O Come, Let Us Adore Him

Introduction

1 O come, all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant! O come ye, O come ye to Bethlehem! Come and behold him, born the King of angels.

Refrain: O come, let us adore him, O come, let us adore him, O come, let us adore him, Christ the Lord!

2 God from true God, and Light from Light eternal, born of a virgin, to earth he comes! Only-begotten Son of God the Father.

3 Sing, choirs of angels, sing in exultation, sing, all ye citizens of heav’n above! Glory to God, all glory in the highest.

4 Yea, Lord, we greet thee, born this happy morning; Jesus, to thee be all glory giv’n! Word of the Father, now in flesh appearing.

At the heart of true Christianity is the adoration of Jesus Christ.

2 Corinthians 4:6 ESV

6 For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

Over the next five weeks we are going to seek to adore Jesus Christ as his people. In this beholding, we glorifying him and through this beholding we are transformed by him.

The content of our beholding will be four weeks of looking at the major Christological passages of the New Testament (Philippians 2, Colossians 1, Hebrews 1 and John 1) and finally a look at one or more of the birth narratives on Christmas morning.

PRAY

Philippians 2:1–11 ESV

1 So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, 2 complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. 3 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. 4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. 5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Contextual Notes:

Paul is encourage the church at Philippi to be united to one another for the purpose of gospel partnership.

Philippians 1:27 ESV

27 Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel,

He seeks to do this by showing them the reality of the unity. (Verse 1)

So if there is any encouragement (solace, strength, refreshment) in Christ. If any comfort (consolation) from love (unconditional commitment to do one good) If any participation (fellowship, communion) in the Spirit If any affection (kindness, compassion, benevolence) and sympathy (mercy, pity)

He seeks to do this by showing them the mindset of unity. (Verse 2)

Complete (Fulfill, make full, fill up) my joy (gladness) By being of the same mind (thinking the same thing, minding the same thing) having the same love. Having the same love (joined in the soul’s affections) Of one mind (thinking the same thing, minding the same thing)

He seeks to do this by showing them the actions of unity. (verses 3-4)

Do nothing from selfish ambition (strife, a desire to put one’s self forward) or conceit (empty pride, vain glory, hollow opinion)

But in humility (having a low opinion of one’s self, not arrogant or prideful) Count others (mathematical term, consider, deem) others more significant (to stand out, rise above, be superior in rank) than yourselves

Verse 4

Let each of you look (fix one’s eyes upon, direct one’s attention to) not only to his own interests (things) But also the interests of others - Others interests:

Spiritual Condition & Physical Condition

Volunteered Effort & Not trying to fix others problems (headhunting)

In verse five, Paul moves from the calling to how the calling can be accomplished. In this case, he wants to show the Philippians their capacity and only path for humility and other orientation.

Our capacity to be humble and orient ourselves to the needs of others is found only when we are experiencing the person of Christ by faith. We have to know and understand who he is and what he has done and let that reality transform our thinking and shape our actions and build the pattern of our lives.

Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus. Let this mind be in you (a present tense continuous action verb, think, to direct one’s mind to a thing, to be of one’s party, side with him)

1 Corinthians 2:16 ESV

16 “For who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ.

What was the thinking that was in Christ Jesus? Selfless, Sacrificial & Serving

We Adore the Eternal Christ (6)

Who he is - Who, though he was in the form of God.

Hebrews 1:3 ESV

3 He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,

2 Corinthians 4:4 ESV

4 In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

Nicene Creed - We believe … And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, Begotten of his Father before all worlds, God of God, Light of Light, Very God of very God, Begotten, not made, Being of one substance with the Father, By whom all things were made;

We Adore the Humble Christ (7-8)

Did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped.

Unlike the first Adam Genesis 3:5 - For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil."

Verse 7

But emptied himself (made himself of no reputation (to make void)

Taking (receive) the form of a servant (bondservant, slave)

John 13:4 ESV

4 rose from supper. He laid aside his outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around his waist.

Jonathan Edwards writes, “If one worm be a little exalted above another, by having more dust, or a bigger dunghill, how much does he make of himself! What a distance does he keep from those that are below him! And a little condescension is what he expects of other men below him and for his position to be acknowledged as important and powerful!” Yet Christ condescends to wash our feet, even the feet of sinners who think so highly of themselves

Being born in the likeness of men

Verse 8

And being found in human form (Bearing the appearance and likeness)

Galatians 4:4 ESV

4 But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law,

Picture Jesus Christ, the carpenter

He humbled (to make low, to assign a lower rank or place) himself

By becoming obedient (giving ear to) to the point of death

Even the death of the cross - This was a humiliating way to die in the Roman world. It was a curse to the Jews for one to hang on a tree.

Consider the depth of condescension:

God – Creator, Sustainer became Man, Born in a stable, placed in a manger, worked as a carpenter, Hungered, thirsted, got tired, he was a servant to men and they used him to have their stomachs filled, he was rejected by his brothers, hometown, and countryman according to the flesh, called an illegitimate child, he was betrayed by a close friend for thirty pieces of silver, he was sentenced to death, he was abandoned by His disciples, he was cursed, scorned, mocked, beaten, spat upon but was innocent, he carried His own cross until complete exhaustion, He endured the humiliation of a criminal’s death, he was punished for sins he did not commit, he was alone and was rejected by His Father, he died and was laid in a tomb.

We adore the exalted Christ (9-11)

Therefore (as a result) God has highly exalted him (to exalt to the highest rank and power) and bestowed on him the name above every name

Ephesians 1:20–23 ESV

20 that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. 22 And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.

The New Park Street Pulpit Sermons, Vol. II The Exaltation of Christ (No. 101)

Now, just pause over this thought—that Christ did not crown himself, but that his Father crowned him; that he did not elevate himself to the throne of majesty, but that his Father lifted him there, and placed him on his throne. Why, reflect thus: Man never highly exalted Christ. Put this then in opposition to it.—“God also hath highly exalted him.” Man hissed him, mocked him, hooted him. Words were not hard enough—they would use stones. “They took up stones again to stone him.” And stones failed; nails must be used, and he must be crucified. And then there comes the taunt, the jeer, the mockery, whilst he hangs languishing on his death-cross. Man did not exalt him. Set the black picture there. Now put this, with this glorious, this bright scene, side by side with it, and one shall be a foil to the other. Man dishonoured him; “God also exalted him.”

Verse 10

So that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth

Verse 11

And every tongue confess (profess, acknowledge openly)

That Jesus Christ is Lord - The Messiah/Savior, God/Man is King. Ruler of All.

To the glory of God the Father -

Isaiah 45:22–23 ESV

22 “Turn to me and be saved, all the ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other. 23 By myself I have sworn; from my mouth has gone out in righteousness a word that shall not return: ‘To me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear allegiance.’

Practical Application

O come, let us adore him, O come, let us adore him, O come, let us adore him, Christ the Lord!

Embrace the beauty of humility.

Act on our unity.

Share the good news.