We Must Be Aligned (Phil 2:1-11)

Excerpts from CEFC Timothy Yeo's Sermon

20th Jan 2025

A. Introduction

The Mars Climate Orbiter, launched by NASA on December 11, 1998, was designed to study the Martian climate and atmosphere. Unfortunately, on September 23, 1999, the spacecraft was lost during its orbital insertion. The failure was attributed to a navigation error caused by a mismatch between metric units used by NASA (metric units - newton-seconds) and US customary units used by the spacecraft builder, Lockheed Martin (imperial units - pounds-seconds). This error led the orbiter to enter Mars' atmosphere at a lower altitude than intended, causing it to burn up. 

(Note: Newton-seconds measures impulse, ie, the change in momentum resulting from a force applied over a period of time. 1 newton-seconds is equal to 0.2248 pound-seconds)

It's a fascinating yet tragic example of how even small errors can have significant consequences in space exploration. What about our Christian life? If we are not aligned to God, how much worse the consequences will be. 

As a recap, what does All In For God's Kingdom mean? 

Pastor Edmund Wong used the concept of Lordship and Lost Sheep.  We are suppose to subject ourselves to the Lordship of Christ; On the other hand, we have the responsibility to bring in the lost sheep into the Kingdom of God. That is the two key objectives for All In. The key verse is Phil 1:5-6

All In includes these 3 pillars: 

1. Fully Alive (Ezekiel 37) - we need to be dependent on the Lord's Holy Spirit for his abiding presence and anointing power to be fully alive. While this army is made alive, they need to be aligned to God's plan. Otherwise there is no effectiveness or efficiency on the way they go to war.
2. Fully Align (Philippians 2)  
3. Fully Ablaze (Genesis 35)

B. Fully Aligned

There are two foundations to be fully aligned:

1. Oneness With God (Phil 2:1-4; NIV) - "Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ." 

Therefore points us what was said before. In Phil 1:27-28, Paul want them to "stand firm in the one Spirit, striving together as one for the faith of the gospel, without being frightened in any way by those who opposed you."  Paul was in jail when he wrote this, but he wants to encourage the Philippians to go on proclaiming the gospel without any fear, as they are one in the Spirit. 

In Chapter 2:1, there are 4 "ifs":

1. If you have any encouragement  from being united with Christ

2. If any comfort from his love

3. If any common sharing in the Spirit

4. If and tenderness and compassion

They will only experience all these by a close relationship and the union with Christ. The first thing Paul wants them to do is to fix their eyes on Jesus, and not on their current circumstances. When they are able to share these things with each other, Paul said "then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. (v2)

"Like minded" or "One mind" doesn't mean we have the same thoughts; rather it is when we have the same goal in mind. Same goal refers to growing to Christ-likeness, and to fulfill the great commission. "Love" is from the word "Agape", and we are to share this with each other; being "one in spirit" literally translated to "souls together" or "life together" as one. 

An example is when we come together with many churches, we leave our different practices and thinking aside, and all are focus on the same goals of blessing Singapore and the nations, but we can't do that unless we are fully aligned with each other and with God. There something larger than what we are doing in our local church. There is only once church, where we all do the communion together.

How can we create cultivated this like-mindedness? In v3, it says "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves." 

"Selfish ambition" means self-seeking pursuit by unfair means or under handed. "Vain conceit" meant "empty glory" in Greek (kenos)- trying to grab for power, possession, positions. It is empty, as if you are grabbing water. Rather we have to be humble and value others above yourselves. We should not take care of our own interest, but also the interest of others. 

Gordon Fee said: "Humility is a uniquely Christian virtue, which, like the message of the crucified messiah, stands in utter contradiction to the values of the Greco-Roman world. which considered humility not a virtue but a shortcoming."

How can we practice humility? We need to socialize and interacting with people to cultivate humility. We need others among us to help us in our spiritual journey. We can give more time to serve other people, and not just come late and go home early. 

2. Witness of God (Phil 2:5-11; NIV) - "In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus" (v5)

Why should we be humble to others? Because we are following Jesus' mindset and character. In vs. 6, Paul said that Jesus is God, but did not take advantage of it when he was made a human; rather he made himself nothing (Greek root word: Keno-o, to empty himself) becoming a servant, and limit himself as a human. He substitute his nature as God, with a nature of a servant. 

While people who has nothing trying to grab the glory; Jesus who had everything - all the power, possession and position - but he emptied himself. 

The ultimate evidence of humility is when Christ died of the cross. v8 "And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death - even death on a cross!"

Cicero (170 AD) said: "To bind a Roman citizen is a crime; to flog him is an abomination; to slay him is almost an act of murder; to crucify him is -- what? There is no fitting word that can possibly described so horrible a deed."  In the Roman law, the romans will not be crucified. Crucifixion is reserved for foreigners or aliens, who had committed the heinous crimes. 

Crucifixion is the most humiliating punishment, yet He was willing to sacrifice himself for us. Our role is to witness for Jesus, telling others of His humiliating death, and his love for them. 

3. Conclusion

The first thing God wants us to do is for us to align ourself to God, before we align together to advance the kingdom of God. 

1. What are some areas of our life that we need to let go off, and to empty ourselves from?

2. What can we do to die to ourselves? (see the image)