The Road to Greatness

Intro

Before we get into the sermon proper, I need to make a correction for something I said last week. Last week I was talking about how Jesus came to earth as a human. And he was truly human in every way, yet without sin. He experienced hunger, thirst, etc. In that section, I took a break away from my point to speculate on Christ’s life, suggesting that he might have gotten cuts and bruises as he grew up. Furthermore, I suggested that it was possible that he might have even broken a bone. This might seem like harmless speculation, and for the most part it probably was. The problem was when I suggested he may have broken a bone. This is a problem because the OT actually prophesied that none of Jesus’ bones would be broken.

Why is that important? It ties into Christ being the perfect lamb of God. In the OT, a lamb who had a broken bone in its life could not be offered as a sacrifice because it would not have been a pure, spotless lamb. And so for Christ to be offered as our spotless lamb, he could not have experienced a broken bone in order to fulfill the imagery presented in the OT. This is why it was significant for the Gospel writers to note that when Jesus was on the cross, in order to finish the executions faster, the soldiers broke the bones of the two thieves, but they did not break Jesus’ legs since he was already dead.

So I don’t know if anyone picked up on that error last week, but I did, and thought it significant that it needed to be corrected this week. This is one of the dangers of innocent speculation and going beyond what is given us in the text. We can inadvertently speak that which is false and not be aware of it until a later time. In that moment I drifted away from my notes to expand upon a point when such speculations simply weren’t necessary to make the point, and in the process unwittingly contradicted what the Scriptures taught. So please forgive me for that.

As for our sermon today. I plan to stick to my notes a little closer.

We live in an interesting time in history when if someone gains enough followers on social media, they could credibly add the title “influencer” to their resume. To demonstrate how novel this is to our time, as I wrote that last sentence my spellchecker didn’t even think that influencer was a word! These are individuals, some of whom might be celebrities of some kind, or have gained notoriety through some accomplishment, but it seems that the vast majority of them have gained their following without having actually accomplished anything of lasting value or worth. In fact their biggest accomplishment is probably somehow gaining that following in the first place. Marketers like these influencers because they can pay these individuals to place their product in their videos, tweets, or other posts, and it will influence others to purchase the product.

There are an increasing number of children who watch videos, follow these accounts, and even are producing amateur content of their own, and it is not uncommon to hear young children say when asked what they want to do when they grow up is “I want to be a viral youtuber (another word my spellcheck didn’t recognize…a youtuber…)” or a viral tiktok star, etc.

Not all of us aspire to be a youtuber, but we all know what it feels like when people listen to us, take our suggestions/advice, and do what we want them to do. It feels good. We like to have that influence.

Our culture values influence, and thinks that the more influence you have, the more important, significant you are. You greatness is determined by your influence.

But is this the biblical measure of greatness? Of course, the answer is no. Greatness is not determined by influence, power, fame, or fortune. But rather humility.

When the disciples were arguing about which of them was them was the greatest, Jesus himself said to his disciples, “If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all”

This mentality is not something we naturally embrace, but we need the grace of Christ to instruct us and teach us in this discipline.

As we’ve been working through Philippians we see an argument developed by Paul. He’s writing to a suffering church and at the end of chapter one he called them to persevere. Stand firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side-by-side for the faith of the Gospel, and not frightened in anything”

But in order to stand firm persevere, we must be unified. We are in a spiritual battle against the world, the flesh and the devil and we need each other. We cannot afford to be eating our own. If we cannot learn to live in harmony, even when we have some disagreements, we will not fare well in our battle.

But in order to be unified, we need to exercise humility that leads us to showing deference to others and serving them. This is what Paul has just expressed as we come into chapter two.

Philippians 2:2–4 ESV

2 complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. 3 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. 4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.

This week we are going to begin looking at verse 5-8. We did an overview of the whole paragraph last week, but as I mentioned there is simply too much goodness here to cover in one sermon. So we are back here in verse 5, taking a closer look at everything that God has packed into these verses.

We are going to see Christ’s humility as our example today.

Christ is the perfect example of someone not abusing their position but using it in humility to value and serve others.

Christ’s Humility as Our Example

Philippians 2:5 ESV

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

Literally: think this way: it refers to an attitude or a mindset. A general outlook on life.

There is some debate about how we ought to understand this, and that debate is reflected in our different translations. I have the ESV which reads “Have this mind among yourselves which is yours in Christ Jesus.” If that is an accurate translation, then the idea is that through being united to Christ by faith, you already have the capability to have the mind of Christ. 1 Cor 2:16 Paul says “we have the mind of Christ” and other passages point to the reality of our union with Christ so as to partake in the benefits of his righteousness.

One of the problems with this translation is that we must ask “why does Paul need to instruct us to have the mindset that we apparently already have?”

But if you have just about any other translation other than ESV, you will have something that sounds much closer to the NASB which reads “Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus” With this translation, the idea is more about following after the example of Jesus Christ.

One of the difficulties with this is that Paul seems to be calling us to an impossible task. How can we demonstrate the same humility that Christ had when He died on the cross? The answer to that is not that Paul is asking us to save the world by our death, but to have the same mindset that led Jesus to do that. We can’t save the world, but we can refrain from using our positions as a platform to serve ourselves selfishly, and we can look for opportunities to serve others.

I prefer this second approach. I believe it is a more straightforward translation of the Greek, makes the most sense contextually, and does not have as many difficulties as the previous option. As much as I like the ESV, I prefer the NASB for this verse.

So bottom line: Paul wants us to imitate Jesus in our mindset.

This week I was at our local dojo for TKD class. I was observing the Grand Master giving direction to a student who would be testing for her black belt in a little over a month. She was having difficulties with a few of the techniques. The Grand Master took the opportunity to take her through those techniques one at a time until she had them down. He was doing the moves and showing her exactly how to do it, and after a few tries, she got!

What happened there? The instructor was not just telling her “her, do such and such” but got out onto the floor and said, let me show you. Now you do just like that. He coached her until she was able to imitate the moves.

So too are we called to imitate Christ, and He leads by example.

I’ve mentioned this already, but this can feel like am impossible task. How can we emulate Jesus as He died on the cross??

We aren’t called to this exact act. We cannot do that. But we are called to imitate Christ in how we use our positions to serve others.

So how are we to imitate Christ?

I see three aspects of Christ’s humility on display and how they correspond to the commands that Paul has already given that give us three principles for humility. We are likely only going to see one of those principles today, and the next two next week. Personally, I don’t usually like lingering for this long on such a short portion of Scripture, but when there is simply so much to unpack, we simply need to take the time necessary. I intended to work through these three humility principles in one sermon, but as pulled things together it became clear that I needed about an hour and a half, and I wasn’t about to test your patience with me in that regard today.

So, for today, we are going to see the first of our humility principles:

Humility is not selfish

Philippians 2:6–7 (ESV)

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,

I mentioned last week about the complexity of this verse. It is complicated, which has led to many abuses, but it is not beyond discerning the meaning and it is a fantastically beautiful passage!

The way this text unfolds is so masterful that it has led many scholars to believe that this was one of the early hymns of the church and Paul borrowed from that hymn in order to help communicate the point.

There are three phrases here to be examined that all lead us to see that humility is not selfish.

First, the phrase “who, though he was in the form of God”

There is debate about what it means for Christ to be in the form of God. If He was in the form of God, wouldn’t that mean that he is not in reality God, but merely appearing to be so on the surface? Jehovah’s Witness would latch a hold of this as proof that Jesus was not actually God, but merely existed in his form, like a lump of playdoh might be fashion into the form of a person, but it is not actually a person but merely playdoh.

But that misses Paul’s point entirely. Paul is urging the Philippians to do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit. That is to say, don’t seek positions of authority, influence, or power in order to further your own selfish agenda. In that culture, there was constant social strife between classes. People would do all they could to advantage themselves social in one way or another. Paul says stop! Don’t seek to gain social capital for selfish reasons!

Here, Paul gives us a corresponding example of Christ. He was one who had the “social capital” so to speak, because He is God! How do we know? Because He existed in the form of God.

In those days, one way that you knew who was who socially was by their garments. Nobility was clothed with garments that communicated nobility. If you saw a prince walking down the street, you could know who he was sole on the clothes he was wearing.

Paul says that Jesus Christ was clothed in that which if we could see it would instantly make us aware of the reality: that He is God! He was clothed in glory, majesty, and beauty that is only fitting of God Himself! No one is clothed as Christ is clothed without being divinity.

Jesus is God!

But, do the point, though he had the “social capital”, though he had the position, He did not use it selfishly.

Which brings us to our second phrase:

“he did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped”

Again, a phrase that is highly debated.

Philippians 2:6 ESV

6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped,

Philippians 2:6 CSB

6 who, existing in the form of God, did not consider equality with God as something to be exploited.

Philippians 2:6 NKJV

6 who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God,

Philippians 2:6 NIV

6 Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;

The point is that Jesus, even though he was clothed in divine majesty because He is God the Son, even so He did not take advantage of His position for selfish purposes.

With the ESV and NASB, they render it as equality with God was not a thing to be grasped. It wasn’t something that he clung to selfishly. I rather like the NIV and CSB here. It wasn’t something to be exploited or used for his own advantage.

Jesus wasn’t selfish. Even though he had the position as the King of kings and Lord of lords! He didn’t use it selfishly.

Back in college I participated in student government. I was class president for 3 of 4 years, and the one year I wasn’t a class president I was student body president. Sounds impressive. Until you consider my heart motives. I was not really that interested with serving the student body. I did so out of obligation, but that wasn’t my heart. I ran for the office because I thought it would gain me something. I thought it would gain me respect on campus. I thought it would pad my resume in future years. The one year I skipped being class president and ran for student body president I did so strategically and selfishly because the Junior class had difficult responsibilities that I wanted to avoid. Best way out without looking like a coward was to take a step up.

I used my position for selfish reasons. My heart was not one of a public servant, but of asking how I could use the system to advantage myself, to exploit the position for my own selfish gain. And we are tempted to do this aren’t we? In church, at work, in our families.

Paul says do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit! And then He shows us a picture of Jesus Christ, who refused to use His position for selfish reasons.

Jesus refused to use his position selfishly, but on the contrary did something else.

Verse 7

Philippians 2:7 ESV

7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.

The but there represents a strong emphatic contrast. He didn’t do this, but rather did this instead.

He emptied himself.

Again, another phrase that has generated much discussion. When we talk about Christ emptying Himself, the question becomes, of what was He emptied?

Some say his divinity. That during the time Christ was on earth, he was not divine. That’s heresy and not supported by the text.

Some say he didn’t give up his divinity, but did give up his divine attributes, so even though he was still God, he did not possess the power of God while he was on earth. This is called the kenotic heresy. There are some groups that teach this and consider it an important part of their theology because they teach that when Jesus was on earth, he lived fully as a man, and merely as a man, and His life shows us what man was designed to be. And thus all the amazing things that Jesus did were done as a man empowered by the Spirit, and not as a divine being.

This is a crucial peg for their theology because the argument goes, if Christ healed, cast out demons, walked on water, and even raised people from the dead merely as a man, then I can do the same things Jesus did because I too am a man empowered by the Holy Spirit.

You see the connection. But this approach violates so many clear teachings from Scripture that clearly demonstrate that Jesus could do the things that He did precisely because He is God and not merely a man! Jesus’miracles were designed to be proof of his divinity. Look a the story of Jesus healing the paralytic in Mark 2 as a demonstration of that.

Furthermore, again, such an assertion cannot be substantiated from the text.

So what does it mean?

First, we get off on the wrong foot when we ask the question of what did he empty himself.

The context speaks of Jesus not abusing his position or “social capital” so to speak for his own advantage, so to empty himself means to lower himself down, or make himself nothing, to drop his rank. This does nothing to who He is by very nature and being but rather speaks to his social status. He emptied Himself. He became nothing.

This is why the NIV and the KJV, NKJV translate this phrase as “he made himself of no reputation”

He voluntarily lowered himself to the lowest position on the totem pole.

Again, this corresponds back to verse 2

Philippians 2:3 (ESV)

3 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit

Jesus show us what this looks like. Not so we can look at say “I can never live up to that” no no....you don’t have to. You aren’t being called to set aside your rights as God. You’re being called to display humility and not use your position for selfish reasons. Because humility is not selfish.

We are tempted to use our position selfishly. As parents we are tempted to lose our temper with our children when they misbehave, and we can use the fact that we are bigger and stronger to force a child into submission, not because they need to learn obedience but because I’ve had it with you on this, you will obey because I said so.

We might be tempted to use our social capital at work to manipulate others for our own selfish reasons. Gossip. Talking behind others backs. It’s selfish.

As Pastor of this church, I might be tempted to use my position of spiritual authority to lead the church in a particular direction that suites me as opposed to the overall health of the church.

One day, by God’s grace, we will have a plurality of elders here. They will be tempted to use their position for selfish reasons to push for their own way.

What’s the antidote to all these things?

Humility. Humility is not selfish. Instead of asking how a position helps me, I will ask how this position helps others. Instead of saying “how do I be successful” I ask “how can I make others successful?”

Humility is not selfish.

I read a story this week of a wealthy donor who visited a struggling seminary to consider if he would make a donation. Upon arriving on campus he found a white-haired man in old work clothes painting a wall in the foyer. He asked the man where he could find the President of the school. The man pointed out the office and said “He can be found there at noon”

The donor thanked the man and, at noon, went where he was directed to meet the president. Upon entering the office, he was surprised to discover the same man whom he had met painting the wall sitting in the office wearing a suit!

Here was a man who, though he was a president of the institution, did not consider himself above the menial labor tasks such as painting a wall. He did not consider his position to as one to be used selfishly, but humbly sought to serve others.

Humility is not selfish.

Next week by God’s grace we will continue to learn more principles about what humility is as we continue to gaze upon this marvelous Christ, who not only showed humility by refusing to use his position selfishly, but came to earth to serve others, and that is ultimately expressed on the cross.