Read
5and think the same way that Christ Jesus thought:
6Christ was truly God.
But he did not try to remain
equal with God.
7Instead he gave up everything
and became a slave,
when he became
like one of us.
8Christ was humble.
He obeyed God and even died
on a cross.
9Then God gave Christ
the highest place
and honored his name
above all others.
10 So at the name of Jesus
everyone will bow down,
those in heaven, on earth,
and under the earth.
11And to the glory
of God the Father
everyone will openly agree,
“Jesus Christ is Lord!”
Reflect
Graduation at the university where I serve is a splendid affair. Gowns of all colours swish around the town, academics process in order of seniority and new graduates are celebrated for their intellectual achievement. This festival of optimism assures parents and patrons that their considerable expenditure is well invested, as future wealth and influence are assured. In a world where you climb the ladder of success, grabbing all you can as you go, these words in Philippians are stark, splendid, subversive and shocking.
Most strikingly, this narrative of Jesus’ pre-existence, followed by his earthly life and beyond, is not just a series of propositions to keep Christians, theologians arguing ad infinitum.
What we are given is a glimpse into the very heart of divinity. Here we are shown in stunning graphic detail what it means to be God. Rob Lacey captures it delightfully: “He took off all the royal bits, cut up his heavenly credit cards, chucked his global contact list, walked off without his bodyguards. He unplugged his airwave connection, left his precious star collection, he gave it all up” (The Street Bible, Zondervan, 2002, p136). The self-humbling, self-sacrificial love of Jesus displays God’s identity and character. He willingly takes on human limitation and dies a slave’s death, cursed by God.
Amazingly, the incarnation has changed the Godhead forever. So from the lowest to the highest place, God has vindicated Jesus. He is Lord – Lord of all angelic beings, human beings and the dead, Lord of all Caesars throughout history, Lord of the United Nations and the World Bank, Lord of all Who’s Who lists and the church. We worship him as Lord not least as we reflect his counter-cultural, self-giving attitude and actions. In letting go of our rights in order to serve each other, we honour the once-shamed Lord.
First used in Encounter with God July-Sept & Oct-Dec 2014, written by Fiona Barnard, copyright Scripture Union. Used with kind permission.
Respond
We worship you, Lord Jesus, for your humility and self-sacrifice. Thank you for giving up all your privileges to come and be among us, to live for us and to die for us. We bow before you as we acknowledge you as our Lord. In your name, Amen.
Fiona Barnard
Having grown up in Brazil and settled in Scotland, Fiona Barnard enjoys living in a multicultural setting. She works as an English tutor for adult speakers of other languages; she is Honorary International Chaplain at the University of St Andrews and staff worker for Friends International, involved in evangelism, discipleship, pastoral care and encouraging Christians to reach out in friendship to those far from home. She is part of the leadership of her local Baptist Church.