Jesus!
Phil 06 – Jesus ! - Phil 2:5-11
Last week – we did a msg called Humility - Part 1 –
& we focused on Empty ourselves of our SELF
& we said we would come back today
to see the ultimate example of Humility in Jesus Christ (& we will)
But - in our passage today – not only do we have
the ultimate example of Humility in Jesus Christ
But we also have one of the most incredible passages in the NT
about WHO Jesus Christ IS
& so I had to decide – to focus on WHO Jesus Christ IS –
Or on our need to better understand Humility . . .
I chose – to focus on WHO Jesus Christ IS –
Because the Better we know Him – the more His Humility will live in us
So just remember – as we go thru this text – Jesus Christ is being displayed here – as our supreme example – of Humility
These truths are laid out by Paul in a very “matter of fact” way –
Because they were accepted truths in the early church . . .
In fact – there’s evidence that these Vs’s were a type of “Hymn” –
written direct & to the point – possibly for easier memorization
The context is Paul pleading w/ the Philippians
to Empty themselves of SELF – & to Put on the Mind of Christ
& the pinnacle of Paul’s exhortation on Humility –
is to accurately present - Jesus Christ Himself (that’s my desire today)
Paul had just finished saying – in Phil 2:3
3 Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.
& then – he leads into our great text today by saying in
Phil 2:5
5 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus,
Paul’s continuing his exhortation on Humility –
& now – he’s going to set out to reveal WHO Jesus Christ IS –
as our supreme example - of the highest level of Humility
But In addition to His Supreme example of Humility . . .
The next 3 Vs’s are possibly the greatest explanation of why we say
Jesus Christ was 100% God AND 100% Man
Phil 2:6
6 who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God,
GK word “being” describes the very essence of a thing
& so we begin to uncover this vs by saying –
“Jesus’ very being (essence) was in the “form” of God”
& the word “form” is the next word we need to uncover
There are 2 GK words translated “form” – “morphe” & “schema” We’ll get to schema in a second - - but this word is “morphe”
“Morphe” = LIT - Reality in Manifestation –
it is the manifestation of the very “Being” of a thing
Jesus Christ’s very being – His very essence – is God –
He is God in His very being - & that can never change
& so (as the Vs cont’s) because Jesus was God in His very being
He did not consider His being God something He had to “hold on to”
He did not consider His Diety something He had to “cling to” –
He was God - & he would always be God
& that is what is conveyed in the statement in 2nd half of V.6 -
[He] did not consider it robbery to be equal with God,
GK word for robbery = LIT – to hold onto, cling to
In other words – Jesus Christ didn’t have to prove He was God –
In GK - He didn’t have to “Cling to” or “hold onto” His nature as God
In fact – Because He was God – He had the prerogative to “Empty Himself” to reach man
Which is exactly what the nxt vs. (V.7) shows us . . .
He emptied Himself of ALL of His rightful position as God –
BY becoming a true bond-servant to GOD
Let’s read Phil 2:6-7 together
6 who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God,
7 but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men.
in GK the phrase - made Himself of NO reputation –
is LIT – “He Emptied Himself” - or - “Made Himself VOID”
Paul’s trying to show the size of the miracle of the Jesus becoming man – He “Emptied Himself” of His attributes as God
It’s critically important we understand;
Jesus Christ Emptied Himself of His EXPRESSION of deity,
but not His POSSESION of deity . . .
He emptied Himself of the manifestation (prerogative) of His deity –
& took on the nature of a Bondservant - “the human nature”
It may be best said - Jesus added to His Divine Nature - a Human Nature
He did not EXCHANGE Divine Nature for Human Nature . . .
Rather, He continued in the very nature of God
but added to Himself the very nature of man
He emptied Himself of the Prerogatives of deity –
but not the Possession of Deity
& So – Fully God – Became Fully Man
Which is why Paul uses the same GK word ‘morphe’
when he says Jesus took on the “form of a bondservant”
Again – the word means “the very nature of being”
& so – Jesus took on the very nature of man
He Retained - The Very Nature of God
& took on - The Very Nature of Man
Jesus Christ was the “Reality of God” - & the “Reality of man” –
Genuinely Divine - & at the same time Genuinely Human (but sinless)
But to become the “Reality of Man” –
Jesus had to “Empty Himself” of His Divine Attributes
so He could take our sin upon Himself – As The Perfect Man !!
& that is why Jesus is called our Great High Priest –
Because He perfectly represents us . . .
Heb 4:15
15 For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.
Jesus came – As The Perfect Man - to pay (in our place) –
the Full Penalty Required for our sin
So that we could take upon ourselves
His “Glorified Nature” for eternity
& Jesus Christ is our Great High Priest - because He carries with Him
(in glorified form) the very nature of man
& in THAT statement - is one of the deepest understandings
of Christ’s love for us that we could ever grasp
As we consider the whole of the teaching of Christ’s humanity –
A truth reveals itself that is massive to try to grasp - & that is this . . .
The sacrifice Jesus Christ made to become 100% man
was not just a sacrifice for the 33 yrs He walked on this earth
When Jesus was ressurected - & ascended back into heaven –
He took with Him a Glorified human nature
Which is why He is called the first fruits of the resurrection in 1Cor 15 –
& all thru Revelation Jesus is pictured - as the Glorified Christ –
& the marks of His sacrifice are still seen
Meaning - in some way – while NEVER diminishing His Deity -
Jesus Christ retains with Him for eternity . . .
The Glorified Effects of Him becoming fully man
to take our sins upon Himself
While it does not reduce His Position as God – Jesus Christ was changed eternally when He became man to die for us
& for eternity He will carry with Him the effects
of His “Emptying Himself” to become your sacrifice . . .
so that you could become the righteousness of God IN HIM
& tho we can never grasp the full depth of that sacrifice –
this truth should help us understand his love for us - at a deeper level
& that sacrifice was more than JUST becoming a man
Jesus had to Continue to Empty Himself - - As we cont. in V.8
Phil 2:8
8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.
And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself . . .
He made Himself VOID – He emptied Himself –
with all the freewill of the Eternal God . . .
He emptied Himself to save you & me –
not only emptied Himself to become a man . . .
But He emptied Himself - & became Obedient as a “Bondservant” –
even to the point of death
But he didn’t empty Himself just to death –
He further emptied Himself, lower, lower, lower still . . .
He Emptied himself to become a man –
& then further emptied Himself as a Bondservant –
then emptied Himself to the lowest form of death known to man
The death of unimaginable pain & the utmost of shame . . .
the death which to the Jew was the symbol of the curse of God –
& to the Roman was the most degrading form of punishment imaginable
He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.
THAT is WHO Jesus Christ IS - & the Level of Humility He Displayed –
in order to save us from our sins
AND THAT – is the Miracle
of Jesus Christ being 100% God - & - 100% Man
So Now what – What has happened to our Great Savior . . .
Who – Being 100% God – Took on the very nature of man
in order to die for man - to pay man’s sins . . .
Our Savior - Who carries with Him – the Glorified Nature of Man
for all eternity – ALL ON OUR BEHALF . . .
What has become of Him . . .
Phil 2:9
9 Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name,
“The Name” here – is much more than we would say a name is
This is “The Name” which is above every name –
We would best describe this name as the “I AM”
it was the unspeakable name God gave to Moses in Exo 3:14 –
It became YAWEH – then JEHOVAH - & now . . .
Jehoshua = Jehovah is salvation (JESUS) – THE NAME that is above every name
& so - the greatest of all Humility – the greatest “Emptying” in creation –
Became the Highest Exaltation in all of Heaven
& Notice carefully – In the 1st 3 Vs’s (6-8)
it was Jesus Humbling Himself – Emptying himself . . .
But in these 2nd 3 Vs’s – it is God Exalting Jesus –
& Guys - - it is the same with us –
If we will Humble OURSELVES – then God will exalt us in due time . . .
1Pet 5:6
6 Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time,
As always – Jesus Christ is our Supreme Example
Phil 2:10 – Let’s read Vs’s 9-10 together
9 Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name,
10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth,
The beg. of V.10 could be translated “The name belonging to Jesus”
Jesus is the “Bearer of the Most High Name of God”
the name that is above every name
& when we Call out to Jesus – to save us, or help us
We are calling on the name above ALL names . . .
Who loved us Sooo much ;
He took on our nature – to die in our place
So we could take on his nature – to live with Him for Eternity
& at that name of Jesus – EVERY knee WILL bow –
in heaven, on earth, & also under the earth – EVERY knee WILL bow
We DO have a choice today
but it is NOT IF our knee will bow to the Name of Jesus – It is WHEN . .
It is NOT IF we will acknowledge Him as LORD of ALL –
It is WHEN we will acknowledge Him as LORD of ALL
We can either Call Him Lord today by choice
& receive forgiveness of sin & eternal life with Him . . .
Or we can we wait & call Him LORD without a choice
on that day of the Final Great Judgment . . .
DON’T WAIT – Call Him Lord TODAY –
While you can still do it by CHOICE
& Finally – Let’s read Vs’s 10 & 11 together
Phil 2:10-11
10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth,
11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Those 4 words in V.11 – “Jesus Christ is Lord” –
Was the 1st Creed (guiding principle) of the Christian Church
To be a Christian was to confess “Jesus Christ is Lord” –
& this Salvation Creed is still the same today . . .
You’re not a Christian because you look or act a certain way . . .
You are a Christian because you say (w/ your life)
Jesus Christ is MY LORD !
I may not be able to understand all the theology it took
for Jesus – being God – to become man & die for me . . .
But I can understand this – His Sacrifice for me - & His Love for me –
causes me to say Him “Jesus Christ is MY Lord” –
in response to His great Love for me
The name LORD – which is above every name –
Belongs to our Savior Jesus Christ . . .
Who loves us, & died for us, & is LORD over all of heaven & earth -
“to the glory of the Father” (the end of V.11 says)
The goal of Jesus is to bring Glory to the Father – not to Himself –
& that Extreme Humility - is where this text started
& so - altho Who Jesus Christ IS –
is so incredibly displayed in these Vs’s . . .
The context is for us to live a life of Humility - & Self-Sacrifice
fashioned after the Mind of Christ
& Paul is appealing to us thru the example of Jesus Christ –
to empty ourselves of our SELF –
& to humble ourselves for the good of one another
& so - this Crucial, Central Text re: WHO Jesus Christ IS –
is also a Crucial, Central Text re: HOW we are called to live in Humility
How can we ever say we have the RIGHT
to hold onto our SELF interest . . .
When we are given Jesus Christ as our example –
When we are called to have the MIND of Christ
It is impossible to be BOTH
Self-Absorbed - AND Have the Mind of Christ
If you are a Christian today – You are called to
Crucify your Self-Absorbed Flesh - - & Put-On the Mind of Christ
You do that – by DAILY growing in your personal relationship w/ Him
If you are NOT a Christian today – Pls, don’t miss this –
Jesus Christ “Emptied Himself” of His attributes of being God . . .
So He could become a man – to die for you – to pay for your sins
So You could be made Righteous by His sacrifice . . .
& He will carry with Him for eternity – His shared Humanity with you –
So you can live for eternity – in shared Glory with Him . . .
But you must choose to call Him LORD – HERE – in this life –
Why not today ?
The whole of the Christian life can be summed up in the words of
Heb 12:2
“looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, . . .”
For Forgiveness of sin – For Eternal Life –
& For Supernatural Power to live in this world . . .
We must “Look unto Jesus – the Author & Finisher of our faith”
Which means we must turn to Him - to receive what we need –
We must make Him Lord of our Lives – & Follow HIM
Maybe today is the day for you to make that decision