SHARING BREAD
5 Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ
Jesus:
6 Who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,
7 but made himself nothing,
taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
8 And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
and became obedient to death--
even death on a cross!
9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,
10 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.
6 Who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,
7 but made himself nothing,
taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
8 And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
and became obedient to death--
even death on a cross!
9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,
10 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.
Phil
2:5-11 (NIV)
To be sure, it is ours to humble ourselves and it is God’s
to exalt. This was our Leader’s example
when He walked this earth and it is to be our legacy as well. Jesus walked the
Gospel pattern He proposed. Christ
remains our supreme example of humility and selflessness. Peter tells us as well:
All of
you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, “God opposes
the proud but gives grace to the humble.”
6 Humble
yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due
time. 7 Cast
all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. 1 Peter 5:5-7 (NIV)
“Christians must be of Christ’s mind. We must bear a resemblance to his life, if we
would have the benefit of his death. He
was eminently humble, and this is what we are particularly to learn from him…….Walk
in the same spirit with the Lord Jesus, who humbled himself to sufferings and
death for us.” Matthew Henry
In our verses for today Paul exhorts believers to maintain a
true biblical assessment of their self before God stating that our attitudes
are to be like Jesus’. The word
translated “attitude” in verse five could also be translated
“like-minded”. I am reminded of the word
John penned:
6 Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus
did. 1 John 2:6 (NIV)
John the Baptist had this down pat when he proclaimed to his
disciples:
30 He
must become greater; I must become less.
John 3:30 (NIV)
“There
is no true holiness without humility.” Thomas Fuller
Certainly, this notion of selflessness flies in the face of
our modern day thoughts of elevating self which, sadly, many beliers in Christ often
subscribe to. We live in an “all about
me” world and we expect it to revolve around us and our nonsensical pettiness. Yet, selfish ambition could not be any
further from the New Testament standard of holiness and spirituality. The less conscious we are of ourselves the
more Christ-like we become. Humility is
a virtue not a weakness. Indeed, it is
inspiring to those in our spheres. It is
the mark of true greatness particularly in the heart of a leader. It makes the great greater.
Jesus, Who made Himself nothing by becoming a man in
clothing Himself with the rags of human nature, demonstrates for us pure humility. He came not only as God’s servant but to
minister to men as One Who serves as well.
It would stand to reason that He would come at the very least as a Prince,
yet He came to earth quite the contrary.
His entire life on this dusty planet was one of humiliation culminating
with His dying the death of the cross – a cursed, shameful death as a
malefactor or slave, full of pain. He not only suffered, He was voluntarily
obedient. Jesus states in John:
17 “The reason my Father loves me is that I lay
down my life--only to take it up again. 18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down
of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up
again. This command I received from my Father.” John 10:17-18 (NIV)
“Christ never spoke of His right to Himself, but always
maintained an inner vigilance to submit His spirit continually to His
Father. I also have the responsibility
to keep my spirit in agreement with His Spirit.
And when I do, Jesus gradually lifts me up to the level where He lived –
a level of perfect submission to His Father’s will – where I pay no attention
to anything else.” Oswald Chambers
Because Jesus humbled Himself, God exalted Him to the
highest place – His exaltation made to consist in honor and power – the whole
creation must be in subjection to Him.
“The Christian gospel is that I am so flawed that Jesus had to die
for me, yet I am so loved and valued that Jesus was glad to die for me. This leads to deep humility and deep
confidence at the same time.” Tim Keller
What I glean from this:
· It is mine to humble myself – it is God’s
to exalt. 6 No one from the east or the west
or from the desert can exalt a man. 7 But it is God who judges: He brings one down, he exalts another. Psalms 75:6-7 (NIV) 7 The LORD sends poverty and wealth; he humbles and he exalts. 8 He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap; he seats them with princes and has them inherit a throne of honor. 1 Sam 2:7-8 (NIV)
or from the desert can exalt a man. 7 But it is God who judges: He brings one down, he exalts another. Psalms 75:6-7 (NIV) 7 The LORD sends poverty and wealth; he humbles and he exalts. 8 He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap; he seats them with princes and has them inherit a throne of honor. 1 Sam 2:7-8 (NIV)
· Christians must be of Christ’s mindset.
· Humility
is a virtue not a weakness.
