Humility
Jeffery Anselmi / General
Core 52 / Humility / Philippians 2:5–8
Humility is much deeper than thinking low of yourself. Humility is about how we treat others.
INTRODUCTION
- What does the world around us value in people?
- Should what the world values matter to the followers of Jesus?
- What image comes to mind when you think of the word “humility”?
- Do we think of someone who lacks self-confidence, someone who doesn’t think much of themselves?
- Do we picture a person who never promotes themself and sits in the shadows of the background?
- Imagine walking into a world where the first become last and the last become first—where greatness is measured not by power or status but by the depth of one's humility.
- That's the radical invitation of Philippians 2:5-8.
- Here, we're called to adopt the very mindset of Christ, who, despite having every reason to exalt Himself, chose the path of a servant.
- Think about it: Embracing humility feels almost counter-cultural in a culture that celebrates self-promotion and the hustle to get ahead.
- Yet, it's in lowering ourselves that we find true elevation.
- Jesus didn't just talk about humility; He embodied it to the point of sacrificing His very life.
- In Jesus’s day, humility was perceived as a weakness.
- If you wanted to insult someone, you would call them humble.
- Jesus took the word and changed the perception of what it meant by properly defining humility.
- Humility is not about tearing yourself down; rather, it is about how you treat others.
- The word humility means to reach down to help someone in need.
- Jesus exemplified this trait.
Philippians 2:1–4 (NET 2nd ed.)
1 Therefore, if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort provided by love, any fellowship in the Spirit, any affection or mercy,
2 complete my joy and be of the same mind, by having the same love, being united in spirit, and having one purpose.
3 Instead of being motivated by selfish ambition or vanity, each of you should, in humility, be moved to treat one another as more important than yourself.
4 Each of you should be concerned not only about your own interests, but about the interests of others as well.
- You will notice that for Paul and Jesus, humility is not about thinking you are worthless; in reality, humility is about seeing how valuable you are to God and that you see even more value in others.
- Look at verses three and four again.
- RE-READ VERSES 3-4.
- MOTIVATION.
- TREAT OTHERS AS MORE IMPORTANT.
- People who are good leaders understand the principle of humility.
- Instead of trying to make themselves look good and leveraging their position and power for themselves, they use what they have to the benefit of those who are under them.
- In the long run, that becomes a win for everyone.
- Let’s see what it takes to display humility in one's life.
Philippians 2:5 (NET 2nd ed.)
5 You should have the same attitude toward one another that Christ Jesus had,
SERMON
I. The mindset of humility.
- What mindset does one need to have to be able to have the trait of humility?
- What does that mean when Paul tells us we need to have the same attitude toward one another as Jesus did?
- The mind directs the behavior, so for one to be Christlike, it starts in the mind.
- The mindset Paul speaks of is the attitude with which Jesus approached His ministry.
- When the passage speaks of having the same attitude, the verb tense means always to keep having this attitude.
- In verse three, Paul contrasts people's typical mindset to that of Jesus.
Philippians 2:3 (NET 2nd ed.)
3 Instead of being motivated by selfish ambition or vanity, each of you should, in humility, be moved to treat one another as more important than yourself.
- Selfish ambition is the key.
- The basic idea behind selfish ambition is that it is ALL ABOUT ME, my wants, my desires, my way, and my rights.
- It is so easy to fall into this trap, and many people fall into it by thinking they are standing up for what is right.
- The Apostle Paul was an example of this before he became a Christian.
- The way Jesus treated others was with humility.
- Humility was an interesting word during the time of writing this letter.
- Humility had a VERY negative vibe in Greek culture and language.
- The word was used to denote someone weak and cowardly.
- In New Testament usage, the word was used to describe one who would stoop down to lift up another person.
- When you look at the definition, it would be hard to fulfill the requirements if you think you are garbage and you are reaching up to help others.
- If Jesus is the role model we follow, do you think He thought He was garbage?
- To further emphasize that humility is all about how we treat and look at others, in verse 5, Paul tells us that we are to have the same attitude toward one another that Jesus had.
- The NET2 catches the flavor of the thought very well, although the ESV translates to the phrase to have this mind among yourselves, which also works, but the translation is not clear to me.
- The idea is that we are to have the mindset, but it is much deeper than possessing the mindset of Christ. The key is for us to direct said mindset toward others.
- Jesus did not pontificate on the subject of humility; He exemplified it in how He put it into practice for others.
1 Peter 5:5–6 (NET 2nd ed.)
5 In the same way, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. And all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.
6 And God will exalt you in due time, if you humble yourselves under his mighty hand
- One of the ways Jesus displayed humility is found in John 13:1-7, when Jesus washed the disciples' feet.
- Jesus took on the roll of the lowliest servant in a home when He washed the feet of the disciples, that was part of the reason Peter was so upset when Jesus did it.
- When I am selfish and self-centered, demanding my way and running over anyone in my path, I am being Christ-like.
- Am I showing Christ-like behavior toward others in those moments?
- Even though Jesus was and is equal to God, He didn’t use it to his advantage.
- He took on the nature of a servant.
- He humbled himself.
- He was obedient.
- He did it all for you!
- Let’s turn to verses 6-7.
Philippians 2:6–7 (NET 2nd ed.)
6 who, though he existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be grasped,
7 but emptied himself by taking on the form of a slave, by looking like other men, and by sharing in human nature.
II. The sacrifice of humility.
- There is a sacrifice to be made to put others first.
- Our natural response tends to lean toward taking care of ourselves before anything or anyone else.
- What verse six stresses is who Jesus is.
- He is God.
- When we are told He existed in the FORM of God, this phrase speaks of His pre-incarnate state.
- “FORM” translates the Greek µ??f? (morphe).
- The term is found elsewhere in the New Testament only in 2:7 and in Mark 16:12 (the resurrected Jesus appeared in a different “form”).
- Paul is saying, however cautiously, that Christ was God!
- We should remember, too, the parallel with verse 7.
- Whatever the basic meaning of morphe in the one place, the same should be said of the other.
- Thus, He was God (here) and a servant in (v. 7).
Anthony Lee Ash, Philippians, Colossians & Philemon, The College Press NIV Commentary (Joplin, MO: College Press, 1994), Php 2:6.
- The word MORPHE (form) denotes that the outward manifestation corresponds to the inner essence in contrast to the word SCHEMA (nature in verse 7), which refers simply to the outward appearance that may be temporary.
- The MORPHE (Form) does not change; Jesus is unalterably in the form of God, His essence, and His unchangeable nature is divine.
- His outward SCHEMA nature) might change, but He remained in essence and being, divine.
- He is God.
- However, He did something incredible: He emptied Himself of the prerogatives of being God.
- Before Jesus reached down to help others, He emptied Himself of His power so He could be like us.
- He did this so He could relate and reach out to us.
- Jesus could have taken back His power at any moment to show the religious leaders and the Roman authorities who was really in charge!
- Jesus could have displayed His power in an awesome display, but instead, He became like us to be an example to us and a sacrifice for us!
- To treat others with humility, we must sacrifice ourselves to the will of God and set aside selfish ambitions and desires.
- Jesus did not tenaciously hold on to and cling to His powers of God at all costs; He emptied Himself!
- When you see the word EMPTIED, it speaks of pouring something out of a container until the container is completely empty.
- When Jesus emptied Himself, He did not give up His Deity (THE FORM OF GOD THAT HAS AND WILL ALWAYS EXIST), but He did give up the independent exercise of some of the prerogatives of Deity during His human life.
- He temporarily subordinated Himself to the Father for our benefit!
- Jesus gave up everything for us.
- He gave up heaven.
- He gave up glory.
- He gave up the worship and adoration of masses of countless angels worshipping and adoring him.
- He gave up His power.
- He gave up His authority.
- He gave up His limitless divine nature to become just like you.
- Just like me.
- Are you willing to empty yourself so that you can reach down and benefit others?
- Let’s move to verses 7-8.
Philippians 2:7–8 (NET 2nd ed.)
7 but emptied himself by taking on the form of a slave, by looking like other men, and by sharing in human nature.
8 He humbled himself, by becoming obedient to the point of death —even death on a cross!
III. The focus of humility.
- The phrases TAKING ON and SHARING IN are words that modify EMPTIED and show what this emptying involves.
- Paul illustrates the attitude and focus required to stoop down and look out for the best interests of others rather than himself.
- When Jesus emptied Himself, He filled Himself in three areas.
- First, Jesus took on the form of a slave or bondservant.
- This is the only time in the New Testament
- Jesus did this because His focus was to serve others.
Mark 10:45 (NET 2nd ed.)
45 For even the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
- Jesus was a bondservant for God, carrying out the will of the Father.
- Jesus temporarily subordinated Himself to the Father so He could carry out the mission.
- Jesus also became like us so He could understand what we go through in life.
Hebrews 4:15 (NET 2nd ed.)
15 For we do not have a high priest incapable of sympathizing with our weaknesses, but one who has been tempted in every way just as we are, yet without sin.
- Jesus knows you, and He gets us!
- Jesus also filled Himself with humility, to the point of death, even death on a cross!
- The focus of humility is not on us but instead on others!
- Tim Keller said about the Gospel:
- The Christian Gospel is that I am so flawed that Jesus had to die for me, yet I am so loved and valued that Jesus was glad to die for me.
- This leads to deep humility and deep confidence at the same time.
- It undermines both swaggering and sniveling.
- I cannot feel superior to anyone, and yet I have nothing to prove to anyone.
- I do not think more of myself nor less of myself. Instead, I think of myself less.” - Tim Keller.
- What can get in the way of exercising humility?
- Ego can keep us from humility.
- We think that the world must revolve around us and be full of ourselves.
- Success can keep us from humility.
- We learn more from failure than success.
- Brokenness is often a time when we feel closest to God.
- Forgetting our past and where we have come from can keep us from humility.
CONCLUSION
- AW Tozer once stated:
- “For the Christian, humility is absolutely indispensable.
- Without it there can be no self-knowledge, no repentance, no faith and no salvation.” - AW Tozer.
- As followers of Jesus, we are called to be like Him, and part of being like Jesus is being humble and showing that humility to others.
James 4:6 (NET 2nd ed.)
6 But he gives greater grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud, but he gives grace to the humble.”
- God desires us to have humble hearts!
