“THE NAME ABOVE ALL NAMES” Philippians 2:5-11
FBCF – 5/11/25
Jon Daniels
INTRO – In 1950, the great Scottish American preacher Peter Marshall stood before the United States Senate & share this: “The modern challenge to motherhood is the eternal challenge – that of being a godly woman. The very phrase sounds strange in our ears. We never hear it now. We hear about every other kind of women – beautiful women, smart women, sophisticated women, career woman, talented women, divorced women, but so seldom do we hear of a godly woman…It is a much nobler thing to be a good wife than to be Miss America. It is a greater achievement to establish a Christian home than it is to produce a second-rate novel filled with filth. It is a far, far better thing in the realm of morals to be old-fashioned than to be ultramodern. The world has enough women who know how to hold their cocktails, who have lost all their illusions and their faith. The world has enough women who know how to be smart. It needs women who are willing to be simple. The world has enough women who know how to be brilliant. It needs some who will be brave. The world has enough women who are popular. It needs more who are pure. We need women…who would rather be morally right that socially correct.” (https://gracequotes.org/?s=motherhood)
Philippians series – “Living for Jesus.” So, right off the bat, I want to ask the moms in the room today – Are you living for Jesus? Are you striving to be a godly woman? You sure need to be!
- Don’t know of many jobs that are more important than what you do.
- So important for you to be living for Jesus so that you’ll have the spiritual resources you need as a mother.
Philippians – NT book of joy. There are a lot of things that bring joy to our lives. And would venture to say that one of those things for many of the women here today is the joy of motherhood. So today, we recognize & celebrate the mothers who are here today. I pray that our time together today will challenge & encourage you in your walk w/ Christ so that you will be the mother that you are called to be.
- You need the strength that only Jesus can give you.
- You need the wisdom that only God can give you.
- You need the love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, & self-control that only the Holy Spirit can give you.
We recognize that some of you moms have a child who is a prodigal. He/She is in rebellion against you & against the Lord. Or you have a child who has never given their life to Jesus. Your heart is broken for your child as you constantly cry out to the Lord on their behalf. Don’t stop!
We also recognize that there are those women present today who want to be a mom but have struggled in this area, dealing w/ infertility issues & other problems. I pray today that you, too, will find the joy & strength you need to live your life to the glory of God.
And we also recognize that there are those present today, both men & women, who no longer have their mother w/ them, & this day is always difficult. I pray that the comfort of the Holy Spirit will permeate your heart & life right now.
BOTTOM LIFE: Women, whether you’re a mom or not, you need Jesus! Men, whether you’re a dad or not, you need Jesus, too! Kids of all ages – you do, too! And Jesus is who we are talking about today!
EXPLANATION – Philippians 2:5-11
Philippians is one of the prison epistles – letters written by Paul while he was under house arrest in Rome. The other prison epistles are Ephesians, Colossians, & Philemon. He had a warm relationship w/ the believers at Philippi as they supported him spiritually & financially, which is one reason that this letter has such a personal feel to it.
He got very personal w/ a couple of ladies in the church, Euodia & Syntyche – 4:2. Apparently, they had gotten sideways w/ each other & forgot about the importance of keeping the unity in the church & working together for the K’dom of God. They needed to get their mindset reset on the name of Jesus.
And that’s where we need to focus today – getting our mindset fully set on the name of Jesus.
- Bring the mindset of the name of Jesus into your personal, private life, your thought life. You want to know how to battle against lustful thoughts, greedy thoughts, envious/jealous thoughts, slanderous, malicious, gossiping thoughts? Have the mindset of the name of Jesus!
o Philippians 4:8 – “…whatever is true…honorable…just…pure…lovely…commendable…excellent…worthy of praise, think about these things.” – ONLY JESUS is all of those things!
- Bring the mindset of the name of Jesus into your marriage – You want to know how to protect your marriage from demonic forces; from divorce; from drifting apart; from dry, passionless, just “going through the motions” existence? Have the mindset of the name of Jesus!
o Philippians 2:3-4 - “Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.”
o Serve your spouse like Jesus served us! V. 7 – He “emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant.” Empty yourself of yourself & fill yourself up w/ JESUS! Do that & you’ll literally have a marriage made in heaven!
- And since Philippians was written to a church, bring the mindset of Jesus into your church involvement, participation, & commitment. Obey Him!
o Philippians 2:8 tells us that Jesus was “obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.” He set the perfect example of obedience for us & expects nothing less from us. That same obedience to the point of death should characterize our lives as Christ-followers – “take up your cross daily”. Obey Him!
o He said to make disciples – so do it!...Love others, including your enemies – so do it!...Be baptized – so do it!...Support the church financially – so do it!...Pray all the time…study the W of G…glorify God in everything you do – so do it!
o “I can’t do all that!” – EXACTLY! YOU can’t! But when you have the mindset of JESUS, He will do it in you & through you!
APPLICATION – There’s no other name like JESUS!
JESUS: THE NAME THAT’S DIFFERENT FROM EVERY OTHER NAME – v. 9 – There’s no name like the name of JESUS b/c His name is the only exalted by God. Not Paul…John…Peter…Moses…Abraham…Timothy…or anyone else – ONLY JESUS is the name above every name! There is power in His name b/c there is power in JESUS & JESUS ALONE!
- No other name brings a more passionate response than the name of JESUS – from those who love Him & from those who hate Him.
- No other name has been maligned & misused more than the name of JESUS.
- No other name causes demons to tremble & flee than the name of JESUS.
- No other name brings healing than the name of JESUS.
- No other name brings comfort & peace & assurance than the name of JESUS.
- No other name brings authority & power in prayer than the name of JESUS.
- No other name brings courage & strength in the face of persecution than the name of JESUS.
- No other name brings salvation than the name of JESUS – So call out to Him right now & be saved!
JESUS: THE NAME THAT DRIVES US TO OUR KNEES – v. 10 – When you come face to face w/ Jesus & have a real encounter w/ Him, your only valid response is to fall on your knees before Him in humility & honor & worship & brokenness over your sin. When you are overwhelmed w/ the authoritative power, presence, & perfection of JESUS, you’ll hit your knees – physically if you’re able, but certainly in your heart of hearts if you can’t do so w/ your body.
- We make a big deal about posture in our normal lives – Tell our kids to stand up straight – look in the eyes when you speak to someone – stand up when a woman needs a seat – stand up when bride enters.
- But when it comes to Jesus, “I don’t have to get on my knees.” Maybe not. But why wouldn’t you if you can? Especially when you know that the Bible says, “every knee SHOULD bow.” I think it’s b/c our pride gets in the way & we just don’t want anybody telling us what to do? If that’s the case, then we are in trouble at the very heart of our relationship w/ Jesus! Psalm 95:6 – “Oh come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker!” Isaiah 45:23 – “To me every knee shall bow.” Romans 14:11 - “As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me.”
JESUS: THE NAME THAT’S DECLARED FROM OUR MOUTHS – v. 11 – “confess” – exomologeo - to acknowledge, admit openly, agree fully, recognize or to express agreement with. Exomologeo means also to publicly declare. The sense here is that of frank, open confession.
One day there will be no atheists or agnostics b/c one day EVERYONE – including Satan himself – will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. You can do that NOW & be saved from hell, or you can do it when you stand before the judgment seat of God & be forever separated from Him in hell. Choice is up to you right now! Today is the day of salvation.
