The Mind of Jesus



The world knows how British journalist Henry Stanley went to
Africa to find the famed missionary, Dr. David Livingstone. 
Stanley's greeting, "Dr. Livingstone, I presume?" is world
famous, but few know the rest of the story.  After the two had
been together for some time, Stanley saw what Livingstone
endured and wrote, "I went to Africa as prejudiced as the
biggest atheist in London.  But there came for me a long time
for reflection.  I saw this solitary old man there and asked
myself, 'How on earth does he stop here -- is he cracked, or
what? What is it that inspires him so?' For months after we met
I found myself wondering at the old man carrying out all that
was said in the Bible -- 'Leave all things and follow Me.' But
little by little his sympathy for others became contagious; my
sympathy was aroused; seeing his piety, his gentleness, his
zeal, his earnestness, and how he went about his business, I was
converted by him." 

Now as a conservative Christian, I am uncomfortable with some of
Livingston's book theology, but I stand in awe of his lifestyle
theology.  

Today, I want to ask you, do you have the heart of Jesus?  

Do you have the mind of Jesus?

Phil 2:5 tells us "Let this mind be in you which was also in
Christ Jesus,...."

Today my goal is to help us see what the mind of Jesus was, how
he received that mind or heart, how we may receive the same mind
that he had.

First, let us look at the mind of Christ.  

At the early age of 12 the Holy Spirit was already working in
Jesus's life, and began to feel some of the burden of the
mission for which He had come to our world. The sacrifices and
the majestic services impressed him with how personal all this
was for him.  In trying to find some way to commuincate the
importance of the services and his mission He began asking
questions.  Acting like one who wanted to learn, he asked
questions that were designed to bring forth some serious
thinking about what went on in the temple.  He tried to lead
them to rethink their whole understanding of who the Messiah was
and what he was to accomplish.

Yet after this wonderful encounter in the temple, Jesus went
back to his parent's home and was subject to them for another 18
years.

And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was
subject unto them. Luke 2:51.

When Jesus' ministry began in earnest, Jesus was still subject
to his father, this time his Heavenly Father. And the messenger
who brought the Father's thoughts to Jesus, the Holy Spirit.

Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say
unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth
the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth
the Son likewise. John 5:19.

I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the
night cometh, when no man can work. John 9:4.

 Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things
which he suffered. Heb. 5:8. 

 And Jesus went forth, and saw a great multitude, and was moved
with compassion toward them, and he healed their sick. Matt.
14:14.  

And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers
of men. Matt. 4:19

As we look at Jesus healing, teaching, saving, caring for
people, we see him patient, courteous, tenderhearted, and
committed to his Father's will, even submitting to the most
painful death that the world could conjur up at that point.



Second, How did he receive that mind or heart?

God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with
power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were
oppressed of the devil; for God was with him. Acts 10:38. 

It was the power of the Holy Spirit that empowered Jesus in his
life and ministry.  

At the beginning of his ministry we read:

Luke 4:18  "The Spirit of the LORD is upon Me, Because He has
anointed Me To preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to
heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives And
recovery of sight to the blind, To set at liberty those who are
oppressed;

19  To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD."

20  Then He closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant
and sat down. And the eyes of all who were in the synagogue were
fixed on Him.

21  And He began to say to them, "Today this Scripture is
fulfilled in your hearing."

He recognized his call, and he responded to it.  

Scripture confirms this leading of the Spirit in Matthew 4:1 
Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be
tempted by the devil

Mark puts it more tersely:

Mark 1:12  Immediately the Spirit drove Him into the wilderness.

After his wilderness expereince, we read in Luke 4:14  Then
Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee, and news
of Him went out through all the surrounding region.

The ministry of the Holy Spirit was inseparable from the
ministry of Jesus.  The Spirit brought Jesus his Father's
thoughts, His desires, His will.  And His power. It was not
through his own power that Jesus ministered, but through the
power of the Spirit of God.  

 The Holy Spirit was the highest of all gifts that He {Jesus}
could solicit from His Father for the exaltation of His people.
The Spirit was to be given as a regenerating agent, and without
this the sacrifice of Christ would have been of no avail. The
power of evil had been strengthening for centuries, and the
submission of men to this satanic captivity was amazing. Sin
could be resisted and overcome only through the mighty agency of
the third person of the Godhead, who would come with no modified
energy, but in the fullness of divine power.  {FLB 52.6}

And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a
mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was
there alone. Matt. 14:23.  {SD 136.1}

The strength of Christ was in prayer. . . . Christ retired to
the groves or mountains with the world and everything else shut
out. He was alone with His Father. With intense earnestness, He
poured out His supplications, and put forth all the strength of
His soul in grasping the hand of the Infinite. When new and
great trials were before Him, He would steal away to the
solitude of the mountains, and pass the entire night in prayer
to His heavenly Father.  {SD 136.2}



Finally how do we receive that same mind that Jesus had?

1.  It is given to us.

Paul makes an astounding statement in 

1 Cor 2:16  For "who has known the mind of the LORD that he may
instruct Him?" But we have the mind of Christ.

Now I don't know about you, but I do not believe in my human
mind that I have the mind of Christ.  But Paul tells the
Corinthian belivers that they have the mind of Christ.  But Paul
also makes it clear that this is not something that we can buy
or barter for.  It is a gift that comes with Salvation.  And
this gift is brought through the power of the Holy Spirit.  

Acts 1:1  The former account I made, O Theophilus, of all that
Jesus began both to do and teach,

2  until the day in which He was taken up, after He through the
Holy Spirit had given commandments to the apostles whom He had
chosen,



2.  We are to pray for it.  

That means praying that the same Holy Spirit that empowered
Jesus' life empower ours also.  

1 Thess 5:17  pray without ceasing,

John 14:16  "And I will pray the Father, and He will give you
another Helper, that He may abide with you forever;

The Holy Spirit is an effective helper in restoring the image of
God in the human soul. 

It is the Holy Spirit, the Comforter, which Jesus said He would
send into the world, that changes our character into the image
of Christ; and when this is accomplished, we reflect, as in a
mirror, the glory of the Lord.  {AG 246.8}

 Jesus told his disciple:  It is the spirit that quickeneth; the
flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they
are spirit, and they are life. John 6:63

Quicken is an old word that means bring life.  It was often used
to describe when the unborn baby began to make itself known to
its mother and father.  That first little tickle of tiny feet. 
So the Spirit works in our lives.  Maybe just a gentle puff of a
breeze at first, but wanting to come in the full power of God.



3..  We partake of Him.  

Jesus told his disciples that they must eat of his flesh and
blood.  Many of his followers misunderstood this and turned away
at that statement.  But what Jesus meant was that we should be
so close to him that he would be living in us.  

"The impartation of the Spirit is the impartation of the life of
Christ. Those only who are thus taught of God, those only who
possess the inward working of the Spirit, and in whose life the
Christ-life is manifested, can stand as true representatives of
the Saviour."  {SD 33.4}

 God takes men as they are, and educates them for His service,
if they will yield themselves to Him. The Spirit of God,
received into the soul, quickens all its faculties. Under the
guidance of the Holy Spirit, the mind that is devoted
unreservedly to God, develops harmoniously, and is strengthened
to comprehend and fulfil the requirements of God. The weak,
vacillating character becomes changed to one of strength and
steadfastness. Continual devotion establishes so close a
relation between Jesus and His disciples that the Christian
becomes like his Master in character. He has clearer, broader
views. His discernment is more penetrative, his judgment better
balanced. So quickened is he by the life-giving power of the Sun
of Righteousness that he is enabled to bear much fruit to the
glory of God.  {SD 33.5}

"Only the Holy Spirit of God can quicken the perceptive
faculties."  {SD 33.2}

"Only to those who wait humbly upon God, who watch for His
guidance and grace, is the Spirit given. This promised blessing,
claimed by faith, brings all other blessings in its train. It is
given according to the riches of the grace of Christ, and He is
ready to supply every soul according to the capacity to receive.
 {SD 33.3}

 If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as
I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love.
John 15:10.  

Jesus is the perfect pattern, and it is the duty and privilege
of every child and youth to copy the pattern. Let children bear
in mind that the child Jesus had taken upon Himself human
nature, and was in the likeness of sinful flesh, and was tempted
of Satan as all children are tempted. He was able to resist the
temptation of Satan through His dependence upon the divine power
of His heavenly Father, as He was subject to His will, and
obedient to all His commands. He kept His Father's statutes,
precepts, and laws. He was continually seeking counsel of God,
and was obedient to His will.  {SD 128.2}



4.  Trust in Him

Matthew 10:19  "But when they deliver you up, do not worry about
how or what you should speak. For it will be given to you in
that hour what you should speak;

20  "for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father
who speaks in you.

The providence of God had placed Jesus where He was, and He
depended on His heavenly Father for means to relieve the
necessity. When we are brought into strait places, we are to
depend on God. In every emergency we are to seek help from Him
who has infinite resources at His command.  {MH 48.3}

The Saviour overcame to show man how he may overcome. All the
temptations of Satan, Christ met with the Word of God. By
trusting in God's promises, He received power to obey God's
commandments, and the temper could gain no advantage.   (SD
156.4}



5.  Work for Him.  

If the Holy Spirit dwells in us, . . . we shall lift up Jesus. 
{SD 33.6}

These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have
peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good
cheer; I have overcome the world. John 16:33



Companies of Christian workers should gather to ask for special
help, for heavenly wisdom, that they may know how to plan and
execute wisely. Especially should they pray that God will
baptize is chosen ambassadors in mission fields with a rich
measure of His Spirit. The presence of the Spirit with God's
workers will give the proclamation of truth a power that not all
the honor or glory of the world could give.  {AA 50.2}



6.  Die for Him  

Whether this means literally dying for him or whether it means
letting his life take over ours, this is the mind of Jesus.

Romans 14:7  For none of us lives to himself, and no one dies to
himself.

8  For if we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to
the Lord. Therefore, whether we live or die, we are the Lord's.

Philippians 2:5  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.

When David Livingston died, he was so loved by his adopted
peoples, that before they took his body to England, his converts
took his heart out and buried it in Africa.  His heart was in
the work in Africa, and the natives felt it appropriate that it
stay there.  He had the mind of Christ, and it won the hearts of
pagans.

Do you have the mind of Christ?  Do you want the mind of Christ?