The Exalted Christ

Introduction

I Pledge Allegiance to...

Growing up in school we always said the pledge of allegiance to the flag. In each school room you would find the red, white, and blue. Because this was something we did everyday, I never really gave much thought to what we were doing. The banner of the US of A hanging over us all day long. The words that rolled off the tongue without a second thought. And yet this was a unifying moment for us in that classroom. Regardless of our pasts, our presents or our futures, we had pledged allegiance to a set of ideals, and goals.

But what else have we pledged ourselves to? What other flags do we find flying over our heads. And which symbols are of the greatest value? What does your closet say you pledge your allegiance to? What does your checkbook say you pledge your allegiance to? What do your conversation topics say you pledge your allegiance to?

What should our allegiance lie first and for most?

Philippians 2:9–11 ESV

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.

God Unites Us

This is the fourth time that God is mentioned in the book of Philippians. In the first instance God is thanked for the remembrance of the Philippians. The second God is the witness about Paul’s yearnings for the Philippian church. The third time in when Christ did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped. The main focus of the book has been on Christ and his work for the church and His example for the church. But what we see in these words is God establishing for the church the one thing that unites all Christians.

The context here begins with a conclusion draw from what has been stated as true about Christ. The verses read, “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.”

To understand fully the context here. From the beginning God, Father, Son, and Spirit has always known and planned for the redemption of God’s people. The plan has always been that the Creator would die for His creations. Jesus humbled himself is the outworking of what God deemed necessary to rescue people. Jesus left heaven, willingly confined himself to our form, dying on a cross. It pleased God to crush his Son. Why did it please God? Because God through this death would unite all things in Christ.

I want our view of God and his desire to unite us to take center stage. Our allegiance and pledge is to Christ. The focus of God’s Kingdom works itself out to evidence a humble unity that Christ displayed in his life, death, and resurrection. And here in the opening two words of these verses God takes center stage to unite us. Because of what Jesus has done…God acts.

United Under the Exalted Christ

What did God do? God has highly exalted Jesus. This word is only used once in the New Testament and here it is. The verse could be read this way, “therefore God hyper exalted him.” This is the act of God restoring Jesus to his proper place. To be sure Jesus did not achieve a higher rank or position, but because of what He accomplished for God’s people he was exalted, lifted, given the exceptional honor He deserved.

The temptation with this verse is to see what Jesus did, and make the assumption that if we would humble ourselves, we too will be exalted. The problem becomes when we use the exaltation to come as the motivation for the humility. Reward is not the motive for Jesus in this passage, and it should not be the motive for us to pursue humility.

There is a difference between acting out of love and acting out of expected payment. If any of us do something solely based on the reward promised, what value to we hold for the one asking us to perform the chore or task. If a child only does chores to receive their allowance, what happens when there is no money. If a worker only does what they have to at work because of the promised paycheck, where does the love and building of the company come. Spouses if you only do chores or help with what is undesirable for you to do around the house in hopes of a physical reward, what good is your chore.

Christ’s obedience was not done so that he might receive a reward and our obedience is not done so that we might receive a reward. Remember we cannot earn our salvation. We don’t earn a right to heaven by doing what Scripture says. Jesus did not earn his exaltation because of His humble service. Rather the exaltation of Christ is a grace gift. God highly exalted Jesus or gave him exceptional honor because that is what His value required. It was a gracious and necessary thing to exalt Jesus to the place of highest honor.

One Commentator put it this way,

“ Paul does not describe in these verses a reward Christ earned by his efforts to do good but honors God freely chose to confer on his Son in response to obedience. Both the obedience and the exaltation came at God’s initiative for Christ, just as they do for us (2:12–13).”

Paul does not describe in these verses a reward Christ earned by his efforts to do good but honors God freely chose to confer on his Son in response to obedience. Both the obedience and the exaltation came at God’s initiative for Christ, just as they do for us (2:12–13).

This whole concept of exalting Christ drives a stake through the heart of the human desire to dominate and do whatever is necessary to be exalted. This is not something we earn. It is a gracious gift. A verse that comes to mind is .

James 4:6 ESV

6 But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”

The key to exaltation is realizing that you submit to God. You humbly admit that you have nothing to offer and God graciously gives grace, saving grace, sustaining grace. Christ being perfect, being fully God and Fully Man in this Philippians passage is re-ascending to his proper place. The application for you and I is not that we deserve to ascend to a higher place. You and I don’t earn our way from traitor to adopted son and daughter. It is all a gift of grace. We must become humiliated, acknowledging that naked we are born, naked we die, we are totally dependent on the grace and goodness of God.

The Exaltation of Jesus by God is the banner we pledge our allegiance to. We are not the savior, but we are find the common level ground of equality at the foot of the cross. God does not show us partiality. He lavishes his grace on all who submit to Jesus. This is what unifies us. The exaltation of jesus and our worship of Jesus means that we must get as low as we can as fast as we can with joy in our hearts because in becoming the least we honor the greatest Christ who became the least. And we humble wait for God’s grace to exalt us in the life to come for sure, but there is no guarantee we will be exalted in this life.

The best example I can come up with is joining the Military. There is training, a command structure, but all pledge to defend the USA. And some of those who serve have a life long career that seems easy from the outside looking in. Others humbly choose to serve and in offering all they have the end up giving all they have to the point of sacrificing their lives for the sake of the USA. Which person is treated more fairly? All took the same oath, all must be willing to sacrifice their lives, all consider the cost. it is the same with Salvation. We must consider the cost, all I am and all I have to Jesus. How life turns out should not be judged as fair or unfair, but rather the mission and path God has laid out for you, that you might humble yourself and make much of our King.

That is why Jesus has been highly exalted. He has been lifted high because no one else is worthy.

Revelation 5:1–10 ESV

1 Then I saw in the right hand of him who was seated on the throne a scroll written within and on the back, sealed with seven seals. 2 And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?” 3 And no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or to look into it, 4 and I began to weep loudly because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or to look into it. 5 And one of the elders said to me, “Weep no more; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals.” 6 And between the throne and the four living creatures and among the elders I saw a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain, with seven horns and with seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth. 7 And he went and took the scroll from the right hand of him who was seated on the throne. 8 And when he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each holding a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. 9 And they sang a new song, saying, “Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation, 10 and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth.”

Revelation

Worthy is Jesus, Holy is Jesus. Praise God we are co-heir with Christ because God has dealt graciously with us. We are nothing without Jesus.

NOT ONLY THIS...

But Je

Jesus has been highly exalted but also given a name that is above every name. What is someone foreign to you and I is the importance of naming. Naming a child or a person in the New Testament days would affect their entire life. It told far more about a person and determined much more of who they would end up being.

James and John were known as the sons of thunder. Jesus of Nazareth was always questioned, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Saul had his name changed by Jesus to Paul.

So the fact that Jesus has been given a name that is above every name is crucial. This name, this title is so great that every knee will bow in heaven, on earth, and under the earth.

What is the name that Jesus has been given? Every tongue will confess what?

Jesus Christ is LORD!

What are the implications of this name? What does this reveal to us:

First, the name Lord points to the divine sovereignty of Jesus. Lord is the ruler over all. Jesus is Lord…not a Lord…not kind of a Lord. He is the ultimate. He is Lord. To Jesus all powers, privileges, and honors due the Ruler of everything has been granted.

Second, declaring Jesus as Lord God has declared the divine identity of Jesus. He is God.

Third, the name Lord points to his future destiny. The victory He won on the cross will translate to an ultimate victory over all creation where everyone will cry Jesus is Lord.

The Victory of Unity

The basis for declaring the deity of Jesus and all the rights he deserves comes from this passage in Philippians pointing to the prophet Isaiah. Isaiah is writing on behalf of God. And God in his wisdom declares:

Isaiah 45:23–25 ESV

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.’ 24 “Only in the Lord, it shall be said of me, are righteousness and strength; to him shall come and be ashamed all who were incensed against him. 25 In the Lord all the offspring of Israel shall be justified and shall glory.”

Isaiah 45:

Tying this passage in to Philippians asserts that Jesus is God and when he comes again with the full reveal of his kingdom, everyone will bow and everyone will confess Jesus is Lord.

If I could make a reference to HGTV for a moment. There are many shows that people enjoy and watch. Chip and Joanna Gaines have a lovely show that is raging in popularity. And what they do is renovate a home. The show begins with the before, and throughout the show we see bits and pieces of the renovation. But at the end of the show they reveal the finished work by hiding the home behind a gigantic poster of the before picture. During the renovation is the time when changes to the design can be made. Once the project is complete, there is no way to add an archway or remove a wall. We are currently in the stage of what could be called the renovation stage of God’s kingdom. We see it in part. We catch glimpses of it all over. But there is coming a day when the reveal will be here. And when that day comes there are no more changes allowed. No imagine you are someone who ignores Chip and Joanna the whole time they are preparing your house for you. In the end it will be too late for you.

The same is true for salvation. During the renovation period of God’s kingdom coming through the church the gospel is for all to know, and humbly accept. But there is coming a day when salvation will no longer be open. And in that day everyone in heaven, on earth, and under the earth will kneel and declare Jesus is Lord! This will be a confession of fact, not a confession unto salvation.

What does this mean for us, hear and now? We must humble ourselves now and submit to Jesus while there is hope for salvation. Consider the cost, lay down your life before it is taken from you.

What about your neighbors, co-workers, friends, and family? How do you want their knees to bend in the end. Humbly to Jesus because of their salvation or do we wan their knees bent in humiliation because they rejected the conquering Lord?

To God’s Glory Alone

All that has been stated in this passage is for the glory of God the Father. The exaltation of Jesus, the granting of name, everyone confessing Jesus is Lord. All of it bring the highest praise and honor to God.

What are the implications of this passage for the church as a whole?

We must adopt the character of our savior…humility

We must behave towards one another in this church in humility.