Part 11

How’s your mind?

I’m not asking necessarily how is your mental health?

How do you think about things? / What are your daydreams? / “do you have a godly mind?”

Do you have a desire to do God’s will? / to see things the way that God sees them? / Bob Pierce – founder of World Vision: / “Let my heart be broken by the things that break the heart of God.”

In our series: “A Church With Vitality”: / A church with vitality, needs to have a gospel mindset.

Now for that to happen /  the individuals in the church need to have a gospel mindset / a gospel mindset can only come from a mind that has a desire to be godly / a mind that understands that God is holy, and we need to strive for holiness / when you follow Jesus, he is your king and you follow him and you live for him /that there is a disconnect between being a Christian and just doing your own thing.

If you’re a Christian, your mind is being transformed / Romans 12 we are transformed by the renewing of our minds / The way you look after your mind is different / from when before you were saved.

Philippians 4 vs 8-9.

8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable— if anything is excellent or praiseworthy— think about such things. 9 Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me— put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

Paul here is talking about a godly mind.

One of the books that I looked at that talk about this passage, says that Paul is challenging the Philippians to ‘think about the way they think’.

3 things that this passage is saying about a godly mind:

1. A pattern for a godly mind
2. A precedent for a godly mind
3. A promise for a godly mind

1. A pattern for a godly mind

8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable— if anything is excellent or praiseworthy— think about such things.

Back in chapter 3 and vs 15 Pauls says: All of us, then, who are mature should take such a view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you.

Paul has already addressed our minds / already addressed the way we should be thinking as Chrisians /  What mature Christian thinking is.

So in chapter 3 when he talks about mature Christian thinking, he’s referring to that mindset that looks ahead / Presses on towards the goal to which God has called us heavenward / a mindset that is influenced by eternity.

And then he says, if you think differently, may God make it clear to you.

Still in chapter 3, talking about he enemies of the cross vs 19: Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. (but look at what he says next) Their mind is set on earthly things.

That’s where their mind is set, on earthly things.

If you want to keep that heavenly mindset / Keep straining toward what is ahead / pressing on towards the goal /Forgetting what is behind.

Here’s a pattern for godly thinking in Chapter 4 vs 8:

Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable— if anything is excellent or praiseworthy— think about such things.

Does that describe your thoughts?

Whatever is true? / Or are we deceitful? / we enjoy rumours and gossip / celebrity gossip / You magazine / we lie to make our lives easier / to get away with stuff / to get out of difficult situations / twist the truth to make ourselves look good.

Whatever is Noble / honorable / not rubbish / not dishonourable things.

Whatever is right? / a lot of these things are interchangeable. / Whatever is lovely? / Whatever is admirable / Whatever is excellent or praiseworthy.

Do you want to be holy? / it’s important that you think about the way that you think.

Never has there been a time in history, when this kind of discernment has been more necessary / We have access to pretty much anything.

Last year I went  to an event organized by Focus on the Family. And the speaker at the event quoted a psychologist who said “when I was a kid it was like you were walking down a corridor, and either side of the corridor were doors, and on the doors were written, “excessive alchohol, gambling, permissive lifestyles, drug abuse, but all the doors were locked. Occasionaly, you or your friends would go behind the doors, but it was a big deal. He said, todays teenager walks down the corridor, and all the doors are open. The friends are in the room, and if you’re not in the room you hear them saying, “what are you doing out there, we’re having a blast.” And it’s not just kids and teenagers, but it’s all generations really that have access to all these things.

How do we in this culture that we live in, strive for a godly mindset? How are we transformed by the renewing of our mind?

Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable— if anything is excellent or praiseworthy— think about such things.

The culture that the Philippians lived in 2000 years ago, had it’s share of temptations / they didn’t have the technology that we have today / they did have – brains / minds / imaginations /  thoughts.

We’re all sinners, we all understand where our minds can go / Hateful thoughts / Impure thoughts / Selfish thoughts

If you haven’t been impacted by the gospel, you won’t have a desire to be holy / You won’t desire to have a Christian mind /  you may even feel like this is some intrusion into your life.

But, if you’re a Christian / shown the mercy of God / sins have been forgiven / set free by what Jesus has done – then:

Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable— if anything is excellent or praiseworthy— think about such things.

There’s a pattern for thinking right there.

the old computer programmer expression: “Garbage in, Garbage out”/ What you program in, that’s what you’re going to get out / What are you filling your mind with?

2. A precedent for a godly mind.

9: Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me— put it into practice.

Paul who is writing this letter, has a gospel mindset / His lifestyle, and his ministry among them was one that applied this.

The Philippians would have heard Paul preach / But notice Paul doesn’t just say, ‘please put my sermons into practice’.(although that is part of what they would have learned from him, but it’s more than that)  

He says: Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me— put it into practice.

The things I’ve preached and taught, but also the things that you’ve seen in me.

Whatever you’ve learnt from me. You’ve seen me live / I’ve lived among you / Paul is a great example of gospel living / a gospel mindset / Of someone who thinks in a godly way / And as a result of that thinking, he acts in a godly way.

In fact, Paul is so committed to this gospel, and to doing what is right, pure, admirable, praiseworthy, excellent / That he now sits in prison for the gospel as writes this letter.

We need to model this gospel mindset to each other / Those of us in leadership need to model the gospel life / Parents, need to model the gospel life to your kids / Friends need to model the gospel life to each other.

3. Promise for a godly mind.

The last half of verse 9: and the God of peace will be with you.  

Do you remember last week, we looked at the promise of the peace of God / If you take your anxieties before him / prayers and petitions / With thanksgiving /The peace of God will guard your hearts / here we have the promise of the God of peace.

And he is with us / Living the Christian life isn’t always easy / But know that the God of peace is with you.

In the midst of the struggle / The suffering / The anxiety / The temptation / God is with you.

So, how is your mind?

Home Group Questions:

Read Philippians 4:8-9

1. How would you describe someone who has a gospel mindset? (remember chapter 3)
2. What are the challenges for you in being able to think the way that is being described in verse 8?
3. How can you be an example to those whom you influence in terms of the way they think?
4. How is the end of verse 9 a comfort to us?