We are all engaged in a constant, inescapable battle against spiritual degeneracy in four forms:  Our unhumbled pride, our unbelief of God’s word, our lack of forgiveness of others, and our aversion to taking risks.  All these forms of spiritual degeneration banish true spiritual joy … and create pitfalls for gospel ministers like us in abundance.”   (J.I. Packer, “Self-Care for Pastors,” Crux, December 2003/Vol. 34, No. 4, pp.2-13)
    How are we to counter this spiritual degeneracy in our lives? Simply put: Become a man for others. The Apostle Paul sets forth this charge in his letter to the church at Phillipi in Philippians chapter 2. What does it look like to become a man for others? This passage sets for both the motivation and the marks of becoming a man for others.
    I want to highlight one important mark of becoming a man for others - A life of radical humility. There are three other marks set forth in this passage: Loving forgiveness, vibrant faith, and bold risk-taking.
    What is the driving motivation for becoming a man for others? Look at the cross. Jesus Christ, THE Man for others. He saved us rather than Himself on the Cross. Reflect on that cross. Hear Christ speaking to you… “‘I am here for you.  It is your sin I am bearing, your curse I am suffering, your debt I am paying, your death I am dying.’”

He died for you, now, how does He want you to live for Him? – FOUR MARKS

I.    A man for others looks for practical ways to mortify pride and cultivate humility (2:3-4 - Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.)

John Stott  would remind us that at every stage of our Christian development, pride is our greatest enemy and humility our greatest friend.” Pride is spiritual cancer…humility – blessed self-forgetfulness.

Unhumbled pride… takes four forms:  Pride of face, when you think you are most handsome; pride of race, when you think your skin is the best color; pride of place, when you think you are better positioned than others; and pride of grace, when you think you are one of God’s top people – and pride of grace is the worst of the lot. 

Key Skill: Actively look for ways that God is at work in the lives of other people around you.
Make a practice of observing how the Spirit is evidencing His fruit and His gifts in the lives of others around you.  How about your wife?  What is she more aware of – evidences of grace that you’ve noticed or the need for change and your displeasure?  How about your children?  When was the last time you specifically and sincerely informed your child of an evidence of God’s grace that you’ve noticed in his or her life? The leader who is always finding fault is full of pride.

Prides leads to an unforgiving spirit. Thus…
II.    A man for others embodies the gospel by forgiving others the same way that God in Christ has forgiven you. (2:2 - make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose.) Remember Euodia and Syntyche! (4:2)

III.    A man for others actively looks for ways to trust the promises of God (2:12-13 - work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose).

IV.    A man for others takes bold risks to expand Christ’s kingdom and build His church (2:25-30).

My prayer for you is that you will become more and more a man for others.
…a man who is marked by humility, free from the cancer of pride
…a man who gladly forgives others the way that Christ has forgiven you,
.…a man who has  a growing capacity to trust God and His promises,
…a man who takes bold risks to expand Christ’s kingdom and build His church.