Introduction

Good morning, beloved,

I trust you're doing well in the Lord's grace today. We find ourselves gathered here, not by chance, but by divine appointment. We are here to break open the bread of life, the Word of God, and to feast upon its nourishing truths. We are here to draw closer to our Lord, to learn more about His character and His love for us.

Today, we will be turning our hearts to the book of Philippians, specifically Philippians 2:1-8. This passage presents us with a profound and beautiful portrait of our Lord Jesus Christ. It invites us to not only admire Him from a distance but to truly know Him, to identify with Him, and to follow His example.

Let me read the passage for us:

[Read passage]

Revered preacher Charles Spurgeon once said, "I have a great need for Christ; I have a great Christ for my need." This quote beautifully encapsulates the essence of our message today. We have a great need for Christ, and in this passage, we find a Christ who meets our need in the most extraordinary ways.

Initiation of Our Lord

The Scripture we are focusing on today paints a vivid picture of our Lord Jesus Christ. It shows us His nature, His character, and His actions. It shows us a God who is not distant or detached, but one who is intimately involved in our lives. He is the one who initiates, who steps forward, who reaches out to us.

Christ is in the form of God: This is a profound truth that we must not overlook. It tells us that Christ is not a created being, but the Creator Himself. He is God, with all the power, all the glory, all the majesty that entails. Yet, He did not consider this equality with God something to be grasped or held onto. Instead, He chose to let go. He chose to step down from His throne in heaven, to leave behind all the glory and majesty, and to come down to our level. He chose to take on the form of a servant, to be made in the likeness of men. This is a staggering thought. The Creator of the universe, the King of kings and Lord of lords, chose to become a servant.

He was a servant: He didn't just take on the appearance of a servant, He became one. He lived as a servant, worked as a servant, and was treated as a servant. He experienced hunger, thirst, fatigue, pain, and rejection. He knew what it was to be despised and rejected, to be misunderstood and maligned, to be betrayed and abandoned. Yet, He did not complain or retaliate. He did not demand His rights or assert His authority. Instead, He humbled Himself. He accepted the limitations of human nature, the hardships of human life, and the cruelty of human sin. He was obedient, even unto death, even the death of the cross.

This is the initiation of our Lord: He is the one who steps forward, who reaches out, who comes down to our level. He is the one who takes the first step, who makes the first move, who initiates the relationship. He is the one who loves us first, who seeks us out, who draws us to Himself.

The humility of Christ: He did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made Himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant. This is a profound and powerful demonstration of humility. Humility is not thinking less of yourself, but thinking of yourself less (C.S. Lewis). It is not about self-deprecation, but about self-forgetfulness. It is not about putting yourself down, but about lifting others up. And this is exactly what Christ did. He put our needs above His own, our welfare above His comfort, our salvation above His life.

The obedience of Christ: He was obedient, even unto death, even the death of the cross. This is a profound and powerful demonstration of obedience. Obedience is not just about doing what you are told, but about doing what is right. It is not just about following orders, but about following principles. It is not just about compliance, but about commitment. And this is exactly what Christ did. He was committed to doing the will of His Father, to fulfilling His mission, to saving us from our sins.

The sacrifice of Christ: He humbled Himself and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. This is a profound and powerful demonstration of sacrifice. Sacrifice is not just about giving up something, but about giving up yourself. It is not just about loss, but about love. It is not just about suffering, but about serving. And this is exactly what Christ did. He gave up His life for us, He loved us to the end, He served us to the utmost.

Identification in Our Lord

As we continue to immerse ourselves in the richness of Philippians 2:1-8, we find ourselves face to face with the person of Jesus Christ ... View this full PRO sermon free with PRO