Phil 2:5-11 - Christ Emptied & Exalted

It was over a dozen years ago when Canadian musicians wrote How many kings step down from their thrones? How many lords have abandoned their homes? How many greats have become the least for me? And how many gods have poured out their hearts To romance a world that is torn all apart? How many fathers gave up their sons for me? Only one did that for me

I may be getting old (my kids think I crossed that line 30 years ago), but I watched the 2nd halftime show on Christmas Day with a full-grown woman strutting around in her underwear and had to turn it off.

That strut has NOTHING to do with the meaning of Christmas!

As we look at the world around us, we can all easily identify when an individual is displaying humility or asserting arrogance: These two qualities are rarely, if ever, on display at the same time. Taunting and strutting are antithetical to the Christ life!

Over the last month I have spent considerable time reflecting on obedient discipleship. Eugene Peterson, a theologian from the Pacific Northwest, has written a classic entitled A long Obedience in the Same Direction. From the same generation is Jerry Bridges who wrote The Pursuit of Holiness, The Practice of Godliness, and The Discipline of Grace.

A young disciple likely repents of a seemingly never-ending list of infractions, but the longer I walk with Christ, I find my behaviors have been largely disciplined, but my thoughts and motives are more hideous than ever. While my actions may seem above reproach to many, my heart is desperately wicked. Today’s text reveals that it is here, at the level of motivation and feelings, that battles must be fought and won.

TRANSITION: I am not tempted in the least to parade around in my underwear, but I struggle daily to have the mind of Christ!

Humble Obedience remembers Christ Jesus

Philippians 2:5 ESV:2016

5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus,

Memorialized

It is hard to believe, but it was over 30 years ago that a frozen pizza manufacture memorably asked, “What do you want on your tombstone?” That play on a phrase cleverly turned a serious question into a byline. I wish to reclaim the significance of that question—How do you wish to be remembered? Do you wish to be remembered for the same quality that we remember Christ?

Apart from Christianity, all other world religions remember either the works or the wisdom of their leader. While Christ did absolutely demonstrate his authority over demons, disasters, disease, and even death, what most sets Him apart was His absolute willing surrender to the Father’s will as he uttered in the Garden, “Not my will, but Thine be done.”

Even those closest to him were frequently distracted by authority over and deliverance from the Romans. They were looking for a political or power deliverer, but Christ was moving the opposite direction toward submission.

Long before Christ’s prayer of submission in the Garden, He had already demonstrated a mindset of humility. How much humility would it take for the Creator to come to and be rejected by His own creation?

I appreciate the work of Matthew Harmon who traces the phrases in today’s text back to the prophecies of Isaiah. This is what the suffering servant would look like, revealing all the layers of submissive and humble obedience.

A Drink offering (vv. 4,17)

Since we broke from Philippians for Advent, you may not have 2:4 on the front of your mind, but a full understanding of these verses is absolutely wrapped in the language of before and after.

Philippians 2:4 ESV:2016

4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.

Philippians 2:17 ESV:2016

17 Even if I am to be poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrificial offering of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all.

2. The concept of a drink offering is that being poured out makes it totally useless for personal benefit.

3. It was a common superstition in the ancient world to pour out a libation offering to the gods of a newly conquered land. It was a symbol of “our arrival is for you, not for us.”

4. Drink offerings were also adopted as part of Old Testament ceremony as early as Exodus 29.

5. John 10:18 makes it perfectly clear that Christ had nothing taken from Him, but that he willingly laid down his own life, He willingly emptied himself for the glory of God and the good of humanity.

John 10:18 ESV:2016

18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father.”

TRANSITION: IF Christ would lay down His own rights for the good of others, we begin to look like Christ when we do the same.

Humble Obedience reflects Christlikeness

Philippians 2:6–8 ESV:2016

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.

No Servant greater than his master (John 13:16)

John 13:16 ESV:2016

16 Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him.

You will NEVER be called to offer a sacrifice that is more than Christ offered for you!

The extent of your sacrifice with never be greater than our Savior, but it should move in the same direction as His sacrifice.

No Christian is different from his Savior (1 John 2:6)

1 John 2:6 ESV:2016

6 whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.

Christ did and said many things when He walked on earth. John 21:25 states that there was MUCH that was not recorded in Scripture. Some of what He did seems rather ordinary, and some of what He did forces us into wonder, but EVERYthing He did was in obedience to the Father and for the benefit of those who would believe.

We have been endowed by our creator with certain inalienable rights, but nowhere are we commanded to assert those rights! Quite the contrary in 1 Cor 6:7

1 Corinthians 6:7 ESV:2016

7 To have lawsuits at all with one another is already a defeat for you. Why not rather suffer wrong? Why not rather be defrauded?

3. Matthew 16, Mark 8 and Luke 9 all record Jesus as saying.

Luke 9:23 ESV:2016

23 And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.

4. Notice this is not a once in a lifetime decision, but daily we must choose to die to self and follow the Christ life.

5. To any who even begin to think that it may be acceptable to assert one’s own desires, Christ reminds.

Matthew 20:16 ESV:2016

16 So the last will be first, and the first last.”

6. This is what many scholars refer to as the upside down kingdom. The Kingdom of God is not only upside down, it goes against human logic, but is repeated every year when farmers put seeds into the earth.

Death before Fruit bearing (John 12:24)

John 12:24 ESV:2016

24 Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.

Only through surrendering individuality does a kernel become a loaf.

Would you rather be part of a winning team for eternity, by emptying yourself, or would you rather pursue your “best life now” for 5 minutes of fame?

TRANSITION: In a week when many will make resolutions to become better in 2025, I propose the idea that becoming less in 2025 may mean better for eternity.

Humble Obedience rewards for Eternity

Philippians 2:9–11 ESV:2016

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.

Christ’s Obedience elevates Him above every other authority (vv.9-10)

‌You may prefer one sports team over another; You may prefer one political ideology over another; You may like meat or vegetables over the other; you may enjoy winter more than summer; but in a world of preferences and choices there is only one name that will deserve that every knee should bow and every tongue confess he is Lord.

a. It is not the name Moses nor David

b. It is not the name Muhammed, Budha, nor Confucius

c. It is not the pope, nor president of any denomination.

d. It is neither Putin, Xi Jinping, Kim Jong Un, nor anybody residing at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.

e.. He doesn’t have a number on a jersey, nor a recording label, nor a movie franchise.

Each year there is a new Heisman winner, each year in each league there is a new MVP, each year a class names a valedictorian, each year the pageant has a new queen, but Jesus stands alone as THE ONE above them all.

2. Because of vv.6-8, the Triune God of eternity did v.9. It was the ultimate “one step backwards and three steps forward”

Christ’s Obedience elevates believers beyond the grave and above the earth (v.11)

Notice that the elevation of Jesus not only lifts Him up, but also impacts knees & tongues. While angels in heaven are recorded as having speech, EVERY one of the 30 Biblical references (from Genesis to Hebrews) to knees speak of humanity. This Christ hymn states that everywhere that humans may be found, they are bowing and confessing.

This gives me hope beyond this planet. God exalts Jesus because of His humble obedience and because of His humble obedience we can be raised to testify of His exalted nature.

Conclusion:

It is difficult to miss the “Path Light” of this text

Light to my path

True greatness and victory come through submission and obedience. Secondly, our victory is guaranteed by His obedience and models what is expected of us.

That expectation become a lamp for our steps with 2 “c” words.

Lamp for my Steps

Choose this Attitude: Emptied Himself

v.5 begins with an imperative (a command), but each one of us must daily (even minute by minute) choose it.

Do you jockey for the newly opened register line at Aldi or do you permit the person with the screaming kids go in front of you? When the lane ends on the highway do you gladly participate in the zipper merge, or do you conclude she should have obeyed the sign that warned 2 miles back?

Confess “Jesus Christ is Lord”

I can put others in front of me because I belong to Jesus so I’m used to stepping back in the line.

Jesus is Lord is not just a theological statement, it is a very practical one as well. If Jesus is Lord over the construction zone, what right do /I have to squeeze out that other driver? If Jesus reigns over the store, what right do I have to demand my place in line?

If Jesus is Lord over you marriage, it give wives the desire to submit and husbands the capacity to love sacrificially like Jesus.

As we gather around the Lord’s Table it provides perfect opportunity to reflect on these 2 steps.

As we think about ways that He emptied Himself, we empty ourselves of all out pride by confessing our sins.

As we confess His Lordship, we surrender ourselves to be used according to His purpose.