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Philippians 2:5-11

Let me invite you to take your copy of God’s Word and turn with me to Philippians 2. I met with a small group of men on Wednesday morning in the parlor. It’s a group that Dave started over 20 years ago. They meet each week to share faith and life. Obviously, Dave was not there, but we were remembering him and sharing some of our favorite stories and memories. One of the guys mentioned the fact that you rarely, if ever, saw Dave without his black WWJD bracelet.

Most of you are familiar with the WWJD movement, I’m sure. WWJD is an acronym for “What Would Jesus Do?” I was surprised to discover that the movement originated in the late 1800s and not in the 1990s when it experienced a resurgence. Anyway, the idea is to be reminded to ask oneself What Would Jesus Do in any circumstance or situation. It’s a fair question, and I (too) remember wearing a WWJD bracelet for a season.

There’s only one problem, with the WWJD question. In order to properly answer it and thus actually try to live by the moral imperatives of Jesus, you kind of need to know WJAD – What Jesus Actually Did. See, if we don’t know what Jesus did, then we might answer the WWJD question with our own standard and not His. And we won’t appreciate what Jesus has already done without understanding who He is. Thankfully, Paul gives us a complete picture of the person and work of Christ in verses 5-11. Follow along with me as I read Philippians 2:5-11:

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.

“Again, our Father, we cast ourselves down before Your majestic and glorious presence, asking that You would forgive our sins and renew us in the image of Christ, in order that we might fulfill all of Jesus’ purposes in and through us. Amen.” (Prayer of John Calvin, adapted.)

There are certain passages that are daunting. And this is one of them. In a way, the entire Bible should be like that, I suppose. After all, we’re dealing with the veritable Word of God. But there are passages that are more demanding, more overwhelming and unfathomable than others, and this is one of them. No matter what I say it will fall far short of what this text is worthy of. So, I can only commend the text to you – that you might read it repeatedly and allow the Holy Spirit to enrich these concepts beyond what I might be able to say today.

For instance, commentators from a wide theological spectrum and theologians over the centuries have noted that these verses appear to be an early hymn or poetic creed, perhaps used liturgically in ancient worship. And if you’re a visual learner (and even if you aren’t), you might want to simply draw a capital “V” in the margin, because that’s the shape these verses make. Let me explain. It begins in verse 6 with God in eternity and then describes Jesus’ incarnation in verse 7, and then leads to Christ’s early ministry – primarily His death upon the cross – which is the bottom of the “V” at the end of verse 8. SO, you have this top to bottom progression. Then, beginning with verse 9, you have an upward trajectory. Paul mentions Christ’s exaltation, as He ascended back to the right hand of the Father in heaven, and verses 10-11 speak of His glorification in the presence of every person that’s every been created or will be created.

So, this text is doctrine. It emphasizes the stunning humility of Jesus, who became a servant and died on behalf of sinners to the glory of God. And as a result of His redemptive work on the cross, He is now exalted as the true King. He is our Savior. But it’s more than doctrine. It’s also ethics. Paul isn’t writing these words to stimulate debate. He’s not making an argument. He’s putting Jesus forth as the prime example – One who deserves our adoration and emulation. Thus, the more we behold His glory and imitate His character, the more unified we will be as a church. So, there’s an ethical dimension to these verses too.

A moment ago, I mentioned that many people consider this to be an early hymn of the church. Think of this song as having three verses or stanzas, and I want us to briefly consider each part. The first stanza is the mind of Christ. The second stanza is the humility of Christ. And the final stanza is the exaltation of Christ.

The Mind of Christ

“Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus.” Now, I don’t know about you, but I find that it’s hard enough to make sense of what’s going on in my own mind, let alone the mind of Christ. I mean; “Lee, what were you thinking? We’re you even thinking at all?” (Likely, not.) And yet, Paul encourages me to get inside the mind of Christ. Some of your Bibles might translate the word “mind” as “attitude.” That’s because the Greek word combines both an emotional and cognitive aspect – a visceral response and a reasoned response. And we tend to hear the word “mind” and only associate it with logic and thinking, but there’s more to the word, which is why some of you are seeing the word “attitude.”

For example, the New American Standard Bible translates the verse this way, “Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus.” The New Living Translation says, “You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.” The Christian Standard Bible reads, “Adopt the same attitude as that of Christ Jesus.” Either way, whether you have the word “attitude” or “mind,” the idea is that we ought to have some habit of thought that finds expression in outward behavior or deeds. But the thoughts aren’t just open to any old thoughts. Remember the progression from verses 1-4. All the instruction and encouragement is to think about others, “Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit (remember), but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others” (Philippians 2:3-4).

Jesus only and ever had two things on His mind, only two things that informed His attitude and they were in this order: 1.) His Father’s will, and 2.) what was best for you and me.

First and foremost, Jesus was concerned to do the Father’s will. “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of His own accord, but only what He sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise… I can do nothing on my own. As I hear, I judge, and My judgment is just, because I seek not My own will but the will of Him who sent Me… For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will but the will of Him who sent Me” (John 5:19, 30; 6:38).

And second, He was always thinking about us. “But God shows His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us… For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through Him” (Romans 5:8; John 3:16-17).

So, what Paul is saying is, “Ask yourself, ‘Is this my attitude, my mindset? Is this my way of life? Do I seek to get, get, and get? Or do I seek to give, give, and give?’” And that question extends to us as a community, to us as a church. Are we known for humility and compassion? We’re supposed to be imitating Jesus. He’s our supreme example. What does our painting look like? Does it look more like stick people on a piece of paper, or can someone truly see a reflection of Jesus? What does our song sound like? Is it a melody and harmony that draws others in to listen closely, or do they want to change the channel? Do we have the mind and attitude of Christ?

Paul continues to illustrate why Jesus is the perfect example for us to follow. Not only should we have the attitude and mind of Christ that seeks to give, give, and give, but we ought to see how this worked its way out in the life of Jesus. The next verse, if you will, is…

The Humility of Christ

“Who, though He was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped,” now just stop there and try to grab ahold of that. Paul is touching on the pre-existence of Jesus and also His divine nature. There was never a time Jesus didn’t exist. Although He didn’t have a human form until His incarnation, He was always existing. He’s the Alpha and the Omega. John says, “He was with God in the beginning. All things were created through Him, and apart from Him not one thing was created that has been created” (John 1:2-3). He’s the Creator. This is one are of fundamental difference between Christianity and other religions and cults. Jesus was not created by God. He’s always existed with God the Father.

Don’t let the word “form” throw you. It’s the Greek word morphe, but it doesn’t refer to an external appearance or outward shape. Rather, it’s speaking of the essential attributes and inner nature of Jesus. Like the creeds of our faith, Paul is saying that Jesus continues being the very nature or essence of God. There have been many alternatives throughout the centuries, and even today we still hear things like, “Jesus was just a prophet,” “He was a good man,” “He was a fine example,” or the sentiment that seems to have gained most traction, “It’s the ideas and teachings of Jesus that really matter.” In every generation, we must boldly defend the glory of Christ’s pre-existence and divine nature.

But it wasn’t enough to highlight Jesus’ pre-existence and divine nature. Paul goes on to show that Jesus didn’t use His equality with God as something to be used for His own advantage. “The Messiah did not please Himself,” Paul says in Romans 15:3. Oh, He could have. He could’ve clutched His rights, His blessings, and His benefits as King of glory, but instead, He lived open-handedly, showing us what true generosity and service look like. Do you find it hard to let go of your possessions? Do you find it difficult to let go of your right to be mad at someone for the good of the relationship? How many friendships and family relationships have been soured or even severed because we had our feelings hurt and rather than letting it go, we held on to our rights to be angry? The only way to go from being a grabber to a giver is by adopting the attitude and mindset of Christ, and when we receive Jesus as Savior, thankfully, He gives us the Holy Spirit to help make that a reality.

“Instead, He emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant, and being born in the likeness of men” (v. 7) I like what A.W. Tozer said about this in his book, The Knowledge of the Holy. He writes, “Christ refused to hold onto His divine rights and prerogatives. He veiled His deity, but He did not void His deity.” Sometimes you might hear preachers or theologians or commentators say, “Remaining all that He was, He became what He was not” – meaning that Jesus added humanity to His being. He didn’t surrender deity. He simply added something that was not previously there. But note: the something He added did NOT make Him more God, more holy, more divine.

Dr. Bryan Chapell illustrates this in a story from an African missionary. The chief of a particular tribe was not only the chief, but he was also the strongest man. One day a man carrying water out of a deep well fell and broke his leg. He lay helpless at the bottom of the well and they called the chief. When he saw the condition of the man, he laid aside his headdress and robes that marked him as the chief and climbed to the bottom of the well, put the injured man on his shoulders, and brought him to safety. He did what no other man could do. That’s what Jesus did. He came to rescue us, but just like the chief, when he removed his headdress and robe he didn’t cease to be the chief and neither did Jesus. He humbly left His divine rights and prerogatives and condescended to our condition in order to redeem us, but He remained God the entire time.

And if emptying Himself of His divine rights and prerogatives wasn’t enough, He came in the form of a servant, in the likeness of men, and humbled Himself to the point of death – and not just any death, but death on the cross. This is the bottom of the “V,” and the music changes to a minor key. It’s quite possible that the Servant Song of Isaiah 53 was in Paul’s mind as he wrote this. He came having no “impressive form or majesty that we should look at Him, no appearance that we should desire Him” (Isaiah 53:2). He went to the cross, taking our place, “and the LORD has punished Him for the inquiry of us all” (53:6). “He submitted Himself to death” (53:12) in this most degrading of all deaths.

We’ve considered His divinity and His descending down, down, down, let’s consider now how He ascended up to the highest place.

The Exaltation of Christ

“Therefore, God has highly exalted Him and bestowed on Him the name that is above every name.” Some translations say, “For this very reason.” That’s why Jesus has been exalted, because He humbled Himself to the point of death on Calvary’s Tree. The term “highly exalted” is a Greek word that means hyper-elevated. We value exclusive things. Attorneys and other professionals work towards becoming “named partners.” Businessmen and women work towards varying degrees of leadership: VP, SVP, EVP, CEO. No one is exalted like Jesus. He’s in a class by Himself.

And to mark this hyper-exalted status, God gave Jesus the name that is above every name – and that name isn’t the name Jesus, but the name Lord. How do I know it wasn’t the name Jesus? Because there were many people named Jesus in the first century. It was a common name. Even today, in certain cultures, it’s not uncommon to hear someone named Jesus. No, the name that was given to Jesus that is above every name is a name that we normally associate with a title – it’s the name LORD. To hear someone other than Caesar is Lord would be shocking, to say the least. But there’s also a connection with Isaiah 42:8, where God says, “I am Yahweh, that is My name; I will not give My glory to another.” And when you read Philippians 2:11 that “Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father,” then you begin to understand that’s the name that is above all names.

The wonder of it all is that Jesus, the Lord of glory, who is in a class by Himself, knows us, and loves us. So, fall on your face before Him. Lift up your voice in praise and adoration to the King who has lavished you with astonishing grace and mercy. After all, according to the last stanza of this song every knee of every individual in any and all places will bow before Him. You will either bow in humble submission and praise, or you will bow in shameful defeat and agony. So, bow now. Confess Jesus as the Lord and Savior of your soul today. Don’t wait.

Memorize this passage and dwell on it regularly for it contains solid doctrine. Believe the truth of this passage – indeed Jesus is God in the flesh and because of His humble sacrifice He is worthy to be called the Lord. Fervent belief in Christ Jesus is the only way to be saved. Follow the lifestyle presented in this passage. Yes, the model is Jesus. No, we won’t imitate Him perfectly, but there’s no higher or more excellent person to idolize. In fact, He is the only one that we’re allowed to idolize. Share the message of this passage. Let us adore Him. Let our minds be on Him. Let our attitude be like His. Let our actions reflect Him – all of this is to the glory of God the Father.