Philippians 2
Philippians 2:1-30
1 Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy,
2 fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.
3 Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.
4 Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.
5 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus,
6 who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God,
7 but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men.
8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.
9 Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name,
10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth,
11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
12 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling;
13 for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.
14 Do all things without complaining and disputing,
15 that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world,
16 holding fast the word of life, so that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain or labored in vain.
17 Yes, and if I am being poured out as a drink offering on the sacrifice and service of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all.
18 For the same reason you also be glad and rejoice with me.
19 But I trust in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you shortly, that I also may be encouraged when I know your state.
20 For I have no one like-minded, who will sincerely care for your state.
21 For all seek their own, not the things which are of Christ Jesus.
22 But you know his proven character, that as a son with his father he served with me in the gospel.
23 Therefore I hope to send him at once, as soon as I see how it goes with me.
24 But I trust in the Lord that I myself shall also come shortly.
25 Yet I considered it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother, fellow worker, and fellow soldier, but your messenger and the one who ministered to my need;
26 since he was longing for you all, and was distressed because you had heard that he was sick.
27 For indeed he was sick almost unto death; but God had mercy on him, and not only on him but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow.
28 Therefore I sent him the more eagerly, that when you see him again you may rejoice, and I may be less sorrowful.
29 Receive him therefore in the Lord with all gladness, and hold such men in esteem;
30 because for the work of Christ he came close to death, not regarding his life, to supply what was lacking in your service toward me.
Verses 9-11 really spoke to me this morning. The name of Jesus is so much more powerful than we imagine, which is why it makes sense that the devil has taught to use the name as a casual curse word totally deforming the very power that is within it.
As Christians, we know the power of the name of Jesus, and verse 10 reminds us that at the very name every knee shall bow in heaven, on the earth and under the earth. Praise God!
There is this continual pulling on the soul to be gratified with recognition and appreciation. This is a very natural condition of the soul that is vulnerable to danger in how it is being met. As long as the example is coming from the world that always gets its confidence from escalating self above others in some way, there will always be a limitation on confidence that comes from God alone. If, however, the example comes from Jesus, who chose to humble Himself and lay down His life for the least in the kingdom, there is an opening made for established confidence in a God-made identity. There seems to be an issue with this war of unity over individuality that is being addressed. For there to be any hope of exalting the name of Jesus, there has to be a removal of any sensitivity for self that sounds like complaining and bantering over meaningless things. The rewards are always in serving the needs of others over self, and there can be no following of the Master that doesn’t look like this in the emulating life.
There will be no let down in the necessity of dying to self. As long as our gospel is self-promotion there will be no possibility of kingdom discovery. It’s only a life laid down for others that can in any way truly present what it’s like to follow the Master.