Seeing Jesus - Mind (Same)

	Jesus has the hands of a carpenter, a fisherman, a physician, a farmer, a teacher and a parent.  They reach down in love, out in support and up in praise.  His eyes look backward for lessons from the past.  They look forward with determination. They always look with love.  Certain things never come from His mouth.  However, He always speaks up when the situation calls for it.  At all times, His words are those of God.  The feet of Jesus are often tired.  But this does not stop Him as he pursues His critical mission.  These feet are willing to step forward and stand firm.  They are powerful.  And they are beautiful.
	It is of major importance that we comprehend and develop in ourselves the mind of Christ.  Developing the mind of  Christ involves a transforming renewal.  The christian mind is motivated by love.  And it is founded on the word of God. Developing the mind of Christ requires that we eliminate certain negative elements from our minds.  These include things which are bad, misinformed or useless.  We must in turn fill our minds with positive traits.
	As we have seen, bad thoughts would include those which are physically, mentally or spiritually corrupted.  Those which are worthless involve minds which have been hardened, blinded, led astray or embittered.  Thoughts are worthless when they come from vanity, disputing or weariness.  Our minds must be cleansed of all these if we are to develop the mind of Christ.  But, as the Bible indicates, it is not enough to simply eliminate the negative.  We must add that which is positive.  As we noted last time, a christian mind is sincere.  This means that it is associated with a pure life, a pure love and a pure doctrine, all based on the pure Word of God. A christian mind is sober.  This kind of mind is controlled, watchful and moderate.  A christian mind is wise.  This wisdom is that which comes from God and not that which comes from the world.  And the christian mind is spiritual.  Let's look, now, at some more positive characteristics of a christian mind.
	"Let love be without hypocrisy," Paul instructs in Romans 12:9-21.  "Abhor what is evil; cling to what is good.  Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor; not lagging behind in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; rejoicing in hope, persevering in tribulation, devoted to prayer, contributing to the needs of the saints, practicing hospitality.  Bless those who persecute you; bless and curse not.  Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep.  Be of the same mind toward one another; do not be haughty in mind, but associate with the lowly. Do not be wise in your own estimation.  Never pay back evil for evil to anyone. Respect what is right in the sight of all men.  If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men.  Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath {of God,} for it is written, 'Vengeance is Mine, I will repay, says the Lord.' 'But if your enemy is hungry, feed him, and if he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in so doing you will heap burning coals upon his head.' Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good."
	The point we want to notice comes from verse 16.  "Be of the same mind toward one another," this verse urges.  If we are to develop the mind of Christ, we must be of the same mind.  Yes, this is the opposite of the man-made wisdom of the 1990s.  The popular idea of today is that there is no right or wrong way to follow God.  One person's approach is just as good as another's. While this philosophy may sound good to some, how does God feel about it?
	"There is a way {which seems} right to a man," Proverbs 14:12 warns, "but its end is the way of death."
	"But in vain do they worship Me," Jesus points out in Matthew 15:9, "teaching as doctrines the precepts of men."
	Whether the theologians like it or not, we must be of the same mind in order to have the mind of Christ. This requires that we hold the same position.  There is no unity in diversity.  There is only unity in agreement.
	"Now I exhort you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ," Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 1:10, "that you all agree, and there be no divisions among you, but you be made complete in the same mind and in the same judgment."
	"Only conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ;" Paul commands in Philippians 1:27-28, "so that whether I come and see you or remain absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel; in no way alarmed by {your} opponents-- which is a sign of destruction for them, but of salvation for you, and that {too}, from God."
	Developing the mind of Christ demands that we be of the same mind.  We must stand in the same position.  We must agree on doctrinal matters.

	If we are to have the mind of Christ, we must have the same mind.  We must hold the same doctrinal position.  We must also follow the same pathway.  We must walk side-by-side in harmony.
	"Be of the same mind toward one another," we read earlier from Romans 12:16; "do not be haughty in mind, but associate with the lowly. Do not be wise in your own estimation."
	"Therefore," Paul writes in Philippians 4:1-2, "my beloved brethren whom I long {to see}, my joy and crown, so stand firm in the Lord, my beloved.  I urge Euodia and I urge Syntyche to live in harmony in the Lord."
	"To sum up," we read in 1 Peter 3:8, "let all be harmonious, sympathetic, brotherly, kindhearted, and humble in spirit."
	Those who have the mind of Christ are of the same mind with one another.  They stand in the same position.  They walk in the same pathway.  And they pursue the same purpose.
	"Therefore, since Christ has suffered in the flesh," 1 Peter 4:1-2 urges, "arm yourselves also with the same purpose, because he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, so as to live the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for the lusts of men, but for the will of God."
	"If therefore there is any encouragement in Christ," we find in Philippians 2:1-2, "if there is any consolation of love, if there is any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and compassion, make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose."
	"Now may the God who gives perseverance and encouragement grant you to be of the same mind with one another according to Christ Jesus," Paul states in Romans 15:5-6; "that with one accord you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ."
	How can we develop the mind of Christ?  We can do it only if we are of the same mind.  We must stand in the same position.  We must follow the same pathway.  We must strive for the same purpose.
	"Finally, brethren, rejoice," Paul exhorts in 2 Corinthians 13:11-14, "be made complete, be comforted, be like-minded, live in peace; and the God of love and peace shall be with you.  Greet one another with a holy kiss.  All the saints greet you.  The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you all." 
	We decry the religious division of today.  Then we turn and go to places where we are told that religious diversity is wonderful.  When will we open our eyes?  When will we see through the mind of Christ.
	"And why do you call Me, 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do what I say?" Jesus wonders in Luke 6:46-49.  "Everyone who comes to Me, and hears My words, and acts upon them, I will show you whom he is like: he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid a foundation upon the rock; and when a flood rose, the torrent burst against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built.  But the one who has heard, and has not acted {accordingly,} is like a man who built a house upon the ground without any foundation; and the torrent burst against it and immediately it collapsed, and the ruin of that house was great."
	"{There is} one body and one Spirit," Ephesians 4:4-6 instructs, "just as also you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all."
	Friends, there is one truth.  We must take the same position, follow the same pathway and pursue the same purpose as far as this truth is concerned, because only this truth will set us free. 

Unless otherwise noted, "Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE(R), (C) Copyright The Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977. Used by permission."