April 28 – Philippians 2:5-11
“Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death— even death on a cross!
Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, 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.”
Ok, there’s a lot in these verses. In all of his letters, Paul exhorts us to be like Christ. We are to strive for the perfection that He represents. To the Philippians, Paul says that we are to become humble as Christ was humble.
Jesus was God, but when He came to earth, He didn’t force that part of His nature on us. He emptied Himself (deeper translation of ‘made himself nothing’). In other words, he set aside every bit of His power. Then, He became like a servant, which in Paul’s day was a person of very little worth. They weren’t paid, they had no rights, they simply lived to care for their masters. Jesus set aside all of His power and glory so that He might teach us what it was to live in humility.
He became like a man – setting aside His godhood and was obedient to that which He knew He had to do, follow the path to the cross.
Paul tells us that we should be as humble and obedient as this. When it’s convenient to us, we show humility and obedience. When it offends our sensibilities, we stand up and declare that our rights are being taken from us.
We hear Isaiah’s words from Isaiah 45:23 “at the name of Jesus every knee should bow …” Because He gave Himself up to God, He is worthy of the name that stands above all else. This verse encompasses all of creation: every knee will bow – those in heaven, those on earth and those under the earth.
Every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. Read that sentence again. It doesn’t say that every Christian will confess that Jesus is Lord. Every single tongue on earth will confess that Jesus is Lord.
Regretfully, many will find that they are forced to confess this, but it will be too late for them. But, everyone will acknowledge His Lordship over all creation.
“Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death— even death on a cross!
Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, 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.”
Ok, there’s a lot in these verses. In all of his letters, Paul exhorts us to be like Christ. We are to strive for the perfection that He represents. To the Philippians, Paul says that we are to become humble as Christ was humble.
Jesus was God, but when He came to earth, He didn’t force that part of His nature on us. He emptied Himself (deeper translation of ‘made himself nothing’). In other words, he set aside every bit of His power. Then, He became like a servant, which in Paul’s day was a person of very little worth. They weren’t paid, they had no rights, they simply lived to care for their masters. Jesus set aside all of His power and glory so that He might teach us what it was to live in humility.
He became like a man – setting aside His godhood and was obedient to that which He knew He had to do, follow the path to the cross.
Paul tells us that we should be as humble and obedient as this. When it’s convenient to us, we show humility and obedience. When it offends our sensibilities, we stand up and declare that our rights are being taken from us.
We hear Isaiah’s words from Isaiah 45:23 “at the name of Jesus every knee should bow …” Because He gave Himself up to God, He is worthy of the name that stands above all else. This verse encompasses all of creation: every knee will bow – those in heaven, those on earth and those under the earth.
Every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. Read that sentence again. It doesn’t say that every Christian will confess that Jesus is Lord. Every single tongue on earth will confess that Jesus is Lord.
Regretfully, many will find that they are forced to confess this, but it will be too late for them. But, everyone will acknowledge His Lordship over all creation.
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