There are a few moments in history that are remembered for being powerful spoken moments. A few of those moments in my lifetime are . . .
. . . in 2001, when George Bush spoke to disaster clean-up workers and first responders at the site of the World Trade Center bombings.
. . . in 2007, when Steve Jobs introduced the iPhone.
. . . in 2008, when Tim Tebow delivered “The Promise” speech, and the Gators would win the national championship.
. . . in 2011, when Barack Obama announced the killing of Osama Bin Laden.
. . . in 2022, when it was announced that Chick-Fil-a was coming to Bartow, Florida.
Powerful words can leave a powerful impression. To me, one of the most important things ever written or said, particularly for the follower of Jesus, is Philippians 2:1-11. In this passage, we discover the attitude of Christ and how we can model that attitude.
Indeed, that is our passage for today. Before we look at this important passage, let us go to God in prayer.
(prayer)
As we look at the Bible today, let’s notice this progression related to humility.
Let’s start at the beginning. Let’s begin with . . .
I. The call to humility.
We know what it means to be called to something, right? It means that someone is inviting or directing you to do something.
Christians are called to make disciples.
I feel that I was called to be the pastor of this church.
Military personnel are called to go to war at times.
So, also, Christians are called to humility.
Philippians 2 starts with a call from Paul to the Church in Philippi to live in humility.
Let’s look at the passage together. Look at Philippians 2:1-4:
1 If, then, there is any encouragement in Christ, if any consolation of love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, 2 make my joy complete by thinking the same way, having the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose. 3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility consider others as more important than yourselves. 4 Everyone should look not to his own interests, but rather to the interests of others.
In these verses, Paul is requesting a conditional favor.
He’s asking that if they are receiving blessings from God, then he wants them to do something as a favor for him.
That favor is that the Church in Philippi would be united.
Paul essentially says, “If these things are true, then I would request that you be united.”
Of course, this is rhetorical.
The Philippians had received these blessings, as has every other Christian.
They did receive encouragement in Jesus, they were consoled by God’s love, they did have fellowship with the Holy Spirit, and they did experience affection and mercy.
Because they received the blessings of God, they should have love and unity as a church.
The blessings they received from God should spill over into their lives, increasing their love for one another and unity together.
Think about this reality for a moment, Church:
As followers of Jesus Christ, we have been so blessed by God; how could we possibly find anything to argue about?
Some of you might think, “Well, that’s not very hard to do, Pastor. I heard some complaining and arguing this week.”
I know; I have as well.
So, we must ask ourselves, “What is the problem?”
We’re focused on the wrong things, aren’t we?
Paul said in Chapter 1 that we needed to focus on the superior things, but many of us are stuck on the inferior things, including (as church expert Thom Rainer says) the unholy trinity of me, myself, and I.
The Apostle Paul is calling the Church in Philippi (and by God’s Holy Spirit, he is calling all of us) away from selfishness, away from arrogance, and away from pride.
Paul says in verse 3, “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility consider others as more important than yourselves.”
Can you just imagine how churches all over the world would change if all church members considered others as more important than themselves?
If we just followed this one Bible verse, it would ignite a flame of Holy Spirit power in the churches that nothing could stop.
Yet, so many of us are caught up in our preferences, our interests, our opinions, and our desires.
Paul says in verse 2, “ . . . make my joy complete by thinking the same way, having the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose.”
Why would Paul’s joy be complete if the church is united?
Because that is how they should be; they should be united.
Paul is joyful when the church is operating as it should.
Conversely, one of the most discouraging things for a pastor or church leader is when churches are not united.
Pastors will sometimes not move forward with an initiative for fear that disunity may result.
That’s a sad reality: the ungodly attitudes of some will actually prevent churches from becoming all that they could be.
However, when churches are led by humility, with the interest of others at the forefront, there’s no limit to how great a church can be.
Brothers and sisters, let us hear this call to humility.
Second, notice . . .
II. The model of humility.
I was playing a board game with my middle son, Levi, this week, where you have to move blocks on a game board in a certain way. However, I was having trouble understanding the rules and noticed that they included pictures in the rule book for people like me to reference. I needed a picture to help me understand the correct way to play the game.
Some of us may need a picture of what humility looks like. We need someone to model the type of humility to which we are called.
Well, someone did that, and His name is Jesus.
Look at verses 5-8:
5 Adopt the same attitude as that of Christ Jesus,
6 who, existing in the form of God,
did not consider equality with God
as something to be exploited.
7 Instead he emptied himself
by assuming the form of a servant,
taking on the likeness of humanity.
And when he had come as a man,
8 he humbled himself by becoming obedient
to the point of death—
even to death on a cross.
Listen, church: If there’s anyone out there who deserves for everyone else to do things the way He wants them done, it’s God.
If there’s anyone out there who should have everyone concerned about His desires, His preferences, and His way of things, it’s God.
Paul tells us that Jesus exists in the form of God, yet He did not demand that others meet His interests or do things His way.
Rather, Jesus humbled Himself. How much did He humble Himself? To the point of death.
Jesus thought of others so much, He set aside His own desires so much, that He was willing to die for others.
Brothers and sisters, that is our model of humility.
Paul said in verse 5, “Adopt the same attitude as that of Christ Jesus.”
Jesus’ entire life was marked by humility.
Jesus said in Mark 10:45, “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
Jesus was a humble servant when He left the wonders of heaven to come to earth as a human baby.
Jesus was a humble servant when he took on all the hardships and limitations of being a human being.
Jesus was a humble servant when he was mistreated and misrepresented by others.
Jesus was a humble servant when he was betrayed, arrested, beaten, crucified, and buried.
Listen, friends: That is your model.
How much humility should you show to others? That much.
Jesus is the model of humility.
Finally, we see . . .
III. The exaltation through humility.
To exalt means to lift something up or make it more important.
In humility, you make yourself less important. You put yourself lower and lift up others.
How could humility lead to exaltation?
Look at verses 9-11:
9 For this reason God highly exalted him
and gave him the name
that is above every name,
10 so that at the name of Jesus
every knee will bow—
in heaven and on earth
and under the earth—
11 and every tongue will confess
that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.
Verse 9 starts off with, “For this reason . . . ”
For what reason? The reason is that Jesus humbled Himself.
It’s because Jesus humbled Himself that everything else that follows happened.
It’s because Jesus humbled Himself that God highly exalted Him.
It’s because Jesus humbled Himself that God gave Him the name that is above every name.
It’s because Jesus humbled Himself that every knee will bow to Him.
It’s because Jesus humbled Himself that every tongue will confess that He is Lord to the glory of God the Father.
There is no one more worthy of praise than Jesus, and God will exalt Him so that everyone knows Jesus is worthy!
Now, you might think, “That’s great for Jesus. However, the Bible doesn’t say anything about me being exalted if I humble myself.”
Does it not?
James 4:6 says, “ . . . God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble.”
James continues in James 4:10, “Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.”
1 Peter 5:6 says, “Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, so that he may exalt you at the proper time.”
Jesus said in Luke 14:11, “For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”
Well, look at that . . . the Bible does say that God will exalt you if you humble yourself.
You and I are not responsible for exalting ourselves; God will take care of that. However, we are responsible for humbling ourselves.
Now, we certainly can’t become like Jesus in every way.
However, we can be like Jesus in some ways.
We can be humble as Jesus was humble.
We can allow God to take care of the exalting, as Jesus did.
So, let us exalt Jesus, as He is worthy to be exalted.
Also, let us honor Jesus by being humble as He was humble.
That takes us to our bottom line:
Bottom Line: The humility of Jesus compels us to pursue humility.
If Jesus really gave His life to pay for our sins and rose to new life to make all things new, then we owe Him everything.
How could we not live obedient lives for Jesus? How could we not humble ourselves since so much humility has been shown for us?
Simply stated, it’s unchristian not to be humble.
Humility for the Christian is like salt for popcorn, syrup for pancakes, camo for hunters, music for teenagers, toys for children, and fried chicken for Baptists.
A Christian is incomplete without humility.
The humility of Jesus demands that we also walk in humility.
Challenge yourself in this one way:
Weekly Challenge: Embrace humility.
Don’t run from it; snuggle up with it.
Humility is not weakness; humility is strength.
Anyone can be arrogant. Anyone can be hateful. Anyone can be selfish.
Only those who are truly strong in Jesus can display Christlike humility.
So, take that challenge on. Put away your selfish ways. Seek to be someone who puts the needs of others ahead of your own. Seek to be like Jesus.
(Gospel presentation)
(closing prayer)
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