Philippians 2:5-11 – Having the Humble Mind of Christ
Michael Silva / October 23, 2016
Opening:
One of the keys to have joy and being able to rejoice is to have humility. Let me
share an example of great humility as it relates to our passage today…
•
Booker T. Washington, the renowned black educator, was an outstanding example of
humility. Shortly after he took over the presidency of Tuskegee Institute in Alabama, he
was walking in an exclusive section of town when he was stopped by a wealthy white
woman. Not knowing the famous Mr. Washington by sight, she asked if he would like to
earn a few dollars by chopping wood for her. Because he had no pressing business at the
moment, Professor Washington smiled, rolled up his sleeves, and proceeded to do the
humble chore she had requested. When he was finished, he carried the logs into the
house and stacked them by the fireplace. A little girl recognized him and later revealed
his identity to the lady.
•
The next morning the embarrassed woman went to see Mr. Washington in his office at
the Institute and apologized profusely. "It's perfectly all right, Madam," he replied.
"Occasionally I enjoy a little manual labor. Besides, it's always a delight to do something
for a friend." She shook his hand warmly and assured him that his meek and gracious
attitude had endeared him and his work to her heart. Not long afterward she showed her
admiration by persuading some wealthy acquaintances to join her in donating thousands
of dollars to the Tuskegee Institute.i
Transition: Booker T. Washington provided a great example of what humility looks like.
a) While Washington’s actions are inspiring, we have an even better example of humility in
our passage today…
Intro to our passage in Philippians, The Epistle of Joy…
1) The theme of this letter is joy no matter our circumstances.
a) Paul modeled this as he wrote this letter to the believers in Philippi as a prisoner in Rome.
b) As we will see in our continued study of this book that Paul’s joy was rooted in staying
focused on Christ and the His work in our lives through the power of the Holy Spirit.
Let's read our passage: Philippians 2:5-11 (NKJV)ii
1) Two weeks ago we were challenged by Paul’s words at the end of Phil 1 and the beginning of
Phil 2 to have the same mind, heart, and direction in humility.
a) Well, what does that humility look like?
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b) Jesus demonstrated that for us.
i) In our passage today we’ll see the steps downward that Jesus took in demonstrating
His humility and love for us.
Philippians 2:5
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Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus,
1) There is a popular saying, “I don’t THINK, I FEEL.” While that expresses our culture, it
does not represent Biblical Truth.
a) Over and over again, the emphasis in this epistle is not on how we feel, but on how we
think (Courson)
b) Paul’s words indicate that we have a choice in what we choose to think in this matter and
that’s important because outlook often determine outcome.
c) So Paul’s saying, I want you to think this way… The way Christ thought.
2) The basis for what we think is based on what Christ thought and then subsequently did.
a) This is something we should pray for and give time to cultivate.
Philippians 2:6
[Christ Jesus] 6 who, being in the form of God, did not consider it
robbery to be equal with God,
1) We need to remember that Jesus is God.
a) He has existed eternally. His existence didn’t begin in Bethlehem.
b) We see Him in Genesis when the plural form of the Hebrew word for God is used,
Elohim.
c)
John 1:1
theWordwasGod.
InthebeginningwastheWord,andtheWordwaswithGod,and
2) It kind of sounds like Jesus wasn’t God, but maybe only looked like God, because He was
“in the form of God.”
a) ‘Form’ in the original Greek is µορφή (morphe).
b) It always signifies a form which truly and fully expresses the being which underlies it.
(D. Guzik)
c) Wiersbe explains that this word means “the outward expression of the inward nature.”
d) “Morphe is the essential form which never alters;
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i) [Another Greek word] schema is the outward form which changes from time to time
and from circumstance to circumstance.” (Barclay)iii
ii) Jesus’s schema was a man, on the outside, but His morphe form, what He was on the
inside was, is, and always will be God.
3) Jesus did not consider it robbery to be equal with God.
a) The word ‘robbery’ can be a little misleading.
b) This word could also be translated as grasped or clung to.
i) Remember when the hurricane was coming and everyone went to the store to buy
supplies…
ii) What happens when there’s a group of people, but only one item left?
(1) They all are trying to grasp for it because of its perceived value.
c) Jesus didn’t grab at His deity, although precious, as though He was about to lose it or
couldn’t go without it.
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Philippians 2:7
but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a
bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men.
1) Here Jesus continues to step further and further down and away from His heavenly throne
and rights.
2) Making Himself of no reputation means He emptied Himself – κενόω (kenoo) from the
Greek word kenosis, meaning to empty or lay aside.
a) What did He empty Himself of?
i) The prerogatives of deity and the glory due Him.
ii) When Jesus prayed in John 17:5 He said,
Andnow,OFather,glorifyMe
togetherwithYourself,withtheglorywhichIhadwithYoubeforetheworldwas.
(1) That glory had been set aside while on earth.
iii) When Jesus came to earth, He also left behind His throne and rights as King over all
created things.
(1) He left behind all the worship that was given to Him in the heavenly realm by the
angels.
(2) Jesus left heaven accepting the limitations of man, but they were self-limitations.
[PLAY Ken Graves Video]
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3) During His time on earth, before Jesus did anything, He had to be obedient to the Father, to
wait, to pray, to be empowered by the Spirit.
a) That’s why He said, “IcanofMyselfdonothing” (see John 5:30)—and neither can you.iv
4) C.H. Spurgeon said of Jesus, “Thelowerhestoopstosaveus,thehigherweoughttolift
himinouradoringreverence.Blessedbehisname,hestoops,andstoops,andstoops,and,
whenhereachesourlevel,andbecomesman,hestillstoops,andstoops,andstoopslower
anddeeperyet.”
a) No halos around His head, no captivatingly beautiful or God-like external features to set
Him apart.
b) When Judas was betraying Jesus he had to kiss Jesus just to signal which person the
guards were supposed to arrest because He was fully man and physically nothing special.
5) And in His mission to come down as a man He didn’t chose birth into prominence.
a) He wasn’t born the child of King Herod or even of Caesar himself.
b) He wasn’t born into privilege, but instead He came as a bondservant, or a bondslave…
i) One who willingly puts Himself under the authority of another, as a servant.
8
Philippians 2:8
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.
1) As Jesus continued to step further and further down way from heaven, away from the rights
of His deity, the splendor of heavenly worship and glory…
a) He came not to just check out what a night out on the town with the guys would be like,
but to come and die so that through His shed blood we might be free and saved.
b) And He didn’t do this begrudgingly, but rather willingly.
2
c) Hebrews 12:2
lookinguntoJesus,theauthorandfinisherofourfaith,whofor
thejoythatwassetbeforeHimenduredthecross,despisingtheshame,andhassat
downattherighthandofthethroneofGod.
d) Jesus’s humility is a rebuke to Satan’s pride. (Wiersbe)
2) How far would you go to show your love to someone, someone who didn’t yet love you
back?
a) Would you be willing to be falsely accused all for the sake of someone who doesn’t like
you or even want a relationship with you?
i) Publically mocked?
Beaten?
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Tortured?
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ii) Stripped naked and paraded in front of large crowds?
iii) Would you be willing to endure the most horrific form of death ever devised by man?
b) For Jesus, He paid the ultimate price by laying down His life for us.
i) And He did it in the most humiliating and painful way.
ii) What Jesus did at the cross shows us the seriousness of sin, what great love He has
for us, and what great lengths He will go to save us!
3) W. Wiersbe summarizes this: Paul traces the steps in the humiliation of Christ: (1) He
emptied Himself, laying aside the independent use of His own attributes as God; (2) He
permanently became a human, in a sinless physical body; (3) He used that body to be a
servant; (4) He took that body to the cross and willingly died.
a) What grace! From heaven to earth, from glory to shame, from Master to servant, from life
to death, “even the death of the cross!”
Philippians 2:9-11 9 Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name
which is above every name, 10 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, 11 and that every tongue
should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
1) The name Jesus means Savior.
a)
Matthew 1:21 (to Joseph the angel of the Lord said…) And she will bring forth a
Son, and you shall call His name JESUS, for He will save His people from their sins.”
2) As Jesus stepped down in obedience to the Father’s plan, it was the Father who lifted Jesus
back up and highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name.
a) Notice who will bow the knee…
i) Those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth.
ii) All who are in heaven have already willingly bowed the knee.
iii) Those under the earth have already made their decision that they would not bow their
knee during their lives on earth, but ultimately they will be forced to bow the knee,
even in hell.
iv) The final group is those on earth. These are the ones who still have ability to choose
to bow the knee or not.
v) It is of these people that we are to share the gospel.
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3) J. Vernon McGee said, “SinceitisthepurposeofGodtheFathertoexaltJesusChrist,I
believethatisthewillofGodforeveryoneofus.WearetoexaltJesusChrist,whereverwe
areandinwhateverwedo.WearetobeonewiththeFatherinthisultimatepurposeofthe
exaltationofJesusChrist.”
Conclusion: What can we glean from this passage?
1) Based on these words, we are to have the humble mind of Christ.
2)
1 Peter 5:6
ThereforehumbleyourselvesunderthemightyhandofGod,that
Hemayexaltyouinduetime,
i
http://www.sermonillustrations.com/a-z/h/humility.htm
All scripture references, unless otherwise noted, are taken from The New King James Version. (1982). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.
iii
Guzik, D. (2013). Philippians (Php 2:6a). Santa Barbara, CA: David Guzik.
iv
Courson, J. (2003). Jon Courson’s Application Commentary (p. 1279). Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson.
ii
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