Christ’s Humility

Opening:

Story of going to the University of Kansas to watch University of Florida basketball shoot around. We were there in Gator t-shirts and Lon Kruger who was the coach at the time came over and started talking to my dad and I.

Suddenly Roy Williams, who was coaching the Jayhawks at the time, came in and comes over to talk with Coach Kruger. My dad and I were in the middle of a conversation with him, but we saw coach Williams coming over so we kind of knew that we were about to get bumped, but something unexpected happened next. Coach Williams just stood patiently as we finished our conversation and Coach Kruger acknowledged him but kept talking for a few minutes.

It was really a strange thing. Coach Williams of course went on to be a Hall of Fame coach and Coach Kruger carved out a nice career at a few different schools, but both of them had this humility about them in this situation. They could have had big egos and not make time for us but both of them were really gracious and Coach Williams even jumped into our conversation a little and introduced himself like we didn’t know who he was. Pretty amazing!

Today we will look at a passage where we see the ultimate example of humility. Justin did a great job of preaching Philippians 2:1-4 last week which centered on humility and unity and this week and next we will study what unites us…Jesus and the humble nature that he took on.

Exalting Jesus in Philippians A Christ-Centered Mind-Set (Philippians 2:5–11)

As a result of adoring Christ and emulating Christ, we will experience unity as a people. Unity isn’t the result of preaching on unity; it’s the result of people adoring and emulating Jesus. The more we behold His glory and imitate His character, the more unified we will be as a church.

-Tony Merida and Francis Chan, Exalting Jesus in Philippians,

This section of scripture is affectionately known as the Christ Hymn and many believe that the early church might have used this as catechism or creed, perhaps when they observed the Lord’s Supper.

Read Scripture:

Philippians 2:5–8 ESV

Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

1. The Incarnation of Christ

The passage we will study this week and next week, verses 5-11, are often referred to as the “hymn of Christ”. In it we see Paul highlight some key theological truths we hold dear as Christians. He speaks to Jesus’ preexistence, incarnation, death, resurrection, and ascension to the right hand of God.

I mentioned catechisms earlier which probably needs some explaining, because I truly believe these seven verses, v. 5-8 today and v. 9-11 next week, could be used by families as a modern day catechism, teaching our kids and ourselves key theology that we believe.

“Called catechisms (from the Greek katechein, which means “to teach orally or to instruct by word of mouth”). The Heidelberg Catechism of 1563 and Westminster Shorter and Larger catechisms of 1648 are among the best known, and they serve as the doctrinal standards of many churches in the world today.”

-Hansen, Collin; Keller, Timothy. The New City Catechism Devotional: God's Truth for Our Hearts and Minds

“…The classic catechisms take students through the Apostles’ Creed, the Ten Commandments, and the Lord’s Prayer—​​​a perfect balance of biblical theology, practical ethics, and spiritual experience. Also, the catechetical discipline of memorization drives concepts deeper into the heart and naturally holds students more accountable to master the material than do typical discipleship courses. Finally, the practice of question-answer recitation brings instructors and students into a naturally interactive, dialogical process of learning.”

-Hansen, Collin; Keller, Timothy. The New City Catechism Devotional: God's Truth for Our Hearts and Minds

So as we read these verses today we can see why it is important for us to think about Christ’s Humility. In “The New City Catechism Devotional: God’s Truth for Our Hearts and Minds” Collin Hansen and Timothy Keller put together a modern day list of 52 questions, or catechisms, and then a devotional thought on each question by a pastor or theologian such as DA Carson or in the case of today’s focus Athanasius of Alexandria & Thabiti Anyabwile.

Chatecism #22:

“Why must the Redeemer be truly human?

That in human nature he might on our behalf perfectly obey the whole law and suffer the punishment for human sin; and also that he might sympathize with our weaknesses.”

-Hansen, Collin; Keller, Timothy. The New City Catechism Devotional: God's Truth for Our Hearts and Minds

“And so in order to be for us a perfect High Priest, in order to be for us a perfect offering, Jesus had to be one with us. He had to take upon himself our nature and in that nature demonstrate what humanity is, what it was meant to be—​​​righteous before God, obedient to God, worshiping God in all things, loving him fully. And he also demonstrates what humanity owes when he pays the penalty on Calvary’s cross for our sin. And so to be that High Priest, a perfect High Priest, who also now sympathizes with us, knows our suffering, knows our failures, knows our troubles, and knows them intimately because he experienced them in our flesh, he can look to humanity with sympathy and represent humanity to God with perfection. And so it was necessary that he be made like us in every way, but without sin.”

-Thabiti Anyabwile

Exalting Jesus in Philippians The Humility of Christ (Philippians 2:6–8)

Let’s consider the humility of Christ in three parts: (1) humble renunciation, (2) humble incarnation, and (3) humble crucifixion. Allow these truths to lead you to adoration and emulation.

Humble Renunciation v. 6-

v. 6 Key elements in this verse. Jesus preexisted before he came to earth. There was never a time that Jesus didn’t exist…as Tony Merida puts it He is the Alpha and Omega…He is Creator, He wasn’t created…this distinguishes us from many other cults and religions.

One key aspect of His renunciation is that he didn’t just “appear as God”. Paul emphasizes that Jesus continues being in the very nature or essence of God…another way to think of it is that it wasn’t just outwardly that Jesus was God but His inner nature, His essential attributes. In verse 7 he uses the same word to say Jesus was in very nature a slave…that is he was fully human and fully divine.

Church history has debated this very topic. You might have heard of the famous Council of Nicea back in 325 AD where Arius believed Jesus was the first and greatest created being (Jehova Witness believe this as well), fortunately there was Athanasius who won the day, defending Jesus was fully God. Here is part of the Nicean Creed:

Exalting Jesus in Philippians “Who, Existing in the Form of God” (v. 6a)

[We believe] in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, begotten of the 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.

The phrase “He did not consider equality with God as something to be used for His own advantage.” This points to the fact that Jesus viewed his divine nature as something that was to be used to serve not to take advantage of….and we see that lived out in the gospels as time and time Jesus could have taken advantage of his deity, but instead denies it so that He can serve.

Tony Merida talks about the ESV translation using the phrase “something to be grasped” which points to the fact that Jesus could have clutched to His rights, His blessings, His benefits as King of glory…but instead lived open-handedly ready to serve.

Exalting Jesus in Philippians (“[He] Did Not Consider Equality with God as Something to Be Used for His Own Advantage” (v. 6b))

Adam & Jesus Comparison

was made in God’s image.

was and is the very essence of God.

wanted to be like God.

took on the likeness of man.

wanted to exalt himself.

emptied Himself.

was discontent being God’s servant.

assumed the form of a slave.

arrogantly rejected God’s word in sinful disobedience.

humbly submitted to God’s word in perfect obedience.

succumbed to temptation.

overcame temptation; crushed the tempter.

brought the curse on the world.

took the curse for the world.

was condemned and disgraced.

was exalted by the Father.

His Humble Incarnation v. 7-

“Instead He emptied himself” or “made himself nothing”- most scholars agree that this is figurative language as Jesus refused to hold onto His divine rights or another way of putting it he veiled His deity, but He did not void His deity as AW Tozer famously said.

Bryan Chapell is a great pastor and theologian and he gives a great story of an African Chief to help us better understand Jesus emptying himself:

(Bryan Chapell illustrates the idea of Jesus “emptying Himself” by relaying a story from an African missionary. Let me paraphrase it.) In this particular part of Africa the chief is the strongest man in the village. As the chief, he also wears a very large headdress and ceremonial robes. One day a man carrying water out of the shaft of a deep well fell and broke his leg, and lay helpless at the bottom of the well. To get down to the bottom, one would have to climb down, using the alternating slits that go all the way down the deep well, and then climb back up. Because no one could carry the helpless man up like this, the chief was summoned. When he saw the plight of the man, he laid aside his headdress and his robe, climbed all the way to the bottom, put the injured man on himself, and brought him to safety. He did what no other man could do. That’s what Jesus has done for us. He came to rescue us. And He laid aside His heavenly glory, like the chief did with his headdress, in order to save us. Now, did the chief cease being the chief when he laid aside his headdress? Of course not. Did Jesus cease being God when He came to rescue us? Of course not (Chapell, Using Illustrations, 11–12).

The second part of verse 7 Paul describes Jesus as “assuming the form of a slave or taking on the form of a servant” depending on the translation. This would have connected well with the Philippians as a slave in the Greco-Roman world was deprived of most basic rights. When Jesus took on the form of a servant he in essence gave up his sovereign rights to become a slave. He made himself nothing and identified himself with the lowest of society. Mark 10:45 “For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.””

We see this play out in the gospels as Jesus washes his disciples feet while they jockey and argue about who will have the best position in heaven. To take this back to the Philippian church audience that Paul is writing to, Paul is asking for church members to take this same approach as Christ. Wouldn’t it transform the dynamics of the church…what if Euodia and Syntyche would serve one another instead of being involved in this argument?

The very end of v. 7 Paul talks about Jesus “taking on the likeness of men or being born in the likeness of men” One of the commentaries phrased it well when it said “Simply put people recognized Jesus as human…when people saw Him they saw a man”

He was like us, yet without sin. Here are two great verses that speak to his humanity.

Hebrews 4:15 “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.”

Matthew 8:27 “And the men marveled, saying, “What sort of man is this, that even winds and sea obey him?””

His Humble Crucifixion v. 8

The ESV Study bible described crucifixion this way: “The excruciating physical pain was magnified by the degradation and humiliation. No other form of death, no matter how prolonged or physically agonizing, could match crucifixion as an absolute destruction of the person. It was the ultimate counterpoint to the divine majesty of the preexistent Christ, and thus was the ultimate expression of Christ’s obedience to the Father.”

Everything about the life of Jesus was about humility. From being born in a manger among the animals in the town of Bethlehem instead of a capital like Rome, Athens, or Jerusalem…He lived in relative obscurity for 30 years before His earthly ministry focused on reaching the unlovable people of society and serving others…and finally it led straight to being nailed to a wooden cross between two criminals.

And all of this Jesus did willingly. It wasn’t Herod, Pilate, or the Romans who humbled him, but Himself. It’s really extraordinary if you think about it. Jesus, who in His very being is creator God, voluntarily submitted himself to the most gruesome death and humiliation all for our sake taking on the wrath of God in the place of sinners.

There are some great parallels between the Servant Song of Isaiah 53 and this passage in Philippians.

‌He came having no “impressive form or majesty that we should look at Him, no appearance that we should desire Him” (53:2). He went to the cross, taking our place, “and the Lord has punished Him for the iniquity of us all” (53:6). “He submitted Himself to death” (Isa 53:12).

-Tony Merida and Francis Chan, Exalting Jesus in Philippians

C. S. Lewis writes in his book Miracles that the central miracle asserted by Christians is the incarnation (143). He explains the descent and ascent of Christ vividly:

“In the Christian story God descends to re-ascend. He comes down; down from the heights of absolute being into time and space, down into humanity.… But He goes down to come up again and bring the whole ruined world up with Him. One has the picture of a strong man stooping lower and lower to get himself underneath some great complicated burden. He must stoop in order to lift, he must almost disappear under the load before he incredibly straightens his back and marches off with the whole mass swaying on his shoulders. Or one may think of a diver, first reducing himself to nakedness, then glancing in midair, then gone with a splash, vanished, rushing down through green and warm water into black and cold water, down through increasing pressure into the deathlike region of ooze and slime and old decay; then up again, back to color and light, his lungs almost bursting, till suddenly he breaks surface again, holding in his hand the dripping, precious thing that he went down to recover. (Miracles, 111–12)

Jess and I were talking recently about a Andrew Peterson concert we went to this past spring. It was leading up to Easter and Peterson plays a set of 5 songs that lead up to Jesus’ victory over death, but the first 4 songs are more somber and heavy speaking of his death. During the concert he requests people don’t clap, but rather sit reflectively after each song. It was so powerful. In many ways today’s sermon is like that. We should feel the gravity of what Jesus did coming in the form of man with the ultimate purpose of going to the cross on our behalf.

So what should we do based on Jesus’ Incarnation? Well let’s look at that briefly before we finish out.

2. Our Response to His Incarnation

One of the major themes of Philippians is imitation. There are many things in live that people imitate. I think about being a kid and playing backyard baseball with my friends. It was the 90’s so when everyone was up to bat it wasn’t uncommon for someone to flip their hat backwards and give there bat a little wiggle before trying to emulate one of the smoothest swings in the history of baseball. Why did we do that? Because Ken Griffey Jr. was the coolest thing to happen to baseball in a long time and every kid wanted to be like him.

Well there’s lots of things we can try to emulate and I would argue that subconsciously we emulate a lot of different people. But what this passage is trying to emphasize is that there is one person worthy of emulating and that’s because Jesus came to earth to live a perfect life as man. He came into this world in the most humble way ever, a baby in a manger, and ultimately suffered a terrible death on a wooden cross, for our sins, since he was perfect, yet retained his deity during all of it giving him the power to empty himself and be obedient to the point of death on a cross.

So what then do we need to do in response to Christ’s incarnation? How do we as humans respond to Jesus who lived the perfect life we can’t?

Exalting Jesus in Philippians A Christ-Centered Mind-Set (Philippians 2:5–11)

Additionally, this hymn reminds us not only of the pattern we have to follow but also of the power we possess to emulate Christ. Not only do we need Jesus’ example, we also need His death and resurrection. We fail to serve God and others perfectly, but Christ died for self-absorbed, self-glorifying people like us. He rose on our behalf and now empowers us to follow His example (see vv. 12–13).

This leads us to 3 practical ways we live this out:

We celebrate Jesus’ great love for us.

The great love Jesus has for us that was willing to come to earth in the humblest of ways, being born in a manger, and died a most gruesome death, on the cross between condemned criminals, and did it all for you and me. Not only that but because he took on the form of man he is able to sympathize with us, knowing what it is to be a part of mankind and the struggles we face.

We should point others to the hope in the gospel.

This week we are focusing on Jesus’ incarnation and the implications of him humbling Himself for us…next week w will talk about His Exaltation and how he ultimately was raised to life by God defeating death, having the authority to do so and thus making a way for us to have eternal life by placing our faith in Him. This is the gospel, the good news, and we should be compelled to tell others about it.

We should follow Jesus’ example humbling ourselves and serving others

Tony Merida smust it up well:

Exalting Jesus in Philippians The Mind of Christ (Philippians 2:5)

As we prepare to look at the hymn to Christ, keep this point in mind. As you reflect on it, ask yourself, Is this my attitude, my mind-set? Is this my way of life? Do I seek to get, get, and get, or to give, give, and give? And ask, Is this our mind-set as a community? Are we known for humility and compassion?

Closing:

So as we close today might I suggest to you that we go back to reading Catechism #22 from the New City Catechism Devotional by Collin Hansen and Tim Keller:

“Why must the Redeemer be truly human?

That in human nature he might on our behalf perfectly obey the whole law and suffer the punishment for human sin; and also that he might sympathize with our weaknesses.”

-Hansen, Collin; Keller, Timothy. The New City Catechism Devotional: God's Truth for Our Hearts and Minds

Maybe today you need to respond to the gospel today we focused on Christ’s humility but we know that’s not the end …next week we will talk about Christ’s Exaltation and will be reminded that Jesus is worthy…that he defeated death and fulfilled the prophecies of the coming Messiah

Let’s Pray…