Wednesday, 23rd September 2026
Rev Xi An Poon
主題經文：
「你們當以基督耶穌的心為心。」
——腓立比書 2:5
昨天我們從腓立比書第一章看見，保羅雖然在監獄裏，環境沒有改變，困難也沒有消失，但福音仍然向前，神仍然在工作。
所以真正的重新起步，不一定是環境先改變，而是我們重新調整生命的方向。
來到第二章，保羅把這件事帶得更深。
因為一個人可以重新開始做很多事情，可以重新服事、重新安排、重新努力，但如果裏面的心沒有改變，我們很快又會走回原來的路。
腓立比是一個羅馬殖民城市，當時的社會很重視身分、地位和榮耀。人在這樣的環境裏，很自然會想保住自己的位置、自己的面子，也會在意別人怎樣看自己。
這樣的文化也很容易進入教會。
所以保羅在第二章一開始，不是先叫他們做更多事情，而是先處理他們彼此之間的心。
他說：
「你們就要意念相同，愛心相同，有一樣的心思，有一樣的意念，使我的喜樂可以滿足。」
——腓立比書 2:2
所以今天我們的主題是：
重新起步，用心開始。
如果一個新的開始真的要走得遠，就不能只改外面的行為，也要讓神先處理我們裏面的心。
所以在這裏我們可以看見，第一，不要只顧自己。
保羅說：
「凡事不可結黨，不可貪圖虛浮的榮耀；只要存心謙卑，各人看別人比自己強。各人不要單顧自己的事，也要顧別人的事。」
——腓立比書 2:3–4
保羅很直接。
真正破壞合一的，很多時候不是事情本身，而是我們裏面那個一直以自己為中心的心。
我有沒有被尊重？
我的想法有沒有被接受？
為甚麼沒有人看見我的付出？
為甚麼別人不照我的方法做？
當一個人只顧自己的時候，就算外面正在服事，裏面也可能仍然是以「我」為中心。
所以保羅不是叫人完全不顧自己的需要，而是說：
「不要單顧自己的事，也要顧別人的事。」
這是一個很實際的提醒。
在家庭裏，我是不是只在意自己的感受？
在教會裏，我是不是只在意自己的意見？
在服事裏，我是不是只希望事情照我的方法進行？
在關係裏，我是不是一直希望別人明白我，卻很少停下來明白別人？
如果我們真的要重新起步，第一步就是不要再讓自己成為一切事情的中心。
當我們不再只顧自己的事，我們才開始真正看見別人的需要。
但是保羅沒有停在「不要自私」這裏。
因為單靠自己努力，我們很難真正改變。
所以接下來，他把我們的眼光帶到耶穌身上。
所以在這裏我們可以看見，第二，以基督的心為心。
保羅說：
「你們當以基督耶穌的心為心。」
——腓立比書 2:5
接着第六至第八節告訴我們，耶穌本有神的形像，卻沒有以自己的身分為自己爭取甚麼，反倒虛己，取了奴僕的形像，自己卑微，存心順服，以至於死，且死在十字架上。
這就是基督的心。
當時的世界是向上爬。
耶穌卻選擇降卑。
世界看重地位。
耶穌卻取了奴僕的形像。
世界想保護自己。
耶穌卻存心順服。
所以「以基督的心為心」，不是只叫我們有一種溫柔的感覺。
而是讓耶穌的心重新決定我的選擇。
當我被冒犯的時候，我是先保護自己，還是選擇基督的心？
當我的意見不被接受時，我是急着證明自己，還是願意安靜下來？
當沒有人看見我的付出時，我是抱怨，還是仍然忠心服事？
當我有權利堅持自己的時候，我是否願意先問：
「主啊，在這件事情裏，甚麼最像你？」
耶穌的降卑不是因為祂不知道自己是誰。
正因為祂知道自己的身分，所以祂不需要靠抓住地位來證明自己。
祂可以服事。
祂可以降卑。
祂可以順服。
所以真正的重新起步，不只是少一點自我中心。
而是讓基督的心，慢慢成為我的心。
當裏面的心被神改變，這個改變就不能只停在裏面。
它一定會開始出現在我們每天的生活裏。
所以在這裏我們可以看見，第三，把基督的生命活出來。
保羅說：
「就當恐懼戰兢做成你們得救的工夫。」
——腓立比書 2:12
接着他馬上說：
「因為你們立志行事，都是神在你們心裏運行，為要成就他的美意。」
——腓立比書 2:13
這裏不是說我們靠行為賺取救恩。
而是說，神已經在我們裏面工作，我們就要把祂在裏面所做的活出來。
而且這裏的「你們」不是只指一個人，而是整個教會群體。
換句話說，保羅仍然在講：
神怎樣在一群人裏面工作，使他們一起活出福音的生命。
所以接下來他很實際地說：
「凡所行的，都不要發怨言，起爭論。」
——腓立比書 2:14
這句話很重要。
因為一個人的心有沒有真的被神改變，最後一定會在人際關係裏顯明。
我們可以說自己很愛神，但一遇到不如意的事情，就開始埋怨。
我們可以說自己很謙卑，但一有人不同意自己，就開始爭。
我們可以說自己願意跟隨耶穌，但當事情不照自己的意思發展時，就會看見我們裏面到底抓住甚麼。
所以真正的改變，一定會進入我們的說話、反應、選擇和關係。
保羅接着說：
「使你們無可指摘，誠實無偽，在這彎曲悖謬的世代作神無瑕疵的兒女；你們顯在這世代中，好像明光照耀。」
——腓立比書 2:15
這就是福音生命真正的見證。
世界習慣爭，我們可以選擇和好。
世界習慣埋怨，我們可以選擇感恩。
世界習慣只顧自己，我們可以學習顧念別人。
世界習慣證明自己，我們可以選擇建立別人。
當基督的生命真的在我們裏面工作，我們就會在這個世代中顯出不一樣的生命。
第二章最後，保羅又提到提摩太和以巴弗提。
提摩太「真正掛念你們的事」。
以巴弗提為基督的工作「幾乎至死，不顧性命」。
他們不是只聽懂了「以基督的心為心」。
他們真的把這種生命活了出來。
所以腓立比書第二章不是只告訴我們一個觀念。
它讓我們看見：
基督的心，是可以活出來的。
昨天我們說：
重新起步。
今天神再把我們帶深一步：
重新起步，用心開始。
因為真正的重新開始，不只是外面的行動重新安排，而是裏面的心先被神改變。
所以保羅帶我們一步一步來到神面前：
不要只顧自己。
以基督的心為心。
把基督的生命活出來。
今天我們可以安靜問自己：
在我現在所面對的事情裏，我是不是仍然只看自己？
在我的選擇裏，我有沒有讓基督的心來帶領我？
在我的說話、反應和關係裏，別人有沒有看見神正在改變我？
重新起步，
不只是重新做一些事情。
重新起步，要用心開始。
Key Verse:
“Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus.”
— Philippians 2:5, NKJV
Yesterday, from Philippians chapter 1, we saw that although Paul was still in prison, his circumstances had not changed, and his difficulties had not disappeared, the gospel was still moving forward and God was still at work.
So starting again does not always mean that our circumstances change first. It means that we allow God to realign the direction of our lives.
When we come to chapter 2, Paul takes this even deeper.
A person can start doing many things again. We can start serving again, reorganise our lives, and try harder. But if our heart has not changed, very often we will soon return to the same old ways.
Philippi was a Roman colony, and the society of that time placed great value on status, position, and honour. In that kind of environment, people naturally wanted to protect their position, maintain their dignity, and care about how others saw them.
That kind of culture could easily enter the church as well.
So at the beginning of chapter 2, Paul does not first tell them to do more. He first deals with the condition of their hearts toward one another.
He says:
“Fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.”
— Philippians 2:2
So today our theme is:
Start Again, Start with the Heart.
If a new beginning is going to last, we cannot only change our outward behaviour. We must first allow God to deal with what is happening inside us.
So here we can see, first, do not only look after yourself.
Paul says:
“Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.”
— Philippians 2:3–4
Paul is very direct.
What often destroys unity is not simply the issue itself, but the heart inside us that keeps putting ourselves at the centre.
Have I been respected?
Has my opinion been accepted?
Why does no one notice what I have done?
Why do people not do things my way?
When a person only looks after himself, even when he is serving on the outside, his heart may still be centred on “me.”
So Paul is not saying that we should completely ignore our own needs.
He says:
“Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.”
This is very practical.
In my family, am I only concerned about my own feelings?
In church, am I only concerned about my own opinion?
In ministry, do I only want things to be done my way?
In relationships, do I always want others to understand me, but rarely stop to understand them?
If we really want to start again, the first step is to stop making ourselves the centre of everything.
When we stop looking only at our own interests, we begin to truly see the needs of others.
But Paul does not stop at simply saying, “Do not be selfish.”
Because by our own effort, it is very difficult for us to truly change.
So next, he turns our eyes to Jesus.
So here we can see, second, have the mind of Christ.
Paul says:
“Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus.”
— Philippians 2:5
Then verses 6 to 8 tell us that Jesus, being in the form of God, did not use His position for His own advantage. Instead, He made Himself of no reputation, took the form of a bondservant, humbled Himself, and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.
This is the mind of Christ.
The world of that time was always trying to move upward.
Jesus chose to humble Himself.
The world valued status.
Jesus took the form of a servant.
The world wanted to protect itself.
Jesus chose obedience.
So having the mind of Christ does not simply mean having a gentle feeling.
It means allowing the mind of Jesus to reshape the choices we make.
When I am offended, do I immediately protect myself, or do I choose the mind of Christ?
When my opinion is not accepted, do I rush to prove myself, or am I willing to become quiet before God?
When no one notices my contribution, do I complain, or do I continue to serve faithfully?
When I have every right to insist on my own way, am I willing to first ask:
“Lord, in this situation, what would look most like You?”
Jesus humbled Himself not because He did not know who He was.
Because He knew who He was, He did not need to prove Himself by holding on to status.
He could serve.
He could humble Himself.
He could obey.
So truly starting again is not only about becoming a little less self-centred.
It is about allowing the mind of Christ to increasingly become our mind.
And when our heart is changed by God, that change cannot remain hidden inside.
It must begin to appear in our everyday lives.
So here we can see, third, live out the life of Christ.
Paul says:
“Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.”
— Philippians 2:12
Then he immediately says:
“For it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.”
— Philippians 2:13
This does not mean that we earn salvation by our works.
It means that God is already at work within us, and we are to live out what He is doing inside us.
And the word “you” here is not only speaking to one individual. Paul is speaking to the whole church community.
In other words, Paul is still talking about how God works among a group of people so that together they can live out the life of the gospel.
That is why he becomes very practical and says:
“Do all things without complaining and disputing.”
— Philippians 2:14
This verse is very important.
Because whether our heart has really been changed by God will eventually be revealed in our relationships.
We can say that we love God, but when something does not go our way, we begin to complain.
We can say that we are humble, but when someone disagrees with us, we begin to argue.
We can say that we want to follow Jesus, but when things do not happen according to our wishes, we begin to see what our heart is really holding on to.
So real change must enter our words, our reactions, our choices, and our relationships.
Paul continues:
“That you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world.”
— Philippians 2:15
This is what the witness of the gospel looks like.
The world is used to fighting.
We can choose reconciliation.
The world is used to complaining.
We can choose gratitude.
The world is used to looking after itself.
We can learn to care for others.
The world is used to proving itself.
We can choose to build others up.
When the life of Christ is really working within us, our lives begin to look different in this generation.
At the end of chapter 2, Paul mentions Timothy and Epaphroditus.
Timothy “sincerely cares for your state.”
Epaphroditus, for the work of Christ, “came close to death, not regarding his life.”
They did not only understand what it meant to have the mind of Christ.
They actually lived it out.
So Philippians chapter 2 is not only giving us an idea.
It shows us that:
The mind of Christ can truly be lived out.
Yesterday we said:
Start again.
Today God takes us one step deeper:
Start Again, Start with the Heart.
Because a true new beginning is not only about rearranging our outward actions.
It begins when God changes the heart within us.
So Paul leads us step by step:
Do not only look after yourself.
Have the mind of Christ.
Live out the life of Christ.
Today, we can quietly ask ourselves:
In what I am facing right now, am I still only looking at myself?
In the choices I make, am I allowing the mind of Christ to lead me?
In my words, reactions, and relationships, can others see that God is changing me?
Starting again is not simply doing some things again.
Start again, and start with the heart.
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