Notes
HUMILATED AND EXALTED
Philippians 2:5-11 April 5, 2009
INTRODUCTION
This passage has been the appointed Epistle lesson for Palm Sunday for many centuries, at least back to the early 12the century.
I. THE LIFE OF THE LORD JESUS
Here the Lord Jesus is pictured humbling Himself by His incarnation and death, and exalting Himself as He is seated at the Right Hand of the Father in heaven. We see the great sweep of Christ’s life from eternity past to eternity future. And through this we see the great purposes of God in providing salvation for lost sinners. By studying these few verses you can see what the early church was teaching within 30 years of the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus.
II. THE PREEMINENCE OF THE LORD JESUS
We are taught that all the attributes of God are the attributes of the Lord Jesus. St. Paul is echoing our Lord in John 8. He is Deity. John 1:1-14. John 17:5. Because of what St. Paul says, we see the humility and suffering of the Lord Jesus as the pattern for all Christians.
III. THE CONDECENSION OF THE LORD JESUS
The Lord Jesus becomes lower than the angels, lover than all humanity it his incarnation. And He does this because of His love for lost and dying sinners, in obedience to the Father. There was no depth to which the Lord Jesus did not go for sinners. He lives a quiet small town life,. He is an obscure country rabbi. He dies by age 33.
IV. THE EXALTATION OF THE LORD JESUS
The Lord Jesus lives out His own words, “For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.” Matthew 18:4 & 23:12. Luke 14:11 & 18:14. He humbles Himself to the death on a Cross, and God exalts Him back to His Throne in Heaven. And as He does this, God gives Him a Name that is above every name, that at the Name of Jesus, every knee should bow, and every tongue confess to the glory of God the Father.” These are thrilling words, but solemn at the same time. These are words that a thrilling for the saved and horrifying for the lost. You WILL see Him and you WILL bow before Him. Will it be out of love or out of compulsion? Will He say, “Well done, good and faithful servant, enter into the joy of the Lord?” OR will He say, “Depart from me, I never knew you?”
