The Exalted Christ
Intro: The level of glory and majesty Jesus experienced on earth as a man was not what it had been before His incarnation, nor what it would be after His resurrection. John 17:5 gives us a glimpse of the difference before, during and after His earthly life -- "And now, O Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was" Like a dip on a roller-coaster starting at dizzying height, falling to unimaginable depth before ascending to a height beyond human comprehension… This picture is painted for us a number of times in Scripture, perhaps most notably Philippians 2:5-11
I) Jesus in the form of God (2:5-6)
A) The Form of God. The Greek words used to express this here and elsewhere are an interesting study
1) In the form of God…In Philippians 2:6 it is from the Greek "morphe" -- shape or form. (morphology, metamorphosis, etc).
2) The image of God…In Colossians 1:15 it is from the Greek "icon" -- representation, statue
3) The express image of His person…In Hebrews 1:3 it is from the Greek "character" -- engraving, a stamped image
4) Additionally, Hebrews 1:3 also states that Jesus IS the brightness or radiance of God's glory.
B) Creator of the worlds -- over and above everyone and everything.
1) Colossians 1:15-17 -- every power owes its existence to Christ-- He is the firstborn over them.
2) Hebrews 1:1-4
3) ILLUS: Little Jerry was telling his mother how God made the whole world. . . and all with his left hand! "Why do you think God used only His left hand?" her mother asked. "He had to, Mom," she replied. "Our teacher said Jesus sat down on His right hand."
II) He humbled Himself (2:7-8)
A) He lived a humble life.
1) As one preacher noted, despite artistic representations to the contrary, Jesus was not born with a halo. Jesus did not live His earthly life bearing a glow of the next world. His countrymen asked “Is this not the Son of Mary?” When Judas betrayed Jesus, he did so with a kiss. He didn’t tell the officers, “Just arrest the glowing guy.”
a) The only glimpse of Christ’s glory seen on earth was on the Mount of Transfiguration, which was so astounding, Peter wanted to build tabernacles on the spot.
b) Isaiah 53:2 said, “He has no form or comeliness; And when we see Him, There is no beauty that we should desire Him.”
2) Born of a woman and laid as a babe in a manger, Luke 2:7
3) Raised in a despised village in a despised province of a small despised nation.
(a) John 1:46 "And Nathanael said unto him, Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip saith unto him, Come and see".
(b) John 7:52 "They answered and said to him, “Are you also from Galilee? Search and look, for no prophet has arisen out of Galilee.”
(c) Psalm 44:14 "You make us a byword among the nations, A shaking of the head among the peoples. 15 My dishonor is continually before me, And the shame of my face has covered me,"
B) He was humbly obedient even to the point of death.
1) Despised and rejected of men (Isaiah 53:3) -- spat upon, beaten, mocked, abused (Matthew 27:26-31; 33-44)
2) Dying a shameful death, but being raised to a position of indescribable majesty, Hebrews 12:2 "looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."
III) God highly exalted Him (2:9). (the compound Greek word ὑπερυψόω could literally be translated “hyper elevated”.)
A) A Name above every name.
1) It Is A Name Picked By The Father - The name Jesus was not given to our Lord by Mary and Joseph. It was a name handpicked by God. (Matt. 1:21).
2) It Is A Name that expresses God’s intention to save man (Luke 19:10)
(a) The name Jesus means Savor. Thayer’s Greek Lexicon gives it the literally meaning of "Jehovah Is Salvation."
(b) Acts 4:12 “Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”
3) Jesus the God-man reaches up to heaven and back down to human history, dwells as God in eternity but lived as a man in time and space; He connects with the Father but relates to man. He is our Trailblazer to heaven, coming from God’s presence to rescue us and bring us into God’s presence.
B) He is exalted with a reign above every name! Revelation 19:16 “And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.”
1) To be over all and Head of the church, Ephesians 1:20-23 (speaks of God's "mighty power") "which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, 21far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come. And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, 23which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all."
2) To be Prince and Savior, Acts 5:31 31Him God has exalted to His right hand to be Prince and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. (cf. Acts 2:33).
3) To be High Priest Hebrews 8:1 "Now this is the main point of the things we are saying: We have such a High Priest, who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens"
IV) What the exaltation of Christ demands of ALL (Philippians 2:10-12)
A) Universal Homage (2:10)
B) Universal Acknowledgement (2:11) -- confessing Christ as Lord!
1) Matthew 10:32-33 “Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. 33But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven
2) Romans 10:10
C) Obedience (2:12) Notice the "therefore" of verse 12.
1) If the angels themselves are subject to Him, who am I to refuse to obey?
2) 1 Peter 3:22 Jesus Christ 'has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, angels and authorities and powers having been made subject to Him"
Conclusion: Jesus Christ is not exalted at all until He is exalted above all.
