Plan for: Thanksgiving | Advent | Christmas
Encourage believers to embrace humility and follow Jesus' example of selflessness and obedience, leading to transformed lives and relationships that glorify God.
Good morning, church family! Today, we're diving into a passage of Scripture that has the potential to transform our lives, our relationships, and our witness to the world. It's a passage that reminds us of the incredible example of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, challenges us to embrace an attitude of humility, and demonstrates the amazing results that can flow from lives marked by obedience.
Before we read the passage, I want to share with you a quote from C.S. Lewis, who once wrote, "Humility is not thinking less of yourself, but thinking of yourself less." That's what we'll discover as we explore Philippians 2:5-11 together.
Let's read the passage now:
"5 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:
6 Who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;
7 rather, he made himself nothing
by taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
8 And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
by becoming obedient to death—
even death on a cross!
9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,
10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11 and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father."
The example of Jesus, as presented in this passage, is one of profound humility and selflessness. In a world where pride, self-promotion, and the pursuit of personal glory often seem to be the norm, the life and attitude of Jesus stand in stark contrast, offering us a radically different model to follow.
We see that Jesus, who was and is fully God, chose not to cling to His divine status and privileges but willingly laid them aside for the sake of others. The Apostle Paul tells us that Jesus, "being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage" (Philippians 2:6). This is a remarkable statement, for it reveals the heart of God Himself, who is not a distant, self-absorbed deity but a loving, self-giving Father who is willing to go to great lengths to rescue and redeem His lost children.
True greatness is not found in the pursuit of personal power, prestige, or recognition, but in the willingness to serve and sacrifice for the good of others. In a world where people often use their positions of authority or influence to advance their own interests, Jesus calls us to a different way of living, one marked by humility, selflessness, and a genuine concern for the needs of those around us.
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