The Ultimate Example (Part 2)

THE ULTIMATE EXAMPLE (PART 2)

PHILIPPIANS 2:9-11

02/15/95

There is an old story of how a farmer tried to teach his how to plow a straight furrow. After the horse had been hitched up and everything was ready, to told the boy to keep an eye on some object at the other end of the field and aim straight for it.

The farmer pointed to an old cow lying down at the other end of the field. "Do you see that cow lying down over there?" He said to the boy, "Keep your eye on her and plow straight ahead."

The boy started plowing and the farmer want about his chores. When he returned a little later to see what progress the boy had made, he was shocked to find that instead of a straight row, there was something that looked more like a question mark. The boy had obeyed his father, the only problem was that the cow had decided to move.

So it is with life that if we want to stay on the straight and narrow path we need to keep our eyes on an object that will not move, and the object, or should I say person is Jesus Christ. He is the rock that will not move, he is as we talked about last week the example that we all must have.

We has keep him as our example in all ways, in His oneness with the Father, in His lowliness, as we saw what He gave up to become man and die for our sins. And we also need to follow His example in the many ways in which He showed us how to be a servant.

We need us Jesus as our example in the area of sacrifice, as noted last week there are far to few Christian who understand what it means to make sacrifices to the Lord, in the area of our lives, our time, our money, and our witnessing to the gospel of Jesus Christ.

As we will see today that example that Jesus gives to us did not end at the cross. The example He gave to did not stopped when they laid Him down in that tomb. He did not come to show us that you need to give your live to God, make sacrifices to God, and then die and it’s over. No, Jesus’ example does not end there.

Jesus also showed that when we live a life of obedience to Christ we also share in His reward, and that is what we will talk about today, the exaltation and glorification of Christ. Both of which can be ours when we follow His example.

Turn with me now to passage for today Philippians 2:9-11. I am going to read that passage along with 5-8.

"Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a servant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."

So we see from this passage is Paul giving to the example of Christ, which He has commanded from us in the first 4 verses of Chapter 2. He states this is the mind you could have, the mind Christ. This is what is to have this mind, this is the example given to us by our Lord. The example of oneness, humilities, sacrifice and obedience.

And because of that obedience Christ is exalted and we to can expect that same reward by following His example. Let us take a closer look at verse 9.

We see that Christ was highly exalted by God. This refers to that fact that Christ was raised from the dead, he ascended into heaven and at this very time sits on the right hand of the almighty Father. What Jesus did was live the example that is taught through our scripture.

Some verses for you to consider,

Matthew 23:12 "And whoever exalts himself will be abased, and he who humbles himself will be

exalted.

Luke 14:11 "For whoever exalts himself will be abased, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."

James 4:10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.