Intro: John 3:16 taught us that the Meaning of
Christmas is LOVE...God’s Love. Let us now focus on
the METHOD of Christmas: How did God demonstrate His
great love for us? To answer that, we turn to Philippians 2:5-11, and discover:
I. The ETERNAL GLORY He had before coming to Earth
(Phil 2:6)
*Necessitates explanation of Trinity...ONE GOD
MANIFESTING HIMSELF IN THREE PERSONS.
A. Co-Creator with the Father and Holy Spirit.
B. Limitless...eternally pre-existent.
C. All praise and adoration due the Father was
also due the Son, Jesus.
Jesus thought equality with the Father was
not something to be grasped (v.6)...i.e., He
did not hold on to it so tightly that the position
of equality was more important than His mission.
II. THE EXTENSIVE LIMITATIONS HE TOOK ON (2:7-8)
A. He "MADE HIMSELF NOTHING" (NIV)
1. Jesus who made something out of nothing
surely has the power to diminish Himself
into nothing.
B. TOOK ON THE FORM OF A SERVANT
1. He who was Equal with the Father, now
chose a VOLUNTARY DEMOTION for 33 years.
2. A Servant carries out the will of the
master...Jesus often said "I speak my
Father’s Words, I full my Father’s purpose,
I carry out my Father’s will."
3. Voluntarily submitting HIS will unto
the Father’s.
C. AND WAS MADE IN THE LIKENESS OF MEN
1. The God of the Universe limited Himself
to approximately 6lbs 8oz of humanity.
2. He became TOTALLLY DEPENDENT UPON TWO RATHER
INEXPERIENCED HUMAN BEINGS (JOSEPH AND MARY)
FOR ALL HIS NEEDS. (including protection from
Herod)
3. HE had to be fed, changed, clothed,had to
learn to crawl, walk, talk, become obedient,
and experienced all the NORMAL developmental
stages.
D. AND BECAME OBEDIENT UNTO DEATH
1. TOTAL obedience...despite temptations which
He battled without sinning, despite the
fact that He knew that the Cross was ahead
for Him
2. Picture Him in Gethsemane..."Father if it
be possible, let this cup pass from me..
Nevertheless, NOT MY WILL BUT THINE be done."
3. He endured the most inhumae form of torture
(crucifixion) IN OUR PLACE, FOR OUR SIN,
BECAUSE HE WAS THE ONLY ONE QUALIFIED TO
BE THE SACRIFICE. (the only Sinless Human
being, yet simultaneously fully God!)
III. THE EXHALTATION HE RECEIVED (V. 9-11)
*Because Jesus didn’t hold onto equality with God
and was willing to let that go temporarily, and
because HE was TOTALLY OBEDIENT...GOD RESTORED HIS
ORIGINAL POSITION OF EQUALITY WHEN HE COMPLETED HIS
MISSION ON EARTH...
Listen to some of my most favorite verses in the
Bible (Phil 2:9-11)
"..THEREFORE, God has HIGHLY EXHALTED HIM...and
given Him a NAME THAT IS ABOVE EVERY NAME...
THAT AT THE NAME OF JESUS EVERY KNEE SHOULD
BOW...AND EVERY TONGUE CONFESS THAT JESUS CHRIST
IS LORD, TO THE GLORY OF GOD THE FATHER."
**One day (and very soon) all those who terorize
this world will be forced to bow in the face of the
strength and power of Jesus Christ. They will also
be forced to admit, (confess) HE IS LORD, AFTER ALL.
PROBLEM: THAT confession will not produce Salvation...
Jesus wants us to BOW before Him now...voluntarily..
by our own choice...and CONFESS HIM now, voluntarily
by our own choice..and THAT KIND OF CONFESSION produces
Salvation. (Romans 10:9-10)
Don’t wait until He returns in power and then
all mankind is forced to admit (not receive) the
Lordship of Jesus.
Conclusion:
Phil 2:5 says "have this attitude in you, which
was in Christ Jesus..." That’s our challenge...
WHAT ATTITUDE???
1.One who didn’t hold onto his very valueable position
so tightly.
2.One who was willing to become "nothing" and limit
Himself and become obedient to the Father’s Will.
3.One who considered us more important than Himself..
and proved that by dying for us and rising again
on the third day.
4.One who trusted God the Father enough to know
that the Father’s way is always the best way,
regardless of the sacrifices required.
God’s METHOD OF CHRISTMAS...HOW HE DEMONSTRATED
HIS LOVE FOR US IS FOUND IN THESE VERSES. LET US
NOW DEMONSTRATE HIS LOVE TO OTHERS.
