2:1 So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, 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 rivalry 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 made himself nothing, 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.
A South American tribe chose their chief by measuring the thighs of the men. They reasoned the man with the biggest thighs had made the most trips down the cliffs, and hauled the most water back to his people. Once the Chief’s brother fell to the bottom of the well. His father asked him to go get him. First, he submits to his father. Then he takes off his robes and leaves his seat, then he descends into the well. He never stopped being the chief, but he stopped looking like the chief looked. Then he started doing what no chief was ever expected to do, because he was the only one strong enough to lift a man out of the well.
We have been studying Philippians as it relates to our cyncism. We all have a real problem with going around being critical. We criticize our government, our churches, our schools, our enemies, our friends and our families. Behind all of those criticisms lies one central belief – I deserve something better.
I deserve to have it better than my parents did. I deserve sunny weather. I deserve a better job. I deserve better treatment. As we fail to get what we believe we deserve, our pride asserts itself and justifies all manner of sin.
As a remedy to this critical spirit, Paul bids us to look to Christ. The eternal Son of God dwelled in unstained glory and deserved it. Today we have a big idea sermon. The Son of God laid aside his glory and privilege and descended into the darkness for us – Praise God, what a Savior. I want you to see three ways the Eternal Son of God humbled himself when he came to save us.
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