Make
or Break Attitudes
Steve W. Reeves
INTRODUCTION:
A. A
mother took her little girl to the Pediatrician’s office for a checkup. The
doctor took
his stethoscope and placed it on her chest
to listen to her heart. He said, “I wonder if
I’ll hear Daniel Tiger in there?” The
little girl said, “No, silly. Daniel Tiger is on my
lunch box. Jesus is in my heart.”
1. That little toddler had the right idea,
didn’t she?
2. If it were possible to listen to your
spiritual heart and evaluate its condition what
would such an examination reveal?
3. What attitudes reside in your heart?
B.
Your attitudes have a profound effect on your family. When Solomon wrote,
“Watch
over your heart with all diligence, for
from it flow the springs of life” (Proverbs 4:23).
He understood that the attitudes within our
heart affect our marriage, our children, our
relationships with others and our
relationship with God.
1. A family with a particularly negative
attitude was eating at a seafood restaurant.
They griped and complained throughout
the meal. Finally the man asked the
waitress, “Do you serve crabs in here?”
She replied, “Sir, we’ve been happy to
serve you.”
2. I prefer to have the attitude expressed
by the man who fell off the roof of a 100
story skyscraper. As he was passing the
40th floor someone yelled, “How’s it
going?” He yelled, “So far, so good!”
C. In
Philippians 2:3-8 we find a list of “make or break” attitudes! “Do nothing from
selfishness or empty conceit, but with
humility of mind regard one another as more
important than yourselves; 4 do
not merely look out for your
own personal interests,
but also for the interests of others. 5 Have
this attitude in yourselves which was also in
Christ Jesus, 6 who,
although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality
with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but
emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-
servant, and being made in the likeness of men. 8 Being
found in appearance as a
man, He humbled Himself by becoming
obedient to the point of death, even death on
a cross.”
1. Do you see the two basic attitudes
mentioned in this passage?
2. They are the attitude of selfishness and
the attitude of sacrifice.
I. THE ATTITUDE OF SELFISHNESS
A. I call this the, “Archie Bunker”
attitude.
1. There was a popular TV show years ago
called, “All In The Family.” The lead
character was a man named “Archie
Bunker,” played by Carroll O’Conner.
2. Archie would come home at the end of
the day, sit down in his chair and expect
everyone to serve him.
a. If someone was in his chair they
had to move.
b. His wife had to get up and bring
him something to drink. Then she would have
to get supper on the table.
c. If someone was watching TV they
had to change the channel to watch what
Archie wanted to watch.
d. Archie thought he was right about
everything from race to religion to politics.
He thought everyone else should
serve him.
B. Archie embodied the attitudes Paul said
we commanded the Philippians to avoid.
1. Do nothing from selfishness or empty
conceit.
2. Do not merely look out for your own
interests.
3. Each of us wrestles with these
traits. A friend once told me he wanted to show
me his household idol. He took me
through his house and said, “where did I put
it?” Then he took me in the bathroom
and looking in the mirror he said, “There it
is,” as he pointed at his own image
in the large mirror. By nature we are self-
centered.
C. Consider the consistent counsel of the
Bible.
1. In Genesis 4:9 after Cain had killed
Able, God asked Cain where his brother was.
Able responded, “Am I my brother’s
keeper?” It is significant that this question is
asked in this early scene of
Scripture. The remainder of the Bible answers with a
resounding, “Yes.” We do have
responsibilities towards one another. We are not
in this world merely to look out for
our own interests.
2. Jesus was questioned by a man who
wanted his brother to divide his share of
inheritance from their father. Jesus
replied in Luke 12:15ff, “Be on your guard
against all kinds of greed; a man’s
life does not consist of the abundance of his
possessions.” Jesus went on to tell
of a rich farmer who had an abundant crop.
Did he share with anyone? Did he
thank God for his abundant blessings? He
said, “I will tear down my barns and
build bigger barns and then take my ease.”
What did Jesus call this man? “You
Fool” (Luke12:20 ).
D. Many family problems are rooted in
selfishness.
1. Financial concerns: The average credit
card debt per family in Atkansas is over
$5,300. Leroy Brownlow used to say, “When your outgo
is more than your
income your upkeep becomes your
downfall.”
2. Sexual issues. Genesis 2:24 says, “a
man shall leave father and mother and
cleave to his wife and the two shall
become one flesh.” Paul admonished
Christians in Corinth to remember
this oneness in their marital relationship. In 1
Corinthians 7:4 he wrote, “The wife
does not have authority over her own body,
but the husband does; and likewise
also the husband does not have authority
over his own body, but the wife
does.”
3. When a husband or a wife is only
interested in themselves that marriage is going
to have difficulty.
E. Archie Bunker selfishness says, “I want
what I want when I want it regardless of
what anyone else wants or needs.” Such
an attitude will destroy a marriage and a
home. Ultimately, it will destroy your
life.
II. THE ATTITUDE OF SACRIFICE
A. Another familiar TV character embodied
an unselfish attitude of sacrifice. Her
name was “Aunt Bea” on “The Andy
Griffith Show.”
1. Aunt Bea had the heart of a servant.
2. She was always doing things for
others. She would prepare a basket of fried
chicken for the prisoners in jail.
She would clean and cook for Andy and Opie.
She would give her time to a civic
project, take in a stranger and provide them
with a hot meal.
B. In Matthew 20 the disciples of Jesus
argued with one another. Does your family
ever argue? Do you ever have an argument
with people with whom you work or
attend school? What were the disciples
arguing about?
1. Each of them thought they were better
than the other. They were selfish!
2. What if they had possessed the
attitude Paul commanded in Philippians 2:3,
“With humility of mind let each of
you regard others as more important than
himself.”
C.
The attitude of sacrifice is the attitude of Jesus. This is why Paul said,
“Have this
attitude in yourselves which was also in
Christ Jesus.” What type of attitude is
this?
1. An attitude of humility. Notice verse
6, “Who, although He existed in the form of
God, did not regard equality with
God a thing to be grasped.”
a. Jesus had been at the right hand of God for
eternity but was willing to leave
that exalted, glorious position
to come to earth and wrap himself in the mantle
of humanity. He was willing to
experience human life with all of its temptations
and frailties.
1.) Jesus was more than a “good
teacher.” In John 8:56 He said, “Before
Abraham was I Am.” What did
this mean? Jesus was using the covenant
name of God. He was
equating Himself with God.
2.) Jesus was the “form” of God.
This was the word, “morphe” meaning “the
outward form.” Jesus has
always been the form of God.
b. Adam and Eve fell into sin
because they wanted to be like God (Gen. 3).
Jesus brought redemption
because, as God, He was willing to become
man.
2. An attitude of service.
a. He took on himself the form of a
servant. The word “doulos” means, “a slave.”
b. He came with a towel of service
instead of a crown of glory.
c. He willingly served others when
He rightfully deserved to be served. He gave
no thought to Himself, only to
doing His Father’s will. In Matthew 26:28 he
said, “The Son of Man did not
come to be served but to serve and to give His
life as a ransom for many.”
3. An attitude of submission.
a. He was willing to lay down His
life for you and me.
b. When I am tempted to think more
highly of myself than I should I look at the
cross and am reminded of the mind of
Christ.
CONCLUSION:
A. This
beautiful “Christological Hymn” in Philippians 2:5-8 is not used by Paul in an
evangelistic setting. He is writing to
young Christians who need to know how to treat
one another by having the mind of Christ.
Whether you are a new Christian or an
older Christian you never outgrow the need
to possess the mind of Christ and treat
one another as Jesus would.
B. What
changes would you make in your family if you had the mind (attitude) of
Christ? How would your life change if you
had the attitude of Christ? What changes
would you make if you that an attitude of
sacrifice rather than an attitude of
selfishness?
C.
Jesus invites you to come and join Him? Join Him on the cross and He will raise
you
up into eternal life. Die to yourself, be
buried with Him in baptism and He will raise
you up into eternal life. May we serve and
assist you?>
