Phil 2:5-11
This is one of the greatest theological chapters I the whole
of scripture. It speaks of Jesus’ the person, his deity, humanity, humility,
death and resurrection, supreme reign acceding
and exaltation.
In just a few verses Jesus
character is portrayed so beautifully. We will look at verse 6-8 to day
The Bible is full of theology but here Paul is not giving
them some abstract thesis on God. It’s in context. Paul is urging them towards
unity and the way is humility – to think of others better not to have selfish
ambition. And by the way the way to do
this is to consider Jesus who was the embodiment of all this.
The key word is “your attitude should be the same...”
V6. Who being the very nature God – What is Paul saying. WE
need to look at some Greek words here.
Greek= Morph – very essence – inner core is that He is God. Eg) a
person born as a male is in essence male. As he grows his appearance changes
but not his malehood.
Jesus always existed. He did not come into existence 2000 years
ago but right in the beginning Jn1:1,14.
2. He did not consider equality with God something to be
grasped. Greek = Isos – 2 equal. Jesus and God are equal. God in essence therefore
equal with God not a lesser form.
Then it lists down 7 steps on how Jesus humbled himself.
1. Did not consider equality something to hold on to. He did
not throw his weight around.
2.Although he was fully God he did not take the
privileges of being divine. He did not give up his essence but he laid aside his divinity. He lived like a normal man but there were flashed of his divinity eg) the
mount of Transfiguration.
3.He gave up his independent authority. I’ve not come to do my
will but the will of the father.
4.He was obedient to the point of death. He
emptied himself of his divine power.
5.He set aside his omniscience. As a child
he asked questions. He grew in wisdom and stature. However, there were times
when he used it eg) with Nathaniel.
6.He emptied himself of his riches. Although rich for our sake
he became poor.
7. He emptied himself of his relationship with the father. He gave
it up on the cross. The Father turns his face away.
He took the nature of a servant. He became a servant – the king
of the universe becomes a servant King. Isaiah points out to this. John 13. He
washed the disciple’s feet. He did not come to be serve but to serve and give his
life as a ransom for many. This is the highest thing. The world twists this to the
more people that serve you the greater you are. Kingdom culture says the more people
that you serve the greater you are.
HE took the form /shape of a man. Greek = schema/shape. Why? In
order (Col1:22) to reconcile you to God. Because Jesus became a man ( Gal 4:4)
that we could be reconciled . Jesus had to be born a baby. This was to purchase
our salvation. Hebrews2:14 He was hungry, he cried etc.
Heb2:17 in every way He was made like us.
The only way Heb4:15 he is different from us is that he is
without sin.
Being found in appearance as a man i.e his divinity was
hidden so people only regarded him as a man. So only through eyes of faith
could you see his divinity? This was a part of his humility.
He became obedient to death. This is going down, down, down.
He agrees to die in our place. The eternal God agrees to die!! The world tries
to appease their God. But here He came to suffer and die for us. Jesus appeased
the father on our behalf.
We can become obedient for certain things but here Jesus obeys
to the point of death!! Even in his death there is humiliation.
He is betrayed
by a close friend and denied by a close friend. The one whom the angles worshiped was spat upon.
He gladly embraced the humiliation
Not just dying – even death on a cross. It was a not a bullet
to the head but the worst kind of death. Deut 21:23 one who dies on a cross is
cursed. The God of the universe was killed by the cruelest from of death.
Jesus gave up all this. So Paul is saying look at the
examples of Jesus so be united, humble yourselves. This is a pattern for us to
follow. We too will be exalted.
What do we hold onto? Position, education, ego, status, leadership
role in church etc.
But what Jesus wants is humility and servant hood
Are we holding onto to something? Am I willing to become in
my essence /very nature a servant and not just in appearance ?
This is radical and opposite of the world’s values.
This is the blue print for our life. Let’s embrace it. Amen!!
Word of Grace is an Evangelical (Born Again), Spirit filled (Charismatic), Reformed, English speaking church in Pune that upholds the Bible as God's inspired Word for life. We are a church community that have people from every part of India and parts of the world. We are here to put the Great Command and the Great Commission into practice by equipping and releasing every member into works of service. To know more about us please log onto www.wordofgracechurch.org.
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