Humble Joy (Message 2)

The Scriptures

Phil. 2:5 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;

Two Reminders for this Series

One of the greatest OUTCOMES of humility is JOY.
J - Jesus O - Others Y - Yourself

When it comes to the difficult quality of HUMILITY, we have some wonderful EXAMPLES to follow.

Philippians 2

After making three SHORT visits to Philippi over a several year period, this church had become a FAVORITE of Paul's.

As he writes this letter to his friends, the ONLY concern that seems to be addressed is DISUNITY in the church.

Paul encouraged the Philippians to “make his joy COMPLETE,” with attitudes and actions of HUMILITY.

The Humility of Christ

Phil. 2:5 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:

Jesus told us that He is the MODEL of humility and asked us to FOLLOW Him. Paul reminds us here to FOLLOW Jesus.
Matt. 11:29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

Jesus modeled His humility to His DISCIPLES.
John 13:3 Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; 4 so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. 5 After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him. . . . 12 When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. “Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them. . . . 15 I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.

Jesus’ GREATEST act of humility though, was, stepping DOWN from God to God/man.

Christology (Before we begin verse 5)

CHRISTOLOGY is the “study of Christ”. It, along with other essential theology, is often MISSING in local church teaching and because of it, the cults DECEIVE Christians too easily.

In the 104 verses of the Book of Philippians, Paul mentions Christ 51 times. (Joy is used 16 times.)

Philippians 2:5-11 is believed by some to be a HYMN or CREED of the early church.

This passage is about Christ’s ACTIVITY (6-8) and the Father’s RESPONSE (9-11).

1. PRE-EXISTENCE — His Deity

Phil. 2:6 Who, being in very nature God, . . . (NIV)
Phil. 2:6 who, though he was in the form of God, (ESV)
Phil. 2:6 who, although He existed in the form of God, (NASB)

a. The word “WHO” (ὅς, hos) is referring to Christ. It is also the word that BEGINS most hymns or creeds in the New Testament.
Phil. 2:5 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:6 Who, . . .

b. The word “BEING” (ὑπάρχω, hyparchō) is important here as it means “to EXIST” and shows that Jesus Christ has ALWAYS existed. (He was not created, but in fact, is the CREATOR.)
Col. 1:15 The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16 For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him.

c. The word “nature” is the KEY here as it is morphē (μορφή) which means “FORM or appearance”. (This is the source of our word morph or metamorphosis.) This means that although Jesus’ appearance changed, He REMAINED God.

Phil 2:7 rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature (μορφή) of a servant,
“Form” (morphē) implies internal as well as external form, compared with schēma which refers only to outward appearance. “Morphē refers to that form which truly and fully expresses the being that underlies it.”  (O’Brien 1991:210)

2. PRE-EXISTENCE — His Attitude

Phil. 2:6 . . . did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; (NIV)
Phil. 2:6 . . . did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, (ESV)
Phil. 2:6 . . . did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, (NASB)

a. Paul has asked the Philippians to BEGIN their expression of humility through the proper ATTITUDE. And now, he shows Jesus to be the example. Attitude PRECEDES action.
Phil. 2:3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves,

b. You can’t take advantage of something that you don’t HAVE, so here we see again that Jesus was EQUAL with God.

c. Although He was equal to God, He chose not to “GRASP” or “hold on to” divinity even though it was rightfully HIS. Others have grasped for divinity, but only Jesus has the RIGHT to it.

SATAN
Isa. 14:12 “How you have fallen from heaven, O star of the morning, son of the dawn! You have been cut down to the earth, You who have weakened the nations! 13 “But you said in your heart, ‘I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God,

ADAM and EVE
Gen. 3:4 “You will not certainly die,” the serpent said to the woman. 5 “For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” 6 When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it.

Application

Jesus is God and He was never CREATED or “CHOSEN”.

Even though He is FULLY God, Jesus’ attitude was and is, “This is not ABOUT ME.”