Jesus Wins Best In Everything

“Jesus Wins The Best Everything!”

Philippians 2:5-11

David P. Nolte

I’m not “into” the Oscar thing or the Emmy thing or the Pulitzer Prize thing. They are not quite as exciting to me as watching grass grow. These matter greatly to some but I’d have more fun sitting there watching paint dry. However, “To each his own.”

To Whom belongs the highest award? Who deserves the loftiest acclaim? For Whom should we stand and applaud?

You know the answer to that! Of course it is Jesus Christ! Let’s check the Scripture to see why God gave Jesus the highest award! HIGHER THAN ANY OSCAR, EMMY OR PRIZE OF ANY SORT!

“Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Philippians 2:5-11 (NASB).

So, with God the Father, we accord to God the Son these awards:

I. THE AWARD FOR BEST HUMILITY:

A. The Text says:

1. He emptied Himself: That does not mean He divested Himself of deity. He emptied, or poured Himself out, as God into human flesh.

a. It’s like pouring milk from a pitcher into a glass – it’s still milk but in another container and another shape.

b. John tells us that The Word was God and the Word became flesh an dwelt among us. John 1:1-14.

c. Paul tells us that all the fulness of God dwelt in Him in the human body. Colossians 1:19 & 2:9.

d. Hebrews tells us that He is the exact image of God. Hebrews 1:3.

2. He did not selfishly cling to that equality but He humbled Himself:

a. He was not coerced but willingly became lower than the angels for a time.

b. He willingly put off the Royal Robes of Heaven to put on the robe of a peasant carpenter and itinerant preacher.

B. Jesus said, “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30 (NASB).

1. An arrogant Lord would send us away; the lowly Jesus calls us to Himself.

2. The Lordly often impose heavy burdens on their subjects – Jesus invites us to rest and a light load.

C. Contrast the humble Jesus with the arrogant gods of Mythology:

1. Athena was furious when she heard about a woman named Arachne, who boasted she was better at weaving than the goddess herself. So she challenged the mortal and lost, and was so mad she turned Arcahne into a spider.

2. These gods could steal, rape, torture, or kill pretty much anyone at any time.

3. They were capricious, arrogant, seekers of personal pleasure, vidictive, cruel and merciless. And those are their good points! I’m glad they are fictional!

D. For each negative trait of the mythological gods, there is an opposite positive trait of Jesus –and not least of these is His humility!

1. He was humble in that He gave up equality with God the Father.

2. He was humble in that He took up the lowly life of a peasant, and ultimately His own cross on which He bore the sins of the world.

E. To be like Him, we must humble ourselves. Let me illustrate the importance of humility: “On the evening of April 14th, 1912, the Titanic’s wireless operator Jack Phillips had received ice warnings from other ships in the area. Some of the messages had even been given to the bridge but were ignored.

The Titanic, traveling at 22.5 knots, was heading straight for the ice field. Radio operator Phillips was trying to send stacks of backlogged passenger messages but the other ship’s signals were interfering. The Titanic operator told the other operator to stop transmitting just as he sent the Titanic a final ice warning:. Phillips transmitted, “Shut up. Shut up. I am busy. I am working Cape Race.”

Shortly thereafter the unsinkable did the unthinkable. Because Phillips and others did not humbly heed the warnings but arrogantly sailed into disaster, the mighty Titanic struck an ice berg and sank, sending many to their death. Because Jesus humbled Himself, many will be spared death and will have eternal life.