Every Knee and Every Tongue...

Philippians 2:5–11 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. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

I believe in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord

In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

We conclude our study of the Second Article of the Creed today by looking at the “States” of Christ, known as “humiliation” and “exaltation”.

Humiliation

Two weeks ago we learned of the “two natures” of Jesus- He is both “God” and “Man” Today’s topic is closely related to this.

The word “humiliation” when speaking about our Lord may have a different meaning than you think. When we say that we are “humiliated” it has a negative connotation. We often think that it means that we have been shamed, or embarrassed or the like. Indeed, this did happen to our Lord as He faced the Cross meant for you and me, but this is not what the “State of Humiliation” is all about.

We get a hint of what humiliation is from our text, when it tells us that Jesus “emptied” Himself, by taking on 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. “

When we speak of Jesus’ humiliation

Jesus is both God and Man. As we learned, you cannot separate these two. Jesus could have lived His entire life as God and, as we learned, that would have done nothing for us. He lives His life as a man and totally fulfills the will of the Father, thus giving us His righteousness and saving us. How does this happen? Today we learn the answer.

Humiliation means that even though Jesus is fully God and fully man, He voluntarily chooses to set aside His powers of God, and to live life as a man. By doing so, He saves us.

Jesus is not a God who is above it all. He’s not like a politician, reigning from an office, who cares little for those for whom he or she has responsibility. Rather, His reign and rule will become all about us. And it can because He became one of us. God on the Ground. God in the Flesh. God with us in the most intimate way.

And so He allows Himself to “feel your pain”. Literally. Everything that you go through, He went through. The joy of victory. The agony of defeat. Anger. Questioning. Temptation. Grief. Loss. Rejection. Betrayal. A world in ruins. Not knowing where His next meal would come from, or where He would lay His head for the night. Knowing that what was being done against Him wouldn’t turn out good for Him. And over it all, He knew that His Cross was looming. He lived a life of struggle as you do. And He knew it would all end in His murder. Talk about no earthly hope!

We divide the Second article of the Creed into two sections. The first part is His State of Humiliation. It includes all of these statements:

I believe in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord,

Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit

Born of the Virgin Mary

Born of the Holy Spirit

Suffered under Pontius Pilate

Was crucified, died and was buried.

The ultimate form of His humiliation was the last part of this: His death and burial.

The ultimate form of His humiliation was the last part of this: His death and burial.

When we celebrate Christmas, we learned that it is not Jesus’ birthday that is important, but His incarnation, God becoming Man. There is one more thing that we need to add to this thought. Jesus was born to die. Even as a Baby in the Manger He had a mission that He Himself willingly came to do. And that was to die for you. To be mocked, scourged, beaten, crowned with thorns, and die for you. That’s what that little baby in the manger brings by being born. Not what the world wants to hear. And not what our sinful nature wants to hear, either.

The sad fact is, so are you. That’s the death sentence of sin written on your eternal death warrant. It also has hell as your destination written upon it. Do not pass go, do not get $200.

Except we don’t admit it. We live as if we will live forever here on earth. We do everything we can to avoid death, even talking about it. Why do you think so many people have not made a will? Because they don’t want to face their deaths. Jesus is born to die. But it is that “Suffering under Pontius Pilate, crucifixion, and burial” that changes your death warrant, that cancels it and its claims on you out. For in Jesus’ state of humiliation He trades places with you. Your death warrant is nailed to Jesus’ cross. On the Cross, Jesus suffers hell for you, so in Him, you’ve already been released from that everlasting sentence. It is this into which you are Baptized.

Exaltation

Exaltation is the State in which Jesus fully exercises His powers of God as a Man and as God. Exaltation is where His glory shines through. He gave little glimpses of His exaltation when He was a man. Every once in a while He shows that He is God: In His miracles. In His teaching with the authority of God. In His Transfiguration. But our Creed shows us that He now totally lives in the state of exaltation, in power and glory at God’s Right Hand, and He does so for us.

The remaining parts of the Creed speak of Jesus’ state of Exultation:

He descended into Hell

The third day He rose again from the dead.

He ascended into Heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty

From thence He will come to judge the living and the dead.

These things all declare Jesus to be God.

When Jesus descends into hell it is not to suffer. Don’t confuse this with the hell He suffers on your Cross— that is still part of His humiliation. The descent into hell is recorded for us by Peter:

1 Peter 3:15–21 ESV

but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God’s will, than for doing evil. For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit, in which he went and proclaimed to the spirits in prison, because they formerly did not obey, when God’s patience waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through water. Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,

When Jesus descends into hell it is to announce his victory, not to suffer. Satan, your days are numbered before you get cast into the Lake of Fire.

Jesus rises from the dead. Dead Man walking once again. His dead body becomes alive and comes out of the tomb in which He was buried. You are baptized into this. As we will see in the Third Article, Your body will rise, too.

He ascends to Heaven- Bodily, Jesus is taken up from the earth and into heaven. Now He rules and reigns over all three Kingdoms at God’s right hand, with all power and might.

And He will come again. Stay tuned for the Third Article where we discuss this in depth. Suffice it to say, it’s going to happen! We are made ready for His coming through faith in Christ alone.

Take a Knee

I’m sure you’re all sick and tired of the NFL “Taking a Knee” during the singing of the Star Spangled Banner. No matter what your position, such an action breaks the Fourth Commandment, as it disrespects the authority that God Himself has given to the Government. One of my friends suggested that instead of the Star Spangled Banner, they should say the Lord’s Prayer. You’d see how fast some of them would stand!

God Himself exults Jesus:

Philippians 2:11 ESV

and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

P

Philippians 2:10–11 ESV

so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

There is a place for kneeling. When we confess our sins. When we pray. When we receive Holy Communion. Kneeling implies that we realize our own humiliation— in the sense that we understand- our shame, our embarrassment, our sinfulness— before the Almighty God in reverence, worship, faith and awe.

Not everyone bends the knee to the Lord, however. Most don’t believe in Him, some even hate Him, and you wouldn’t “catch them dead” kneeling before any Almighty Being.... Oh yes you will!!

On the Last Day every knee will bow. Every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the Glory of God the Father.

This includes those who won’t bend the knee or say that Jesus is Lord today.

They will do that as they realize that they were wrong. They will ultimately all have to acknowledge the Kingship and Glory of Jesus Christ before they hear their eternal sentence for their rejection of Him in their earthly lives. Evil meets its match that day. The last act of those who do not believe or who hate the Lord will be to bend the knee and confess Jesus as Lord to their own damnation. This is a solemn warning.

But it is also a joyous hope! When our knees bend before the Lord, they do so gladly. When our tongues confess Jesus as Lord, we do so with Joy in our Hearts! Our promised redemption has arrived. Evil is fully put under His feet forever. Sin and death evaporate with the earth that will burn up. And we will worship Jesus before His throne, eternally confessing Him as Lord to the Glory of God the Father! Maranatha, come quickly Lord Jesus, come.