love, sharing the same feelings, focusing on one goal. ACTIVITY (OPTIONAL): In advance, choose one sports team or musical band that you follow and gather any fan items you own that identify you as such. T-shirts, bumper stickers, and foam fingers would work well. Display these items. Explain that today s session focuses on the one person we re called to follow and the distinguishing characteristic we ll display when we do: humility. READ: Ask a group member to read aloud Philippians 2:1-2. ALTERNATE QUESTION: What would you like to see as some common goals for our group and our church? SUMMARIZE THE PSG (PAGE 99): In these verses, Paul gave us a four-fold motivation for unity among believers. We see these as a series of if statements that we may better understand as since or because statements. The encouragement in Christ. We have the blessing of being found in Christ and knowing Christ (3:9-10). Additionally, in the midst of trials and suffering, we find encouragement in our relationship with Christ. The consolation of love. Believers have experienced Christ s love, and this shared experience leads us to love one another. The fellowship with the Spirit. The Spirit unites us as brothers and sisters in Christ (1:27), partners with us in the gospel (John 16:13-15), leads us in our service and worship (Philippians 3:3), and helps in our weaknesses (Romans 8:26). Shared affection and mercy. We share in a common experience of being the objects of God s compassion. DISCUSS: Question #2 on page 99 of the PSG: Why is unity so essential in the church? (Note: Unity is a key concept for today s session. Be sure your discussion includes short-term and long-term consequences of disunity among believers.) TRANSITION: Paul encouraged the Philippians to remember their identity and common mission as followers of Jesus Christ. 124 Session 3
THE POINT We can live in love and humility even as Christ did. Philippians 2:1-2 Commentary Follow with love and purpose. In chapter 1 Paul spoke of his joy in his relationship with Christ and in his relationships with other believers. In chapter 2, Paul explained how joy comes through humility in both of those relationships. Verses 1-4 form one long sentence in Greek, with one basic command: fulfill my joy. The four if statements of verse 1 (in both Greek and English) do not express doubt. They could be translated assuming these things are so or because these things are so. They are rhetorical, assuming of course there is! All four statements introduce the command of verse 2. Verse 1: Our attitudes toward one another are important. Our oneness in Christ is found in the four attributes of verse 1. Encouragement (solace, comfort, consolation, exhortation) is said to be in Christ, or from belonging to, or being united with, Christ. It is a benefit of our relationship with Him. Consolation (concrete or definite comfort, coming alongside to stimulate) comes from the divine love of Christ. Paul considered Christ the source of all consolation or comfort. Love is the Greek word agape, the supreme, selfless love demonstrated perfectly by the sacrifice of Christ. Fellowship (common interest and/or mutual participation) is communion together of believers flowing from joint participation in the benefits of and workings of the Spirit. Affection and mercy are those shown by the Lord to us. These phrases illustrate the common experience of grace shared by the church. These blessings from Christ form the basis of Christian unity, and such unity produces joy. Verse 2: Being united in Christ, believers are to work together for the same purposes or goals rather than allowing themselves to be divided by disagreement and division. This unity results in practical responses believers demonstrate toward one another as Paul outlined in verse 2. Such unity would fulfill Paul s joy. His life s work was amounting to something in the kingdom of God and in the lives of people; the evidence would be the unity Paul described. Thinking the same way speaks to the believer s intellect as well as the will and emotions. This one central unifying characteristic is further developed by three measurements. Having the same love is a unity of affection provided by the sacrificial love of Christ being shed abroad in our hearts (see Romans 5:5; 1 Corinthians 1:10). This would mean loving the same noble things and loving each other as Christ loves us. Sharing the same feelings is more literally, like-souled, or soul with soul, and is only used here in the New Testament. It suggests the sharing of a basic principle of life or living as if the many were acting as one. Focusing on one goal is to be united in one singular purpose or commonly held value. This unity comes from believers having the same values and loves, and emanates from the core of one s being, transformed by Christ. BIBLE STUDIES FOR LIFE 125
10 minutes STUDY THE BIBLE Notes Philippians 2:3-4 (HCSB) 3 Do nothing out of rivalry or conceit, but in humility consider others as more important than yourselves. 4 Everyone should look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. READ: Ask a group member to read aloud Philippians 2:3-4. ALTERNATE QUESTION: How would you describe the relationship between humility and unity? SUMMARIZE THE PSG (PAGE 100): Humility is essential for us to experience unity. More precisely, we must pursue Christ-like humility. The humble person will avoid rivalry and conceit. Earlier in his letter, Paul wrote about the preachers who were wrongly motivated to preach Christ out of envy and strife or to proclaim Christ out of rivalry (Philippians 1:15,17). Now he told the whole church it was necessary to avoid these attitudes. Paul told the church not just to consider their own interests, but to look out also for the interests of others. DISCUSS: Question #3 on page 100 of the PSG: What are the consequences when people look out for their own interests in the church? DISCUSS: Question #4 on page 101 of the PSG: What are the benefits when people look out for one another s interests in the church? DO: Divide group members into subgroups of three or four people. Instruct subgroups to complete the activity on page 102 of the PSG together. MINE VS. YOURS: You arrive at Bible study only to find the youth group in the room you usually meet in. Your group has been given a new space that is smaller, windowless, and not easily accessible. A Christ-centered reaction would benefit me by»»» A Christ-centered reaction would benefit the youth group by» A Christ-centered reaction would benefit our church by 126 Session 3
THE POINT We can live in love and humility even as Christ did. Philippians 2:3-4 Commentary Follow with humility. How can the perfect unity of heart, mind, love, and purpose be realized? It is only through humility. Humility can be aptly defined as strength under control. Consider the example of a horse and rider. A horse outweighs its rider by a wide margin. We measure strength in horsepower, not manpower, for good reason. Yet, this mighty beast is guided and controlled by a small tug on the reins, a verbal command, or even a click of the tongue. That is strength under control. No one who understands the person and might of Jesus Christ would ever label Him as weak, yet He is the ultimate example of humility strength under control. Paul finished his long sentence with a verbal illustration of humility at work in human relationships. Verse 3: In negative reinforcement of the principles set forth in verses 1 2, Paul exhorted the Philippian believers to do nothing out of rivalry (factious contention) or conceit (empty glorying, empty pride), the opposite of the selfless love of Christ (John 13:34 35). The command prohibits all attempts to promote ourselves over others by physical strength, intellectual superiority, manipulative scheming, or angry indulgence out of ambition or rivalry. We are not to do anything to try to impress others with displays of superior talent, courage, or zeal. Among first-century secular writers, humility (lowliness, humiliation of mind, modesty) was equal to groveling. It described the mentality of a slave, conveying ideas of being unfit, base, shabby, and of little or no worth. It was used to speak of the Nile River at its low stage, it runs low. Only in the New Testament with the example of Christ did the word find a new nobility of meaning and become a virtue to be sought. Humility is not putting ourselves down but rather lifting others up. It is this humility that will consider (reckon, count, value) others to be more important than ourselves. Verse 4: Paul further amplified these thoughts by exhorting his readers to look out for the interests of others and not just their own. We are to be aware and seek to find ways to help others even when they fail to see they need that help. Christ s humility, reflected in the following verses, becomes our guide for valuing others and weighing our actions toward them. This does not mean that personal concerns should be overlooked. Elsewhere Paul clearly stated that believers should take care of their own affairs as an act of love for the congregation (1 Thessalonians 4:9 12). Humility starts by accurately evaluating oneself in light of one s relation to Christ, and seeing the image of God in others. Following Christ in humility means we will be concerned with and take correct action pertaining to the physical and spiritual needs of others. BIBLE STUDIES FOR LIFE 127
10 minutes STUDY THE BIBLE Notes Philippians 2:5-11 (HCSB) 5 Make your own attitude that of Christ Jesus, 6 who, existing in the form of God, did not consider equality with God as something to be used for His own advantage. 7 Instead He emptied Himself by assuming the form of a slave, taking on the likeness of men. And when He had come as a man in His external form, 8 He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death even to death on a cross. 9 For this reason God highly exalted Him and gave Him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth 11 and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. READ: Ask a group member to read aloud Philippians 2:5-11. SUMMARIZE THE PSG (PAGE 103): These verses explain how Christ displayed humility throughout His earthly ministry. First, He displayed humility by stepping down from glory. He who had everything willingly became nothing. He further displayed humility in His incarnation. Christ came to earth, took on flesh, and became a servant. Finally, Christ displayed humility through His crucifixion. He gave all the way to the cross, where he gave His very life. ALTERNATE QUESTION: How would you describe the attitude of Jesus in this passage? DISCUSS: Question #5 on page 103 of the PSG: How can we work together to obey Paul s command in verse 5? SAY: Philippians 1:1-11 is filled with both challenge and promise for the one who seeks to follow Christ: we re called to a life of humility but we re not left on our own to accomplish this. The Holy Spirit empowers us to live like Christ. ACTIVITY (OPTIONAL): Instruct group members to place Philippians 2:3 on their smartphone lock screen or computer desktop where they will see it often. Each time they do, ask them to pause to consider how they might put another s need ahead of their own. Let this verse be a reminder to ask God to develop a Christ-like attitude within them. 128 Session 3
THE POINT We can live in love and humility even as Christ did. Philippians 2:5-11 Commentary Follow the example of Jesus. Verse 5: Paul s appeal for harmony of mind with Christ is not passive intellectual activity, but a proper attitude toward life that leads to action. A literal rendering of this verse would be Think this in you which Christ thought in Him. The attitude referenced in verses 2 4 is about to be vividly and memorably illustrated in the apostle s timeless description of Christ s incarnation. Verse 6: Christ is said to have been existing in the form of God. The perfect tense indicates a permanent and continuing existing and declares the eternality of Christ as depicted in John s Gospel (see John 1:1 4). This eternal existence is often overlooked but is an essential first step to introducing the deity of Christ in this passage. Equality with God further emphasizes our Lord s co-participation with other members of the Trinity in the expression of divine essence. Christ s humility was such that He did not cling to His essence and equality with God as a means of escaping His redemptive purpose. It was not something to be used for His own advantage, not a prize to be clutched but an offering to be freely surrendered. This is the essence of humility. Verse 7: The passage focus shifts from attitude to actions. In perfect expression of His humility, Jesus emptied Himself. That is, He became a human being. He voluntarily made His position, rank, and privilege of no effect while on earth. And not just any human Jesus took upon Himself the form of a slave (common servant). The phrase taking on contrasts with existing (v. 6). Jesus existed originally in the form of God; but at a specific point He became human. The verb tense signifies entrance into a new state, the likeness of men, or humanity. Jesus existed originally in the form of God, but at a specific point, He added humanity to deity. Verses 8-9: The act of self-emptying (v. 7) was accompanied by the act of self-humbling. Having already stepped out of glory to reside among the most rebellious of all God s earthly creations, Jesus further humbled Himself by submitting to complete obedience to the point of death (Hebrews 10:5-12). The phrase for this reason ties the preceding acts of humility with the consequential actions of God the Father. Jesus has been highly exalted by the authority of the Father. He returned to the high heavenly state He possessed before, but He returned as God and man, who now identifies intimately with His fellow men and becomes our advocate and representative. Verses 10-11: Everyone will acknowledge Jesus position in the universe. To bow the knee is the position of submission. To confess is the verbal disclosure of submission. Lord best expresses the unique name of authority and power given to Jesus. The scene combines the worship of those who believe in Him with the acknowledgment of His power and authority by those He has defeated. BIBLE STUDIES FOR LIFE 129
5 minutes LIVE IT OUT Notes SAY: When we follow Jesus, our lives will reflect His humility and selfless love for people. GUIDE: Lead group members to consider the responses to the Bible study listed on page 104 of the PSG. Read Philippians 2:1-11 every day this week. In your prayer time, ask God to show you areas in your life where you need to be more others-oriented. Learn more. As part of the Trinity, Jesus is God s Son who is fully human and fully divine. Read up on this unique relationship at www.mywsb.com under the topic Incarnation. As a group, identify a need in your church and serve together to meet it. If possible, do so anonymously or with as little fanfare as possible. Make it your goal to serve others with humility and love. Wrap It Up SAY: Following Jesus is hardly easy and often comes with some personal cost to us. Jesus example blazes a trail that may not lead to fame or recognition, but it delivers something far more valuable: a new attitude. Get expert insights on weekly studies through the Ministry Grid. MinistryGrid.com/web/BibleStudiesForLife 130 Session 3