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Today we are delving into Philippians 2. We are going through versus 3 through 11. If we could boil this passage down to a couple words, the words would be….
HUMBLE SERVICE.
This is an extremely hard text for our current society. We live in a society of proudness with people who want to be served, which is the polar opposite of what this text is instructing us to do? This passage makes it clear why John gives repeated warnings to not be like the world or love the things of the world because the world and the system by which it's run is clearly in direct opposition to God.
Here are a few verses to consider…
“15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. 17 And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever. (1 John 2:15–17)
“You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. (James 4:4)
In today's passage, we have the greatest example of humility in all of history. Jesus Christ condescending himself, coming down from heaven, taking on the form of human flesh, humbling himself becoming a servant when in reality he should have been served, and to top it all off he was put to death, yet did nothing wrong.
We also see this word "obedient" again, the scriptures say that Jesus was "obedient to the point of death". If we are going to take on the mind of Christ (Philippians 2:5) as this passage suggests, there must be evidence of "obedience" to God and His word in our lives. There should be a desire to want to be obedient to God even though we still may fail, we ought to be striving and having a desire to be obedient. Many will turn around and say, "Now you're being legalistic". My rebuttal to that is if there's no desire to be obedient to God and His word, which should be a point of concern for the one who is professing to be a Christian.
Let's consider what James has to say about this…
“So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder! Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless? (James 2:17–20)
I once heard someone say that people can abuse grace and I think that happens when one feels that they are saved and since they believe in Jesus Christ, they can just go on willfully sinning and repent for it later, but the book of Hebrews has something to say about that very thing.
“For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, (Hebrews 10:26)
In Philippians 2:9 we see an example that reminds me of Luke 14:11 which states he who is proud or exalts himself will be humbled. But he who humbles himself will be raised up or exalted by God.
“For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” (Luke 14:11)
In closing, please ponder these verses and let them sink in….
“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. (Philippians 2:10–11)
ALL will be humbled, and EVERY knee will bow…
All Glory to God
TODAYS FULL TEXT
“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. 5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 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, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 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. (Philippians 2:3–11)
Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®, copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.