SESSION 5 STICK WITH HUMILITY 152 SeSSion 5
The Point Humbly place the needs of others before your own. The Passage Philippians 2:1-5,13-15 The Bible Meets Life Humility is a character trait that many people equate with weakness; they wrongly equate humility with being a doormat or being passive and totally pliable. For many, the idea of being humble encourages others to be domineering or dictatorial. Thankfully, the Book of Philippians paints a far better picture of humility, and it points us to Jesus to see just how humility is to be carried out. The Setting Paul penned the letter to the Philippians from prison, restricted from what would have otherwise been his normal activities. In this situation, he likely reflected much on his ministry over the years. In writing to this church, he certainly wanted to thank them for the generous gift they had sent. But he also wanted to curtail any building dissension by urging the kind of humble unity that helps us look after the needs of others. BIBLE STUDIES FOR LIFE 153
What does the Bible say? Philippians 2:1-5,13-15 (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. 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, 13 For it is God who is working in you, enabling you both to desire and to work out His good purpose. 14 Do everything without grumbling and arguing, 15 so that you may be blameless and pure, children of God who are faultless in a crooked and perverted generation, among whom you shine like stars in the world. 154 SeSSion 5
THE POINT Humbly place the needs of others before your own. GET INTO THE STUDY 10 minutes DISCUSS: Question #1 on page 129 of the PSG: When have you wanted to be first in line? Notes ACTIVITY (OPTIONAL): Prior to the group gathering, print out several pocketsized versions of a Yield road sign. Start the group gathering by handing out one of these miniature signs to each group member as a reminder to yield their own needs behind the needs of others. Challenge everyone to carry the signs in their purses and/or pockets during the week as a regular reminder to demonstrate humility in relationships. Note: Feel free to be creative when producing the yield signs prior to the group meeting. Use ink or paint, photo-editing software, fancy paper, and other tools to add your own personality to the cards if you re so inclined. ENHANCEMENT: If you have access to Pack Item 9, Yield, you can cut out the images provided and distribute them to your group members. GUIDE: Call attention to The Point at the top of page 130 of the PSG: Humbly place the needs of others before your own. GUIDE: Direct group members to The Bible Meets Life on page 130 of the PSG. Continue highlighting the importance of humility by reading or summarizing the text or by encouraging group members to read on their own. PRAY: Transition into the discussion by acknowledging that humility is not a valued commodity in today s culture. Ask God s Spirit to grant your group wisdom as you study the Scriptures. TIP: Be aware of hurt and broken people in your group so that you can be sensitive when discussing more personal topics. BIBLE STUDIES FOR LIFE 155
15 minutes STUDY THE BIBLE Notes Philippians 2:1-4 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. GUIDE: Use the first paragraph on page 157 of this Leader Guide to offer background information on Paul s appeal at the end of Philippians 1, and to explain what Paul means by using the phrase If then.... READ: Philippians 2:1-4 on page 131 of the PSG. Read the text out loud or ask a volunteer to do so. DISCUSS: Question #2 on page 132 of the PSG: What circumstances in life tempt you to ignore the instructions in these verses? ALTERNATE QUESTION: When have you benefitted from someone who looked out for your interests? Note: Emphasize the word tempt in the above question. You re not asking group members to confess times when they treated others badly or rejected humility; you re only asking them to identify circumstances that sometimes lead people to do so. RECAP: Highlight the final paragraph on page 132 of the PSG: Paul wasn t suggesting that you ignore your own needs or stifle your own interests. It s good to tend to your dreams and responsibilities just don t do it to the exclusion of others or at their expense. Work to meet the needs of others in addition to your own. DISCUSS: Question #3 on page 132 of the PSG: How do we balance our responsibility to ourselves and to others? TRANSITION: Having introduced the concept of humility in verses 1-4, Paul delivered a startling challenge and command in verse 5. 156 SeSSion 5
THE POINT Humbly place the needs of others before your own. Philippians 2:1-4 Commentary [Verse 1] The words if then in verse 1 probably connects Paul s appeal for unity in these verses with 1:27, where Paul expressed his desire that his friends work side by side for the gospel. Paul pointed out four realities of the Christian life as grounds of his appeal, each beginning with the word if. If there is does not convey doubt, but has the sense of because there is. The Greek construction expresses certainty. Because believers had significant realities in common, they should be unified. The first unifying factor was encouragement in Christ. The Greek term rendered encouragement comes from a Greek verb that means to call alongside for the purpose of support and advocacy. Paul may have used this word form in the sense of calling or summons; he assumed they answered to Christ, who called them to unity. The phrase in Christ stressed their union with Christ by faith. The second factor was the consolation of love. Consolation can also be translated persuasion or incentive. Agape God s kind of love provides incentive for Christian unity. Paul may have appealed to their love for Christ as a ground of unity. Third, the word translated fellowship is the same term rendered partnership in 1:5. Participating in the Spirit and serving under His leading, Christians are to work together for the gospel. Finally, believers are to demonstrate the characteristics of affection and mercy. Affection conveys the sense of compassion or tenderheartedness. Mercy means kindness, especially in sharing sorrow and meeting needs. In light of these realities, Paul made his appeal. [Verse 2] On the basis of the realities Paul listed in verse 1, he appealed to believers to fill up or make complete his joy. Their being unified would do so. Paul used an overriding admonition followed by three phrases to stress the oneness he wanted for his friends. [Verse 3] Unity required selflessness on the believers part. Rather than being self-centered, they were to be others-centered. They were to do nothing out of rivalry. They were not to be in competition with one another. Also, they were not to act out of conceit; they were not to be ego-driven. Rather, they were to conduct themselves in humility. [Verse 4] Christians need a clear understanding of humility. It s not weakness; groveling subservience; self-abasement or disparagement; a poor self-image; or a false denial of talents, skills, or accomplishments. Humility is a healthy, balanced view of ourselves a recognition of our strengths and weaknesses. It s being comfortable enough with ourselves and strong enough to make a deliberate commitment to others welfare. It is self-knowledge and self-acceptance that refrains from judging others but looks for good in them. The attitude or virtue of humility enables us to consider others as more important than ourselves, looking out for their needs and interests as much as we do our own. BIBLE STUDIES FOR LIFE 157
10 minutes STUDY THE BIBLE Notes Philippians 2:5 5 Make your own attitude that of Christ Jesus, READ: Philippians 2:5 on page 131 of the PSG. GUIDE: The final three paragraphs on page 159 of the PSG offer a brief summary of Philippians 2:6-8, which continue to elevate Jesus as the perfect picture of humility. Consider sharing these insights with your group members if time permits. SUMMARIZE: Highlight the key points from page 133 of the PSG: ALTERNATE QUESTION: How did Jesus submission even to the point of death demonstrate strength? > > Paul challenged believers to learn what humility looks like by remembering Jesus. Christ provided a perfect sacrifice for our sins, and He offers a perfect model for navigating our way through personal relationships. > > Verses 6-11 show us how Jesus perfectly demonstrated humility and provided us the ultimate service: He died for us to bring us to God. > > When people are full of themselves, they leave no room for others. Their opinions are the cleverest and their experiences are the richest. Jesus example calls us to empty our egos and put others first. This is the essence of submission. DISCUSS: Question #4 on page 133 of the PSG: How have you seen relationships strengthened through acts of humility? Note: This is a great opportunity for group members to share a bit of their stories and learn about one another. Therefore, be patient in allowing them to think through their responses, and don t cut away from the discussion more quickly than is necessary. TRANSITION: Having lifted up the example of Christ, Paul concluded his instructions regarding humility by offering a series of practical commands in verses 13-15. 158 SeSSion 5
THE POINT Humbly place the needs of others before your own. Philippians 2:5 Commentary Christian living must have a theological foundation. Philippians 2:5 reveals Paul s concern for both. The apostle presented Christ as the model by whom the Philippian Christians were to pattern their lives. Jesus is the only true hope for Christians to live in humility and submission. [Verse 5] The opening of verse 5 begins with an imperative verb, Make your own attitude, which facilitates the transition from verses 1-4 to verses 6-11. Using an imperative verb, Paul commanded the Philippians to have the same mindset as Christ. The mindset Christ epitomized is that of humility, selfsacrifice, obedience, and service toward others the same ideas that Paul just adjured the Philippians to exemplify. Christ is the supreme example of the proper attitude of humble selflessness. The apostle precisely clarified which attitude he was emphasizing: the attitude that was also in Christ Jesus. The apostle could have meant individual Christians were to adopt Christ s disposition, spirit, or approach what we call mindset. More likely, he had the church family as a whole in mind as he exhorted them to activate among themselves the mind-set they had received as believers. Either way, they were to be like-minded with Christ. In verse 6, Paul emphasized Christ s deity. The phrase form of God does not mean Christ merely was like God; the term form has the idea of the expression of essential attributes and stresses the reality of Christ s deity. In nature, essence, and being, He was and is God. Today, to understand what God is like, we need to look to Jesus. Even though Christ is Deity, He did not think of His equality with God as something to be used for His own advantage. In other words, He refused to use His deity selfishly. He could have retained all the prerogatives of His deity, but He chose not to do so. Rather than holding on tightly to the prerogatives of His deity, Christ emptied Himself (Phil. 2:7). The Greek word used here means to waive one s prerogatives or rights to something, to humble oneself or set aside a worthy reputation. Jesus chose to follow God s will, to leave heaven, to lay aside the glory of God, and to take on our humanity. His emptying Himself is closely related to His choosing to become a servant. He fully retained His deity but chose to limit His glory. Even though Christ was Deity in human flesh, He humbled Himself (v. 8). Again, instead of trading on His deity, He chose to become obedient to the Father s will. The Gospels emphasize that Christ consistently obeyed the Father. Instead of claiming an elevated status among His people, He chose the path of self-sacrifice. As His servants and disciples, the same should be true of us. BIBLE STUDIES FOR LIFE 159
5 minutes STUDY THE BIBLE Notes Philippians 2:13-15 13 For it is God who is working in you, enabling you both to desire and to work out His good purpose. 14 Do everything without grumbling and arguing, 15 so that you may be blameless and pure, children of God who are faultless in a crooked and perverted generation, among whom you shine like stars in the world. READ: Philippians 2:13-15 on page 131 of the PSG. RECAP: Highlight the final two paragraphs on page 134 of the PSG: ALTERNATE QUESTION: Verse 15 explains the why behind these instructions. How do we evaluate our effectiveness as witnesses? Paul was showing us how to shine like stars in the world. The world is brimming over with whiners, haters, critics, and cynics. Let s be the breath of fresh air our culture is so desperately longing for. How? By being convinced that God is up to something great in our lives! I m not talking about blind optimism, but rather living in the reality of what God is doing. For it is God who is working in you, enabling you both to desire and to work out His good purpose (v. 13). When you start taking Paul s words seriously, your relationships will be affected. People will discover that you ve stumbled upon a treasure they desperately long to find: inner peace and fixed joy. DISCUSS: Question #5 on page 134 of the PSG: How can our group serve as a safe place for honest conversation in light of these verses? Note: The final paragraph on page 161 of this Leader Guide offers insights that may be helpful when discussing this question. GUIDE: Refer back to The Point of this session: Humbly place the needs of others before your own. As time permits, encourage volunteers to share any last thoughts or questions. 160 SeSSion 5
THE POINT Humbly place the needs of others before your own. Philippians 2:13-15 Commentary [Verse 13] How do believers actually place the needs of others before their own without grumbling and arguing? Paul addressed the only way to truly live a submitted life in Christ. Verse 13 states, For it is God who is working in you, enabling you both to desire and to work out His good purpose. Believers are to constantly work at living a life submitted to Jesus Christ. However, Christians can live such a life only because God Himself is at work in us. It is God who supplies the necessary empowerment of Christians to obedience. In the context of this verse, why should the believer submit to Christ? Paul clearly states it is to work out His good purpose. Paul reminded the Philippians that they were not left to their own inadequate resources in living the Christian life. God was present to work in each of them and in the church collectively to motivate them (produce the desire or will) and to enable them to work effectively on behalf of (for) His redemptive purpose. The Greek term translated working and to work out gives us our word energize and has the sense of efficient energy or power. [Verse 14] Evidently the Philippians were experiencing controversy in the church that was not being addressed in a healthy way. Here grumbling carries with it the connotation of complaint or displeasure which is often expressed by murmurings and gossip. A good example of grumbling can be seen in Numbers 14. The concept of arguing can also be rendered evil thoughts, anxious reflections, disputes, or doubts. One approach is to see grumbling as private complaints and arguing as public disputes. Both terms indicate self-assertiveness, which was the opposite attitude of self-giving that Christ modeled. [Verse 15] Paul wanted the believers to be blameless (without defect, beyond reproach or criticism) with regard to their lives toward one another as well as the world. He commanded that their behavior be pure (innocent concerning evil; sincere in motives) in light of their submission to one another and Christ. Paul piled up terms to emphasize the character believers were to have as children of God. The character Paul spoke of here is quite striking when viewed against the spiritual backdrop of a crooked and perverted generation. The believers who embrace the example that Christ set will contrast themselves in this dark world. To be crooked and perverted as a generation carries with it the connotation of an intentional misunderstanding of God s Word and standards. The word generation referred to the believers hostile, pagan environment. In the spiritual darkness of a sphere ruled by evil (the world), the Philippian believers shone like (or were seen as) stars. BIBLE STUDIES FOR LIFE 161
5 minutes LIVE IT OUT Notes GUIDE: Direct group members to page 135 of the PSG. Encourage them to take one of the following steps in order to prioritize humility in the coming week: > > A small step. Intentionally park in the worst space in the church parking lot next Sunday. Or, come early and set up the room for your next small-group meeting. > > A medium step. Volunteer with your church s homeless ministry and treat those you serve with respect. If your church doesn t have a homeless ministry, find a practical way to help the widows and orphans in your community. > > A large step. Talk with your church staff and commit to helping a family or individual with large financial needs and do it anonymously. Wrap It Up TRANSITION: Read or restate the conclusion from page 135 of the PSG: As followers of Jesus Christ and representatives of His kingdom, we should be waiting in line all night to help others. We should be sacrificing our own needs in order to meet the needs of those around us. That s what it means to stick with humility. PRAY: Ask the Holy Spirit to work in your heart, and in the hearts of your group members, to produce more of the fruit of humility in your lives. Pray for wisdom to see when opportunities present themselves for you to place the needs of others before your own. 162 SeSSion 5
My group's prayer requests Additional suggestions for specific groups (women, men, boomers, and singles) are available at BibleStudiesForLife.com/blog. And for free online training on how to lead a group visit MinistryGrid.com/web/BibleStudiesForLife. Get Over Yourself Pride our culture doesn t typically give it much thought, but to the early church, pride was considered one of the most destructive of all sins. Trouble is, it s also a sin that comes pretty naturally to us. So how do we fight it? To continue reading Get Over Yourself from ThreadsMedia.com, visit BibleStudiesforLife.com/articles. BIBLE STUDIES FOR LIFE 163