Oct 25, 2020. Philippians 2:5-11

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IMITATORS OF CHRIST.  Philippians 2:5-11. 10/25/2020. #07.

Philippians 2:5-11 [New King James Version]

⁵ Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, ⁶ who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, ⁷ but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. ⁸ And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. ⁹ Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, ¹⁰ that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, ¹¹ and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

• Like unto Jesus
  • Jesus is the role model
    • We are not God, nor are we able to save ourselves
    • Genesis 1:26-28 we are made in the image of God
    • We are to imitate Christ in purity, purpose, and obedience to God
  • Emulate Christ in all things that he represents:
    • A gracious and merciful attitude, full of love
    • Servant of God and others
    • Proclaimer of the truth
    • Upholder of justice
    • Living moral, purposeful lives
    • Shunning and rebuking evil
    • Submission to God in all things
  • Jesus set the extreme ultimate example for us
    • Jesus held the position of God, creator of all things, master of the universe, all glorious, powerful, and knowing
      • Jesus held the highest position in the universe
      • All the angels worshipped him and he commanded all things
      • There was no need that compelled him to change
  • Jesus did the unimaginable:
    • He laid aside his prerogatives as God
      • He literally “emptied” himself out
      • Though Jesus was still God, he laid aside his divine powers (he did all things via his father), divine knowledge (only the father knew when he would return), his omnipresence), and glorious presence (Isaiah 53)
      • He experience hunger, thirst, pain, cold, fatigue, loneliness, indignation…
    • He became a man, experiencing birth, growth, social statues, learning a trade, acclaim, insults…
    • He became a servant to all men
      • The ultimate of benefitting men spiritually, physically, intellectually, and wisely
      • He was totally God and totally man, offering a visage of God and choice for men to make
    • His servanthood transcended mere wisdom and help
      • He chose to be the only worthy sacrifice for all men everywhere
      • The God that lives chose to take on man’s flesh so he might die so men might live
• Exalted!
  • Because of Christ’s humility and sacrifice, the Father has exalted him above all creation
    • Hebrews 12:1-2 Christ, for the joy set before him, endured the cross, that he might gain many people to be joint heirs to the throne of God (Heb. 2:10)
    • Christ’s desire was to save us so he might be his bride forever (Ephesians 5:25-33)
  • Christ is exalted above all things
    • I Thessalonians 4:1-17 believers will ever be with the Lord to glorify his holy name forever
    • Revelation 20:10-15 before judgment is passed upon the wicked, they will bow down and confess Jesus is Lord
    • Revelation 3 even the enemies of the saints will have to proclaim that we, and not they, are children of God
  • I Peter 5:5-7; Romans 8:30 as we exalt him, he will also exalt us

Key verse: Isaiah 53

¹ Who has believed our report?

And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?

² For He shall grow up before Him as a tender plant,

And as a root out of dry ground.

He has no form or comeliness;

And when we see Him,

There is no beauty that we should desire Him.

³ He is despised and rejected by men,

A Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief.

And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him;

He was despised, and we did not esteem Him.

⁴ Surely He has borne our griefs

And carried our sorrows;

Yet we esteemed Him stricken,

Smitten by God, and afflicted.

⁵ But He was wounded for our transgressions,

He was bruised for our iniquities;

The chastisement for our peace was upon Him,

And by His stripes we are healed.

⁶ All we like sheep have gone astray;

We have turned, every one, to his own way;

And the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.

⁷ He was oppressed and He was afflicted,

Yet He opened not His mouth;

He was led as a lamb to the slaughter,

And as a sheep before its shearers is silent,

So He opened not His mouth.

⁸ He was taken from prison and from judgment,

And who will declare His generation?

For He was cut off from the land of the living;

For the transgressions of My people He was stricken.

⁹ And they made His grave with the wicked—

But with the rich at His death,

Because He had done no violence,

Nor was any deceit in His mouth.

¹⁰ Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise Him;

He has put Him to grief.

When You make His soul an offering for sin,

He shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days,

And the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in His hand.

¹¹ He shall see the labor of His soul, and be satisfied.

By His knowledge My righteous Servant shall justify many,

For He shall bear their iniquities.

¹² Therefore I will divide Him a portion with the great,

And He shall divide the spoil with the strong,

Because He poured out His soul unto death,

And He was numbered with the transgressors,

And He bore the sin of many,

And made intercession for the transgressors.