From Paul’s Pen – Philippians

We have been working through the letter of Paul and interestingly enough he mentions none of the things typically associated with Christmas. That doesn’t mean he denies the birth of Christ or doesn’t appreciate it’s significance, he just looks at from a different perspective. Today we will look at Philippians and see a slightly different take on the coming of Jesus.

Before that, here are some well-known and well-loved passages from Philippians:

Philippians 1:21 (NIV) — 21 For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.

Philippians 2:12–13 (NIV) — 12 Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, 13 for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.

Philippians 3:7–11 (NIV) — 7 But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. 8 What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith. 10 I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead.

Philippians 3:12–14 (NIV) — 12 Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. 13Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:6–9 (NIV) — 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. 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. 9Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

Philippians 4:13 (NIV) — 13 I can do all this through him who gives me strength.

Paul is in the zone when he writes this letter. And what is most impressive is that Philippians is one of the prison letters – Paul is in prison in Rome and still he is able to write with such confidence and joy!

Joy – that is one of the primary themes of this letter!

Philippians 2:18 (NIV) — 18 So you too should be glad and rejoice with me.

Philippians 4:10–13 (NIV) — 10 I rejoiced greatly in the Lord that at last you renewed your concern for me. Indeed, you were concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it. 11 I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. 12 I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. 13I can do all this through him who gives me strength.

Philippians 4:4 (NIV) — 4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!

How does Paul do it? He believes in Christmas. He believes that God became a man to rescue us from our hopelessness. And even though he doesn’t tell the Christmas story as we so often here it this time of year, he tells it in a beautiful and wonderful way:

Philippians 2:5–8 (NIV) — 5 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; 7 rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross!

Volumes have been written on the particulars of this passage, but bottom line Paul is reminding us that the preexistent Christ, the Son, the second person of the Trinity, God himself humbled himself and took on flesh and blood. He emptied himself. He became a servant. He humbled himself. Made himself nothing!

For in “pouring himself out” and “humbling himself to death on the cross,” Christ Jesus has revealed the character of God himself. Here is the epitome of God-likeness: the pre-existent Christ was not a “grasping, selfish” being, but one whose love for others found its consummate expression in “pouring himself out,” in taking on the role of a slave, in humbling himself to the point of death on behalf of those so loved.

Gordon Fee, Paul’s Letter to the Philippians

We tend to think that the sacrifice Jesus made was on the cross, and that would be right. But the sacrifice actually began when he humbled himself and became a man. God became a man – that is that wonder of Christmas.

Becoming a man wasn’t fun. It was a sacrifice. He left the glory of heaven to enter into this world. That’s the God we worship – someone who sacrifices for us. Someone who seeks our best over their own. It wasn’t his favorite thing to do!

The idea that Jesus is both God and man may be one we will never totally understand, but we can understand how a loving God would do that – that he would sacrifice on behalf of those he loved. We even as flawed humans do the same thing. And I think we can understand this because we don’t always do our favorite things. If you are a parent, you do things that are not your favorite things. Think of some of the things you are doing or have done for your children.

I would get on the floor and play with my kids. My favorite spot in the living room is on the couch with my feet propped up. The floor is not my favorite place. I would play games with my kids. Exciting, strategic games like Chutes and Ladders and Candyland. They were fun but they were not my favorite games. When the kids were young and we would go to a movie I didn’t always get to see my favorite movie. When we would go to a restaurant I didn’t always go to my favorite restaurant. In fact, when the kids grew up it was so exciting to go to a restaurant that don’t have a kids’ menu.

I didn’t get to do a lot of my favorite things but I got on the floor, played childish games, watched silly movies, went restaurants with playgrounds. And I did all those things with joy (most of the time). I didn’t insist on doing my favorite things. Why? Because my children are my favorite people.

And certainly that’s something we need to know at Christmas. God emptied himself; became nothing; took the form of a servant; became one of us willingly and even joyfully because we are his favorite people. He came for you because you are his favorite.

That should fill a person with joy, shouldn’t it?