Philippians 2:5-8
"Will The Real Jesus Please Stand Up "
Gospelcom Bible Gateway
"5Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, 6who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, 7but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. 8And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. 9Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, 10that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, 11and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. "
INTRODUCTION:
A. Paul is illustrating a previous thought - humility and serving one another
B. Now he gives the ultimate example, that of Jesus Christ.
C. This morning we are going to unpack these four verses concerning the Person, Nature and Work of Jesus Christ
D. Who was Jesus Christ?
1. Is He a myth?
2. Is He really God in human flesh?
3. Is He really the Son of God?
E. What were some view of who Jesus was?
1. Nicodemus called him a teacher come from God
2. The Pharisees said He was born of fornication
3. Herod said He was John the Baptist rose from the dead
4. Some said He was a magician who practiced illusions
5. Some said he was a zealot
6. Today some say ...He was the husband of Mary Magdalene with whom He had children
F. If you don't understand who Jesus is you will never appreciate what he has done for you
G. One day he asked 2 very important questions
1. Who do others say that I am?
2. Who do you say that I am?
H. Your answer to this question is the most important answer you will have give as it concerns where you will spend all of eternity.
I. This morning we are going to look at three aspects of Jesus - His divinity, humility, and humanity.
I. His Divinity
A. form of God
1. Two words in Greek for form
a. Morphe = essential character or nature never changes
b. schema = outward shape or form
2. The word used here is morphe. What does this mean?
a. Jesus in His essential nature is God and He always has been and always will be.
b. He is divinity
3. We also have the morphe of being human from life to death. We will never change or be different
4. Schema changes. We start off as a zygote then an embryo, fetus, infant, toddler, child, adult and geriatric, etc.
5. Jesus schema changed from that of glory to that of humanity
B. being
1. present active tense
a. He was and continues always to be that nature of God
b. His nature as God did not come upon Him left him and came back. He was and and will always be God in nature and essence
C. Claims to be God
1. He was teaching in the house and a paralytic was lowered through the roof to Him - he forgave His sins and then made the man walk to prove that He had the power to forgive sins which was only able to be done by God.
2. He stated in the garden, "Before Abraham was I am, I am."
3. John 5 - He stated that God was His father making himself equal with God. He asked the Pharisees, for many good works I have done for which of my good works are you stoning me?..."
4. Thomas worshipped Him as God and then stated "My Lord and My God".
5. John 1:1
II. His Humility
A. did not consider it robbery to be equal with God
1. Robbery - to cease or carry off with force.
2. Because Jesus as to His very nature did not see Godhood to be something that he needed to grasp at since His morphe is that of God.
B. Emptying Himself
1. Kenosen. God revealed Himself in Jesus. He poured Himself out to the very last drop.
2. What did He empty Himself of? Was it his divinity? No way. His nature is God.
a. Jesus divested Himself of certain prerogatives of Divinity. One of them was Glory. He exchanged all of the praises of the angels and His intimate face to face relationship with God. ( John 17)
b. Independent authority
1. He lived His life in submission to the father
a. (John 5, in Gethsemenae,
b. In Hebrews he learned obedience by the things which He suffered.)
2. Application: Let his mind be in you which was in in Christ Jesus...
a. He emptied Himself
1. You are never more like Jesus than when you humble yourself.
2. You are never more like the Devil than when you pump yourself up with pride. (Isa 14).
3. Jesus instead said, I will go to earth, I will empty myself, I will go to the cross
4. God said I will give you a name above every other name
III. His Humanity (7)
A. Form of a bondservant - morphe not schema!
1. Jesus lived fully God and fully man(theanthropos) His Deity was veiled.
2. Jesus displayed deity and humanity simultaneous
a. In the fourth watch of the night He walked on the water
b. At the home of Lazarus Jesus wept (humanity) but then he stated Lazarus come forth (deity)
c. Jesus slept in the boat and then told the Sea of Galilee, "peace be still. (divinity)
B. Why is all of this so important?
1. Jesus as God can be a sinless, perfect, sacrifice for all of humanity, so that He can give in exchange our imperfect sinful life as a man.
2. He perfectly represents us.
C. He asked..
1. Who do men say that I am?
2. Who do you say that I am?
D. Do you answer, "You are the messiah the son of the living God?"
E. Your destiny is based on how you answer this question.
MEMORY VERSE FOR THIS WEEK:
Philippians 2:5-11
5Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, 6who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, 7but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. 8And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. 9Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, 10that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, 11and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.