International Gospel Hour

Jeff Archey: Greetings kind friends. You know the blessed hymn, "Where He Leads Me I Will Follow," reminds me of following Christ. Well, that's the best life to live. Are you following Christ today? Let's talk about having the mind of Christ today from the International Gospel Hour. Stay tuned.

J. Webb: Hi, this is J. Webb for International Gospel Hour. For almost 90 years, Churches of Christ have proclaimed God's word through International Gospel Hour. You are about to listen to another Bible-based lesson with Jeff Archey of International Gospel Hour starting now.

Jeff Archey: Thank you to our J. Webb for those kind words and greetings to all of you. It is always an honor to come before you and to be in your presence with our broadcast today from the International Gospel Hour. Please note, dear friends, that we are concerned for you, and we are concerned for the souls of all of mankind.

That what you will hear today in our study will be profitable to you and you'll hear our J. Webb on a couple of other occasions—actually, about three more occasions—to tell you about some further study material and further study opportunities we offer through International Gospel Hour. Everything we offer is absolutely free.

And now let's begin our study today. As we began the program, I mentioned the hymn "Where He Leads Me I Will Follow." And I think about the first few words: "Sweet are the promises, kind is the word, dearer far than any message man ever heard. Pure was the mind of Christ, sinless I see, He the great example is, and pattern for me." And then the chorus: "Where He leads I'll follow, follow all the way. Where He leads I'll follow, follow Jesus every day."

You know friends, this song and its melody truly is one of my favorite hymns. Sweet are His promises. In 2 Corinthians 1:20, the Bible says that His promises are yes. Oh, and they are sweet indeed. And His life, well, we follow His life. Is that not what Peter exhorted in 1 Peter 2:21? And as we follow Christ, we bear our cross daily. Luke 9:23, for Jesus said that we should take our cross and follow Him daily.

So the hymn encourages me and encourages you to be more like Christ and to follow Him each and every day. Now friend, I don't know about you, but it seems like there are times the more I strive to follow Christ, the more I do come up short. There is always something in my life that I need to address, and for that matter, don't we all? We are human, we are frail, and we need God and we need Christ. We cannot do it on our own.

And one must keep Christ as one's pattern and focus in life, and in so doing, one will draw closer to Him. And the closer one is to God and to Christ, the further one is from the devil. In Hebrews 12:2, the Hebrew writer says, "Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame and is sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."

Well, first of all friends, for us to look unto Jesus we ask, is He our author and finisher of our faith? And we can embrace knowing that He will deliver and He will lead us and He will help us because He endured the cross, He despised the shame, and now on the right hand of the throne of God. Oh, to God be the glory.

And as we look unto Jesus with the desire to follow Him, again our lesson today, we're going to talk about the mind of Christ. We're going to take this study from Philippians chapter two beginning with verse one. We're going to read that text in a moment. Then we want to look at the mind of Christ and how it reflects, how it responds, and how it rewards.

But before we do that, we want to go to our J. Webb who has a special message about our work at International Gospel Hour concerning the International Gospel Hour app. Here is our J. Webb.

J. Webb: Have you downloaded the International Gospel Hour app for your iPhone or Android? Go to the App Store for iPhones and Google Play for your Android, search International Gospel Hour, and download our app free. Our app allows access to our website, social media, podcast, our YouTube channel, and other resources. Please download the International Gospel Hour app today. It's free.

Jeff Archey: Dear friends, let's consider Philippians 2:1-5. "Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the spirit, if any affection and mercy, fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interest, but also for the interests of others. Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus."

May the Lord always bless us with the reading, the hearing, and the application of His word. From Philippians 2:1-5, let's consider that first of all, the mind of Christ reflects. Now as we begin the text, "Therefore," well, that means what went before. One has come this far in living, now let's keep pursuing the right direction.

From what has come from chapter one, if the Christian is surviving, standing, striving, and suffering together in Jesus Christ as the church, well, let's look then at how the Christian should continually think and reflect constantly on what they think and what they see. The consolation in Christ. That means one is with Christ for encouragement.

Consolation comes from two words: "beside" and "to speak" or two phrases, "beside" and "to speak." So it is a persuasive address that is comforting. One comes beside you to speak or to encourage, to console, to help. It's like going to someone who has lost a loved one.

2 Corinthians chapter one beginning with verse three: "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God."

He continues in verse five by saying, "For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also abounds through Christ. Now if we are afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effective for enduring the same sufferings which we also suffer. Or if we are comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation, and our hope for you is steadfast, because we know that as you are partakers of the sufferings, so also you will partake of the consolation."

There is that consolation that is in Christ on which we reflect. Number two: the comfort of love. This is an action with the love of Christ. Again, the consolation the Christian receives, in turn, is acted in comfort. It reflects back. Listen to 1 Thessalonians 1:3: "Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, labor of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the sight of our God and Father."

In Hebrews 6:10-12, we see that reflection of the labor of love. Listen: "For God is not unjust to forget your work and labor of love which you have shown toward his name, in that you have ministered to the saints, and do minister. And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end, that you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises." Now do you see folks what the comfort of love, the action brings forth? That labor of love, it ministers, it shows, it imitates.

We also note from our text that the mind of Christ reflects not only the consolation in Christ—we're encouraged—the comfort of love or we show encouragement or action with the love of Christ, but I also love thinking of the fellowship of the Spirit or sharing within the Spirit, a fellowship. Being with others who are consoled and comforted, helping one another along within the church. It becomes a strong force and we press onward.

1 Peter 1:22-23: "Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart, having been born again, not of corruptible seed but of incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever."

Dear friends, look at those phrases: obeying the truth, born again, and through the word of God. Well, dear friends, when we are obedient to the truth as others, when we are born again through obedience to the gospel, through faith in Christ, a repentant heart, a mouth that confesses unto salvation, and baptized into Christ, raised to walk in newness of life, a faithful life, well, all of that is through the word of God.

And then we are in that fellowship with others who have done the same thing. We see this reflected from Acts chapter two and we see it in our lives. There is that fellowship that we now have with others. Paul in Ephesians 4:15 and 16 says, "But speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into him, who is the head, Christ, from whom the whole body joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love."

You see, we're attached to the head, Christ. We're going to think as He thinks. Friends, would that not be the mind of Christ? You see how this works? And one's mind controls one's body. So let's put this together. The mind of Christ reflects what it sees and learns. It is consoled or there is encouragement, then the action of comfort, then the fellowship of the Spirit, the fellowship with others, and then it grows.

How about the affection and the mercy? You see all of this is just from verse one. The affection and mercy, the tenderness, the compassion, the affection. Brandon Raider is a beloved brother of mine that lives in Lexington, Kentucky. I was engaged of a study of the book of Philippians with him and he shared his material with me, and I love how he termed verse one: from conduct to comfort to care. Oh, it's beautiful. Thank you, Brandon.

And in Colossians 3:12, Paul says, "Therefore as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, long-suffering." Do you see? Put that on. You see, there's a change that affection and mercy, it grows.

Grady Miller penned a lecture for the Spiritual Sword Lectureship going back to 1987. On page 138 he says, "This describes the fervent and hearty brotherhood of the family of God." His reasoning then is that the love and care shared by members of the body will not allow the church to splinter and will move each disciple to cleave unto his brother. The love of saints for one another is the glue that binds brethren in fellowship.

Oh friends, what an awesome study from one verse: Philippians 2:1. The mind of Christ reflects. It is a reflection of Christ, the consolation of Christ and in Christ, the comfort that is expressed of Christ and in Christ. With others in the church, a fellowship is embraced with Christ and expressed with affection and mercy. This is a constant reflection that one learns from the word of God to have the mind of Christ.

Dear friends, I want to pause. Let's take just a little break. But our J. Webb, as we speak of the word of God, the mind of Christ, dear friends, this is a great time for us to stop and let you hear about our free Bible study course that is available by mail. It seems like daily we'll get a call for a Bible course. We want to send it to you by mail. It's absolutely free. Here's our J. Webb with the details of how you can receive our home Bible study.

J. Webb: Friends, the International Gospel Hour offers for free a Bible study course available by mail. That's right. At your own pace, you can study the Bible in your own home. It's free. Give it a try. Please call toll-free at 1-855-IGH-6988 and leave your name, address, and just say "home study." That's it.

You may also go to our website at InternationalGospelHour.com, click on the contact tab and leave us the same information: name, address, and type "home study" in the message box. We'll send it right away. Thank you for your interest in the things that be of God.

Jeff Archey: Number two friends: the mind of Christ responds. Now continually building upon the reflection of Christ, a reflection of Christ in our lives and others, okay, now it comes forth. How does this happen? Well, there are four B's, if you will, we will notice.

First of all, be like-minded, same mind. You know, when there were no divisions among them in the book of Philippians, that was Paul's plea in 1 Corinthians 1:10, that there be no divisions among you. There's the congregation of Corinth with division among them because of what all that they were doing and what all they were saying.

Romans 12:16 reminds us to be of the same mind one toward another, mind not high things but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits. So here is the consolation of Christ within the mindset.

Number two: be of the same love. A sincere and fervent love that we note from 1 Peter 1:23. There is the comfort of love from the mindset. You see how we're bringing all this? How this is responding from the reflection? Here's the third one: be of one accord, one in spirit. The literal meaning is "of one soul," having your souls joined together, working in complete harmony. Not as separate entities going separate ways. The fellowship of the Spirit, the fellowship here, this is from the mindset.

In Ephesians 4:4-6, "There is one body and one spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in you all." You see folks how we are consoled, the comfort, the fellowship. You see all this is working together. It reflects Christ and now it responds on behalf of Christ.

Now let's notice one more B here: be of one mind or the same mind. Romans 12:5: "So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and everyone members of one another." Romans 12:5. So we begin and we now respond. This thought of same mind means that we put it into action. The deep feelings here, the affection and mercy, is now responding and one cannot help but to respond. When we think about this relationship, friends, yes, I'm speaking of a relationship within the Lord's church.

You know, a lot of us do not have that relationship. A lot of us do not attend worship of the Lord's church, but I can tell you friends, within the church, there is that fellowship that does exist. You see dear friends, when we can reflect the mind of Christ in our lives, we look at Christ, it reflects in us and we respond, then we're going to grow in that knowledge. What a beautiful thought. Let's continue it.

With the summary here, we reflect, we respond, thus the mind of Christ rewards. The reflecting in verse one and the responding in verse two grants the rewards in verses three and four. You see, the reflecting and the responding is a lifestyle that is becoming of the gospel. Philippians 1:27. You see now we're going back into chapter one and we're coming forward.

It's becoming of the gospel. It is on His behalf. Philippians 1:29. And it is in Christ. Philippians 2:1. Thus in His church. And we see the responsibility placed upon the child of God. If one will get it right on the inside—and one must—then one will be effective on the outside.

And dear friends, when you put it all together, the rewards of verses three and four. You know, nothing is done now through selfish ambition or conceit. We are esteeming others better than ourselves. We're looking out for the interest of others. Now here's what's beautiful: if I'm looking out for your interest and you're looking out for my interest, then that moves away selfishness, doesn't it? And what a joy to experience that among brothers and sisters in Christ within the church.

Now you may be thinking, boy, I would love to have that life. Well friends, let me remind you here, you can always reach out to us at International Gospel Hour. If you're looking for a Church of Christ in your community, one that reflects what we are saying here, you can call us at our toll-free number: 1-855-IGH-6988 and say, "I'm looking for a Church of Christ in my area," and we will do our very best to get you together with those of the church. We will do our very best as we have contacts and communication throughout the world. We will do our very best.

You can also send us a message at InternationalGospelHour.com through our contact tab. But friends, let me come back to now how the mind of Christ rewards. Again, the reflecting from verse one, the responding in verse two grants the rewards in verses three and four, and verse five, the mind of Christ hinges it all together. This is a reminder of the mind of Christ that is continuing within them.

Christ was living in them, He was loving in them, and He was lasting in them and all their days. He will, as they are faithful unto death, as Christ told the church at Smyrna in Revelation 2:10. Their lives should be lasting forever. What a reward. You have the mind of Christ reflecting in you, it's responding, and God says, "I am going to reward you through my Son."

They had no condemnation because they are in Christ. Romans 8:1. To be in Christ means one is in His body, the church. And Colossians 1:18 and Ephesians 1:22 and 23 affirm how the body is the church. And in Ephesians 4:4-6, as we noted moments ago, specifically verse four, "There is one body." So dear friends, God intended for there to be one church. Again, we will help you in that search.

And dear friends, the saved are in the church. The saved are in the body. In Ephesians 5:23, "For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church and he is the savior of the body." And in Acts 2:47, those obedient to the gospel, they were added to the church daily, such as should be saved. What a reward. Dear friends, all of this is in Christ Jesus and the behavior should be expressed appropriately.

I would ask you something friend, do you have the mind of Christ? Are you in Christ? We always want to encourage people that faith is of necessity to be obedient unto God. Hebrews 11:6: "For without faith it is impossible to please him, for he that comes to God must believe that he is and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him." So if I come to God, I must have faith. And I must believe in God and His word and believe in the Christ.

And the Christ taught us in Luke 13:3: "Nay I tell you except you repent, you shall all likewise perish." He also reminded us in Matthew 10:32 that if we fail to confess Him before men, He will not confess us before His Father. So I understand that faith is necessary and repentance, a change of heart, a change of mind. To have the mind of Christ, I cannot have the mind of the world.

And I can make the confession of Christ. I can confess He is the Son of God. And then friends, contrary to a lot of belief in the religious world, I can be baptized into Christ, immersed into His death by water. Romans 6:3-6. Just like the eunuch in Acts chapter 8 verses 37 and following. And I can be baptized into Christ and my sins are washed away. Acts 22:16.

I will put to death that old man in Romans chapter 6 verses 4-6. When I'm raised to walk in newness of life, Romans 6:5 and 6, I'm that new creation in Christ Jesus. To God be the glory. 2 Corinthians 5:17. And I can begin a faithful walk reflecting the mind of Christ, responding as the mind of Christ, and embracing the rewards therein. Let's pause and I'll be back in roughly, give or take, 30 seconds.

J. Webb: Friends, you've listened to us over the air and online for years, and now you can see the International Gospel Hour program on our YouTube channel. Go to YouTube and put International Gospel Hour in the search engine and it will take you there. Please subscribe and click on the bell. You'll be notified each time a program is uploaded. It's free. Subscribe on YouTube today.

Jeff Archey: Dear friends, we have a number of tools available for your study. We hope that you will listen to our broadcast each and every opportunity right here through this option of which you're listening to our program. We are blessed to be on a number of radio stations throughout the world, also opportunities through podcast platforms and even through your own smartphone.

Dear friends, we want to encourage you to have the mind of Christ, and we are honored that we could study together this subject today. Please join us at each and every opportunity here with our broadcast from the International Gospel Hour as we seek the things that are from the word of God.

So dear friends, we're going to continue our studies together another time. And thank you for joining me today on the International Gospel Hour broadcast. I'm Jeff Archey and friends, keep listening.

J. Webb: Thank you for listening to our broadcast today. To God goes all the glory, and we hope that our study today will draw you closer to His word to walk in His way. To listen to it again or other broadcasts, please visit our website at InternationalGospelHour.com.