Be Gifted in the Mind of Christ

Here, have you and Diane here, and we're very blessed. To date, this date, April 29, 2017, who is the most gifted being that has ever been created? To this very date, right up till now, who is the most gifted being that has ever been created? Think about that a moment. Somebody want to venture other than my wife? Who that is? Lucifer. The most gifted being ever created to this date is Lucifer. Notice with me Ezekiel 28 and verse 12. Ezekiel 28 and verse 12. He says, Son of Man, take up a lamentation upon the king of Tyreus. It started off in verse 2, Son of Man saying to the prince of Tyreus. Prince there is talking to the flesh and blood human. But then in verse 12, it switches to the spirit being that's either manipulating or possessing that flesh and blood. Because what God goes on to say, he would never say of the human being. So in verse 12, upon the king of Tyreus and say to him, Thus says the Lord God, and notice this phrase, You seal up the psalm. You're the psalm total. You seal up the psalm, full of wisdom and perfect or complete in beauty. You've been in Eden, the Garden of God. Every precious stone was your covering. And it goes down through these gems, these jewels. Beautiful covering. And the workmanship of your tibrais and of your pipes, the musical abilities, the speaking ability, all of that was prepared in you in the day that you were created. You are the anointed carob that covers. And I have set you so you were upon the holy mountain of God. You've walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire. You were perfect, or that is complete in your ways, from the day that you were created till iniquity was found in you. Now, you read that, and just the way it reads, you seal up the psalm. As far as a being that has been created, Jesus was not a created being. God, the Logos, the Word, became flesh. Didn't originate as flesh. Was not a created being. Gave up his Godhead, his powers, came as flesh. So he's in a totally different category because he's God. But as far as part of the creation and a created being, Lucifer. But Lucifer did not keep love, humility, and gratitude. Notice verse 17. Your heart was, and notice this phrase, lifted up. Your heart was lifted up because of your beauty. God gave him his beauty. That wasn't the problem. But Lucifer self-corrupted. He was lifted up. He says, because of your beauty, you have corrupted your wisdom by reason of your brightness. Pride and vanity. Pride and vanity was his downfall. Those are the opposites of gratitude and humility. If you turn with me to 1 Timothy 3.6, 1 Timothy 3, verse 6. And in regards to ordination, and I read this on the first day of Unleavened Bread. When it says in verse 6 here, 1 Timothy 3, not a novice, less being, and there's the word again, those two words, that two-worded phrase, lifted up. Less being lifted up with pride. He fallen to the condemnation of the devil. Pride is the condemnation of the devil. So, it bears the question, what are all Lucifer's gifts now good for? All those gifts that God gave him, what are they now good for? What good do they accomplish? In other words, what true service? What peace? What happiness do they bring? Because see, that brings up another very fundamental, important point. Gifts never trump character. Gifts never trump character. Gifts that are held in love and humility and gratitude, they serve and they help others. Gifts that are held in pride and vanity only magnify carnality. And that, of course, hurts and harms others, starting with the one who holds those gifts in pride and vanity.

This is why Paul said what he did in 1 Corinthians 12. So, let's go there, 1 Corinthians 12. In 1 Corinthians 12, beginning in verse 27, it says, Now you are the body of Christ and members in particular. And God has that psalm in the church, first, apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly, teachers. After that, miracles, then gifts of healings, helps. And I'd like to just stop there and bear something out. After that, miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, it moves on. But the word helps, you can say gifts of helps. And we'll come back to some of that. Governments, administrations, administrative ability, etc. Diversities of tongues are languages. Are all apostles? No. Are all prophets? No. Are all teachers? No. Are all workers of miracles? No. Do all have the gifts of healing? Obviously not. Do all speak with tongues or that capacity to speak in other languages? No. Do all interpret? I mean psalm? Yes. All? No. Now, Paul says, and again in the King James, it says, But covet, or that is desire, earnestly the best gifts. Nothing wrong with desiring a good gift. That is not wrong to desire a good gift. Especially if the motivation is proper and right, that's good. But notice what he says, desire earnestly the best gifts, and yet I show unto you, and I would put quotation marks around this, a more excellent way. A more excellent way. We go on into chapter 13, Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels. Oh, God, why don't you just have Gabriel, if you send a message by Gabriel, have him to speak to me in the language that the angels use, and I will understand it. He doesn't need to use Hebrew, or we might say English, or whatever. My point being, and I'm not saying that Paul spoke in the language of angels, whatever language they use among themselves. They know, and God knows, I don't. But Paul is making a point, and he did have the ability to speak in certain languages of men. Yes, the gift of tongues to a degree. But he says, Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, see, though I should, but I have not love, I am just like banging some metal together, I am just sounding brass or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and I understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith so that I could remove mountains, but, you know, don't have love, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned and have not love, well, it really is not any true gain for me. It profits me nothing.

When he says in verse 31, a more excellent way, the more excellent way is verses 4 through 8.

That more excellent way, and I'll just hit the high points of it, we've read it many a time, haven't we? Speaking of love, okay, verse 4, it suffers long.

It endures long. It isn't it for the long haul. It's kind. It's kind. It doesn't envy. Why in the world did he get that blessing? Why does he deserve it more than me? I'm more deserving of that blessing than he. Why couldn't God have given that to me? Why couldn't I have received that? No. Doesn't envy? It's happy to see him, her, blessed. Doesn't vaunt itself. It's not puffed up. Doesn't act unseemly. Verse 5, doesn't seek her own.

He's very much concerned about the state of others and their welfare and their well-being. Not easily provoked. Well, I'll tell you what. You better be careful around that person. I don't really like to go around them that much because it's like walking on eggshells. I'm just afraid I'm going to say or do something. It's going to set them off. They're easily ticked off. Now, maybe you've never had the wonderful experience of knowing somebody like that, but I have. Anyway, not easily provoked. Or, you know, it's like, well, I'll tell you what.

I'll say one thing about Swinso. It's really, really, really, really hard to get them upset. They just don't get upset. If you want to get them upset, you've got to be trying to get them upset because they're just not easily provoked. I wish I was more like that. You know, that's a compliment to somebody. Thinks no evil. Doesn't rejoice in iniquity. Rejoices in the truth. Gets a real uplift and joy. A warm feeling inside regarding the truth and involvement with the truth.

And bears all things and believes all things and hopes all things and endures all things. Now, true love and that kind of love, that truly more excellent way, doesn't fail. Not only does it not fail, but it lasts for eternity. It's the eternal way. So gifts encased in character will do great good. Gifts encased in love and humility and gratitude will render safe, solid service. Because gifts are for giving.

Gifts are for giving and sharing and relating. Not for self-promotion. See, it is love, it is humility, and it is gratitude. That's what safeguards the use of and safeguards the effects of those gifts that one is given. Again, a fundamental truth and reality is that gifts never trump character. Now, that is a healthy spiritual perspective. And as Paul said, earnestly desire the best gifts. That's fine, that's good. But make sure that they're set in the more excellent way. Over my years in the church, over my years involved with the church, over what's now becoming a lifetime.

Because even before I was born, my maternal grandfather was listening to Mr. Armstrong in the early 40s. My mother, who's a teenager, was... and dad was the only one of his family ever called, but God connected him to God through mom and my grandfather. And I sat in services. The very first time I ever sat in services was the inaugural service of Memphis, Tennessee.

It was 10 and a half in the summer of 1961. And now, being 66, I have to say that my life, for the most part, is behind me. I mean, I hope to have another 20 years or more if this age goes on long enough. But I do have to say, over my time in the church, over what's now becoming a lifetime or spending a lifetime, I have seen... and I'm referencing this to that period of time, even as a child in the church, as a teen in the church.

And don't ever kid yourself. Little rabbits have big ears. And a lot of times, we as adults forget what it was like when we were a child and how much we were aware of what was going on around us and picking up on. And now, as adults, having forgotten that, we do not realize what the kids in the congregations are picking up on around them, what they see and they hear and they perceive. So, from the time of a childhood and teenage, and through the years and the numerous congregations I've worked in, I have seen and I continue to see a great challenge and a great frustration.

And for me, it's been a great challenge and it's been a great frustration. Because why is it so hard... and just think about this for a minute, brother... why is it so hard for some of the membership and some of the ministry to walk in humility? I can say I don't get it, but I do get it. But why is it so hard for some of the membership and for some of the ministry to walk in humility?

Our history is pretty rife with splits. Those splits didn't come out of love and humility and gratitude. They came out of pride and vanity. I am very thankful. I am very thankful. But I can say and know that I'm saying it honestly, that issue of why is it so hard for some of the membership and for some of the ministry to walk in humility, that that's not really a particular problem for these congregations where I pastor.

And I'm very thankful for that. But it is an issue, and it's an issue that even where it's not a problem, per se. It's good to be aware, and it's good to have instruction on it. It's good to, let's just say, have it as part of our educated guard. See, what is so unclear and cloudy about Philippians 2.5?

Philippians 2, verse 5. To me, when I read this, I don't see anything unclear or cloudy. Philippians 2, verse 5. Let, and it's interesting that the word let means the person sits in the driver's seat. In other words, they have to choose, they have to yield, they have to choose to yield. They have to want, they have to desire, they have to pursue. Let, it's like Paul saying, would you please let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.

Again, what is so hard to grasp? Why does it just not seem to sink in with some? Sadly, I have known some membership over my years, and I have known some leadership and some ministry over my years that I never saw Philippians 2, 5 ever sink in. Or the subject of what I'm talking about today, sink in. They just never could seem to grasp it. Why with some does it not truly show up? Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus, in operational behavior with others.

Because, see, if the mind of Christ is truly there, it will show up in operational behavior with others, and how the person deals with others. It will show up in how one treats others at the personal level. Look here at Philippians 2, verses 3 and 4. Let nothing be done through strife, for vain glory, that which causes friction, or for a glory that's vain and empty and has no future.

But notice, in loneliness of mind, let each esteem other better than themselves. Look not, and again, the King James, look not every man on his own things, and I could just add a word for clarification, let's say. Look not every man on his own things only, or exclusively. Don't be concerned just for your own welfare and your own well-being. But every man also on the things, or the welfare, or the well-being of others as well.

Don't just expand your energies on your own well-being, but share for the benefit of others as well. In Romans 15 and verse 2, I'm going to do a little... You might keep your finger in Philippians if you want to, or put a marker, because I'm going to do a little flipping back and forth.

Maybe a fair amount of flipping back and forth. But Romans 15 and verse 2, Romans 15 verse 2 says, Now again, there's the word, let. The person sits at the driver's seat. Let every one of us please his neighbor for his good, too. And here's a whole King James word, edification. It just has to do with building up, for the building up, the encouraging in the building up. Let every one of us please his neighbor for his good, edification. Then if you go to Ephesians 4, Ephesians 4 and verse 32, If you're tender-hearted, you're going to be kind to others. But you're kind one to another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, even as God, for Christ's sake, has forgiven you.

And then Colossians 3 verses 12 and 13.

Put on therefore as the elect of God, holy and beloved.

Now, you look at this very powerful phrase as far as being able to feel with others and for others, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, long-suffering. And then it's going to follow suit, if that's there, that you forbear one another. You're going to be forbearing, and you're going to be forgiving one another. If any man have a quarrel against any, even as Christ forgave you so also do you. So the more excellent way, that more excellent way, 1 Corinthians 13, don't turn there. I'm not going back there, but chapter 13 verses 4 through 8, that expresses and defines our operational behavior with each other, let's say on a personal level. See, if I know somebody, and I have known people like this, who like to just take a stick and poke people, they just like to stir something up, they just like to agitate, and you see a type of joy on their face when they cause agitation. That's totally opposite to the mind of Christ. That's totally opposite to what this is talking about. It's totally opposite to the more excellent way. That's not God's way. And if a person does not treat others the way that we can read in Scripture so clearly, then that person is kidding themselves. They don't have the mind of Christ like they think. They are self-deceiving, and what they say or claim doesn't matter if it doesn't match what they show with their actions. Let's go back to Philippians 2.

Philippians 2 verses 1 and 2. If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, and again, brings the word bowels in, if any bowels and mercies where you really, if you're the way God wants us to be, but you feel it so deep, it's like you feel it all the way down into your bowels. Paul says, fulfill or fill full, you fill full my joy, that you be like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord of one mind. Fulfill my joy, that you be like-minded.

And of course, in verse 5, he says, let this mind be in you, which was in Christ Jesus. I'm going to go back to John 13 on that last night when Jesus Christ was on this earth, knowing that it would be His last time, last evening, as truly a flesh and blood human being, God in the flesh, and conveying some of His deepest and most significant thoughts to the disciples while He was with them during this time of being flesh with them.

He says in John 13 verses 34 and 35, He says, a new commandment I give to you. And so people latch on to the new, the word new, a new commandment. Okay, we're about to get a new commandment, that you love one another. Now, that is not new, that you love one another. That's not new. That's quoted from the Old Testament. Here's what's new about it, the clarifier, the qualifier, which gets into the depth of it, As I have loved you.

Here's what's new. You don't just read that, that you love one another, but I want you to love one another according to how I am going, how I have loved you, and how you're going to see my love for you because of what I do for you, as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this, you all know that you are my disciples, if you have love one to another. We talk about growth, and we want growth, but we acknowledge and realize that only...

and I'm talking about growth of new ones. We want growth. We pray for God to add to the ecclesia, but we recognize in so doing that it's God that has to add. We understand that. We understand that we cannot... anybody here ever try to convert somebody? You can't convert anybody.

We understand that. And we are to outreach. You can look at our logo about proclaiming the gospel, preaching the gospel and preparing a people. We understand there are things that we can do in an outreach way, but one of the greatest things that we can ever do to have growth is for God to look at us as a congregation and see with a pleasing smile on His face that we are what He wants us to be.

Because if we are what He wants us to be, He can call whomever He chooses to add to us. He's far more likely to call and add to us if He sees that we're what we should be than if He sees, well, we just haven't gotten there yet. See verse 35, "'By this, shall all men know that you are My disciples, if you have loved one to another.' And again, that clarifier, "'As I have loved you.'" Now, John 15, it's important enough to Him that He touches upon it again in that same evening.

So in John 15 verse 12, "'This is My commandment, that you love one another, again, as I have loved you.' And then He says, "'Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.'" I mean, the most precious thing we own, physically speaking, is our life. And what greater sacrifice or love can be shown than for a man to lay down his life for his friends? I don't think anybody would argue with that, would they? It makes sense. Now, down through the ages of God's church, a few have had to do the ultimate lay-down. A few have had to face martyrdom, and they've laid their life down.

It's not been the majority of the church. There's yet one to come between now and the return of Christ. There's a martyrdom coming. I don't know what the percentages will be of God's people. God has the best idea of that at any given time. But for most of God's people, probably the majority down through the ages, they haven't had to do the ultimate lay-down. And some have. And some yet will. But even if it doesn't apply to any of us as far as the ultimate lay-down, like Christ laid down his life literally with the ultimate lay-down and died for us, still there's another very important way we do lay our lives down.

I want to go to 1 John 3, 16, and it ties in with what I'm talking about. 1 John 3 and verse 16. Now, here's John speaking as an age of the apostle, probably in his 90s, writing this probably in the 90s A.D., just to round it off. All the original apostles are dead and gone, have been martyred. Paul's probably been dead around, the one who wrote the Lippins has probably been dead around roughly 30 years, something like that, 30-30-something. And John, looking around at the condition of the church at that time and all that was going on, and he writes in 1 John 3, 16, he says, Hereby perceive we the love of God because he laid down his life for us.

And we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.

What is your life made of? There's two things your life is made of. It's made of your time and it's made of your energy. Those are the two things that comprise your life. You run out of time, you're dead. You run out of energy, you may as well be dead. But time and energy, those are the two things. So, when you give of your time, when you give of your energy for the benefit and sake of others, then you are laying down of your life for others. Back in Philippians 2. Philippians 2, again, verses 5-8. Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus. What was that mind? What did that mind produce? What came out of that mind? Who being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God. You know John 1, 1, the word was God, was with God, and was God. Pre-existent. Eternal.

But he made himself of no reputation. He took upon himself the form of a servant. He left that positioning there with God. The Father came to earth, was made in the likeness of men, and being found in fashion as a man or habit as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient unto death. He came so he could die. So he could do the ultimate lay-down.

He laid down along the way and then had the ultimate lay-down, so to speak. Even the death of the cross. Where the mind of Christ is present. You know, you've heard me say more than once, when I see deer tracks, I do not have to see the deer standing in the tracks to know a deer made the tracks. I see bear tracks. I do not have to see the bear standing in the tracks to know that a bear made those.

And that a bear passed that way. As an outdoorsman, you learn to read sign. You learn to read sign that bears testimony. Where the mind of Christ is present and where it's active, a person puts out for their brethren.

They put out for their brethren. And that putting out for their brethren comes in two prime ways. And I'll give them to you. That putting out for the brethren comes in two prime ways. Number one, doing for them in a positive, proactive way. Doing for them. That time and that energy being expended for them in a positive, proactive way. Again, Philippians 2, verse 4, Look not every man or woman on his or her own things, their own welfare, well-being exclusively. It's okay to properly take care of yourself. It's okay to properly exercise and try to get your sleep and do that which properly takes care of yourself. And to be responsible with your physical resources and whys and all. That's okay. We should do that. But not exclusively to the point, oh, I'm taken care of, boy, my house is fine, so what? You know, if they're in such and such shape, no skin off of my nose. You know, I got plenty of food. If they're going hungry, well, I don't feel their hunger. No, look, not every man on his own things exclusively or only, but every man also on the things of others. So you find yourself putting out. You find yourself putting out. There's one scripture I want to check here right quick. See if I want to use it. I'll pass on that one. But remember Romans 15.2, we read it. Let each of us do that which will please neighbor. Now, here's something else that number one does include. If you're going to be positive and proactive for others, you know, the issue of putting out. To be positive and proactive towards others, that major number one does include a very important point, not looking down on others. Philippians 2 and verse 3. Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory. It starts off. Notice this part here. But in loneliness of mind, let each esteem other better than themselves. I have a question. If you esteem others better than yourself, or that is, you simply apply the essence of what Paul is saying, how can you be applying that and be looking down on somebody at the same time, not looking down on others? Now, think about that a moment. At a Passover service long, long ago, a lady refused to wash another lady's feet because the other lady was a Gentile convert to the truth, and she that was refusing was Israelite-ish. And she demanded to wash the feet of a fellow Israelite convert. Now, let me ask you something, and I use that to really make the point. Do you think the mind of Christ was in that lady at Passover? No. Do you think that that lady was esteeming this Gentile convert who was her sister in Christ even as good as herself? No. See, there are things that give it away, and yet these scriptures are so clear, and the essence of that tells me that if I apply, is steaming others better than myself, that then there's no space in there, there's no room for me to look down on others. It's that simple. Romans 12 and verse 10. And again, I shall come back to Philippians. Romans 12 and verse 10. Paul writes, In honor, preferring one another. Okay. The second way that one puts out for others is, and this is something I don't think any of us can say, well, I'm off the hook on that one. The second way that one puts out for others is, number two, one restrains oneself. One restrains oneself. One controls one's own carnality. One reigns in their own human nature. And again, you think about that. If we were totally free of the vicissitudes of human nature and human behavior and carnality, we will be free of it at the resurrection. It'll fall away. I'm looking forward to that time.

But in the meantime, as we are taking on the mind of Christ, as we are recognizing that gifts don't trump character, and we're thinking about this whole realm of thought, and we're thinking, I need to put out for my brethren. And it's obvious to think, well, I need to be positive and proactive and esteem them well and help and this and that. And sometimes it might escape us our thought that, well, yeah, but hand in glove with that, is I need to restrain myself too, because there are times I might fill the urge to do something or want to do something, oh, that's not too good.

But I still have some carnality I need to keep check on. I need to control my own carnality. I need to rein in my own human nature.

See, Paul tells them here in Philippians 2 and verse 3, that first part, let nothing be done through strife or friction or vainglory, because going for glory, vanity, ego, that's empty and has no future, does also generate a lot of strife, a lot of friction. And if you look at Ephesians 4, 31, we were in Ephesians, but we looked at verse 32 previously. But in Ephesians 4, in verse 31, it says, let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and evil speaking be put away from you with all malice. And again, it takes putting out. I mean, think about it. It takes, you will find yourself in the course of life, times when you have to bite your tongue, bite your tongue, bite your lip or whatever.

There are some times you just have to get a strong hand on yourself and even walk away sometimes till you get a hold of yourself before you say or do something that you know you're going to have to repent of. And Paul says, let bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and evil speaking be put away from you with all malice. And then it drops down to where what we read previously, be kind, tender hearted, forgiving. I want to read the proverb back in Proverbs 16 verse 32. Proverbs 16 and verse 32. It says, Now, here's something that's a truism. You will treat others according to how you see them. It's just that simple.

How you view them. There's even examples. James is one place where it warns about how you look at others and treat them according to how you look at them. But you will treat others according to how you see them or view them. One's view of others will show up in one's words and actions. Now, if a person feels above others, if a person looks down on others, it's going to show to others, especially those that are being looked down upon.

Even in the years that I've been here, there have been some situations in the congregations that I have had to address that very thing of looking down on others and treating them wrongly and having to call their attention to it and asking them to change their manner and way of dealing with others.

Thankfully, it's not been very many cases, but the ones where I have had to, it's become a big enough problem that it has necessitated me having to step in and try to resolve the situation.

How so I would love the mind of Christ to be in all of us and just go deeper and deeper and deeper in our makeup.

But if we do feel above others, if we look down on others, it will show to them, and especially those that are being looked down upon.

A scripture that I ran across years ago, and to me it's a very, very important and significant scripture along this line is Deuteronomy 17 verses 18 through 20.

Deuteronomy 17 verses 18 through 20.

Now, I'm not a king, but I'm going to be a king. You are too. We're going to be kings and priests.

We're going to have tremendously high positions someday in the Kingdom of God and rule with Christ.

But notice this basic instruction which applies to all of us, really.

Deuteronomy 17 beginning in verse 18 and just breaking into the context, this was some criteria that was given in regards to the king and what he should do and not do.

And it shall be when he sits upon the throne of his kingdom that he shall write him a copy of this law in a book out of that which is before the priests, the Levites.

The king himself was supposed to take and put a quill in his own hand and get papyrus or whatever they were writing on.

And he was to take the copy that the priests had and he was to himself personally write every word out, make a copy for himself because he did two things in particular.

He couldn't plead ignorance later. He couldn't say, I didn't know that was in the law, I didn't know that was in those five books because he had seen every single word in there because he had to make his own copy.

So he couldn't plead ignorance and it would force him to see everything that was there.

And on top of that, because he made his own copy and he saw it was there, it would obviously have to ingrain it in him.

But along with that, he would have his own copy, verse 19, and it shall be with him.

And he shall read therein all the days of his life.

He was to read and study in that every day, some measure of time every day, that he might learn to fear the Lord his God, to keep all the words of this law and these statues there.

He had to do them. And there was another reason too, and it's right there in verse 20.

That his heart be not...there's those two words again, lifted up.

That his heart be not lifted up above his brethren. Very important. So very important.

Again, why, over the years, has it been and is so hard for some to capture the mind of Christ and how they view and treat others?

What is so hard to grasp about Scripture such as Micah 6, verse 8?

Turn there and read it. Micah 6, verse 8.

It says, He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you?

And again, what's unclear or cloudy about it? Nothing.

What does, O man, what does God require of you? But to do justly. To do justly. To do fairly.

To do justly. To do fairly. And to love mercy. To love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. Or that is, to humble yourself to walk with God.

Romans 12, again, and this time, verse 9.

Romans 12.

Let love be without dissimulation.

You can look up that word to simulation if you want to, but basically it has to do with a guise or a cover.

It has to do with hypocrisy or duplicity or partiality.

Well, I like so-and-so. I'll treat them nice.

Now, I don't like so-and-so. Now, I won't even go around them.

Again, I speak off of what I have seen over the years.

You know, sometimes you get a congregation of 200 people, as it was at one time, or 400 or 500.

There are those who can come to services every Sabbath when you've got a congregation of that size, and never a year can go by, and they don't even have to be around somebody. They don't have to speak to them.

I've seen that. And again, it's sad because it doesn't matter what the gifts are, what the talents are, they're not encased in character. It's not the mind of Christ, and it is love with assimilation.

The only real answer is, and the only obvious answer is, as to why is it so hard for some? Why has it been so hard for some? Why is it ever so hard for some to capture that particular vision, in God's Word, of how we are to be and of what the mind of Christ is?

There is an obvious answer to it. There is a lack of love, there is a lack of humility, and there is a lack of gratitude.

It's that simple.

There is simply too much pride, too much ego, too much vanity.

The surest way, when it comes to the mind of Christ, the surest way to prevent it, ever taking hold, or to block it, or to lose what has taken hold, the surest way is pride, ego, and vanity.

Those are killers. They are killers of the proper and full use of the gifts that God gives us.

We all have gifts. Whether you know what they are or not, we all have gifts.

We all have capacities and abilities and talents and gifts.

Some of them are very easily noticeable and figured out, and maybe some of them aren't. You take some digging. But pride, ego, and vanity are the killers of the proper and the full use of the gifts that God gives us.

It's only with and through the mind of Christ that God's gifts can be truly and properly utilized.

They are for serving and sharing.

Again, if you're still here in Romans, I'm flipping over to chapter 15.

I read verse 2, let every one of us please his neighbor for his good dedification.

But let's read verse 1. God's gifts are for serving and sharing.

Verse 1 of chapter 15 of Romans, We then that are strong, and again, strength comes in different ways, different avenues.

There's different types and arenas of strength. We then that are strong ought to do what? Bear.

Put up with, put out for, put out to help the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves.

There's a proverb. It's in Proverbs 3, 27, I'll spare the time.

But in Proverbs 3, in verse 27, it says, Withhold, withhold not good from those to whom it is due when it is in the power of your hand to do it.

That's the basic essence.

If I go back into the little letters of Paul, Galatians 6, 10, again, in a very familiar Scripture to us.

And Paul puts a qualifier on it, and also an emphasis. He says, The qualifier, as we have therefore opportunity, according to how we have opportunity, don't always have opportunity or so much opportunity, but says, As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good to all, Let us do good unto all.

Men doesn't change it, but doesn't limit it to quote just men either, does it?

Let us do good unto all. And then he says, Especially to them who are of the household of faith, the church, the ecclesia.

Peter had certain gifts. Once he had the mind of Christ, when he took on the mind of Christ, those gifts would be utilized for serving and sharing.

Notice with me Luke 22, verses 31 and 32. Luke 22, verses 31 and 32. In verse 31, Luke 22, the Lord said, Simon, Simon, pay attention.

Satan has desired to have you, that he may sit you as wheat.

But I have prayed for you, that your faith fell not. Now notice this next statement.

And when you are converted. You're quite carnal right now.

But there are some gifts there. And they're going to be used.

But they can't really be used, truly, in the state of mind that you're currently still too much in.

But when you are converted, strengthen your brethren.

When you're converted, he could have said, when you're converted, you take of the gifts that you have.

And we could point out what some of his gifts were. He had some tremendous leadership gifts.

When you're converted, he's telling Peter, in so many words, you take what you've been given and you use it to strengthen the brethren.

And if you notice with Peter, the gifts he had, certain strong leadership gifts he had, were utilized very strongly in those early days and early years of the church.

Gifts, again, you know, 1 Corinthians 12 and 1 Corinthians 13, the more excellent way.

Lucifer was gifted. There's no other way to express it other than to say he was gifted.

Now, because of his pride and arrogance, he is simply a gifted devil, a gifted adversary.

May we, each and all, truly learn from that example and in no sense repeat it.

Let's walk in love and humility and gratitude before our guide and with each other. And I can say, let's continue to walk in love and humility and gratitude that we have before our guide and with each other as brothers and sisters because that is the mind of Christ.

Now, you know me, you've known me all these years, and you know that it's rare that ever give a sermon without pretty well somewhere up towards the front telling you how to title it.

And maybe you figured out how to title this one, but I just waited on this one to the very end.

So to sum it all up and to tie it all together, I will also give what is the title for the sermon.

Be gifted in the mind of Christ. Be gifted in the mind of Christ.