Daily Bread 2011 - Philippians 2
Daily Bread 2011 – Philippians 2
Imitating Christ’s Humility
1 If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2 then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. 3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. 4 Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.5 Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,7 but made himself nothing,
taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.
8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death—even death on a cross! 9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name, 10 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.
What Does This Mean?
As Paul encourages the Philippians church, he uses Jesus as the example to follow and imitate. Importantly Paul focuses on the humility of Jesus, who emptied himself and became a servant unto all even unto death. Paul uses Jesus’ example and tells the Philippian church that they should have the same “attitude” as Christ. Why is this important?
It is important because Jesus made a choice to empty himself and become a servant. Even though Jesus was equal with God, he did not consider (also an attitude word!) it something to hold on to. Jesus willingly emptied himself and made himself nothing. If Jesus, the Son of God, can make the choice to empty himself, we can too through God’s Spirit who wills for us to act according to His good purpose (2:13). Jesus’ was obedient to the heavenly Father, and as a result, gave up his life. The end result was that God raised Him from the dead and now at the name of Jesus every knee should bow and every tongue should confess that He is Lord to the glory of the Father.
What Does This Mean For Us?
The true test of a follower of Christ is are they imitating His life? In this case, are they emptying themselves of pride and considering others as better than themselves? Paul exhorts us to be like minded, and make the daily decision to humble ourselves and take the role of a servant. It doesn’t matter what role you have in the body of Christ, nothing is every beneath any one of us, including taking out the trash and cleaning the toilets.
Membership in the Church has its privileges, we get to serve! As it just so happens that as we serve we find joy and meaning, which is directly the opposite of the message the world tries to send our way. The world says, “Get all you can while you can get it, because you deserve it!” But Jesus says, “Give all you can, all the time without expecting anything in return.” Where is God calling you to empty yourself and become a servant? As you do so you will be following the example of our Lord and find the true joy of being a servant like Him.
Heavenly Father, we come before you to offer our lives to you and empty ourselves of all of our pride and thinking that we should be served, rather than serving and giving our lives as a living sacrifice. Send the Spirit to help us follow the example of Your Son who emptied himself and gave His life for us willingly. In His Name, Amen.
Imitating Christ’s Humility
1 If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2 then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. 3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. 4 Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.5 Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,7 but made himself nothing,
taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.
8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death—even death on a cross! 9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name, 10 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.
What Does This Mean?
As Paul encourages the Philippians church, he uses Jesus as the example to follow and imitate. Importantly Paul focuses on the humility of Jesus, who emptied himself and became a servant unto all even unto death. Paul uses Jesus’ example and tells the Philippian church that they should have the same “attitude” as Christ. Why is this important?
It is important because Jesus made a choice to empty himself and become a servant. Even though Jesus was equal with God, he did not consider (also an attitude word!) it something to hold on to. Jesus willingly emptied himself and made himself nothing. If Jesus, the Son of God, can make the choice to empty himself, we can too through God’s Spirit who wills for us to act according to His good purpose (2:13). Jesus’ was obedient to the heavenly Father, and as a result, gave up his life. The end result was that God raised Him from the dead and now at the name of Jesus every knee should bow and every tongue should confess that He is Lord to the glory of the Father.
What Does This Mean For Us?
The true test of a follower of Christ is are they imitating His life? In this case, are they emptying themselves of pride and considering others as better than themselves? Paul exhorts us to be like minded, and make the daily decision to humble ourselves and take the role of a servant. It doesn’t matter what role you have in the body of Christ, nothing is every beneath any one of us, including taking out the trash and cleaning the toilets.
Membership in the Church has its privileges, we get to serve! As it just so happens that as we serve we find joy and meaning, which is directly the opposite of the message the world tries to send our way. The world says, “Get all you can while you can get it, because you deserve it!” But Jesus says, “Give all you can, all the time without expecting anything in return.” Where is God calling you to empty yourself and become a servant? As you do so you will be following the example of our Lord and find the true joy of being a servant like Him.
Heavenly Father, we come before you to offer our lives to you and empty ourselves of all of our pride and thinking that we should be served, rather than serving and giving our lives as a living sacrifice. Send the Spirit to help us follow the example of Your Son who emptied himself and gave His life for us willingly. In His Name, Amen.
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