THE WALK OF CHRIST
Phi 2:1-11
In our passage this morning, Paul is talking to the Christians in Philippi. He has great hope and desire for them to be a loving church that makes a difference in their city and surrounding area.
Phil 2:1-2 1 if there is any encouragement in Christ, if there is any consolation of love, if there is any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and compassion, 2 make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose.
Notice Paul’s desire is that the believers will live in unity and love sharing a common purpose- glorifying God and sharing the hope of Jesus Christ with all people.
Phil 2:3-4 3 Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; 4 do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.
Paul describes how this unity and love should look... don’t be selfish. Don’t be arrogant. Always look for ways to love and serve other people.
Phil 2:5 Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus,
So, Paul tells us that, as believers, Christ Jesus ought to be our role model. Our message today will look at 4 characteristics of walk of Jesus when He came to the earth.
What did His walk look like?? It was a.....
1. WALK OF HUMILITY
** The Sea Shell-There was a little boy in Africa that loved his teacher very much. He wanted to get her an awesome gift for Christmas, but had no money. He ended up giving her a beautiful seashell that was from the beach 5 miles away. The teacher told him it was beautiful and that she would treasure it, but added that he shouldn’t have walked so far to get her this gift. The boy smiled and said, “The long walk was part of the gift.” The teacher could only sit in wonder as this child as she realized this little boy cared enough for her to walk all the way to the shore on his own. A feat of love worthy of praise and remembrance. The God of the Universe made a similar long walk for us as He left the glories of Heaven and came to the earth.
Phil 2:6-7 He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men.
Although He was the Lord of all Creation, Jesus left the glory of Heaven and came to the earth as a human baby boy born to humble parents. In Heaven the angels flew around Him praising Him and giving Him glory.
As a little babe born in a stable, He had only dirt and dust and the odor of smelly animals surrounding Him. He came to the earth to give us the priceless gift of salvation..... His journey from glory to humility was part of the gift!
2. WALK OF PURPOSEFULNESS
** The B-17 Miracle- Bohn Fawkes was the pilot of a B-17 bomber in WW2. His plane was “The Tondelayo”. Nazi flack was heavy one night. They knew a 20mm shell pierced their gas tank because they were losing fuel, but how did it not explode? It was a miracle! They got home safely and slept thru the day. He went to the mechanics to ask for a piece of the lucky schrapnel. The mechanic told him that he was luckier than he had imagined. There were actually 11 shells recovered from the gas tank and none of them had exploded. So, the mechanics opened each shell to find there was no explosive charge in any of them. In one, though, was found a note written in Czech language that read “This is all we can do for you now.”
Those Czechs were slaves of the Nazis forced to make these bombs. As prisoners, they couldn’t fight, but they surely served those who were fighting by making these bombs ineffective.
Phil 2:7 {Jesus} emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant,
Jesus, the Everlasting God, humbled Himself and came to the earth and became Himself a servant. He did not come to be served by man, but to serve him. Jesus perfectly demonstrated what it meant to be a servant. Just as the Czech prisoners did what they could, Jesus served people during His walk as a bond-servant on earth.
* He taught the great truths and wisdom of God.
* He healed the sick.
* He made the lame to walk, deaf to hear, and blind to see.
* He cast out demons and He raised the dead.
* Wherever Jesus traveled, He served and helped people who were in great need.
* And, at Golgotha, He completed His purpose for coming to this earth.....
He paid the price for our sins so that we might be saved.
3. WALK OF SELF-SACRIFICE
** Blackhawk Down- Most have heard of the story “Blackhawk Down”. It is the true story of a chopper that was shot down in Somalia in 1993. There were 4 injured soldiers in that wrecked chopper that were going to die if help didn’t come.
Sgt Randall Stughart was part of a marine sniper team on another chopper that begged command to allow him to attempt to rescue them. Finally given permission, he and his team leader were dropped 100 yds from the crash site and worked their way in under heavy fire. They pulled the injured soldiers out and got them under cover. Armed with only a sniper rifle and a pistol, he provided cover as the men escaped through the maze of streets and alleys. He remained in position fighting alone while another chopper picked up the others. After exhausting all of his ammo, he was surrounded by the enemy, and overrun. He was able to save the crew of the Blackhawk, but it cost him his life. He was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor, the highest honor a soldier can receive.
Phil 2:8 Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.
The most significant sacrifice that has ever been made and the greatest example of humility ever endured were made by Jesus Christ 2000 yrs ago.
The Prince of Heaven left His glory and the privileges of Divinity behind and humbled Himself and became flesh with all the limitations that come with it.
He humbled Himself to God the Father and walked the path of His destiny that led from a dirty, smelly stable to the Cross at Calvary.
There, He humbled Himself even further as He was beaten and whipped, blasphemed and spit upon, stripped of His garments and nailed to a cross. His sacrifice was for all mankind. He died so that we might live.
What was Heaven’s response to Jesus sacrificing Himself? After Jesus ascended to Heaven, He made His.....
4. WALK OF GLORY
** Medal of Honor- Randall Stughart deservedly received the Medal of Honor for his sacrifice for his brothers in Somolia. Jesus was likewise glorified when He returned to heaven.
Phil 2:9-11 9 For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
When Jesus ascended back to Heaven, His glory became even greater.
He has always been worthy of praise and honor because of Who He was.
Now, He is also honored for the greatest sacrifice Creation has ever known.....
He is the Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world.
And, at the end of the age, every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord..... to the glory of God the Father!
