Lesson 10: Joy’s transformation

Philippians 2:1-30 – www.bible.com/bible/59/php.2 
Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus,
who, though He was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped,
but emptied Himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.
And being found in human form, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.
Therefore God has highly exalted Him and bestowed on Him the name that is above every name,
10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in Heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

In Romans 12:1-2 we read of the sacrifice God asks of us – our whole being, our body and mind and soul, presented to Him every day and every moment of the day. All our own dreams or desires are placed on the altar and sacrificed to Him, burned up in an act of our will to give to Him the things we love most in this life. All we hold dear or precious is given up for Him, so we can with free spirit and will do what He asks of us.

 Some people teach that becoming a Christian means we will never again have problems or difficulties or illnesses or tears – if we only believe enough. Nothing could be further from the truth. Jesus gave up even the idea of equality with God (He was equal with God because He IS God), in order to save us. 



God wants to use us as effectively here in this world as He was able to use Jesus. We will not die for the sin of another, but we may very well suffer for someone else. A parent willingly suffers for their child. I know a wife who suffered for her husband by giving one of her kidneys to him so he could live. But suffering for others for God’s kingdom may very well include suffering something we would call unjust. Others who do not follow Jesus may want to do us harm by stealing from us or accusing us of things we have not done, or even killing us only because we belong to God. We must not resent such treatment or let it make us angry or bitter. Jesus said we should rejoice over it instead because we are considered worthy of it (Matthew 5:10-12).

Transformation of our mind, to be like Jesus, requires us to give up all we think we understand of life to become like Him in understanding. We value what He values. We seek what He seeks. We treasure what He treasures.

 *What habits are you asking God to form in your life so He can transform you by renewing your mind?