Jesus is both our Savior and our needed example of humility. Paul here is writing to a group of believers he cares deeply for, and is suffused with joy and love for Christ. Jesus is referenced by name 54 times across 104 verses.
Not everything was perfect with the Philippians, who faced persecution from without and pollution from within, and much of the letter deals with one or both of these.
This passage opens by referencing the previous verse and calling them to the mind of humility mentioned there, but also calls ahead to the example of Christ that he will go into in more detail shortly.
In order to get to that example, Paul delves deeply into the divine nature of Jesus Christ, who was in God and equal to God in all things. But it is equally important that despite that divine equality and power (or perhaps even because of it!) he was not selfish and rather than demanding what was due him (everything!), he humbled and even humiliated himself. This was in sharp contrast to the Greek gods the Philippians would have known, and to the Philippians themselves and, if we are honest, ourselves.
Paul is saying that Jesus makes himself of no reputation by taking the form of a servant. The term “form” here is the same word used to describe Christ’s divine nature – just as real and vital to his nature as his divinity. Just like Jesus washed Judas’ feet even when he knew what Judas had done, he also took the form of a human, a slave, to serve us when we were still his enemies.
He was obedient even to death on a cross – a form of execution not even allowed for Roman citizens and generally reserved for slaves.
Like Jesus, we must give up our own way to serve. It isn’t fair, but it is the job description as we follow Christ. Nothing about the Crucifixion was fair.
And so what is the result of all this humility? God exalts Jesus to the highest point in all the universe. Paul here echoes Isaiah 45 where God declares himself to be exalted above all things. Here, Paul very clearly calls for Jesus to be honored as God, because the Father honors him as God.
Jesus had the humility to want what God wants, even when it cost him everything. Likewise, we must give up our own high estimation of ourselves and take on the same task that Christ did – to die.
To die to our wants, our comfort, our entertainment, our pride. We don’t generally want to do these things and so tend to construct a “crossless Christ” in order to avoid staring at the stark reality of the example we are called to.
Fortunately, God is the one who both does the work and earns the glory. What do we do to make this happen? We should pray to be made nothing – God will answer this prayer, and it will be painful. We make time for the benefit of others and pursue opportunities to serve others.
– Sermon Notes, Brian Bailey, Seed Church, Lynnwood, WA, August 26, 2018
Philippians 2:5-11
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