Turn in your Bibles to Psalm 132. Psalm 132. I'll read the latter half, verses 11 to 18. Psalm 132, beginning in verse 11. The Lord has sworn in truth to David. He will not turn from it. I will set upon your throne the fruit of your body. If your sons will keep my covenant and my testimony which I shall teach them, their sons also shall sit upon your throne forever more. For the Lord has chosen Zion. He has desired it for his dwelling place. This is my resting place forever. Here I will dwell for I have desired it. I will abundantly bless her provision. I will satisfy her poor with bread. I will also clothe her priests with salvation, and her saints shall shout aloud for joy. There I will make the horn of David grow. I will prepare a lamp for my anointed. His enemies I will clothe with shame, but upon himself his crown shall flourish. Amen. Well, please turn in your hymn books to Psalm 22. Psalm 22 C as in Charlie will stand as we sing together Psalm 22 C. [Music] The falling worship will I bless before my brethren there. His name will I confess. How great is he that fear the Lord be children of his praise with reverence of his glories and bow before his face. out the sorrowful. The Lord will not despise. He has not turned from those who mourn. He offers to their cross. His goodness [Music] rejoises shall meet and they shall live and praise the Lord for his mercy. The end of all the earth, the nations seek the Lord. They worship him. The king of kings and I let us pray. Our blessed God and holy father, we thank you again for the privilege to gather together in your house on your day with your people. We pray that as we sing these praises, you would be enthroned upon the the the people of God, the Israel of God, as the psalmist says. We ask that you would be glorified and honored in this glad hour. We pray that you would ren the heavens and come down and be found amongst your people in this place. We thank you for that view of Christ in Revelation 1 where he's in the midst of the lampstands. And what an encouragement and what a what an invitation to come to public worship to commune with our blessed Jesus. We ask that you would be pleased to look with favor upon each and every one of us. Strengthen and sanctify us. Build us up in our most holy faith and cause us to rejoice in Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. As we gather before you, we acknowledge your holiness and your righteousness and your justice. We acknowledge as well what the new covenant calls upon us to do in terms of our conduct being worthy of the gospel. And we confess our remaining corruption, our remaining transgression against your holy law. We know that we have not lived as we ought. We know that there is a lack of of conformity in our hearts. We feel that tension that Paul speaks of in Romans 7 and Galatians 5. Yet, we constantly rejoice in that fountain that is open for sin and uncleanness. We rejoice in the shed blood of our Lord Jesus Christ through whom we have forgiveness and we have that righteousness by which we enter into your presence. So even now Lord God, wash us and purify us, cause us to take every thought captive to the obedience of Jesus Christ. And may we indeed bring reverence and joy into the presence of our great God. We pray for any and all here and elsewhere that are dead in their trespasses and sins. We desire to see you work in the hearts of men, effectually calling them by the power of the spirit unto the Lord Jesus Christ, believing on him alone for salvation from sin. We know God that there are great promises in scripture. We know that there is a an expectation on the part of our Lord from his high priestly prayer that there will be those who believe as a result of the apostolic preaching of the cross. And we see in the end of the book, the the book of Revelation, a great multitude assembled before that throne that no man can number. And God, we pray that you would continue to work in the preaching of the gospel. We have the sure word of the prophet Isaiah that your word does not return unto you void, but it accomplishes the purpose for which you sent it, and we rejoice in that. And we know that the Lord Jesus Christ is building his church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. We ask God in heaven that you would be pleased to bless other churches here in our community. Those who are faithfully proclaiming your truth. We pray that you would uphold them. That you would encourage them and strengthen them. Add to their numbers such as should be saved. Be with the brethren in Suriri and in Armstrong and in Dryen. Be with the brethren in Pinoa and in Medicine Hat and as well in Regina. We ask God that you would look with favor upon these men and the ministry of the word and that you would bless those churches with peace, with unity, with great joy. We look forward to the conference coming up and we pray that all would go well, that it would redown to the praise and glory of your great and awesome name, that it would facilitate and and bring about more camaraderie between our churches, and that God, you would continue a work in Western Canada. We pray for the entirety of this nation, for all the churches that they would be faithful to that charge, to preach the word, to be ready in season and out of season, to convince, rebuke, and exhort with all longsuffering and teaching. For we know, Lord God, that there are are multitudes that turn their ears away from sound doctrine. They heap up teachers that will tickle their ears. We know the emphasis is on the proclamation of your truth as well. We don't look to the political uh political agencies to to fix this nation. We know ultimately God there are spiritual problems. We know that this is a generation that calls good evil and evil good. So again, bless the preaching of your holy gospel. We pray for the missionary enterprise and for the the work of Christ throughout the world. We thank you, God, that your word is going forth and we pray that it would continue to to to conquer and and and bring sinners unto that, unto subjection to our Lord Jesus Christ. Be with the brethren in Myanmar. We pray that you would uphold Peter, that you would strengthen him physically and spiritually. Grant him great wisdom. Give him the ability, God, to provide for his family and for those orphans. We know that you own the cattle on a thousand hills and we pray that they would have the necessary food and shelter and clothing and those things that that sustain life in that region. We pray for a ceasefire and some degree of political stability there. And we ask God that you would be merciful. And for those nations we prayed for this morning, those that persecute the saints of Christ, Pakistan and and Iran and China. We pray for the believers there that you would embolden and encourage them, that they would be persevering, that they would endure, that they would see the Lord Jesus Christ as altogether lovely and chief among 10,000, and that they would rejoice, that they are counted worthy to suffer shame for his most glorious name. Lord, we pray that you would continue with us now, draw out from us that worship and that praise and that adoration that is fitting and appropriate for such a great and glorious God. as we come to the father through the son in the spirit and we pray in Jesus' name. Amen. Well, you can turn again in your hymn books to psalm 23 this time. 23b as in bravo. Psalm 23b will stand as we sing together. [Music] The Lord's my sheer. He brings me down to life in greeners. [Music] My soul restore again and to walk the name with the path of righteousness for his own name. [Music] Though I walk in dark, yet will I fear I will. For thou art with me, and I have still my [Music] table in presence of my hand with oil and my cup over host. Goodness and mercy all my life shall surely follow me. And in God's house forever my dwelling place. [Music] You could turn in your Bibles to Philippians chapter 2. Philippians chapter 2 as we work our way through Paul's letter to the church in Philippi, one of the prison epistles along with Ephesians and Colossians and Phileiman. He writes these letters in about AD60-62. The book of Acts ends in Acts chapter 28 with Paul in prison. He's there for about 2 years. he's released and goes out and engages in more ministry. But while he is in prison, he writes these prison epistles. So I want to read chapter 2:es 1 to 11 and then our focus tonight will be simply on verse 8. So beginning in chapter 2 at verse one. 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 loneliness 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 bondervant, 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 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 us pray. Our Father in heaven, we thank you for your written word. We thank you that it's God breathed, that's profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, and for instruction and righteousness. We pray that you'd give us ears to hear and hearts to receive your word. Cause us to reflect upon the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. Cause us not to neglect the context that we find it in an exhortation to unity similar to what we saw in the high priestly prayer this morning. We pray God that you would give us the grace to embibe what we see in this section of holy scripture. Again, forgive us for all of our sins and unrighteousness. Cleanse us in the blood of of the lamb. Guide us by the Holy Spirit. And we pray in Jesus' name. Amen. Well, as we look at this particular section, I want to remind us what we've seen thus far in the book of Philippians. In chapter 1, there's an introduction in verses 1 and two. The gratitude of the apostle is expressed in verses 3 to8. His intercessory prayer for the saints in Philippi in verses 9 to 11. And then the priority of the gospel for Paul in verses 12 to 18. He then moves to his future plans under God obviously in verses 19 to 26 where he says it's better for him if he departs and is present with the Lord. Nevertheless, for him to remain on is going to promote fruit in the lives of people like the church in Philippi. And then in chapter 2 he begins to exhort the people very specifically under the opaces of chapter 1 27. Notice in 127 only let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ so that whether I come and see you or am 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. So there is his introduction in terms of the practical exhortation that he wants to give to the church in Philippi. The way they ought ought to live as those bloodbought children of God who have been called out of darkness into marvelous light. He starts with unity within the context of the church. Love and giving preference to others in the context of the church. We see that in chapter 2:es 1 to4. And then in verses 5 to 11 he sets forth Jesus as an example. As I've told you many times, the primary emphasis in the New Testament is not on Jesus as an example. The Apostle Paul says in 1 Corinthians chapter 1, the Jews seek after signs. The Greeks seek after foolishness or after wisdom rather, but we preach Christ and him crucified. So the primary accent in the scriptures is on the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ with reference to redemption. There are passages however that hold forth Christ as an example to be followed and this is one of those passages. So as glorious as the Christologology is in verses 2 uh 5-1 it's connected very intimately with what he has said in verses 1 to4. So he doesn't say verses 1 to4 I want you to be unified. I want you to love one another. I want you to give preference to others. Now that we're done with all that, let's just bask in the glory of Jesus Christ and consider christologology. No, that's not it. The connection is obvious in verse 5 when after giving the exhortations in verses 1 to4, he says, "Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus." So Christ serves as an example to the people of God to put on the various things that G uh that Paul says specifically in verse three. Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit but in loneliness 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. That is exemplified in in a in a glorious way by the work of Christ in verses 5 to 11. It's also exemplified in Timothy in chapter 2:es 19- 24 and then by apap Apapraditis in chapter 2 25-30. So we mustn't forget the context as we bask in the christologology but we mustn't only look at the context when we can bask in that christologology. So we have seen the divinity of Christ in verses 5 and six. He is in the form of God and he is equal with God. equal with God the Father. And then in verses seven and 8, we have the the the the humility of Christ and that's broken down into two parts. First, the incarnation of our Lord in verse 7 and tonight properly, the passion of our Lord and then Paul moves to the exaltation of Christ in verses 9 to 11. So we'll take up the passion of our Lord under the humility of Christ under two statements or two heads. first the declaration of his humility in verse 8 and then the demonstration of his humility in verse 8b. If you look at your Bibles, you'll notice verse 8 in our English Bibles has and being found in appearance as a man. We already dealt with that last time. It's connected to verse 7 in the Greek text. So we're going to start with he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. So that's the declaration of his humility. He humbled himself. And I think one of the things that we ought to observe here is that it was voluntary. There was no gun put to the Savior's head. And I think in context that helps us to understand verses 1 to4. Our doing nothing with selfish ambition or conceit isn't because pastors or parents or spouses are going to yell at us if we don't do that, but we do it voluntarily. We see that this is indeed pleasing to our Lord. We see that this is conduct worthy of the gospel of Christ. We don't need to be compelled to do this, but we do it voluntarily because we are about serving our blessed God. In terms of the christoologgical nuance in the passage, he humbled himself according to his humanity. You've probably heard me say that a lot in our studies in John's gospel. You've heard me say it a lot in our studies here in Philippians chapter 2. And when we refer to according to his humanity or according to his divinity, the technical term or the the methodology that this reflects is what's been called in the church partative exesus. There's not going to be a quiz, no test, but this is something that exedites have seen. There are contexts where Christ speaks according to his humanity. The ignorant son, for instance, when he says that the son does not know the day or the hour. When the son bleeds, when the son suffers, when the son dies, that's according to the humanity of Christ, according to his human nature. So, one person, two natures. There are times we see him act according to his divinity when he breathes the holy spirit upon the disciples in John 20 when he uh forgives that paralytic of his sins and says so that you may know that the son of man has power on earth to forgive sins. And this part of exugesus tactic or strategy isn't imposed upon the text but in comes from the text and especially a text like this. He's in the form of God and he's in the form of a servant. He's in the form of God and he is in the form of a servant. Not two persons, one person, one subject, two natures. We call this this in theology the hypothatic union. So the humility occurs according to his humanity and it draws attention to the glory of Christ. This one who is in the form of God who assumes our humanity and is in the form of a servant humbled himself and he does this voluntarily and this really goes a long way to provoke in us to let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus. If the divine son comes into this world, assumes our humanity, and lives in a manner like he lived, that should certainly hold sway in the consciences of the bloodbought child of God as to how they're to treat other people. when it comes to a verse three or a verse four, that ought to be something that we bemoan that we don't do more that we lament and we cry out to God for grace and we cry out to God for help and for strength so that we can let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit but in loneliness of mind esteeming others better than ourselves. Why does Jesus do what Jesus does according to verses 5 to8? He does it because he is others minded and he has come to save his people from their sins. The son of man did not come to be served he says but to serve and to give his life a ransom for many. So let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus our Lord. So the humility of the saints is even fortified in what we see here in terms of the savior. Now that then brings us to the demonstration of his humility in verse 8b. So notice after the simple statement he humbled himself. It then goes on to say and became obedient to the point of death even the death of the cross. So the demonstration of his humility. I want to look first at the nature of his humiliation and then secondly the extent of his humiliation. So notice that the humiliation of our Lord Jesus Christ is seen specifically in obedience. So notice in verse 8, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death. Obedience is what is punctuated here in terms of the humility of Jesus Christ. Obedience. One man says, "The manner and sign of his humility is obedience. Whereas it is characteristic of the proud to follow their own will. For a proud person seeks greatness, but it pertains to a great thing that it not be ruled by something else, but that it rule other things. Therefore, obedience is contrary to pride. The overarching concern by the apostle, do nothing out of selfish ambition or conceit, but in loneliness and mind, consider others as better than yourself. And so, with reference to the humiliation of our Lord Jesus, it is seen specifically in obedience. Now, this is the one who was in the form of God. This is the one who took on our humanity. This is the one who humbled himself according to that humanity. And I want to make sure that we're clear here as we've seen this before in our studies in John's gospel. We don't project obedience or submission or authority into God as God is in himself. This is not the way to distinguish the persons of the Godhead. This has become popular over the last generation or two. It's called eternal functional subordination of the son. Now, they're not meaning by that that the son according to his humanity as covenant mediator obeys the father in every jot and tit of the law. That's perfectly acceptable. We put obedience and authority in the economy where it belongs. But when we read it into theology, we are making a huge mistake. Dare I say it is heretical. There is another school of thought that teaches eternal relations of authority and subjection. That what is true of the father and the son that we see here on earth is true of the father and the son in eternity as god. Again many times we have stressed the way you see distinction between the persons of the godhead is not eternal relations of authority and submission. It is not eternal functional subordination of the son. It's the eternal relations of origin. The father is unbegotten. The son is begotten by the father and the spirit proceeds from the father and the son. So when we think authority and we think submission and we think obedience, we don't map that onto God and say that the way that the son relates to the father in terms of heavenly reality or God in himself, we are in error. And when it comes to that, what the people actually do is they introduce a multiplicity of wills in God. If that is true, authority and submission is what uh distinguishes the persons of the Godhead. It argues for two wills. You've got to have an authoritative will and then a submitting will. And that's not orthodox Christianity. One power, one substance, one eternity, one will. The essential nature or rather the essentialness of the uh unity of the divine nature. it is at stake in this christoologgical debate. So we don't read what happens in the economy into God himself because then we're going to be heretical and we don't want to be heretical. So the apostle Paul tells us that with reference to the humanity of Christ the form of a servant he humbled himself and became obedient. Now in terms of this the entirety of his of his humility let me just read what I think the text is saying. He humbled himself and became obedient to death. Now, I think we typically read that he was obedient to death, the death that was going to happen. I I think it means from the from the womb to the cross, from the entirety of his life, he was obedient. Every jot and tit, every step of the way, he was obedient. When it gets into even the death of the cross, that's the extent of this obedience. That's the extent of this particular act of humiliation. So the obedience that he renders up is according to God's law. And our confession I think has a wonderful summary statement in terms of God's law. It says God gave to Adam a law of universal obedience written in his heart and a particular precept of not eating the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil by which he bound him in all his posterity to personal, entire exact and perpetual obedience. So the perpetual obedience, the exact and entire obedience is from his mother's womb all the way to the point of death. In other words, the entirety of his life was marked by this humiliation which is seen specifically in his act of obedience. Galatians 3 tells us, "For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse. For it is written, cursed is everyone who does not continue in all things which are written in the book of the law to do that." It's kind of Paul's point in the book of Galatians. We'll see that as Cam moves through Galatians. What does Paul say in Galatians chapter 5? You who get circumcised thinking there's religion and circumcision, thinking that there's acceptance with God via your circumcision, you are obligated or you're a debtor to keep the entirety of the law. You don't get to just take your best shot at it. Well, I'll obey three out of the ten commandments. I'll obey a few of the ceremonies of Moses. Now the ceremonies of Moses seems to be front and center which was uh plaguing the people of God in the churches in Galatia. But with reference to God's law, listen again Galatians 3 and this is a quote from the Old Testament uh Deuteronomy. For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse, for it is written, cursed is everyone who does not continue in all things which are written in the book of the law to do that. That's why we need Jesus cuz we don't do the works of the law. Especially not all of them. I mean, the best Christian on the best day stands in constant need of Christ's righteousness. It's not that there's ever a time where we go, "Man, I had a really great day." I think sometimes this happens with the supper. I had a great week. I've had a great month. I think I deserve the supper. I hope that's not in our minds. It's all about Jesus and what he's accomplished. And Christ was obedient from the from the womb to the to to the cross. The obedience is seen to his father, as the covenant mediator. But even before that, as a man, true humanity, in order for him to serve as that mediator, in order for him to save his people from their sins, as a man, he had to obey the law. So with reference to the obedience to his father, Galatians 4 says, "When the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth his son born of a woman and born under the law." Why? To redeem those who were under the law. So he must obey his father. Every jot and tit of his life, the incarnation of the son necessarily placed him under the law. And as man and mediator, he had the obligation placed before him to obey that law. Go back to Matthew's gospel where you see the first inkling of this in the baptism of our Lord Jesus. Matthew chapter 3. Matthew chapter 3. You remember the scene? He comes to be baptized by the Baptist and the Baptist says, "No, I think I should be baptizing you. You should be baptiz baptizing me." Verse 13. Then Jesus came from Galilee to Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him. And John tried to prevent him, saying, "I need to be baptized by you, and are you coming to me?" Jesus answered and said to him, "Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness." Then he allowed him. That sets the tone of the Savior's ministry. He's got to fulfill all righteousness. Notice in John's gospel, you see this accent many times in terms of his relation to the father according to his humanity as the covenant mediator, as the one tasked with saving his people from their sins. John 4. John 4 specifically at verse 34. Well, picking uh back to verse 31. In the meantime, his disciples urged him, saying, "Rabbi, eat." But he said to them, "I have food to eat of which you do not know." Therefore, the disciples said to one another, "Has anyone brought him anything to eat?" Jesus said to him, "My food is to do the will of him who sent me, and to finish his work." Do you not say there are still four months, and then comes the harvest? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest. Notice that verse 32, I have food to eat of which you do not know. They're perplexed. Has anybody given him given him any food? How does he describe that? My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work. That's a foreign concept. Not just to these men that were with them, but to us. Can you say my food is to do the will of him who sent me? Probably not, brethren, or else the cross and all of its attendant benefits were in vain. If we can do the will of the father who sent us, then we don't need Jesus. Notice in John 5:30, John 5:30, I can I can of myself do nothing. As I hear I judge, and my judgment is righteous because I do not seek my own will, but the will of the father who sent me. John 6:38. For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of him who sent me. This is the will of the father who sent me, that of all he has given me, I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day. And this is the will of him who sent me that everyone who sees the son and believes in him may have everlasting life and I will raise him up at the last day. John 8 specifically at verse 29. John 8:29. And he who sent me is with me. The father has not left me alone. For I always do those things that please him. I always do those things that please him. So the humility of our Lord Jesus from the womb to his death was always to the father. But there was a manword orientation as well. The obedience to human authority. If you look at our Lord Jesus in his earthly ministry, he continued in subjection to his earthly parents. Those were imperfect parents. Contra Rome. I you know Mary rejoiced in God my savior. She was a sinner that needed a savior. They were not perfect people, brethren. And yet he submitted to them. He was subject to them according to the scriptures. His vocation as a carpenter. He He was obedient the entirety of his life on the horizontal level as well. He didn't lay on the couch and say, "Hey, I'm the Messiah. I'm just going to wait it out until I go to the cross." No, he he worked. He did what God commands in the fourth commandment. It's a command to rest, but it's also a command to work. Six days you shall labor and do all your work. as well his humility before the disciples washing their feet. That that scene is amazing. He takes out the gar takes off the garment and girds himself. Later on, Peter uses a convention that seems to suggest that scene when he says be clothed with humility. The implication might be like the master when he bent down and washed our feet. or consider the humble obedience of our blessed Lord. With reference to his enemies, with reference to his enemies, he tells Peter to sheath the sword. He tells Peter to put away that that instrument of defense such that he could be arrested and be dragged off to the Sanhedrin and then to Pontius Pilate. He was obedient. That's what characterized the state of humiliation. as well. We have that blessed testimony of Simon Peter concerning the Lord in 1 Peter 2:es 21 and 22. Peter says, "For to this end you were called because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example that you should follow his steps." And then he cites the prophet Isaiah and he says, "Who committed no sin, nor was deceit found in his mouth." I find that to be an incredible statement, not only in terms of the active obedience of our blessed savior, but in terms of the position of Peter. Peter was very close to the Lord. Remember Gethsemane and transfiguration, it's Peter, James, and John. You've heard me say this before. The people that you're closest to, you sin the most against. Unless you know you're the blessed exception. The rest of us slobs, the people that we love the most, for whatever reason, we sin the most against them. You'd think it would work. Conversely, Peter was intimate with Jesus. Peter is able to say what Peter says from the mouth of the prophet Isaiah who committed no sin nor was deceit found in his mouth. Not once, not ever. It was entire. It was exact. It was perpetual. It was blessed. It is the obedience of our Lord Jesus Christ. So when Paul says, "Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus our Lord." Paul is using the biggest example that he can muster to impress upon the children of God to let nothing be done with selfish ambition or conceit but to give preference to others to esteem others as better than yourself. The Lord Jesus Christ was obedient from the womb to the cross. But then notice in verse eight, we see the extent of his humiliation. I think what Paul is doing here is amplifying this state of humiliation characterized by obedience from the womb to death. But now let's talk about this death. It wasn't just an ordinary death. Matthew P says concerning the crucifixion, far more reproachful than beheading, hanging, or burning, out of unspeakable love to bring us nigh unto God. So notice Paul says he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Now, it was especially humiliating in light of the Old Testament. You you can just turn to Galatians 3. There's an Old Testament quotation there and we should see it. Galatians 3:13, Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us. For it is written, cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree. That's Deuteronomy 21:23. Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree. This is a cursed death. Christ became a curse for us in order to redeem us from our sins. Now, not only was it a cursed death, but it was a very shameful death. Turn over to the book of Hebrews. Remember reading Charles Spurgeon as you're turning there. Spurgeon says, "Our artists usually clothe Jesus on the cross." Not that I'm an advocate for pictures or paintings of Jesus on the cross, but in the history of the church when men have taken brush to whatever that thing is they draw on my my ignorance as an artist. That thing the canvas. Thank you. Yes. Very good. When they do that, they they put a cloth on Jesus. That's probably not the way that it was. shame, humiliation, ignominy, all of the things associated with that kind of a death. You think that bloodthirsty mob of unbelieving Jews wanted to do anything less than bring him to utter humiliation? I mean, him being a man made himself equal with God. This man's a blasphemer. Every bit of shame, every bit of h of humiliation should be thrown upon him. Note what the apostle says in Hebrews 12:1. Therefore, we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight and the sin which so easily ens snares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us. So, what the apostle is doing here is he's exhorting the people of God to perseverance. He's exhorting the people of God to run with endurance the race that is set before us. He first invokes this imagery of an amphitheater filled with witnesses. Now, those witnesses aren't cheering on the runners down below. The witnesses aren't, you know, going, "Hey, Jim, you keep running. You keep fighting that temptation. You keep resisting that sin." That's not how they're witnessing. The witness in a courtroom testifies. These guys, these witnesses, men and women, aren't just watching the spe uh watching the runners on the field. They're actually witnesses. And the witness testimony is God is faithful. And if you ask the question, who are these witnesses in this amphitheater? Read Hebrews 11. All the godly men, the godly women who by faith did what they were supposed to do. That's the connection. Therefore, we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, godly Abel, who says God is faithful, godly Rachel, who says, "God is faithful." Godly Abraham who says God is faithful. Godly all of them who say God is faithful. We've got these witnesses testifying concerning the glorious faithfulness of God. That's the first motive. The second is the experience of Jesus. Notice after verse one, verse two, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him, endured the cross, despising the shame, and is sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. I think at times if we are operating in the realm of selfish ambition or conceit, it feels shameful. It it feels below us. It feels beneath us. It it's not dignified for us to humble ourselves, eat a bit of crow, confess where we were wrong, and own it and deal with it. No, we sometimes double down. We get really defensive. We say, "No, that that that wasn't me." But that's not Jesus according to this particular statement, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. So back to Philippians 2, what the Apostle Paul is saying here is that this obedience of our Lord which was indicative of the state of humiliation was from the womb of Mary all the way to his death. But then to amplify that or to demonstrate the extent of that, to exacerbate it, he says even the death of the cross, what Christ went through on behalf of his people, he he he endured. He he despised and yet he carried on because he counted his father as faithful as well. The blessed savior is the perfect example for those in the church who need to be reminded to let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit but in loneliness of mind. Let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interest but also for the interests of others. If you ask the question, what would Jesus do? He'd humble himself. How would Jesus deal with this? He'd disarm it. How would Jesus deal with this? He would do it without selfish ambition or conceit and he would give preference to others. Well, how do we know that? Because that's precisely what marked the entirety of his life. Exact entire perpetual. Every jot and tit of his life was marked by that obedience was which was the great identifier of the state of humiliation. So Paul's example here is most powerful. It's strong with Timothy and it's strong with Apapraditis as well. They both illustrate or demonstrate certain facets of what Paul enjoins upon us in verses 1 to4. But not like Jesus. And when we set this in its larger context, we cannot divorce verse 8 from verses 6 and 7. Who being in the form of God. In the beginning was the word and the word was with God and the word was God. The word became flesh and dwelt among us. And we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the father, full of grace and truth. Paul's following that same motif. Notice who being in the form of God did not consider it robbery to be equal with God. That's his John 1:1. And then is John 1:14 is verse 7. But he made himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondervant and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, it's according to his humanity. He humbles himself and he does so to death. Even the death of the cross. So in the context, it's the incarnation and the passion of the divine son of God. The word became flesh. The incarnation shows us this, but the passion highly demonstrates the humility enjoined by the apostle upon the church of Christ such that they do nothing out of selfish ambition or conceit. It is a marvelous stupendous example. And as Gil says, put these two together, the form of God and the form of a servant and and admire the amazing stoop. Or as Matthew P says upon these considerations, how should Christians in mutual love condescend to each other? Other words, brethren, what Paul is doing here? He's giving us glorious Christologology. Again, I'm not sure you could pack as much into, you know, a few small verses as the apostle does. And then you've got commentators that come along the way and expound it even more so to show us that what we have in the in what we call classical theism was not imposed upon the Bible. It is derived exoggetically from the Bible. The form of a the form of God and the form of a servant. That's part of the ex Jesus according to the humanity according to his divinity. The one person acts. So when it comes to this particular section, the apostle is calling upon us to to to contemplate the savior so that our hearts are drawn out in love and worship. We should consider the one who is in the form of God did not consider it robbery to be equal with God but but but took on the form of a servant. That that should just blow our minds when we ponder that. But it's also to function in such a way as to how we're to deal with one another. How we're to conduct ourselves in the context of the local church. Christologology and ethics are mingled in this beautiful passage by the apostle Paul for our good and for our benefit. Well, in terms of just some thoughts in closure in closing, the glory of Christ and his person again we need to notice the voluntary nature of his humility. The voluntary nature of his humility. No gun to his head, no compulsion, no you know you must or I'm going to cut you off. The voluntary nature he humbled he humbled himself as well. The definitive expression of his humility and he became obedient to death the entirety of Christ's life is marked by obedience. If you ever really want to see what righteousness looks like, it's the 33 years that Christ was on this earth. That is righteousness. That is obedience. That is what our confession says in terms of personal, entire, exact, and perpetual obedience to God's law. This is what Deuteronomy 27 and Galatians 3:10 means when it says you must do all the things committed in that law. That's a subject for our meditation that should cause us to just stand in awe. I would suggest thirdly the glorious extent of his humility is seen in that phrase even the death of the cross. The extent of his humility even the death of the cross. It wasn't just peace meal. It wasn't just partial. It wasn't just kind of faked. No, this is what the son of god who assumed our humanity does for us men and for our salvation. And then the obvious doctrinal content of his humiliation of his of his humili humility is that we see here an emphasis on the active and the passive obedience of Christ. Those shouldn't be foreign concepts to anybody in this church. Whenever we talk about justification by faith alone, we ground it not upon our faith plus works, not upon our merit, not upon our, you know, thought process, but it's on the active obedience of Christ, his positive obedience to everything that God had given him to do. And then the passive obedience refers to his death on the cross. Passive not meaning that he was an unwilling participant and just sort of thrown up there. more probably like passion. It was the death aspect of the cross or the the the ministry of Jesus. Zenkei says there are then two parts to his obedience. One that preceded death in the cross and the other that included the cross and death. In common theological parliament, it's the active and passive obedience of Christ. And Paul says it's a as a result of that that you and I get to go to heaven. Romans 5:19, for as by one man's disobedience, many were made sinners, so also by one man's obedience, many will be made righteous. The entirety of his obedience, that broken down in his life in terms of active, that with reference to his death in terms of passive. Second Corinthians 5:21, Paul says, "God made him who knew no sin to be sin for us that we might become the righteousness of God in him." the twin blessings involved in justification by faith alone. Brethren, that's why we eat this bread and drink this cup. That's why this is all possible to us tonight. Why it's certain. Why it's there. Why we do this. Again, not a reward for good conduct over the last month since the last time. Not necessarily don't do it because you had a bad or rough month. No, it's the active obedience of our blessed savior to every jot and tit of the father's command. It's the passive obedience of our blessed savior shedding his blood to cleanse us from all of our sins and unrighteousness. And not only that, it's the one who was in the form of God who did not consider it robbery to be equal with God. Who took upon himself our humanity, not just our humanity, the form of a servant. I mean brethren if it were us we take on the form of a we would take on humanity in in the form of a king. I mean that's what what is due us right? We we take on the form of a of a wealthy man. We take on the form of a of a of a wise man. He took on the form of a servant. Why? So that he could save us from our sins. So that through that passive obedience we would be cleansed in his precious blood. through that act of obedience, we would receive that that that that that wedding garment that fits us and prepares us such that we can enter into the presence of a thrice holy God. The stuff of Philippians 2:5-11. Yeah, as the people of God, don't be selfishly ambitious and do nothing with conceit, but rather give preference to others. All that's true, but this is true because of what Jesus accomplished on behalf of the people whom the father had given him. It really is a splendid and a marvelous passage. And I want to just end on this note with reference to the mind of Christ in the believer. Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus. Yes, obedience. Yes, humility. Yes, kill the selfish ambition. and the conceit, but also have this mind in you to contemplate the beauties of the christologology and the glory revealed to us in verses 6 to 11. You're not going to go to heaven because you've mastered no selfish ambition or conceit. You're going to go to heaven because he did. You're not going to go to heaven because you always give preference to others. And again, I'm not minimizing the context and telling you it's okay, but you're going to go to heaven because of what Christ has done on your behalf. So, we need to be reminded of that. We need to have this mind in us to contemplate the glories of the Savior as set forth in a Philippians 2:es 5-1. Not so that we can go out and sin, but that when we do sin, we remember we have an advocate with the father, even Jesus Christ the righteous. He ever lives to make intercession for us. This kind of commitment on the part of the son of God means the kind of stability and the kind of peace and the kind of comfort that the people of God possess. His oath, his covenant, his blood. Support me in the whelming flood. It's not my oath. It's not my covenant. It's not my blood. It's his. Luther said something to the effect, "When I look at myself, I cannot see how I could be saved. But when I look at Jesus, I cannot see how I could be lost." I love that. That is blessed, brethren. So take the supper tonight with that sobriety, with that reverence before God, but with the joy of the Lord as our strength that our Savior did what the Savior said he would do, has done, and is written about in a book like Philippians. May that encourage us. May that build us up in our most holy faith. May that confirm that faith and strengthen it. May it be a means of grace to conduce to our good and for our perseverance in the Christian faith. Well, let us pray. Our father in heaven, we thank you for this beautiful passage of holy scripture. Truly an amazing passage. We give glory to you, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit for such a wonderful salvation. We thank you that you've made us partakers of this, not because of what we were going to do or what you saw that we might do, but according to predestination and election and blood atonement wrought out by the Savior, King. We thank you for the ministry of the Holy Spirit who has taken these things and made them effectual in our lives. And we thank you that tonight we can eat this bread and we can drink this cup and to together as a church, we can proclaim the Lord's death until he comes. We give all glory and praise and honor to you for so great a salvation. And we pray in Jesus name. Amen. Welcome to come up. Just want to rehearse the section in 1 Corinthians 11. I'll read the portion in Matthew when we start just a quick overview of firstiansap 11. Basically, the apostle Paul was addressing the saints in Corinth. If you read the book of Corinthians, you know that they had a lot of issues to address. They had a lot of problems and certainly things that needed to be rebuked by the apostle. And among those things was conduct that the Lord suffered. And in 11 verses 17-22 he addresses that improper conduct. He says that basically they have meal in conjunction with the supper and that meal that we're smoothing out. Paul does not well you know that's just the way it goes. You've been dealt a hard hand. You don't get to eat as well as others. No, he sees this as division. He sees this as a big problem in the life of the church. Such that he says do you despise the church of God and shame those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you in this? I do not praise you. So there is improper conduct going on here. He then rehearses the institution by Christ in verses 23- 26. The the section of Matthew that we'll read in a few moments. Uh Matthew 26, take eat. This is my body which is broken for you. Do this in remembrance of me. And this cup is the new covenant and my blood. This do as often as you drink it in remembrance of me. And then the latter section in 1 Corinthians 11, he highlights the importance of e examination. And I want to make sure that we don't think that examination there means that we must find no sin because if that's the case, none of us can ever take. It it's not a not finding of sin, but it's are we dealing with sin. And that's the emphasis that the apostle gives in terms of let a man examine himself and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup. He's not saying you got to examine yourself and in so far as there's no sin, you're you're worthy then to go ahead and take. No, I I think it's best to understand are you are you at peace with your sin? Are you delighting in your sin? Are you giving vent to your sin? Are you not dealing with your sin? That's the problem. If you're confessing and forsaking and seeking God for mercy and first John 2:1 and two, you know, we have an advocate with the father, even Jesus Christ the righteous. That's the conduct of God's people and that's what I think he is speaking to when he deals with the saints in Corenth. So it's not a reward for our our perfect obedience, but it's also not the case that without perfect obedience, we can't participate in the supper. We need to make sure that we understand and we need to make sure that by God's grace, we are seeking to maintain short accounts with God and short accounts with our fellows. Well, we'll sing while the brothers pass out the Brad and we will sing Psalm 13A. [Music] Yeah, go ahead and pass it up. Psalm 138. Don't take until we get it all together and then I'll read the section and [Music] pray for the to you my cry. Lord to be in here and give attention to my voice. I cry for mercy. If you Lord should our sins and you oh [Music] Lord can be found with you that you here. Oh my, my soul is the Lord. My heart is in his word. as far away for God. My soul the [Music] Lord is all in God the Lord for mercy is with him with great redemption he will sing His come sing. [Music] [Music] Matthew 26 at verse 26. And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed, and broke it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, "Take, eat. This is my body." Well, let us pray. Our blessed God, as we consider your glory, your grace, your majesty, we are we are amazed that you would look upon us with favor and not just favor, but love, great and glorious love. We rejoice in this. We bless you for this time together as a local church. We thank you for the body that we are a part of here. We thank you for our head, the Lord Jesus Christ, and for what he has done on our behalf to bring us to this place, not just in terms of being in this church, but this place of so great a salvation. We give all glory and honor and praise unto you, and we eat now for that glory. And we pray through Christ our Lord. Amen. Well, let us take together You can turn to 352. Remember that the wine is in the inside and the juice is in the outside of the the plate. So we'll sing number 352. [Music] Sorrow for the son of God through s to reclaim. Hallelujah. My savior chain has in my [Music] place. Seal my heart with his blood. Hallelu. My [Music] savior building and helpless of God was full and it be [Music] hallelujah to It is now exalted. Hallelujah. Our Savior and he comes our glorious king. All his friends to bring a new song will sing. Hallelu myior. [Music] [Music] Continuing to read in Matthew's gospel. Matthew 26. Then he took the cup and gave thanks and gave it to them, saying, "Drink from it all of you. For this is my blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. But I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it with you in my father's kingdom." And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives. Well, let us pray. As we read these words, Lord God, we are reminded that the covenant is ratified in blood in the old covenant. We see that announcement in the prophet Jeremiah concerning the new covenant and we see here it ratified in the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. We know the blood of bulls and goats in the Old Testament could not take away sin but they prefigured and typified and pointed forward to that lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. We rejoice again in that redemptive work. We bless you for all that you have done in our lives. Give us grace to receive with thanksgiving these gifts, these reminders, these emblems, these symbols. We know they don't become something other, but they certainly represent to us that broken body of our savior and the shed blood of our savior. And we pray now in his most blessed name. Amen. Take together. Will you can stand and turn to 134. [Music] 134. Bless the Lord with the Lord. You faithful servants of the Lord. who in his house to stand by and praise him there with all your might. Lift up your hands in prayer. [Music] Come on to his san. [Music] Oh bless the Lord heard his and worship him with the Lord bless you [Music] from His boundless love our Lord who enter. Bless be his great and holy name. Oh Israel, hope in the Lord, for with the Lord there is mercy, and with him is abundant redemption, and he shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities. Amen. Well, please be seated.
