Inner Change
The sermon emphasizes the importance of living a life of unity, love, and self-sacrifice, and being guided by the Holy Spirit.
Mary Wilder Tileston, inspired by the words of Charles Wesley and the book of Philippians, emphasizes the importance of having a unified love and mindset as believers, mirroring the love and humility of Christ. She encourages surrendering our temper and speech to Jesus, allowing His love to transform us into gentle, patient, and self-sacrificial individuals who seek the good of others above ourselves. By yielding to the Holy Spirit and practicing the art of doing good, even the most ordinary life can radiate heavenly beauty through the love of God.
Text
Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. . . . Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.
--PHILIPPIANS 2:2, 5
JESUS, Thy all-victorious love
Shed in my heart abroad;
Then shall my feet no longer rove,
Rooted and fixed in God.
My steadfast soul, from falling free,
Shall then no longer move,
While Christ is all the world to me,
And all my heart is love.
--CHARLES WESLEY
LET our temper be under the rule of the love of Jesus: He can not alone curb it,--He can make us gentle and patient. Let the vow, that not an unkind word of others shall ever be heard from our lips, be laid trustingly at His feet. Let the gentleness that re.fuses to take offence, that is always ready to excuse, to think and hope the best, mark our intercourse with all. Let our life be one of self-sacrifice, always studying the welfare of others, finding our highest joy in blessing others. And let us, in studying the Divine art of doing good, yield ourselves as obedient learners to the guidance of the Holy Spirit. By His grace, the most common-place life can be transfigured with the brightness of a heavenly beauty, as the infinite love of the Divine nature shines out through our frail humanity.
--ANDREW MURRAY
Sermon Outline
- The Importance of Unity
- The Power of Jesus' Love
- Living a Life of Self-Sacrifice
- Studying the welfare of others
- Finding joy in blessing others
Key Quotes
“Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.” — Mary Wilder Tileston
“While Christ is all the world to me, And all my heart is love.” — Mary Wilder Tileston
“By His grace, the most common-place life can be transfigured with the brightness of a heavenly beauty, as the infinite love of the Divine nature shines out through our frail humanity.” — Mary Wilder Tileston
Application Points
- We should strive to have the same love and be of one accord with others, and put their needs before our own.
- We can cultivate a gentle and patient temper by letting the love of Jesus rule our lives.
- We should seek to live a life of self-sacrifice, studying the welfare of others and finding joy in blessing them.