Doing What Is Unnatural Series

DOING WHAT IS UNNATURAL

Philippians 2:5-11

S: Jesus

Th: Courage at Christmas

Pr: WE SHOULD BE IN AWE OF JESUS.

?: Why?

KW: Truths

TS: We will find in our study of Philippians 2:5-11 four truths that will show us why we should be in awe of Jesus.

The _____ truth is that…

I. JESUS IS GOD

II. JESUS BECAME HUMAN

III. JESUS IS OUR SAVIOR

IV. JESUS IS LORD

Version: ESV

RMBC 30 November 03 AM

INTRODUCTION:

Have you ever been brought down to size?

ILL Notebook: Humility (Quayle)

One afternoon, former Vice President Dan Quayle was driving home after picking up his daughter Corinne from school. At a red light, a fellow motorist pulled alongside and rolled down his window. "You’re a double for Dan Quayle!" he shouted.

"Gee, I hope I don’t look like that guy," Quayle replied, jokingly.

"Yeah," the man shot back. "I know what you mean."

Ouch…that hurt!

I don’t know about you, but I would rather not be humbled.

I dislike being brought low.

I hate to be embarrassed.

And I don’t like putting myself in a situation that makes me look bad.

TRANSITION:

Today, we begin our Christmas series called “Courage at Christmas.”

1. Courage is a theme one finds in the Christmas story.

Today, we are giving consideration to someone that was willing to do the unnatural thing, to bring Himself low.

Jesus was willing to humble Himself, even to the point of bringing embarrassment upon Himself.

I don’t know if you have ever thought about it, but I have often wondered what it was like in heaven before the first Christmas.

I have wondered what the conversation must have been within the perfect fellowship of the Trinity.

It must have been difficult for the Godhead to watch from heaven and see the mess we had been making.

Our relationships with each other and with the rest of creation are marred by selfishness.

Not only that, the creation has consistently ignored is Creator.

I wonder if the Godhead thought, “Enough!”

“It is time to go and do something!”

“It is time to straighten out this mess!”

Think for a moment…

2. Have you ever considered what life was like for Jesus before He came to earth?

In our time past, He was the Co-creator with the Father and Holy Spirit.

Life in heaven was characterized by all that was perfect, including the ideal relationship they had with each other.

It was a way of life characterized by true joy.

Jesus had a limitless existence with all the glory and privilege at His disposal.

And what did Jesus choose to do.

He courageously chose to leave all that.

Because of the love He had for His creation, He decided to come to earth for you and me.

This means…

3. WE SHOULD BE IN AWE OF JESUS.

And today, I want to share with you why…

For…

4. We will find in our study of Philippians 2:5-11 four truths that will show us why we should be in awe of Jesus.

Here now our text written by the apostle Paul…

(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.

OUR STUDY:

I. The first truth is that JESUS IS GOD.

Throughout history, and even now…

1. The nature of Jesus continues to be debated.

As one reads the many articles that have appeared in Newsweek and Time throughout the years, Jesus is always considered to be one of the great religious leaders of all time.

He is placed alongside Buddha, Confucius, Moses, and Mohammed.

But this is not where Paul places Him.

Paul states that Jesus, by His very nature, is God.

Jesus was in the form of God.

Since form speaks of that which is essential to one’s nature and character, the conclusion regarding the Deity of Jesus is to be expected.

Form is an outward expression of an inward reality.

This means that Paul understands that Jesus is the outward expression of the inward essence of God.

What He is today, He has always been and will always be.