Unity through Humility (Phil 2:1-11)

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Philippians 2:1–11 (ESV)

Christ’s Example of Humility

2 So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, ² complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. ³ Do nothing from selfish ambition 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. ⁵ Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, ⁶ who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, ⁷ but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. ⁸ And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. ⁹ Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, ¹⁰ so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, ¹¹ and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

 

1. The Motivation (Verse 1)
   1. Any encouragement in Christ
   2. Any comfort from love
   3. Any participation in the Spirit
   4. Any ffection and sympathy
2. The Commands (v 2-4) (Complete my joy by…)
   1. Being of the same mind
   2. Having the same love
   3. Bing in full accord and of one mind
   4. Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit
   5. In humility count others more significant than yourselves
   6. Look out for others’ interests
   7. What does it look like to be humble and have the mind of a servant?
3. Christ’s Example (v 5-8)
   1. The reason is to underline Christ’s humility but it packs a ton of amazing theology
   2. Although He was God, the Son emptied Himself (not full of Himself)
   3. He emptied Himself of the honor due Him by taking on a human nature
   4. Christ’s humiliation for our sake.
   5. He was not concerned about grasping His rights to be honored but became our servant.
   6. He humbled himself in so many ways with the ultimate humiliation of death on a cross
4. Christ’s Poer (v 9-11)
   1. God so loved the world that He gave His Son…
   2. The Son’s obedience to the plan of the Father meant that He would become poor so that we could become rich.
   3. It is is very humiliation that was the basis for the exaltation of His humanity.
   4. He has received the Name above all names.
   5. Our hope is that we are united to this power.
5. What does this look like?
   1. What does it look like to have the mind of a servant?
   2. Teen’s sense of social strata?
   3. How we treat our children?
   4. How we react to others?
   5. How we react to texts?
   6. What if Christ took this attitude toward us?
   7. We can be servants because we are united to the One Who became a Servant for our sakes.