The Joy of Gospel-Centered Service
Philippians 2:5-8
Introduction: As we return to Philippians 2, we’ll start where
we left off last week, and especially because we are celebrating communion
today, it will fit nicely to limit ourselves to Philippians 2:5-8. Here we see the Lord Jesus Christ as the
example of Gospel-centered service. This is one of the key texts in the New
Testament on the person and work of Christ, and it has implications for how we
should live in the light of our position in Christ. I’ve called the sermon
today, “The Joy of Gospel-centered Service.” As I considered our text today, my
mind went to Hebrews 12:1-2,
“…let us run with endurance the race that is
set before us, 2 looking to
Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set
before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right
hand of the throne of God.”
He came as
the Servant, to save sinners like us. And he calls us to follow Him. In John
13:15, after washing the disciples’ feet, Jesus said “…you also should do
just as I have done for you…” He modeling serving others, all the way to
the Cross.
Isaiah spoke of a Suffering Servant, one
who would be bruised for our iniquities, who would have our sins laid on Him.
Paul here alludes to that imagery of One who would be a Righteous Sufferer, a
Suffering Servant. He has exhorted the Philippians to find joy in serving, and
now he’ll hold up Jesus as an example of true humility: this is what humble
service should look like, this is One who thought not only of his own
interests, but also of the interests of others. Remember the…
Context: Paul has just told his readers that serving with humility
and joy is a key to unity in the church. Read 2:3,4 again…
3 Do nothing
from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than
yourselves. 4 Let each of you
look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.
Counting others as more important
than yourself, looking out not only for your interests, but also for the
interests of others. That takes humility, not thinking too highly of ourselves,
seeing the truth about ourselves. That is what Christian love looks like,
really wanting the best for others. That is the attitude, the way of
thinking, that Paul will encourage in our context today. He has already talked
about some of the blessings that are ours in Christ in 2:1, “If [since!]
there is… encouragement in Christ… comfort from love… participation
in the Spirit… affection and sympathy…” Since, in Christ, we have such
blessings, we should, in v.2, “…be of the same mind, having the same
love, being in full accord and of one mind…” Remember, Paul is not
saying we have no diversity of opinion or perspective. He is not espousing
“uniformity,” or being “cookie-cutter Christians,” but he is saying the
grace and love we have experienced in the Gospel, by grace through faith in
Christ, will transform our thinking, and motivate us to love one another, and
to be patient and forgiving toward one another. The passage today will explain
how that is possible. In short, we start to think more like Jesus, we start to
see the world through His eyes, from His perspective.
The BIG Idea: As we recognize who Jesus is, and
reflect on what He did for us, our attitude will be changed, we’ll find joy in
serving Him by serving others. We’ll consider, 1) We need to have our attitude
shaped by the mind of Christ; 2) We need to recognize the truth about the
person of Christ; 3) We need to understand the nature of the incarnation of
Christ; Finally, 4) We need to respond to the love shown in the Cross of
Christ.
I. We need to have our attitude shaped
by the mind of Christ:
I am following the ESV translation, which comes closest to my reading of the
text. “…have this mind among yourselves
which is yours in Christ Jesus…” (5). This is Gospel-shaped thinking! Jesus
does not simply command us to serve, he showed us the way. He came as the “Suffering
Servant,” the perfect example of what it means to serve, to put others first.
We are to allow our thinking to be shaped by the truth that, “…the Son of
Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom
for many…" (Mt 20:28).
Because we are in
Christ, united with our Lord and Savior, we should allow the mind of
Christ to shape our attitudes and our actions. Paul is calling the Philippians,
and us, to first of all to think like Jesus. Right thinking will lead to
right living. Warren Wiersbe said,
“attitude determines outcome.” Here, Paul says, “Have this mind [attitude]
among you, which is yours in Christ…” Since we are in Christ,
we have new life through Him, we have of the mind of Christ. We’ve
experienced grace, God’s merciful intervention in our lives. In view of our
position “in Christ,” how then can our attitude not be changed? Because
of the “…encouragement in Christ… comfort from love… participation in
the Spirit… affection and sympathy” we have experienced, we are
compelled to extend grace to people around us. Our mind is being renewed, we
think more like Jesus! *As we recognize who Jesus is, and reflect on
what He did for us, our attitude will be changed, we’ll find joy in
serving Him by serving others. First, we have our attitude shaped by the mind
of Christ, secondly…
II. We need to recognize the truth
about the person of Christ: “…who although he
existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be
grasped…” (6). The
self-humiliation of Christ is magnified when we contemplate the reality of who He
is. He is God, the ETERNAL SON. The express image of the Godhead, the One who
was present in creation and who holds all things together by his power. Jesus Christ
was not simply a prophet and teacher who lived in Palestine 2000 years ago – He
isn’t an angel, created by God to do His will. He is the Eternal Son, who
always lived in perfect union with the Father and the Spirit. All things were
made by Him and for Him. This is the miracle of the incarnation: the Perfect,
Holy, Son of God, left his exalted position and entered this fallen world, the
Creator entered the creation. This passage clearly states that Truth.
John began his gospel with an
allusion to the opening verse of the Bible:
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the
Word was God” (John 1:1; cf. Gen 1:1).
In case you weren’t sure who or what he was referring to, he
then says in Jn 1:14, “And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we
beheld his glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace
and truth.” So, this couldn’t be a reference to some pre-existent being who
was less than God! Even if the clear language of v.1 is missed, he says in v.3
“All things were made through him, and without him was not anything made
that was made.” All things that were made, were made through Him. He
was not created, every created thing was created, was made through Him! He is
Eternal. Paul, likewise says in Col 1:15-17,
15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all
creation. 16 For by him all
things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether
thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities- all things were created through
him and for him. 17 And he is
before all things, and in him all things hold together.
He then says in Col 2:9, “For
in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily…” All the fulness of the
Godhead in bodily form! God incarnate. Emmanuel, “God with us.” The hymn says,
“Veiled in flesh the Godhead see, hail the incarnate deity!”
*As we recognize who Jesus is, and reflect on what He did for us, our
attitude will be changed, we’ll find joy in serving Him by serving others.
First, 1) we have our attitude shaped by the mind of Christ. Secondly, 2) we need to recognize the truth about the
person of Christ, and then thirdly…
III. We must understand the nature of
the incarnation of Christ: “…but emptied Himself, by taking the form of a
servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form…”
(7).
“…emptied himself…” Commentators disagree about what it meant for
Jesus to “empty himself.” Some suggest that He set aside for a time the
attributes of deity. I don’t think that it can mean that he in any way
divested himself of his divine attributes - God is immutable, He does not
change, He exists eternally in His triunity, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The
Bible is clear that Jesus is God. He didn’t stop being God when he came to this
earth. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. In contrast to
the self-glory denounced in Phil 2:3, Jesus veiled his divine glory by
taking on himself a human nature. The hymn writer captured that idea when
he said: “Veiled in flesh the Godhead see; hail the incarnate deity! Pleased
as man with men to dwell, Jesus, our Emmanuel…” This is explained by the
following phrases:
“…by taking the form
of a servant and being made in the likeness of men…” The ESV makes this point most clearly.
Rather than laying aside something intrinsic to his divine nature which does
not change, the ESV translators got it right in making it clear that the
participle here should be read instrumentally: He emptied himself, he made
himself of no reputation, “…by taking the form of a servant…” The humiliation of Christ was the act of
eternal God taking on a human nature. This idea is one of those concepts
that underscores our limited understanding, and reveals the depth of the wisdom
and knowledge of God. Theologians call this joining of two natures in one
“person,” the “hypostatic union”,
the union of two natures, divine and human, in one person, the Lord Jesus
Christ. Fully God and fully man, he reveals the Father to us. Jesus told
Philip, “I and the Father are one… he who has seen me has seen the Father…”
John Calvin agrees,
“Christ, indeed, could not divest himself of Godhead; but he kept it
concealed for a time, that it might not be seen, under the weakness of the
flesh. Hence he laid aside his glory in the view of men, not by lessening it,
but by concealing it.”
The Word, God the Son, became flesh,
and lived for a while among us. The incarnation is an idea that we celebrate at
Christmas, but it is really at the heart of the Gospel message. By the sin
of one man all were made sinners, but the obedience of One, all who would
receive it are made righteous. Remember what the angel say to the shepherds:
Unto you is born this day a Savior, Christ the Lord. The late theologian
J.I. Packer made this reference to our passage in Philippians in his famous
book, Knowing God,
"We talk glibly of the Christmas spirit… It ought to mean the
reproducing in human lives of the temper of Him who for our sakes became poor,
… the spirit of those who, like their Master, live their whole lives on the
principle of making themselves poor—spending and being spent—to enrich their
fellowmen, giving time, trouble, care, and concern to do good to others—and
not just their own friends—in whatever way there seems need."
*As we recognize who Jesus is, and
reflect on what He did for us, our attitude will be changed, we’ll find joy in
serving Him by serving others. First, we have our attitude shaped by the mind
of Christ. Secondly, we need to
recognize the truth about the person of Christ; thirdly, we must
understand the nature of the incarnation of Christ; and finally…
IV. We must respond to the love shown
in the Cross of Christ: “…And being
found in human form he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point
of death…” (8).
“Being found in appearance as a
man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death…” Not
only did he take on a human nature and enter this sinful world, but he came to
fulfill the Father’s plan, his humiliation would include dying for sinners. The wages of sin is death… (Rom 6:23).
Death is the result of sin. By one man sin entered into the world and
death through sin. So death spread to all men because all have sinned (Rom
5:12). Jesus was without sin, the
only human since Adam born without sin, but where Adam failed, Jesus never
sinned. He didn’t have to die. Yet
he willingly came to die, to give his life. It’s how He showed His love:
Greater love has no one than this, that He lay down His life for His
friends… He knew what he would endure on our behalf, and He willing gave Himself
for us.
He became obedient to the point of death, “…even death
on the cross…” The repetition of the word “death” is deliberately dramatic
and emphatic. Not only death, but the
most humiliating, torturous, horrible form of death imaginable in the Roman
world of the first-century. It wasn’t only a punishment, it was a statement to
the people, an affirmation of Roman power, and a deterrent to any who would
resist Roman authority. Submit to Caesar or else! But Jesus, the true
Sovereign, willingly went to the Cross, to carry out the plan conceived in the
Godhead in eternity past, before the foundation of the world. Ironically, the
charge was nailed to His cross: The King of the Jews! The King was also the
Lamb! He did it for you and for me! As
the song says, “…my sin, not in part but the whole, Is nailed to the cross
and I bear it no more, Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!” Gospel-shaped
thinking with lead to serving with joy!
What is God saying to me in this passage? *As we recognize who Jesus is, and
reflect on what He did for us, our attitude will be changed, our thinking will
be shaped by the Gospel, and we’ll find joy in serving Him by serving others. Jesus
modeled for us what it means to serve. Today we’ll celebrate the Lord’s
Table, an excellent opportunity to reflect on the coming of the Son of God as
the Suffering-Servant, as the Paschal Lamb, who would give his life to give us
life to redeem all who would believe. In the upper room after Jesus, the King
stooped down to wash the feet of the disciples, He said, “As I have done for
you, so should you do to one another.”
What would God have me to do in response?
1) Reflect on the example of Jesus. It
is humbling to consider Him as our model of serving. I read of a scene in
London, shortly after the end of WW 2. Europe was in shambles, picking up the
pieces. One of the saddest consequences
of war, then and now, is the children who were orphaned.
Early one chilly morning an American soldier was making his way back to
his barracks in London. As he turned a corner,
he saw a little boy, dressed in rags with his nose pressed against the window
of a bakery. Inside, the baker was working on a batch of pastries. The soldier
stopped, and walked over to where the boy was standing looking in the
window. As the hot pastries came out of
the oven the boy was pressed against the glass. The soldier’s heart went out to
the boy next to him. “Would you like one of those?” the soldier asked. The answer came quickly, “I would!” The
American bought a dozen and came out and gave the whole bag to the boy. He turned to walk back to his jeep and felt a
tug on his coat. The boy looked at his face and asked, “Mister… are you
God?”
It may be, that when we serve others,
when no one is looking and we expect nothing in return, that we reflect Jesus
most clearly, when we show the mind of Christ…
2) As we prepare our hearts for the Lord’s Table, let’s look back,
remembering that Jesus did for us what we couldn’t do for ourselves: He paid
the price so that we could be reconciled to God. He died a criminal’s death, as
our substitute, so that we could become, by grace through faith, children of
the king. Let’s remember, and let’s take a moment as well to examine
ourselves. Are we walking worthy of the Gospel, worthy of the calling with
which we have been called? Let this mind be in you, which is yours in Christ
Jesus! AMEN.
Comments
Post a Comment