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good morning to everyone welcome back to free grace baptist church all our regulars welcome back and to any new faces out there in the pews we welcome you it's good to have visitors here at free grace baptist church so we do pray that it will be a blessing for you to join us here for the worship of our triune God one announcement and that is that at least one the only one that I'm aware of is that we have the fellowship luncheon after this service so after after morning worship all come after we sing the doxology give a benediction I'll come back up here and pray for the food and then everybody visitors as well everyone's welcome to go up into the fellowship luncheon hall that's at the back of the church for the fellowship luncheon just a reminder when you go up there for the food not to line up on this side by the door but on the far wall too to help it be orderly so again everyone's welcome for the fellowship lunch and after the morning service well let's begin our worship then if you'll turn in your Bibles with me to Psalm 23 Psalm 23 that's our call to worship this morning Psalm 23 so I'm 23 this is the word of the living and true God a psalm of David the Lord is my shepherd I shall not want he makes me to lie down in green pastures he leads me beside the still waters he restores my soul he leads me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake yea though I walk through the fountain through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil for you are with me your rod and your staff they comfort me you prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies you anoint my head with oil my cup runs over surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever amen well let's stand as a church and sing hymn 133 in your larger Trinity hymnal 133 let's stand and sing please be seated let us pray Heavenly Father we come to you now in this gathering of worship praying Lord God that you would help us to worship you we long as those gathered in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ to worship Father Son and Holy Spirit in a manner fitting the living and true God we do pray that you would help us to have our hearts now consecrated unto worship that we might hallow your name that we might rejoice in our God that we might sing the praises of our Savior the Lord Jesus Christ that we might reflect with great joy upon your amazing grace and the gospel of Jesus Christ we thank you so much for everlasting life for the forgiveness of sins through Jesus Christ our Savior we know that we are not acceptable in your sight by virtue of deeds of holiness which we have done but rather Lord God all have sinned and have fallen short of the glory of God we rejoice then being found acceptable in your sight by virtue of the perfect work of the Lord Jesus Christ we thank you that in him we have a righteousness that avails with you that is imputed to us and received by faith alone we thank you that by his doing in his dying upon Calvary's tree in the shedding of his blood we have the forgiveness of sins we know that in our Savior we have a true and living and powerful Savior able to save to the uttermost all those who come nigh through his blood and we do just pray Lord God that you would help us today not to rejoice in ourselves but to rejoice in the doing in the dying and the rising again of the Son of God that one who gave his life for guilty sinners and rose again that all who believe in him might have everlasting life we do pray that we would just worship you today Lord God rightly and biblically and with great joy and that this would be the case around the world in all of your churches God give your people who have gathered together and give them grace give them that presence of a spirit to lift praises to you too ensure Lord God that you are most certainly honored around the earth today and we do pray that you would help us Lord God to be ever mindful of the the needs and the those things that are our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ need not only here but around the world we would pray for those who are sick Lord God in our midst whether able to join us this morning or unable to join due to illness we would pray that you'd strengthen each and every one of our dear brothers and sisters in Christ that you would tend Lord God to their injuries to their diseases to their sicknesses Lord and that you would heal them that you would strengthen them Lord that you would give them much help we do pray that you would continue to help pastor Butler to to strengthen and to heal and we pray that you would remove those pains and discomforts and that day upon day he would notice gains in strength and we look forward Lord God to when he say be able to rejoin us here thank you that he can be here for worship this morning we do look forward to when he's able to to get back into this pulpit so do strengthen our dear brother we do pray Lord God that you would be with those who are down spiritually we pray that you would lift up all of your Saints weak and weary by the battle in this lower world we do just pray that you would lift them up and encourage their hearts Lord and we pray for each and every one of us that we would know freshly each and every day the joy of our salvation that we might rejoice all the more and a seat to put sin to death and to live unto righteousness Lord God that you might receive all honor and glory we do pray again for those around the world who are persecuted for the cause of the gospel or those who believe in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ who suffer a much persecution do just be with our fellow brothers and sisters the strengthen them Lord we know that their only hope and there they're only strong tower is the triune God of heaven and earth and we pray that they would be safely found resting upon your promises and resting upon your truth that they might grip even in the face of much opposition the truth of our Christ and that they would lay hold of the hope of their calling without wavering we do pray that you would vindicate your name and that you would vindicate your saints throughout the earth Lord God that you would put down tyrannical governments that you would cause those who would seek to oppose your saints that you would by your grace save many and bring them to saving knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ and those who remain in opposition Lord that you would cause them to stumble like drunken men that they may no longer bring violence to our Blessed brothers and sisters in the Savior we do pray Lord God that you would be with those who rule over us as we pray this morning for for the government as we pray this morning for those persecuted around the world we know that you the living and true God are the only one who can raise Kings up and you are the only one who can cast them down and we do just pray Lord that you would cause those who rule over us to do so in righteousness and truth that justice and equity would be the order of the day and that wickedness and that the sanctioning of vile things would be would be cast from the face of the earth we do pray that you would vindicate your name in this nation and around the world that many more boys and girls men and women men and women would come to a knowledge of our Blessed Christ that you would send out many preachers to proclaim the rich things of gospel truth and Lord God that a multitude of tongues even this day would own the Savior as king of kings and Lord of lords we do pray Lord that you would be with us in worship we know that we cannot gather it is to gather in vain if we do not have the Lord our God among us and we we long to know and to glory in that reality that the Lord Jesus Christ most certainly does walk among the lampstands that he does walk in the midst of his churches and we do pray that we would know in that right and proper way the special presence of our God here this morning Lord that we might glory in the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ in the midst of his gathered assembly and God that we would rightly worship you that you would grant to us that measure of your spirit that the preacher would proclaim rightly the things of Holy Scripture Lord God that your people gathered here this morning would be encouraged edify and would be those worshipers who worship in spirit and in truth and Lord God that you would be here by spirit bringing forth those from deadness to life who are now in a sin and trespass who are outside of saving faith who do not believe in our blessed Christ we pray Lord God that for your glory say they would leave this place singing the praises of our Christ we do pray that you would be now with us Lord God and everything that we do morning and evening I made it all be to the praise of your honor to the praise of your Most High name we pray in the name of our Savior the Lord Jesus Christ amen well let's stand and sing again this time him to 23 let's stand as a church singing to God singing to one another hymn to 23 you Oh please be seated turn in your Bibles please to Matthew 22 Matthew 22 our new testament scripture reading will pick up at verse 23 so Matthew 22 beginning in verse 23 once again the Word of God the same day the Sadducees who say there is no resurrection came to him and asked him saying teacher Moses said that if a man dies having no children his brother shall marry his wife and raise up offspring for his brother now there were with us seven brothers the first died after he had married and having no offspring left his wife to his brother likewise the second also and the third even to the seventh last of all the woman died also therefore in the resurrection whose wife of the seven will she be four they all had her jesus answered and said to them you are mistaken not knowing the scriptures nor the power of God for in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage but are like angels of God in heaven but concerning the resurrection of the Dead have you not read what was spoken to you by God saying I am the God of Abraham the god of Isaac and the God of Jacob God is not the god of the dead but of the living and when the multitudes heard this they were astonished at his teaching but when the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees they gathered together then one of them a lawyer asked him a question testing him and saying teacher what is the Great Commandment in the law jesus said to him you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart with all your soul and with all your mind this is the first and Great Commandment and the second is like it you shall love your neighbor as yourself on these two Commandments hang all the law and the prophets while the pharisees were gathered together jesus asked them saying what do you think about the Christ whose son is he they said to him the son of David he said to them how then does David in the spirit call him Lord saying the Lord said to my lord sit at my right hand till I make your enemies your footstool if David then calls him Lord how is he his son and no one was able to answer him a word nor from that day on did anyone dare question him anymore amen lino as Christians we often and we rightly do this we often reflect upon the doing the dying and the rising again of the Son of God the Lord Jesus Christ and we think about his doing in the place of all those who believe in other words his perfect life of obedience unto the law of God in the stead of all those who believe that we might as believers have a righteousness that avails with God we think of his death upon Calvary's tree and we should because the cross is the crux of Christianity that reality that Jesus Christ upon that cross of Calvary gave His life so that all who believe in him will have everlasting life most assuredly his victorious rising again in the third day we think of that that package of glorious salvation truth but let's never forget the fact that in the days of his flesh as he was being obedient to the law of the father his father he answered perfectly the testings and the the machinations of men he only came up against opposition and answered with perfect Verity with perfect truth you see these Sadducees here are trying to to trip him up trying to trying to trying to force their erroneous doctrine that there is no resurrection by tripping him up with this question of marriage and not only has Christ already defended proper marriage and already defended that the you know that the sanctity of marriage but now after already having done that he answers perfectly with respect to the fact that there is a resurrection and that in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage but are like angels of God in heaven the Pharisees come up and try to test him as well and any answers perfectly and then he he turns the tables if you will and he we have one of these instances where the Lord Jesus Christ speaks to his divine majesty he's not just the son of David but he is also David's lure don't you love those occasions when Christ comes and he he opens it he opens his mouth in the face of his opposers and he defends his glory he defends his majesty he doesn't shrink back he's not a coward but he opens his mouth of perfect Verity and speaks to his everlasting pneus to the fact that he is sure David's son but he's David's Lord blessed Christ let's worship Him let's worship father son and spirit and rejoice in our blessed God let us pray Heavenly Father we thank you for your word your truth to the sons of men we thank you for these words of our Savior the Lord Jesus Christ truly we have in him a perfect and a glorious Savior we pray Lord God as we continue in worship that you would help us to continue giving you all honor and praise we long Lord God not to be carried off not to be wandering away down paths of distraction as we're worshiping you but that we would be solely focused on your worship so help us lord help thoughts not to intrude but help us only to have those thoughts that are that that are with that follow after the proper worship of father son and spirit so do be with us Lord and help us help us to glory in our Savior to sing the praises of gospel truth and we pray in the name of that Savior the Lord Jesus Christ amen well let's sing again stand together as a church to him before the preaching now is to 68 so let's stand together and sing to 68 you please be seated can turn in your Bibles to Philippians chapter 2 Philippians chapter two you'll remember if you were with us here last lord's day we said that we're going to work through Philippians 2 5 to 11 that him to Christ as to God the sermon illustration really that Paul is giving here setting forth Christ as the highest example the chief example of humility we noted a little bit with regards to or we introduced to him by noting that there had been notable conquests in the history of Philip I but the one that they should have their minds set upon is the conquering exploits of the Son of God Jesus Christ our blessed Redeemer king of kings and Lord of lords who came into this world the sinners to save and was raised from the grave victorious and ascended to the right hand of the Majesty on high that was to be the stuff of their focus the Philippian Christians were to be about Christ and we we noted the context many exhortations that Paul gives to immediately in our context that will read again this morning their eggs orted to unity Christians are to be unified Christians aren't to be marked by division by disunity by a factious spirit but we are to be unified were to rally around the gospel of Christ and be as one man in one spirit striving for gospel Verity and the way to that the pathway to unity is we are to put on humility where to cast off pride and we are to put on humility if we wear the metaphorical robes of pride we are to follow after Christ who was the only one really who exercised a true humility who came from a place of the utmost and unmatched nobility and came to our lowliness humbling himself to give himself for guilty sinners we are to follow after Christ to put on humility and to be such that have the mind the attitude the disposition of the king of kings and Lord of lords well let's read philippians 27 excuse me Philippians 127 to 211 the Word of God beginning in Philippians 127 only let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ so that whether I come and see you or M absent I may hear of your affairs that you stand fast in one spirit with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel and not in any way terrified by your adversaries which is to them a proof of perdition but to you of salvation in that from God for to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ not only to believe in him but also to suffer for his sake having the same conflict which you saw in me and now here is in me therefore if there is any consolation in Christ if any comfort of love if any fellowship of the Spirit if any affection and mercy fulfill my joy by being like minded having the same love being of one Accord of one mind let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself let each of you look out not only for his own interests but also for the interests of others let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus who being in the form of God did not consider it robbery to be equal with God but made himself of no reputation taking the form of a bondservant and coming in the likeness of men 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 therefore God also has highly exalted him and given him the name excuse me and given him the name which is above every name 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 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father amen well let's go to God in prayer Heavenly Father we thank you now for this act of worship the preaching of your word we pray Lord God that you would now again help us we pray that you would be with preacher that you would help me Lord God to open up your word with accuracy that you might be honored and that Jesus Christ might be exalted upon this gathered assembly we do pray Lord God as well that the Ministry of the preaching of the word would strengthen your people would save sinners and Father Son and Holy Spirit that you would be glorified that you would be worshiped in that you would be praised we pray in the name of our Savior the Lord Jesus Christ amen well you'll remember last time we looked simply at verse five let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus we noted that that is while we called it an ex or diem it is really the exhortation there in verse five let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus that's the exhortation you are to be unified seek after unity this is done through humility and this is done through putting on if you will the mind of Christ having the mind of Christ mimicking imitating his disposition his attitude his mind of humility and so that's the exhortation verse 5 and what follows is really Paul's sermon illustration he gives the exhortation and to illustrate to to attach weights to that argument to attach weight to the exhortation he brings forth the Lord Jesus Christ the glory of his divinity the perfection of his humanity the glory and perfection of his work and his subsequent reward and exaltation and he brings that forward as the example for these Philippian Christians to have such a mind now perhaps it is common to think of the history of Christianity and to remark after notable periods where there is a an explosion of doctrine an explosion of truth the defense and propagation of the things that are to be most surely believed among us you know we can look back upon the history of the church and we perhaps we think of the first you know six centuries of the church were they defended with great apologetic vigor the full deity of the Lord Jesus Christ and the reality of of one God in three persons Blessed Trinity we might fast forward to the Reformation and think of those the glorious reclamation and upholding of proper biblical truth justification by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone maybe our minds even wander to the that confessional era remember we have a confession of faith that second London Baptist confession of faith that 1689 the 17th century marked by this explosion of confessional ism hammering out doctrine so that we might collect in a document the things that are to be believed that come from the Holy Scriptures but I would submit that the greatest explosion of the truth of the doctrine of Christ took place within the handfuls of years following his death his rising again in his ascension we come to Philippians 2 and in only two decades following the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ we have the Christian confession of his full deity the Christian confession of his perfect humanity that he did not cast off that which he was full deity but he took on he put on that which he was not taking on to himself our nature the perfection of his work he humbled himself and became obedient obedient to the death of the cross or obedient to the point of death even the death of the cross his exaltation that he was lifted up upon a tree yes but that he was exalted even higher after being risen from the grave to the right hand of the Majesty on high where he now rules any reigns says just within two decades of the death of this Jesus of Nazareth this carpenter the son of Joseph and Mary rich is the Christology of the early Christians even before we get to Nicaea three three hundred years before we get to Nicaea we have Christians rehearsing the conquering exploits of the Son of God the glorious hymn to Christ as to God we have here in Philippians 2 now 6 to 11 since we looked at verse 5 last time we're going to look now at verses 6 through 11 beginning this morning remember we're taking this a little bit slowly I apologize for some reason I need water every three and a half minutes we're working slowly through this him to Christ as to God you know very often it's nice to walk through a museum and to take everything in you know walk past all of the exhibits and and look at all the wonderful things throughout the history whatever the museum's about walk through and look at all the exhibits but you know sometimes it's good to slow down and look at the glorious exhibits that are before us and you know I fear sometimes sometimes if you've ever been to a museum or ever been to someplace where there's really you know amazing things that you're looking at and people just kind of walk by they look for two seconds and then they keep walking sometimes you just want to say would you see that stop and look Rita read what it says did you see the background for for what you're looking at sometimes it's good to take the Bible slowly into remark after the great exhibition that God sets before us here in the person and the work of the Lord Jesus Christ so we want to do simply two things this morning we're going to look at the anatomy of the him and some introductory observations regarding Paul's sermon illustration here in verses 6 to 11 and then secondly just look at Christ's divine majesty so first the anatomy of the him some introductory observations on vs 6 to 11 of Philippians 2 notice first Paul sermon illustration is all about Christ Paul's sermon illustration is is all about Christ do we expect anything different when we read the Apostle Paul he wants to make a point when he writes anything when he wants to make a point where does he go but he goes to his king he goes to his Lord he goes to his master he goes to our King and Lord and Master the Lord Jesus Christ he wants to exhort them to humility and so he brings forth to them the Lord Jesus Christ who is the to borrow aw pinks the words the sum and substance the center and circumference the light and life of Christianity is Christ that's what we have here Paul doing setting before the congregation of Philip I and now by virtue of of the preaching of the word throughout the ages landing upon our time now in chilliwack British Columbia we have the summon substance the center and circumference the light and life of Christianity set before us here by the Apostle Paul so this is a sermon illustration that is all about Christ secondly notice the structure of the text the structure of the text we move from Christ's loftiness to his lowliness to being lifted up upon a tree to being lifted up from out of the grave into the highest place to the right hand of the Majesty on high notice the flow of the text you know it starts in a lofty place and that's our second point this morning Christ's divine majesty but notice it starts in a lofty place but it is as if it builds as a crescendo to the lowliest place and that upon Calvary's tree who being in the form of God did not consider it robbery to be equal with God but made himself of no reputation taking the form of a bondservant and coming in the likeness of men 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 isn't that a wonderful trajectory Christians you know your Bibles you know your Christ you should know your Christ rehearsing this reality that the lofty one made himself low that the lofty one who hung the stars in place laid himself low that himself that he might be fixed in place upon a tree that he might be victorious over sin the death death in the grave and the devil that he might go into the earth but arise three days later and then ascend to the right hand of the Majesty on high therefore you know that they're four and verse nine follows the cross you see it starts high but it's as if it starts low and it builds up to this point of the cross the crux the center of the him and then it says therefore and it rehearses the crown that follows the cross the reward that comes from Christ giving himself up as a sacrifice as an oblation to the Father therefore God has also has highly exalted him and given him the name which is above every name 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 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father you know that's isn't that where you just want to jump for joy hopefully you do isn't that where you just want to sing a loud where you just want to stop for a moment you know have Fraser come back up here and play another him so we can all stand as a church and sing of our glorious Victor of our glorious Redeemer of our gracious King is this him bill does this hurt sermon illustration goes on and finally ends it's almost as if there should be trumpets blasting announcing the glory of our Blessed Christ the structure again we have the lofty one making himself low that he might be lifted up on the cross but then by virtue of the victory of that self-same cross lifted up to the highest place the right hand of the Majesty on high it's absolutely glorious and notice that this is this is something that is a convention among Christian preachers in the Bible you know this isn't the only place that we find this this isn't the only place that we find this by the Apostle Paul if the Apostle Paul is the author to of the letter to the Hebrews we have the same stuff you know what again we said last time last lord's day what populated the hymn books of the early church it was the victory of Christ here Paul does it in order to exhort Philippians 2 humility elsewhere Paul does it in order to show forth the absolute supremacy of the Lord Jesus Christ over all that came before him the first four verses of the letter to the Hebrews it's the same stuff it's different wording but it's the same it's the same glorious Christ you know God who in former times and in various ways spoke in times past to the fathers by the prophets has in these last days spoken to us by his son whom he has appointed heir of all things by whom also he made the world's who being the brightness of his glory in the Express image of his person when uh and upholding whole things by the word of his power when he had by himself purged our sins sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high glorious glorious Bible truth and you know it's not just in apostolic reflections upon the work of the Lord Jesus Christ it also comes in in Proclamation with with just a brief reading of this him in our minds turn to acts two for a moment we're talking about the structure of this him how its laid out what the argument is and how it rehearses the victory of the Lord Jesus Christ you turn to acts two and we want to observe that in the proclamation of the gospel before men this same thing is rehearsed you see it's not only in the epistles written by the apostles to the churches in Asia Minor or to the church in Jerusalem or to the churches abroad but it also comes in the record the narrative record of gospel preachers going out and proclaiming the Lord Jesus Christ the stuff of Philippians 2 is here in acts to notice Peter in in acts 2 22 men of Israel hear these words Jesus of Nazareth a man attested by God to you by miracles wonders and signs which God did through him in your midst as you yourselves also know him being delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God you have taken by lawless hands have crucified and put to death whom God raised up having loosed the pains of death because it was not possible that he should be held by you see this is what this is what's going on in our Bibles brothers and sisters that Jesus Christ comes he comes from on high he comes low by taking to himself man's nature he lives a perfect life of obedience to the law of God he's raised up upon Calvary's tree as a sacrifice for sinners he goes into the grave but he's raised again the third day he appears two disciples instructing them giving them a Bible study on the truth as it is in him he ascends to his right to the right hand of the Majesty on high he sends his spirit as promised to empower the disciples to proclaim the same message that he himself instructed them in to proclaim the same message that that contains the truth concerning his conquering and they go about and they do that and then they write epistles after the same blessed truth notice in acts 2 as well still while Peter is still preaching considering our topic the structure of that him to Christ as to God verse 29 men and brethren let me speak freely to you of the patriarch David that he is both dead and buried and his tomb is with us to this day therefore being a prophet and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that of the fruit of his body according to the flesh he would raise up the Christ to sit on his throne he for seeing this spoke concerning the resurrection of the Christ that his soul was not left in Hades nor did his flesh see corruption this Jesus God has raised up of which we are all witnesses therefore being exalted to the right hand of God and having received from the father the promise of the Holy Spirit he poured out this which you now see in here we fast forward a you know we fast forward 20 years to Philippians 2 6 to 11 and that preaching on Pentecost by peter is the sum and substance of their him you see the the opponents of Christianity and the the the historians who like to doctor and play with the reality of the biblical record they come against truth after truth when they try to say well you see the deity of Christ and you know the glory of this Gospel message was sort of developed over time and it you know it sort of came to a synthesis and you know in the fourth century and that sort of thing immediately after the death and resurrection and ascension of Christ we have Christians singing hymns to Christ as to God and rejoicing in the glorious conquests the exploits of the Son of God never listened to those seeking to revise history see in your Bible history as it pertains to truth notice the point of the text and then we'll move on to our our second larger point Christ's divine Majesty but if you're back in Philippians to remember and keep this in your minds as we move forward with our content this morning because as will note in a number of minutes Paul's point here makes no sense if Christ is not God equal with the father notice the point of the text let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus humility Calvin says this since then the son of God descended from so great a height how unreasonable that we who are nothing should be lifted up with pride as we move through this him this morning and through the next couple Lord's days lord willing keep that in the four of your minds and whenever you reflect upon the conquests of Jesus Christ whenever you reflect upon the doing and the dying and the rising again of Christ keep this in mind because we are to be unified as a church since then the son of God descended from so great a height how unreasonable that we who are nothing should be lifted up with pride then let's go first to this first part of this him to Christ as to God that ought to rightly put us in our place and rightly acknowledge the place that Christ has Christ's divine majesty notice what the text says again beginning in verse 5 because it's good for us to start there let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus who being in the form of God did not consider it robbery to be equal with God we're in verse 6 and we're rehearsing Christ's divine majesty and notice that this him to Christ a sermon illustration it begins very high and lofty doesn't it speaking of this Christ whose mind we are to imitate paul writes who being in the form of God did not consider it robbery to be equal with God Christ's divine majesty there's I won't read all the quote to you because it's a long one but I think we can under appreciate the historical value and the present value of this text but the historical value of this text in the life and times of Christians throughout the ages one of the early church fathers chrysostom called this text an example of the sword of the Spirit he uses this language of this text Philippians 2 6 to 11 of conquering dashing to pieces the heretics and in the early church light because it speaks with such great clarity to the person of Christ His divine dignity the fact that he is that that he is immutable eternal it that he's glorious the fact that he is god of God light of light true God from True God there's it we cannot come away from this text unless untaught and unstable or with deliberate malice we're seeking to go against the text we cannot come away with this without saying this one truly is God you see tick after heretic rose up in the early church and chrysostom rightly remarks that this text is like a sword that dashes to pieces the enemies of Christ not literally kids not literally dashing people to pieces but the errors with regards to Christ they come to this rock of Christ in Philippians 262 lat and errors are dashed to pieces by the strength of this sword if if you've ever thought of those texts in the scripture that speak to the Word of God as a sword and you've you've affirmed it as Christians you've thought yeah you know the the word of the word of God is is a sword have you have you ever thought though unrolled around in your minds what what are some practical examples of the Word of God being the sword of the Spirit a two-edged sword sharper than any two-edged sword what are some practical examples well if your ass ain't here this morning you're a Christian here this morning an example is that you've been brought forth from deadness to life in Christ by virtue of the sword of the Spirit striking your heart and making you alive the power of God God himself he kills and he makes alive and he wields the two edged sword and he's brought you from deadness to life by virtue of the word of Christ you see in history there's some wonderful examples practical examples of the sword of the Spirit time and again theologians in the church have risen up and they've gone to this text to say no to the heretics who reject the deity of Christ who reject the humanity of Christ who reject the perfection of his work and the fact that he's now exalted to the right hand of the Majesty on high kids you might like the in the the imagery that that chrysostom used this year he says if you are entertained kids you know kids what entertains you you're here this morning and I'm sure a lot of things wholesome in their nature can entertain you whether they be you know toys or games or whatever else sports that sort of thing there's some wholesome entertainment that God has blessed us with but there is nothing more entertaining than the victory of Christ now use that word in its highest sense like the boys of old would use nothing greater captures the attention of the Christian nothing engages the mind more than a rehearsal of the the conquest of Christ right chrysostom uses the imagery in his time of charioteers flying you know rolling around in the stadiums and you know if it's entertaining to see the you know a valiant charioteer one of his opponents and you know watching the the chariot a rumble to the ground and fallen the dust and see that charioteer victorious as he rides to the finish line chrysostom says how much more then how much greater will the pleasure be here Philippians 2 6 to 11 when by the grace of God we overthrow at once and in a body the combinations and devilish machinations of all these heresies together with their charioteers we come to this passage and it ought to cheer the heart and it serves in the hand of the Christian has the sword of the Spirit dashing to pieces anyone who would seek to cast down our Christ to a place where he's never intended to be so Christ's divine majesty notice the the wonder of the text here who being in the form of God verse 6 so we're now back in this passage who being in the form of God now before we open that up just a little bit there's two vantage points that people will come at this him from some will say that this whole sermon illustration this all this language about Christ is all from the vantage point of the Incarnation so there's nothing here pre incarnation that this is all from the vantage point of Christ now having come in the incarnation so this is all Incarnate Christ the other view which we believe to be most certainly the proper view the right view is that this moves from his pre incarnate divine majesty from his pre incarnate glory from his the glory of his divinity to his taking on of humanity in order to effect the salvation of the sons of men and then to his raising up to glory so we are seeing this as we ought from the vantage point first pre Incarnate Christ and then in Lords days coming his incarnation and humility but notice the language who being in the form of God and again two ways that we might look at this what does this mean who being in the form of God that the language seems to us to be quite clear we come to the table of our disc this morning with all of the the knowledge we have of Christ we know that Christ is God do we not but there's two ways that people have approached this language who being in the form of God a that means that Christ has the essence or the nature the substance of God he's one in substance equal in power and glory with the father who being in the form of God others would see the languages sort of saying something like his manifested glory and so he had the the manifested glory of God while yes he is one in essence one in nature with the father he is God but this has more to do not with the form of God in that way but as to do with a manifested glory we want to follow after line a that train a of thought that this means that Christ has the essence of God Christ has oneness with the father in this divine and infinite being there are three subsistence 'as the Father the Son and the Holy Spirit of one substance power and eternity each having the whole divine essence yet the essence undivided who being in the form of God kids simply means this Jesus Christ is God you know we might ask the question though why didn't Paul just say if he's again he's not arguing for the deity of Christ here it just comes out because that's what Christians are to believe he's using the deity of Christ as part of this him to argue for humility in the Philippian for the Philippian Christians but why didn't let's just go on this train of thought why didn't he just right who being God well notice what he says later what he writes later in the text taking the form of a bondservant so the reason Paul didn't write dis just right in order you know for our good 2,000 years later when we're arguing for the deity of Christ the reason he didn't just write who being God is because he's juxtaposing he's he's setting in contrast these two things who being in the form of God and took on the form of a bondservant so just as much as Christ is perfect manhood so too is Christ perfect Godhead that's the argument that's the that's what we get from this text who being in the form of God is to be compared to taking the form of a bondservant and we are to affirm with these saints of old that Jesus Christ is God God from God light from light true God from True God begotten not made one in being with the father again this means essence nature or the very being of God what can we say then and hopefully you can enter into the marvel at least that would come upon the minds and the hearts of Christians in the time of the writing of this letter but what does that mean then Christ is God he's one substance with the father that means all of those things that we read in our Bible concerning God are true of Christ he's the maker of worlds the creator of heaven and earth kids and your thoughts about Christ have you ever thought about this yes he he's perfect manhood he took upon him our nature but remember he's the creator of all things the upholder of all things kids your Christ is a hero of the utmost entertainment to the minds of men women boys and girls he's infinite eternal and unchangeable and in all of his perfections he's a most pure spirit without body parts and passions invisible immutable incomprehensible nowhere contained yet everywhere present our glorious Christ who being in the form of God the Old Testament anticipates a divine Savior we looked at this last Lord's Day evening in Isaiah 96 the Sun that's born the child that's given is wonderful counselor mighty God everlasting father Prince of Peace the turn to Isaiah 40 for a moment never let it be while you're turning there ever let it be a rote thing never let it be a you know a thing of unnecessary repetition to reflect upon the glory of Christ as seen through the Blessed prism of his deity the early Christians sung this him time and again remember what we noted last lord's day Isaiah 40 that's where you're going right now remember what we said last lord's day in the year 112 pliny that pagan remarks that these Christians gathered together on a fixed day and what did they do they sang a hymn to Christ as to a god he says if our early Christians did that time it again they gathered together on a fixed day like we're doing today ought we not to repeat what they did are we not to repeat what Philippians 2 6 to 11 speaks concerning the fact that Christians throughout every era reflect with great joy upon their blessed Christ noticed and I noticed in Isaiah 40 in the Old Testament anticipation of the Savior being divine Isaiah 43 the voice of one crying in the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord make straight in the desert a highway for our God you ever think about this for a moment what is that saying you know the the if you if you have your Matthew Mark and Luke minds on as well your hopefully your Christian minds are turning and you're thinking about John the Baptist the announcement of John the Baptist the the announcement of the fulfillment of John the Baptist contains the announcement of the fulfillment of Isaiah 40 the voice of one crying in the wilderness John the Baptist remember he's preparing the way for the one that is coming after him who is Christ notice prepare the way of the Lord make straight in the desert a highway for our God it's very interesting this isn't the sole meaning of what we're reading there but isn't it interesting where does Christ go immediately after he's back ties by John the Baptist in the River Jordan goes into the desert make straight in the desert a highway for our God the God who comes down from his position of loftiness from the height the pinnacle of glory comes down taking upon himself man's nature and he's driven into the desert where he's tempted by the devil where he emerges victorious victories of our Christ here we have an attestation to his most certain divinity the Lord Jesus Christ is God make straight in the desert a highway for your God notice what we have in Isaiah 43 Isaiah 43 you know as Christians brethren we don't come out of the gates of our conversion learning about Christ and and then depart from that you know we okay we've he's fully God he's fully man he came and he he lived and he died and he rose again now let's move on to social justice or you know now let's move on to this or that or the other thing we are too oft find ourselves coming back to the place where God first began with us reflections upon the king of kings and Lord of lords to do it often have you ever thought about i'm going to read isaiah 43 here in a moment but just just pause for a moment have you ever thought about this in your in your consideration of psalm 119 11 i have hidden your word in my heart that i might not sin against you you ever thought about how that ought to include thoughts of the triune God and thoughts of the person of the Lord Jesus Christ you know you do well to hide God's law in your heart at the point of obedience to your father and mother at the point of murder adultery lying covetousness theft all of those sorts of things you do well to take the the Word of God as it pertains to drunkenness to put it into your mind so that you might not sin against the Lord God Almighty but you have not gone far enough if you stop there and you don't include in that the law of God in those first four words we are to know the Lord our God we are to understand our God we are to know father son and spirit the glory of our Christ and the conquering perfection of his work we are to put that upon our hearts so that we might not sin against him you know the heretics in the early church were successful in many parts they had disciples following after themselves how many modern evangelicals today are going to the Roman Catholic Church how many you know how many opponents do we still have out there oh you know we're rehearsing the deity of Christ why we have the Jew we have the Mormon we have the Jehovah's Witness we have the Muslim we have so many cults out there that are opposing the very doctrine that is at the heart and center of Christianity brethren hide the Word of God in your hearts as it pertains to that Philippians 2 6 to 11 blessed him so that we might not sin against the Lord our God in His Christ at the point of our thoughts and that reflecting upon the victory of Christ might bring us to glorious deeds and and splendid things in the kingdom of Christ notice in Isaiah 43 verse 10 beginning in verse 10 you are my witnesses says the Lord and my servant whom I have chosen that you may know and believe me and understand that i am he before me there was no God formed nor shall there be after me I even i am the lord and besides me there is no Savior I have declared and saved I have proclaimed and there was no foreign God among you there for you are my witnesses says the Lord that I am God indeed before the day was I am he and there is no one who can deliver out of my hand I work and who will reverse now you might be saying to yourselves well you know past reporter for anyone who is out at the self Sri Bible study are at our confession study and the doctrine of God a number of Sundays ago you might remember what we went to this text to talk about the to talk about the fact that our God is the only living and true God monotheism biblical monotheism that there is only one God and that this is the only one God but notice the language here that respects Christ we already affirm of course that He is God but this text proves it and notice just specifically one example here verse 11 i even i am the lord and besides me there is no Savior we get to the New Testament and is what is the what is the only name given under heaven among men by which we might be saved it's Jesus Christ it's the only Savior I am the way the truth and the life no one comes to the Father but by me notices well though indeed before the day was I am he just Christ say in John chapter 8 with regards to his deity in his eternal pre-existence before Abraham was I am indeed before the day was I am he the Lord Jesus Christ the Old Testament anticipate sit you know the birth narratives of the Lord Jesus Christ confirm it even when he even when we read in verse 21 of Matthew's Gospel in chapter 1 you will call his name Jesus for he will save his people from their sins our thoughts not should not just land on the fact that those are his people after the flesh in other words the Jews you know the old covenant people of God our thoughts shouldn't just land that he but they should land here that he is saving his people though that is all those who are given to him by the father but his people he is God the one who has a people the Covenant Lord who promised in the Old Covenant that he would come and be a god to his people Christ you shall call his name Jesus Yahweh saves because he will save his people from their sins the Covenant maker the covenant maker comes down from on high and becomes the covenant keeper so that we the covenant breakers might be brought to communion with him in Isaiah rate after Matthew chapter 1 verse 21 we read that Christ is Emmanuel God with us we go to Luke chapter 2 and what do we find we find the angels singing a hymn to Christ as to God glory to God in the highest remember what Hebrews 16 says with regards to that when he again brings the firstborn that is Christ into the world he says let all the angels of God worship Him kids when you think wholesomely of Christ as a babe wrapped in swaddling cloths lying in a manger let your minds rise up to this reality that he is the creator of worlds that one lying in the manger is the creator and upholder of all things brethren blessed truth that John's prologue strongly asserts that the deity of Christ doesn't it you know we often think when we think deity of Christ when we think Jesus is God we often stop at John 11 but let's turn to John and read John 11 but not stop there and notice the strength of some of the language that follows John 1 beginning in verse 1 in the beginning was the word and the Word was with God and the Word was God the clarity there is absolutely striking and is inescapable in the beginning was the word remember the word is later identified as the one that took took on flesh where it became flesh and dwelt among us but notice as well we have this reality that the Word was with God and the Word was God striking clarity Jesus Christ distinct from the father is nevertheless god of the same nature equal with him who begat him but notice the language continues he was in the beginning with God all things were made through him and without him nothing was made that was made in him was life and the life was the light of man and the light shines in the darkness and the darkness did not comprehend it you see he was with God He is God and he is the creator of all things he's the maker of worlds galaxies in their orbits were fashioned between the palms of Christ and you know it doesn't stop in a text that speaks to his in flesh meant to his taking on of man's nature notice verse 14 and the word became flesh and dwelt among us but notice and we beheld his glory the glory as of the only begotten of the Father full of grace and truth when the writers of Holy Scripture are rehearsing the man Christ they can't but land upon the god Christ you see that the word became flesh and dwelt among us yes babe wrapped in swaddling clothes lying in a manger but we beheld his glory as of the only begotten of the Father full of grace and truth blessed Christ and Christ's disciples confess the deity of Christ with great joy we're not we're not going to get to any of the epistles we're just going to read and remark after one example that if you'll allow serves as a prototypical example of every affirmation of the deity of Christ that follows after it and it comes from a disobedient doubt filled man that was brought to the position of stronger faith by the risen Christ John 20 28 you know the language well and Thomas answered and said to him my Lord and my god you know every verse that follows after and they are multitudinous we could go through we'd be here we'd be here until Christ returns to really rehearse the texts that argue for his glorious deity but this serves is the prototypical example of every affirmation in every attestation to that truth that follows my lord and my god what a glorious exclamation are you are you a Thomas do you own this Christ and say with him my Lord and my god she don't don't you like that you know would have been would have been right for Thomas to say the Lord and the God would have been perfectly right and theological e accurate for him to say that but what does he say he says my Lord and my god we're all Thomas's we all are to be brought to the position of being laid low before the glory of Christ and rejoicing in his divine majesty remember that Paul wants to strengthen the exhortation to humility by showing the height from which Christ condescended and with that remark you can turn back to the book of Philippians back to our him to Christ as to God back to the sermon illustration because we want to close with Christ's equality with the father what we just did was remarked only briefly after the certain divinity of Christ and now we have Christ's equality with the father noticed the language again beginning in verse five let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus who being in the form of God did not consider it robbery to be equal with God perhaps you have a Bible out there a version I know I've preached this before but you know your version might say something like did not consider equality with God something to be grasped did not consider equality with God something to be held on to at all costs those are all good that's the the weight of the meaning that one of the arguments here is the argument here is that Paul is trying to stress not Christ's inferiority to the Father but Christ's equality with the father in fact his whole argument hinges upon Christ's unmitigated equality with the father who being in the form of God did not consider it robbery to be equal with God he didn't have this equality with the father as the old guys would say bye-bye rapin or by r a pine he didn't have it by a violent seizure he had it by virtue of being God his equality that he has with the father is such by virtue of the fact that he is one with the father distinct from the father but Co glorious Co eternal I noted to the the Bible study here the Sri Bible study that we have a him that we just saying this morning to 68 in the final stanza reads this way laud and honor to the father laud and honor to the Sun laud and honor to the spirit ever three and ever'one and our version says one in might and one in glory while unending ages run well the original was Constantius Co eternal while unending ages run you see we don't use that language anymore do we but it simply speaks to the reality of the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ he is not subordinate to the father in his deity as the Son of God he's not subordinate to the father he's not at some level of inferiority to the Father but rather laud and honor to the father laud and honor to the Sun the hymn writers knew that why don't those in our aim our own day know that there are contemporary departures from this doctrine that Christ has equality with the father perhaps you've never heard of these things and perhaps that's good but if you ever hear of these things know that they're wrong there's those who teach the eternal subordination of the Sun or the eternal roles of authority and Submission father and son or eternal functional subordination and the simple idea is this is that Christ as the Son of God is somehow subordinate to the father in his deity and as the Son of God that he's on some level a different than the father something that goes beyond the fact that he's eternally begotten of the father there has to be something else they would say there has to be something else other than the fact that he's the only begotten he's a son so doesn't that mean something like how a son is humanly to his human father isn't there some sort of eternal submission or subordination the text will have nothing of it he is of equality with the father some of the things that they that those who would teach such a thing they would go to actually Philippians 25 and they would say well you see it says let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus so he must have had an attitude of mind prior to the Incarnation that indicates something of submission and some eternal role of you know submission to the father's Authority there must be must be something to that and some will even go as far as to say that this text did not consider it robbery to be equal with God means that the Son of God did not snatch after the greater authority that the father has it's a horrible doctrine Christ has equality with the father now you might some text might come to your mind for example John 14 you know it's one of the texts that they would might that they actually do go to to argue for some measure of inequality of remember we're not talking about the humanity here we're not talking about Christ in His incarnate state as the suffering servant as the humble one who took on the form of a bondservant coming in the likeness of men to give himself for guilty sinners of course Christ is subordinate in that regard of course Christ is submissive in that regard but we're speaking of him as the Son of God as the second of the Blessed try you notice John 14 28 you have heard me say to you I am going away and coming back to you if you loved me you would rejoice because I said I am going to the Father for my father is greater than I see the language of Christ there he's saying the father is greater than him what what do we what do we do with that as Christians what do we do with that it's very simple brethren Christ took to himself man's nature so the father is greater than him he took to himself man's nature in order to be obedient to the Father in our stead the first Adam got us into the mess that were in so the second Adam comes he takes himself takes to himself man's nature and as the second Adam he executes a role of submission and subordination to the father after his human nature that all the sons of men who believe in him might have everlasting life one in the early church said these words and in fact he's comparing John 14 28 that we just read to our passage in Philippians 2 and he says he he speaks these words can he then be both inferior and equal in the same nature nay one refers to his Godhead and the other to the flesh Philippians 26 equality with God that refers to the Godhead he's equal with the father John 14 28 speaks to the flesh my father is greater than I brothers and sisters have you ever come to your Bibles and maybe you've been caused to trip up a little bit by those guys who knock on the door you know the sharp-dressed folks that come to the door and they knock on your door let me share my heresies with you and they talk about how christ is a created being and perhaps they've gone to some text and you thought oh man it you know what you know I know that's wrong but but how do i how do I overcome that what do i do you know the father is greater than I or you know Jesus weeping Jesus having a body Jesus walking upon the dust of the earth what do I do brothers and sisters know your Christ perfect in Godhead perfect in manhood how can Christ be weary and tired he's man he took to himself man's nature but then brethren rise up to the reality that our Bible speak with a raging clarity that he most certainly is God a simple rule to combat the the tripping zuv the heretics comes with these words of Gregory of nazianz and for every one of these points arguments for the non deity of Christ taken separately may very easily if we go through them one by one be explained to you in the most reverent sense and the stumbling block of the letter be cleansed away that is if you're stumbling block at it be honest and not willfully malicious to give you the explanation in one sentence what is lofty you are to apply to the Godhead into that nature in him which is superior to sufferings and incorporeal but all that is lowly to the composite condition of him who for your sakes made himself of no reputation and was incarnate he is no way inferior to the Father chrysostom says it cannot please the good father if the Sun be judged inferior rather than equal to his father Ambrose said neither is the father greater nor hath the son any that is above him and as much as in father and son there is no difference in Godhead Ambrose according to the simple Creed we profess very God a very the one being all that the other is save being that other gregory of nyssa why do we do this brethren so that we can consecrate in our hearts the true doctrine of the triune God and of our Blessed christ the king of kings and Lord of lords he is perfect in Godhead and he is equal with the father you see as we now work to a close what this would have done for the Philippian Christians is and this might sound simple but bear with me for a minute or two this would have been a cause for much rejoicing in the face of their adversaries not not some sort of proud arrogant rejoicing in the face of their adversaries but what was going on in the in you know in Philip I among many other things but what was going on was this this sort of culture of identity that fixed itself to heroes in Philip eyes history and not to this Christ you see there was a her room or a shrine to Philip the second king of Macedon that king in the fourth century BC is mentioned last lord's day father of Alexander the Great a shrine in Philip I this earthly King this earthly one created fashioned by the hands of Jehovah being in the form of man made himself out to be a god setting himself aside the twelve deities of greco-roman Pantheon achren he raises himself up to the position of a form of a deity and Paul is saying here not that Philip the second is in his mind but he would have with spirit provoked perhaps cast his eyes upon this a room this shrine to Philip the second and he says no there's only one who should be marveled after in the form of God and it's father son and spirit but for our peculiar interest this one who humbled himself the second of the Blessed triune who took upon him man's nature don't exalt yourself like Philip the second of Macedon this hero king of yours who in the form of man raised himself up to the four deity but rather Glorian rejoice in and worship the true God who condescended and took upon himself man's flesh there would have been in the life and times of the Philippian Christians those who would have been rejected because they didn't follow after the cult of Heroes the the Imperial cult of the Roman Empire if you do not worship Caesar as Lord then your cast out of the community you have no Philippian identity because you're not a fix to this Caesar you're a fix to this Christ and this is why we have language like our citizenship is in heaven from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior the reality of conduct as citizens of a country not marked by Philippian Imperial cultism but marked by Christianity the truth of God most I they would have been as revelation tells us unable to buy and sell and we have here this reality and this is where we're going that their identity was all wrapped up in not Philip the second of Macedon not Caesar Augustus not the Caesars that followed but rather their identity as a community and as individual Christians is all wrapped up in this one who came from the lofty place to the lowly place and was lifted back up that all who looked to him and saving faith might have everlasting life brethren our identity as a church is to be wrapped up in that our identity as a church is to be wrapped up in this king of kings and Lord of lords free grace baptist church chilliwack british columbia 2,000 years removed from the penning of this em yet all the more real were connected back to these Philippian christians we might not have the same adversaries identically are the same problems but we have adversaries we have problems and this comes to our hearts and this comes to our church and let us be about this one who is in the form of a god a form of god who didn't consider that equality with the father something to be gripped onto it all costs but humbled himself took to himself our nature died upon tell his tree that all to look to him that all who looked at him might have everlasting life that same Christ raised up where he rules and reigns glory be our Christ worship Him worship him all you gods the psalmist writes worship Him every one of us rejoice in your Christ when we go to eat food here in in two and a half minutes it's reflect upon the glories of our Christ and in our conversation let's discuss the king of kings and the Lord of lords let us pray Heavenly Father we thank you for our time together this morning we rejoice in the truth of Christ we rejoice in this one our blessed Savior we pray that you would help us as we eat our food as we go about the rest of our day as we go about our week that we would often be called to dwell upon to reflect upon the glories of our Christ do go with us now help us to have this Christ as our identity as our church as that truth that knits us together and might we go into this week seeking to puts into death to live unto righteousness that a watching world would see us as those true Christians and Lord that you would give give us opportunity to speak to others of the riches and the excellencies of this blessed Christ and we do pray in his name amen well let's stand together and sing the doxology if you know it you can sing it if you don't know what sing it but turn to Roman numeral 16 in your hem books let's sing the doxology now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy to God our Savior who alone as wise be glory and Majesty Dominion and power both now and forever amen please be seated we'll have a brief time of Prayer when we're finished I'll come back up and pray for the food you