效法基督
腓立比书二章1至11节
1所以,在基督里若有甚么劝勉,爱心有甚么安慰,圣灵有甚么交通,心中有甚么慈悲怜悯,
2你们就要意念相同,爱心相同,有一样的心思,有一样的意念,使我的喜乐可以满足。
3凡事不可结党,不可贪图虚浮的荣耀;只要存心谦卑,各人看别人比自己强。
4各人不要单顾自己的事,也要顾别人的事。
5你们当以基督耶稣的心为心:
6他本有神的形像,不以自己与神同等为强夺的;
7反倒虚己,取了奴仆的形像,成为人的样式;
8既有人的样子,就自己卑微,存心顺服,以至于死,且死在十字架上。
9所以,神将他升为至高,又赐给他那超乎万名之上的名,
10叫一切在天上的、地上的,和地底下的,因耶稣的名无不屈膝,
11无不口称耶稣基督为主,使荣耀归与父神。
信息分享
保罗在这段经文中,劝勉我们应以耶稣基督的生平和事奉作为效法的榜样。他在第2至4节作出了非常清晰的教导,不过,他将一切教训的精髓概纳在第5节:「你们以基督耶稣的心为心」。
福音的精神,就是只为别人设想;而耶稣就是福音的最伟大典范。主耶稣离开天堂,完全不是为了满足自己,却是单纯为了要满足人类的需要。他终其一生,都是为人而活。祂「来不是要得人服侍,乃是要服侍人」--祂来是为了拯救世人。即使死,祂也不是为自己死,而是为众人受死。彼得说过,基督「被挂在木头上,亲身担当了我们的罪」。
请记着,这同一位耶稣基督今天正活在我们心里。我们若容让祂在我们的生命中工作,我们就会愿意多为别人设想,多服侍别人,而少为自己打算。
愿我们都以这段话,作为我们的祷告:
「主啊,只想到别人,只为到他人--愿这成为我的格言。
助我为别人而活,以致我能活像你一样。」--C.D. Meigs
祷告:
主啊,愿我每天的生活,都以我救主基督的心为心。
DOING WHAT CHRIST DID
Philippians 2:1 - 11
1 Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy,
2 fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.
3 Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.
4 Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.
5 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus,
6 who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God,
7 but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men.
8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.
9 Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name,
10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth,
11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Message
Here in this passage Paul uses the life and ministry of our Saviour, Jesus Christ, as an example of what we ought to be and do. There are very clear instructions in verses 2 to 4, but Paul puts it all together in verse 5, 'Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus'.
The gospel is that greatest example of someone thinking only of others. The Lord Jesus left heaven because of the need of others - not his own need. He lived for others. He came 'not to be ministered unto but to minister' - to save others. And he died - not for himself - but for everyone else. Peter said Christ 'bore out sins in his body on the tree'.
Remember that same Jesus Christ is living in our hearts today. If we allow him to work in our lives, we will begin to think more of others than we do of ourselves. We will become more willing to do things for others and to think less of ourselves.
Here is a verse of a poem which ought to be out prayer.
'Others, Lord, yes others- let this my motto be. Help me to live for OTHERS, that I may live like THEE.' -C.D. Meigs
A PRAYER:
'Lord let the mind of Christ my Saviour live in me from day to day.'

