THE MIND OF CHRIST

Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:

– Philippians 2:5 (KJV)

Paul describes the mind Christ had from the beginning, before he came to the world, and during his life on earth. “Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: but made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. (Philippians 2:6-8).

From the Beginning: Even though he was in the form of God, he never ‘thought’ or considered himself to be equal to God. It never occurred to him to steal that equality. On the contrary he willingly surrendered his divine status, degraded himself to become a much lower being – a man. Shall we develop in ourselves this Christ’s mind of, ‘not to think of ourselves more highly than we ought to think’ (Romans 12:3).

His Birth: Though he had the option to choose the way he would be born, God did not choose the for His only beloved son to be born in royalty to a king in a palace, but rather opted for the most ordinary or way below that! ‘And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. (Luke 2:7)

His growth/childhood: He grew up ‘hearing’ and ‘asking questions’ to the elders; Luke 2:46: And it came to pass, that after three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, both hearing them, and asking them questions. Back in Nazareth, he subjected himself to his parents. (Luke 2:46, 51-52) and grew up in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man! Do we grow up in Christ insisting that our family, brothers and sisters in Christ, friends, coworkers, managers, or even God, listen to us, or the other way around?

Preparation for Ministry: Jesus did not rush into Ministry immediately after his baptism. He rather waited patiently for John’s powerful ministry flourish to completion, remaining in Galilee, equipping himself, recruiting his disciples and gaining their trust, (Mathew 4:12-13, 17) until John’s arrest. John 2:11: What Jesus did here in Cana of Galilee was the first of the signs through which he revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him. Do we wait for God’s time for anything to happen, while equipping ourselves?

Ministry: He maintained His zeal for God and cleansed the temple off money changers and traders. (John 2:17). He did not succumb to the allure of being perceived as a miracle worker. “Now when he was in Jerusalem at the Passover, in the feast day, many believed in his name, when they saw the miracles which he did. But Jesus did not commit himself unto them, because he knew all men, and needed not that any should testify of man: for he knew what was in man. (John 2:23-25). He stayed focused to fulfill his purpose on earth – both when his Sabbath healings and violating customs and traditions antagonized the Pharisees and Sadducees to kill him (John 5:16-18) and when the multitude witnessing his miracles wanted to forcibly make him their King (John 6:15), he never bulged or compromised or wavered. He never considered feeding or healing millions or extending His magnificent ministry by decades or across the globe!

Poorna Jeeva