What (or Who)  Are You Thinking About?

Phil. 4:8 

8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. 

Let’s consider how our thoughts motivate our actions for a moment.  We expend a lot of mental energy in our day to day. The question I have for us this morning is, “what are we spending all that mental energy thinking about?” Someone said once that, “love” should actually be spelled T.I.M.E., because whatever you spend your time on is what you love.  Whatever has your time, also has the priority of your attention and of your affection.”  I think that’s true.   

Paul here, tells us to put our minds on what is true.  Notice, however, he is listing more than highly moral traits.  In Philippians 4, Paul reminds us that truth is a person (according to Jesus’ own words in John 14:6).  Paul implores us to primarily expend energy thinking upon the person of Jesus.  He alone is that which is “excellent and praiseworthy,” and encompasses every single attribute listed here in this epistle.  For Jesus, these are more than just a list of His attributes, they are His very nature, and thus He is the very genesis of where these attributes derive from.  Paul affirms us here in Philippians,  to think on Jesus is to be our first priority.  

So, the question is natural: What (or Who, rather) do you spend your time thinking about?  Is it, in fact, Jesus? Is there anyone or anything, in your life, that rivals Jesus?  Are you fixated on the truth that there is no condemnation for you if you are in Christ Jesus?  You are fully free, fully forgiven, and fully pardoned (for anyone who has trusted in Christ for salvation). This is what Christ accomplished on your behalf because this is Who Jesus is.  He loved you this much; that He’d take your place.  Paul instructs His reader to meditate on this reality.   

So, let’s try it.  How does meditating on Jesus’ loving sacrifice of Himself motivate you today?  He died so that you wouldn’t have to.  He rose so that you could have life.  He loved the least among us to show the world that everyone in our world is worthy of love and has intrinsic value.   

Does Jesus’ love for you, spur you on to sacrifice for someone else?  Does His uplifting love motivate you to also lift the downtrodden and heavy-hearted among you?  Does His love lead you to notice people on the margins, and lead you to kindness, possibly treating them with a deeper sense of dignity than you did before?   

Church this is our challenge this morning:  

Let’s think about Jesus today.  

 And then, let’s love like Jesus today.